Posts tagged "top tips"
Top Eight Mortgage Tips for 2008
2007 was a difficult year for many homeowners as market conditions made it hard to keep up with mortgage payments. The mortgage market will continue to be challenging in 2008, as over $680 billion in mortgages are scheduled to reset. Whether you have a fixed rate mortgage, a variable rate, interest only or even a jumbo loan, there are things you can do to navigate the tricky world of your home financing.
Here is some advice from the team here at SmartHippo.com:
- Establish a budget. Your total housing costs – including your mortgage payment, insurance and taxes – should not exceed 26% of your gross monthly income. Your total debt payments – your housing payment combined with credit card, car loans or student debt payments – should not exceed 36% of your gross monthly income. A family with an annual income of $60,000 should budget a maximum of $1300 per month for housing payments, and $1800 for total debt payments.
- Beware the teaser rate. Some mortgage products offer an introductory rate that resets to a higher rate after a few years. This may make sense in some cases, such as when purchasing a property that will require repairs or renovations in the first year. But make sure the longer-term rate fits within the budget you established. Otherwise, you may be setting yourself up for trouble down the line.
- Manage your credit. Higher credit scores mean lower rates. Pay your bills on time. If you can’t pay them off in full, make sure you pay at least the minimum payment. Then, apply the remaining money you have to the accounts with the highest interest rates first.
- Talk to your lender. If you’re having trouble making your current mortgage payments, talk to your lender. Swallow your pride and do this before you start falling seriously behind on payment – at that point it may be too late.
- Shop around. Talk to your neighbors, friends, and coworkers and use the Internet to research what’s available. Remember that rates posted on bank sites are often not what you’ll get, so you’ll want to find out what terms people are actually getting.
- Compare apples with apples. Costs such as application fees, attorney fees, appraisal fees, and more may be included in one lender’s quote but not another’s. The devil is in the details, and not checking them out can cost you thousands.
- Protect your identity. Be careful with web sites that ask you to submit your personal information without knowing in advance who it will be seen by.
- Seize the opportunity. If you’ve weathered the storm, or are in the market for your first home, it’s a buyer’s market. Many banks offer foreclosures that are not listed with real-estate agents or on the Multiple Listing Service.
Do you have any tips to share with other hippos as we begin 2008? Or an experience (good or bad) you’d like to share? Enter your comments in the form below.