Do you have a steady job and decided the time is right to buy? Check these tips before you venture out to your mortgage broker, and you’ll be ahead of the game! Read more
5 Things to Know Before Purchasing Your First Home
Buying your first home in South Florida can be a meaningful time in your life. Not everyone reaches the point where they can afford a home, and when you’re finally at that point, you want everything to be perfect. However, a lot goes into buying a home, and you must ensure that you know all aspects before you begin buying one. Here are five things you should know before you start looking at homes to potentially buy:
Your Budget
Before looking at homes in your area or another town, you need to know what budget you can work with. Regarding your budget, it’s not the money you have in your bank account currently but all the money you would be able to invest in your home in the future too.
You might want to think about getting a loan or looking for a home mortgage to go along with your property purchase. You need to think about several aspects before looking at homes. Once you have settled on a budget, you can narrow down your search for homes using that budget as a starting point.
Mortgage Rates in Your Area
South Florida has varying mortgage rates, depending on which mortgage provider you’re approaching. You can find a provider available throughout the area, so you can work with one lender no matter where you’re looking to buy your home.
When you know your mortgage rates, you can plan better and find homes that fit the bill and your budget too. Mortgage rates will also ensure you know how much you will be paying in the future for your home.
Timeline for Possession
Once you are in the process of discussing the purchase of a home, you need to know what the exact timeline would be. Sometimes, the seller will need additional time to move out of the home or might want to rent it from you for a while. In these cases, you must know when you can move in.
From the time you put a down payment on the home, the process of purchasing the property officially starts. Ensure you know when you can move into the property before you start the process.
Land Record and Location
While South Florida is one of the most earthquake-free zones in the world, it doesn’t mean you don’t check the land your home was built on. Wildfires, tropical storms, and hurricanes can happen in the area, and you want to ensure that you know what you will be exposed to.
Once you know the location and the land record, you can also get started on disaster insurance for your property if required.
Hidden Charges
You will need to be reading all documents relating to the purchase of the property in detail to ensure that you’re not paying any hidden fees. You might need to pay estate charges or processing fees that you were unaware of. Ensure you’re reading everything, including the fine print, to save yourself from unnecessary expenses.
Looking to Finance Your Home? We Can Help
When you’re looking for a mortgage to help you buy your first home, Pacific Lending Group can help. You need to know your options as a first-time buyer and what you should be watching out for. Our experts can help you be more financially prepared to buy your first home without any hassles. Contact us at 954-227-4727 to get started on your home mortgage process with us.
Don’t Slow Down Your Mortgage Loan Application Process
The real estate market is pretty complicated, and it requires plenty of effort and cash. If you want a dream house, you’ll need help from a trusted mortgage loan company, as the process of applying for and acquiring mortgage loans in South Florida can sometimes be overwhelming. With so many requirements and time constraints, you’ll need to know factors that could further slow down the process so that you can avoid them. Let’s dive into four factors and how you can avoid them when applying for a mortgage loan.
1. Lender’s Readiness
Before applying for a home mortgage, check the service time of the lender to be sure that they can handle your mortgage application in the timeframe you want.
2. Personal Circumstances
The process will flow if you are employed, have a good down payment, and do not have too many outgoings. On the other hand, if your situation is complex – for instance, you just got hired or have bad credit, the process will take longer. Clearly, more documents mean a slower process and more delay in the length of time that the offer would take.
3. Lacking Necessary Documents
Documentation plays a massive role in today’s mortgage world to fast-track your loan application process. Doing otherwise can make the process slower and longer.
Many South Florida mortgage underwriters are critical with documentation and would refuse to accept incomplete documents. Therefore, you are responsible for providing all the necessary documents if you want a faster mortgage application process.
4. Not Using a Mortgage Broker or Advisor
We can’t overemphasize this point. You need the right advice and recommendations on your way to getting a mortgage loan. Mortgage brokers will do everything to make the process faster. Brokers can also help you take the right steps of negotiating successfully.
Pacific Lending Group
A few factors to look at if you want to fast-track your mortgage application. The whole process of buying a home can already be overwhelming and exhausting. Pacific Lending Group can offer you all the advice you’ll need to get your mortgage application underway. Contact us today to learn more at 954-227-4727
Difference Between 15-Year Vs. 30-Year Fixed Loans
When you take out a mortgage, options are to choose between fixed-rate mortgages and adjustable-rate mortgages. Fixed-rate mortgages interest stays the same for the entire life of your loan. In contrast, adjustable-rate mortgages have interest rates that change according to external market conditions.
Virtually all home loans are “fixed rate,” but they can be either short- or long-term loans. If you’re planning to buy a property, refinance your current mortgage, or consolidate debt, knowing the difference between 15-year fixed vs. 30-year fixed loans can help you make an informed decision.
Key differences between these two mortgages:
Length of the Repayment Period
Your monthly repayments will be higher than with a 30-year loan, but you’ll pay less total interest throughout the loan. This means you’ll own your home sooner and can potentially make a much larger payment towards equity, as the interest will build up over a shorter time.
A 15-year loan is often referred to as a “half-a-loan” because you’ll make half the number of payments you would with a 30-year loan.
Interest Rates
The interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is always lower than that on a 15-year fixed mortgage. That’s because a borrower who opts for a 30-year term commits to paying the loan off in half the time so that they can expect a lower interest rate as compensation for the increased risk of such a long-term loan.
The interest rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage, by contrast, is generally higher than that charged on a 30-year fixed mortgage. That’s because the shorter term makes it less risky for lenders, so they are willing to charge a higher interest rate.
Mortgage Insurance
If you take out a 30-year fixed mortgage, your monthly repayments will be lower than an equivalent 15-year fixed mortgage. That means you’ll have more money available each month to pay your property taxes and insurance premiums at the start of your mortgage term, which will significantly reduce the amount of mortgage insurance you’ll need to pay.
However, this comes at a cost: Longer-term mortgages are riskier for lenders, requiring mortgage insurance. Your mortgage payments will include monthly MIP premiums, also called private mortgage insurance or PMI.
Why Bother With 15-Year Fixed vs. 30-Year Fixed?
As you can see, fixing the interest rate on a home loan for longer-term will result in a lower monthly repayment. This can be of major benefit to many borrowers.
One significant advantage is that you can afford a larger home by stretching out the loan term and still keeping your monthly repayments low enough to manage.
The biggest benefit of a 15-year fixed mortgage for many borrowers is that your monthly repayments will be lower than if you took out a 30-year fixed loan.
Banks typically require you to pay higher MIP premiums when you don’t have much to put down as a down payment or if your credit history is marred. A 15-year term allows you to put off paying higher premiums in the short term, even though your monthly premiums will be larger in the long term.
Contact Pacific Lending Group to Make the Right Choice
Pacific Lending Group has an extensive track record delivering competitive interest rates for 15-year and 30-year fixed loans to all credit profiles. Contact us today at 954-227-4727
Purchasing the Right Home: How to Plan for It
Purchasing a home in South Florida can be a big decision, and you must be well-prepared to ensure the process goes smoothly. You don’t want to buy a home only to realize that it’s not what you want or that you don’t have the finances to be able to afford it
When you want to ensure that you’re purchasing the right home and have figured out all aspects, some planning should go into it. Here is how you can plan better before you start looking at homes to buy:
Make a Plan and Budget
When you’re starting the process of looking for a home, you need to have some aspects figured out. You need to know what you’re looking for in your home. The number of bedrooms, bathrooms and so on should be decided before you start looking. It would be helpful if you determined a budget to help narrow down the homes you’re looking at.
You can also figure out what area of South Florida you want to be living in and whether you’re looking for any extra amenities. It will help you save time later when you’re actually going through properties.
Know Mortgage Rates and Financing Companies
You might need a little extra help when it comes to acquiring your dream home, and a home mortgage can achieve just that. There are many options available when you’re looking to get a mortgage to help you out with paying for your home.
However, you should look for a South Florida mortgage service that helps you qualify for the lowest mortgage rates and give you financial advice. You want to be able to trust your mortgage expert, and finding a trustworthy service in South Florida can require some research.
Consider Escrow
Many homes sold on the real estate market are sold upon specific conditions. The sellers might be selling their home contingent on several other factors, including that they can purchase another home first. You might also be in a similar situation, where you can’t go through with purchasing another home until the one you’re currently in is sold off.
You need to consider escrow as being a big factor in buying or selling a home. You might have to wait a while before moving into the property you’ve purchased, so ensure that you know the timeline when you’re buying the home.
Know the Resale Value
When purchasing a home, you have to consider the possibility that you might not end up living in it forever. When it comes to selling off a property you own, several factors can determine its resale value.
You might be looking to flip the house and remodel it to make its value much higher. As a property owner, resale value is something you should be considering before you purchase any home in South Florida.
Looking for Home Financing? We’re Here to Help
When you need a little bit of help financially to help you get the home of your dreams, Pacific Lending Group is here to help. Many types of mortgages are available, and we will help you get the lowest rates so you can worry less about paying back your home. Call 954-227-4727 to get started on your home mortgage process.