Trained to spot financial mismanagement, mortgage lenders take careful time to review your finances before approving or denying you for a home loan. The role of the lender in approving a loan is to make sure you have enough money for a down payment and closing costs, and to assess whether you’re able to regularly
Whether you’re a seasoned or first-time home buyer, be prepared to know your FICO score and have a firm understanding of your credit history. And if you’re buying with another person, their credit history can affect your joint home purchase. What is a FICO score? First things first – what’s a FICO score and why
When couples start a new journey as homeowners, questions can linger as to whose name (or names) should be listed on the mortgage and title. Many couples want a 50/50 split, indicating equal ownership to the asset, but sometimes that isn’t the best financial decision. Plus, with more than one person on the loan, the
The complexities of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits leave many people wondering not only if they can buy a home, but if buying a home will, in turn, affect their benefits in the future. The short answer is many people who receive SSDI and SSI benefits can and do
If you’re a parent, buying or renting a new home isn’t just about where you’ll tuck the kids into bed at night – it’s also about where you’ll send them off to school in the morning. So, how can you be sure your dream house feeds into your child’s dream school? You’re going to have
A home is often the biggest financial investment you’ll make in your lifetime. In fact, a recent Zillow analysis reports that the typical American homeowner has 40 percent of their wealth tied up in their home. Several years ago, I wrote a complete guide to financial planning on one index card, which went viral and
Thinking of buying a home this year? We compiled five New Year’s resolutions that can help you keep your financial resume in tiptop shape. 1. Avoid job hopping Employment history and income are two of the biggest factors lenders look at when evaluating a mortgage application. A new job may be a good career move, but
Navigating the purchase of a home can be overwhelming for first-time buyers. Lenders require documentation of seemingly every detail of your life before granting a loan. And of course, they will require a credit check. A question many buyers have is whether a lender pulls your credit more than once during the purchase process. The
It’s true that changing jobs can affect your loan approval, but, like most mortgage-related questions, the devil is in the details. So long as you are moving from one position to one with equal or higher income, and you are able to provide documentation of your work and income history, any changes to your loan
When shopping for a home, it’s not uncommon to come across one that truly stands out. It’s not because the home is an old fixer-upper or that it’s a newly renovated home with a designer kitchen. It’s a home that’s architecturally significant or in some way conveys a “different” attribute. For instance, it might be