6 Credit Repair Steps to Close More Mortgage and Mortgage Refinancing Deals for Your Clients

Even people that know virtually nothing about finance and Wall Street are talking about the serious impact the subprime mortgage catastrophe has had on our economy. While the incredible number of failed subprime mortgages may have started the economic tumble, the continued financial problems and people’s inability to obtain a mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their home is exacerbated by poor credit scores.

To make matters worse, with the horrifying increase in foreclosures across the country, the mortgage, and mortgage refinancing problem for mortgage brokers is just going to grow.

When an individual’s credit score goes down, so does their choices for mortgages and mortgage refinancing options. Also, tell your clients to beware of untrustworthy credit repair companies and other scams in the marketplace today promising to “repair bad credit.

Good credit is an absolute must for a loan originator to be able to put through most reasonable mortgage and mortgage refinancing deals, and with the problem not going away anytime soon, it behooves the loan originator the help their clients with ideas for the credit repair process of improving their credit scores.

This type of credit repair advice is the way that a mortgage broker can turn a potential client into the “real deal” and close their mortgage or mortgage refinancing deal. Also, if done properly, more often than not, the process can take place in a relatively short time span.

Step 1

Realize that rebuilding an individual’s credit score is an ongoing process and requires thoughtful preparation to successfully rebuild his or her credit to an acceptable level to obtain a well structured mortgage or mortgage refinancing product.

Encourage your client to be conservative on any new monthly credit score building budget that they will be able to make the payments and never be late on anything. Caution your client not to structure a program with monthly payments that they cannot comfortably make, because being late on any payments will further reduce their credit score and may make a new mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their home impossible.

If there are extenuating circumstances such as divorce, insist that they review their credit program with their attorney before agreeing to anything.

Step 2

If your client’s credit card companies have not reported or have understated their credit limits on their credit cards, it can hurt their credit score. For this reason, have your client determine if their credit card companies are understating their credit limits on their cards. Often credit limits are reported as lower than they actually are and frequently may not be reported whatsoever.

While we are on the subject of credit cards, make sure that your client has a minimum of three credit cards or other sort of revolving credit. Many people mistakenly believe that if they have credit cards it actually hurts their credit score and because of this, they cancel some or all of their cards. Their credit score can be more harmed and the possibilities of not obtaining new mortgage refinancing on their home or a new mortgage is greater by simply canceling existing credit cards.

Furthermore, if they do not have any credit cards, have them obtain at least three. If they have trouble with getting typical cards like Visa, Master Card, Amex etc, tell them to try a local department store, or a Home Depot or Lowes. Quite often these types of stores are more lenient in granting revolving charge accounts.

Step 3

Make sure that your client reduces any outstanding credit card balances to under 30% of their credit limit on each of the individual cards. Some people mistakenly think that the 30% figure is based on their overall revolving credit card balance, but this is false. A single card over the 30% balance can nullify the benefit of the effort of having the revolving credit cards in the first place.

If your client has one card over the limit and several others under the limit, if they are limited on cash and cannot pay down the high card, have them see it they can transfer some of the higher card’s balance to the lower cards. Have them check first before doing this to see if this type of transfer creates a higher interest rate or any other adverse effects on their credit.

Thus, if an individual has 3 credit cards with a total of $12,000 credit, but two of them have a $2,000 limit and the other has an $8,000 limit, make sure that they keep the $2,000 limit cards under $600 each and the $8,000 card to under $2,400.

Implementing this simple process will cause credit scores to rise, along with the possibility of obtaining that desired mortgage or mortgage refinancing program.

Step 4

When helping your client to raise their credit scores, make it a point to frequently pull their credit reports for them to determine their status as well as any errors on their reports.

Errors are so common on credit reports that over 75% of all credit reports have a minimum of one or more mistakes on them. Just by their being diligent and carefully insuring that any incorrect reporting information is removed, their credit score will quite often go up incredibly. This is certainly one of the easiest and most effective things that your client can do immediately to improve their score dramatically along with the possibility of them obtaining a new mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their existing mortgage.

Step 5

If your client’s credit has been damaged to the point of having been sent to a collection agency, they probably will not want to immediately pay off the credit card debt. As incredible as it may seem, this situation can actually be more harmful than having credit card debt sent to a collection agency on their credit record.

When one of your clients have been sent to a credit collection agency, the effect on their credit is low after about two years and is virtually wiped out after four years.

Insure that your client receives a written promise from the collection agency for a “letter of deletion” before they do anything toward satisfying the old credit card debt, because without a letter of deletion, they may hurt their credit problem more than help it. Stress to your client that they should not pay anything on the bill until they receive in writing the agreement for the letter of deletion from the collection agency.

Most people trying to improve their credit to obtain a mortgage or mortgage refinancing on their home think that they need to pay off everything as quickly as possible, but this is one case that paying before you obtain the proper documents protecting your situation can actually seriously hurt your credit. People have in reality completely paid off a debt or negotiated a settlement to learn to their dismay that they now have no leverage to get the collection agency to send the letter of deletion.

Step 6

Finally, if your client does not make paid installments on a car or a boat, have them take out some sort of installment loan with someone like Best Buy or Sears on some needed appliance or with Staples or Office Depot for some business equipment. Credit bureaus look carefully not only at the fact that you have credit, but also the blend of the types of credit that you have. Having just credit cards only is not as advantageous as having credit cards and some sort of installment payment loan.

Be sure that your client watches out for the rates on their new installment loan. Some of these rates can be “out of the roof” and create undo stress on the monthly budget.

Also, unlike the credit cards which you should keep in perpetuity, obviously, revolving credit comes to some point at which the loan is satisfied and the monthly payment ceases. Your client should not buy just for the sake of buying, but if they are trying to improve their credit scores, planning a purchase that they might have paid in full with cash, would be better if they put a substantial amount down in cash and then financed the balance on an installment loan. Financing a smaller amount can actually lower loan interest payments thus lowering the monthly payment; all of which makes your client more likely to improve their credit score and get a new mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their home.

Shelling Out More Money After Your Refinance Mortgage Loan?

There are two nightmares plaguing our society today. The first is buying a gem of a car, and the second is getting stuck with an expensive refinance mortgage loans. Which is yours?

Jumping Into Quicksand

It is unwise to hurry a loan with insufficient information. Before you can extricate yourself from the mess, you have already sunk neck-deep into the quicksand of an expensive refinance mortgage loan, lured by the promise of lower interest rates.

Failure to understand how a refinance mortgage loan works, and the neglect of reviewing and comparing the features of different loans, including the policies of the various lending companies can result in 15-30 years of painful payback.

Ideally, a refinance mortgage loan should give you the advantage of lower monthly bills compared to the existing loan you will close. Of course, the longer the loan repayment period the lower the monthly dues, but if you sum it up, you will find out that you are paying not only double your loan but also triple.

A 30-year fixed rate switched to a 30 year adjustable rate, will lower monthly bills but after the honeymoon, get ready to pay more. If you were not aware of this, then it is high time to go to the bottom of a refinance – before getting another loan.

Always check the going rates and compare these with your present loan. You might be paying a higher monthly bill even if you got a loan with lower interest rates.

Did you get the right refinance?

Did you refinance just to have lower monthly mortgage payments? An astute borrower goes for a refinance to maximize available options that would work for their advantage.

One way to make refinance work for you is to switch from an existing credit to pay off your loan without living with the stress. If your current loan is a 30-year fixed loan, switching to a 30 or 40-year fixed refinance mortgage loan, you will get a lower monthly bill. A 30-year adjustable exchanged for a fixed 30-year will have you paying lowered monthly bills.

It may sound odd that switching a 30-year fixed rate loan to a 15-year payback will give lower monthly rates and build equity. Your equity is like money in the bank. As the values increases your mortgage payments decreases.

What is the right refinance mortgage loan

It all boils down to being able to pay the monthly bills for a number of years, and the savings you will generate from the new loan. It is a rule of thumb that a new loan must be 2% lower than your existing interest rate. But is this so?

Not always. Some companies will levy charges against you, which will make your loan more expensive in the long run. These charges come in the form of fees that they can think of – origination fees, appraisal fees, and closing fees – are just examples.

Another mistake when getting a refinance is rushing to get lower interest rates but erasing a number of years of payments made on the current loan. This happens when you’ve been paying a 30 year mortgage loan, and there’s 18 years left pay off the loan, and you refinance to a new 30-year program just for a few hundred dollars deducted from the monthly bills.

So you’ll end up shelling more money after your refinance mortgage loan. Is that what you want?

Get More Money From Your Colorado Refinance

Picture this: beautiful nature trails, snow-capped mountains that stand shoulder-to-shoulder, spell-binding pristine lakes, and warm sunshine. If you’re spending all your summers in Colorado, why not get a refinance to get your own Colorado vacation home? But are you risking other worthwhile investments?

Refinance But Don’t Compromise Your Retirement

Business is up in Colorado. Refinance companies are handling more applications for refinance because of lower interest rates – the lowest in 24 years. Colorado refinance experts are seeing a surge in refinance applications. If this is the right time for them, why shouldn’t it be for you? Of course, you’ve heard those admonitions not to jump into a refi just because interest rates are low. That’s right. Whether the interests are lower than usual, not all mortgage programs are flexible.

For your refinance, you’ll have to be sure your credit score is good – at least 700 points. A good credit history assures the lenders that you pay your debts on time. But then, it isn’t always about credit history. It’s also a matter of getting the most money or savings from your refinance. Let a Colorado refinance expert explain how you can maximize your mortgage.

The money saved provides you the chance to put your money elsewhere. Your retirement or investment portfolio should not be forgotten in the rush for a refinance that will take years to pay off. A house is your security in your retirement years, but what will you spend if you just got the house and are still paying off the loan? You need a monthly pension check to survive and enjoy your twilight years.

Money Options from Your Colorado Refinance

If the Colorado expert offers a 15-year loan term, he is giving you the option to save thousands of dollars. If you have 20 years off your 30-year loan term and you elect to get a 15-year loan term, the monthly bill will be steeper. But look at it from another angle – you’ll knock off 5 years from the 20-year loan. Or, by the time you retire, you won’t still be shelling out thousands of dollars in interests alone because your mortgage will have been fully paid by then.

Getting a cash out just to pay off credit card debts? You’re the loser. Paying a $12,000 credit card debt that charges 10% interest in four years is cheaper than tucking the credit loan into your refinance. The credit card debt plus your mortgage makes your refinance an expensive loan.While you’re paying up your credit card debt, avoid racking up new debts or maxing out your credit cards anew. This irresponsible action risks your home and your future.

Your Colorado refinance without the credit card debt added up provides an extra amount that you can save in a retirement plan. You get more advantage if you switch your ARM to a fixed rate mortgage. Interest rates for ARM may have been cut back, but there is no certainty about its future. With a fixed rate mortgage, you’re hitched to a stable wagon.

Your Colorado refinance loan is an investment for a house, to consolidate debts, and to feather your retirement nest egg. The money shouldn’t be wasted on lavish dinners and fully-loaded cars. You’ll have everything to look forward to – a home in scenic and historic Colorado, a thriving business, and a future all worked out. All because of a disciplined servicing of your refi.

More Canadians are Turning to Mortgage Brokers

When it comes to mortgage financing, more and more Canadians are choosing to work with a professional mortgage broker. According to a recent study by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), 23 per cent of mortgages written were arranged through a broker.

Canadians are just catching up with their American neighbors, who are far less likely to simply walk into their home bank for a mortgage. In 2000, almost 70 per cent of all U.S. mortgages were arranged through mortgage brokers.

If we follow the U.S. model – and it seems that we are — then we’re in for a sea of change in the way Canadians manage their most significant personal asset. It makes sense. After all, investment returns aren’t as lucrative as they were five years ago, and investors are seeking out ways to make financial gains through avenues they may have overlooked.

There are some significant benefits to working with an independent mortgage broker. Firstly, let’s compare mortgage expertise: Most banks have one or more representatives who are specifically assigned to assist with mortgages. Their role is to develop mortgage business for the banks. A ontario mortgage broker, on the other hand, is a trained mortgage professional who has met standards for education. The comprehensive training of an independent mortgage broker may exceed the training of their counterparts at the bank. More importantly, the mortgage broker is independent. He or she is not an employee of a lending institution, but has access to rate and option information for a full spectrum of chartered banks and other lending institutions. Their role is to find the best possible mortgage rates and options for you.

Let’s also look at choice: A mortgage broker offers you access to many competitive lenders, each with a range of mortgage options. It would take weeks of research, telephoning and personal visits to recreate the range of features and options that a mortgage broker has at his or her fingertips. Rate information, mortgage options and payment schedules are up-to-the-moment, so you and your broker can make valid comparisons of the options available. The result of all this choice is a mortgage which is customized to meet your needs and to save you money.

Also consider accessibility. Your mortgage broker will be available to you before and after your mortgage closes, which will be good news for those who have spent long hours on hold or in a telephone voice answering loop.

Above all, clients have turned to mortgage brokers for better rates. Access to a broad range of lending institutions is a critical advantage for mortgage shoppers. A quarter-point difference on your mortgage rate can add up to thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage. Many mortgage brokers work inside a brokerage organization with sufficient mortgage volumes that they can negotiate the best possible rates for your situation. Canadian homeowners who have experienced the benefits of a mortgage broker are unlikely to ever return to a world in which they simply accept the best posted rate at their local bank.

Denver Mortgages: More Than the Best Rate

Ask Denver mortgage loan providers what would-be borrowers want to know and the answer is simple. Those who are shopping for mortgage loans in Denver want to know what their rate would be for a Denver mortgage.

But for the average mortgage lender, the answer is hard to come up with at a moment’s notice. There are no two borrowers who are exactly alike, so no two Denver mortgages would be exactly alike. There are many factors in the Denver mortgage quote equation, like:

• The type of properties for needed Denver mortgages

• The applicant’s credit score for Denver mortgages

• The future plans of a borrower applying for a Denver mortgage

• Whether the Denver mortgage loan quote is needed

for a first home or subsequent home

•The size of a mortgage loan and whether the Denver property will need a jumbo loan (more than $417,000)

• Other debt obligations of the applicant for Denver mortgage loan

• Applicants income for Denver mortgage loan quote

With these factors, a mortgage lender in Denver will find the best product for mortgage loans in Denver. To get the best rate for the borrower looking for a Denver mortgage quote, the mortgage lender in Denver will look at all of their products to see how they can best obtain the Denver mortgage loan quote and which of the Denver mortgages they have available will be most affordable for a customer.

Getting Beyond the Denver Mortgage Quote Rate

In addition to the mortgage loan rates in Denver, there are other factors that can impact the affordability and final amounts owed for Denver mortgages. These need to be carefully considered. Some mortgage lenders in Denver will offer good, low rates for Denver mortgages but have high fees and closing costs that makes up for the difference. Denver is not immune to such dealings in Denver mortgages. Be sure to ask about closing costs and other fees for Denver mortgages early in the process. These kinds of mortgage lenders in Denver want a borrower to get to the “point of no return” before they realize how high the true cost of the lower Denver mortgage quote can be.

How to Assess a Good Mortgage Lender in Denver

What a borrower should aim for is the best mortgage loan in Denver with the best total package including reasonable rates, closing costs, and frees, along with excellent customer service from the lender. A borrower should expect a mortgage lender in Denver to provide good service that is helpful, informative and, most importantly, professional in providing a Denver mortgage loan quote. A borrower should be able to ask questions they want about the Denver mortgage, product, the borrower’s Denver mortgage quote, or any other nformation about options and terms. When a borrower asks, they should get a professional and detailed answer. A borrower should never leave a conversation about the Denver mortgage loan quote wondering to what they are agreeing or feeling disrespected. If they do feel that way, then they should go elsewhere for a mortgage loan in Denver.