Mortgage Articles and Advice

* How Much House Can You Afford?
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o Debt-to-income Ratios
o Your Monthly Income - the way Lenders Figure it
o Your Maximum Monthly Mortgage Payment
o The Rest is Easy - Sort of
* Your Down Payment Affects Everything Else
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o AnalyzingYour Savings - the First Step
o Mortgage Program Choices
o Shopping for Interest Rates
o Writing Your Offer
o Conclusion - Look at Your Savings First
* Documenting Your Assets & Verifying Your Down Payment
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o You can't just "come up" with the money
o Checking, Savings, & Money Market Accounts
o Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, etc.
o Gifts from Family Member
o 401K or Retirement Accounts
o Selling Personal Property
o Help from Employers
o Savings Bonds
o Borrowing to Come up with a Down Payment
* Where Does Mortgage Money Come From?
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o The Olden Days
o How it works now
o Mortgage Backed Securities
* Understanding Commercial Lending
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o What to Expect when Applying for a Commercial Mortgage Loan : Part 1 (new!)
o What to Expect when Applying for a Commercial Mortgage Loan : Part 2 (new!)
o What to Expect when Applying for a Commercial Mortgage Loan : Part 3 (new!)
* Different Types of Lenders
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o Mortgage Bankers
o MortgageBrokers
o Wholesale Lenders
o Portfolio Lenders
o Direct Lenders
o Correspondents
o Banks
o Savings & Loans
o Credit Unions
* Advantages of Different Types of Lenders
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o What kind of Lender is Best?
o Portfolio Lenders
o Banks and Savings & Loans
o Mortgage Bankers
o Mortgage Brokers
o Wholesale Lenders
* When Realtors or Builders Recommend a Lender
* Things You Need When You Apply for a Home Loan
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o "Alternate" Documention versus Full Traditional Documentation
o The Actual List of things you need to get a quick loan approval
* Closing Costs When Buying or Refinancing a Home
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o Introduction
o Lender Associated Costs - the "normal" ones
o Lender Associated Costs - the "other" ones
o Items Paid in Advance
o Impounds or Reserves
o Costs not Associated with the Lender
o Refinancing Associated Costs
o Asking the Seller to Pay Closing Costs - Advice and Rules
* Mortgage Interest Rates - How it Works
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o A Loan Officer's Rate Sheet
o Pricing the Loan
o Quoting Rates to You
o Locking in Your Rate
o Shopping for Rates
o Getting Reliable Quotes