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Comparing FHA loans and Conventional loans with 5 percent down – What is the best fit?

FHA loans

 

What is the best fit when comparing FHA loans and conventional loans?

 

Based on my opinion over the years, the loan officer should focus on your credit scores and down payment that you can afford, when comparing mortgage programs. But keep in mind, the main focus should be what you can afford regarding your monthly mortgage payment. Overall, one needs to understand how mortgage insurance works and the guidelines for mortgage insurance in order to put you into the best mortgage program for your situation.

FHA loans in many areas make up about 35 percent to 50  percent of all mortgages used in the last 12 months for many reasons. And there are still some FHA rumors that state FHA loans are more expensive because of the upfront mortgage insurance or because of the new FHA monthly mortgage insurance changes that just took place April 18th, 2011, hence why I wanted to share this comparison.

 

 

No matter what mortgage you choose, you don’t need 700 credit scores or 20 percent down.  But you do need to understand the differences for many reason, hence why I want to show this comparison between FHA loans and Conventional loans.

The example below is based on a $250,000 purchase price with 5 percent down. One reason why conventional rates are a little higher and more costly in this scenario as in FHA rates is because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have added penalties per se. If you are putting down less than 30% and or your credit score is less than 720, certain fee penalties would apply to you, which would increase your rate and or points.  The credit score that I am going to use is 699 and I will still show in this example that FHA loans are cheaper (depending on your goals), even with 5 percent down.

***And keep in mind, some lenders have penalties on FHA mortgages with credit scores under 640 or can’t do them period.  And beware of those that promise you a mortgage with scores under 620. It can happen, but they aren’t as easy as advertised and are more expensive.***

 

comparing FHA loans and conventional loans

Disclaimer : These rates are examples of today’s pricing with the same lender fees, and the spread shown in the example is the same profit margin for both sides. The conventional rate also includes the penalty for the 699 credit score, hence why the interest rate is much higher.

 

One main fact is that you will be adding $2,375 onto your principal balance if you did the FHA mortgage because of the FHA one-time mortgage insurance premium.  But as you can see, in 5 years, the principal balance is only off by $571.

Simple math. You are saving $69 a month and technically put $3,569 into your pocket in the first 5 years..  This is why you need to know your short and long term goals, and to have a budget in mind, prior to buying a home.  To learn more about this, please read : How much can I afford.

Another thought?  You still need to be approved by the mortgage insurance company regarding your conventional loan. And yes, there are other types of mortgage insurance programs that one could qualify for, but they usually require higher credit scores.  Also, if you wanted to put less down on the conventional loan, you would need higher credit scores. With a FHA loan, the guidelines state that you can put 3 1/2 percent down with a credit score of 580. But again, it’s up to the lender and their overlays.

 

FHA Myth – Some people, including loan officers, without doing the math, will say that FHA loans are more expensive because of the Upfront Mortgage Insurance. Because in this scenario, you are adding $2,375 to the FHA loan and because of the new monthly mortgage insurance change. This kind of mortgage myth needs to be squashed on all levels. It starts with the borrower’s goals.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

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- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2011 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

You don’t need a 700 credit score & 20 percent down to buy a home – Credit Scores Part 1

asking about credit scores

Your credit scores are important. Credit sometimes seems easy, yet at times can seem so complicated and might not make sense why your scores might be lower.

One thing that I want to make clear is that you don’t need 700 credit scores and or 20 percent down to buy a home.

The mortgage industry has gone crazy lately, so you will hear a lot of chatter of misinformation out on the streets that you need excellent credit and a lot of money down. What is not explained is that there are mortgage programs that allow for less than perfect credit. One of the problems with this is that “less than perfect credit” has many definitions from so many in or out of the mortgage industry. You will see many ads on the internet telling you that you can get a FHA mortgage with “bad credit”, “less than perfect credit”, “no credit”, that they have “loans for people with bad credit”, and so much more. In some cases, it might get done, but you need to be very careful in who are speaking to and not get wrapped up in their ‘promises’ or ‘guarantees’.

 

So what are the minimum credit scores? Keeping in mind that many lenders have their own over-lays no matter what each agency below states.

Conventional Loans – You can’t go below a 620 credit score no matter what. And you need an automated approval in the system no matter what.

FHA Loans – The beauty about FHA loans is that they can be manually underwritten.  FHA says that they won’t insure a loan under a 500 credit score. Many lenders are raising their credit score minimum to 640. At Infinity Home Mortgage, we can still do credit scores from 600 to 639 with common sense underwriting, but the loan will have to make sense. And there are a few mortgage lenders out there that will go down to 580 credit scores. You just need to be very careful of their promises. Besides, anything below a 620, especially below 600, and your mortgage interest rate is going to be extremely high with higher closing costs. (so why not work on those credit scores)

VA loans – Many lenders have cut off scores of 640 or 620. The VA will possibly allow you to go down to a 580 credit score, even though they state that they have no minimum. But finding a lender or investor to do this might be extremely tough.

USDA loans – Many lenders have cut off scores of 640 or 620.

 

Loans for people with bad credit are in the past, but if you are working with a good loan officer, they can usually help you raise your scores in a specific period of time. But loans for people with less than perfect credit can still be done, depending on the actual credit score and when that consumer had their last rash of lates per se.

 

Key Reminder : I wanted to kill that rumor that you need 700 credit scores and or 20 percent down to buy a home. With a FHA loan, you can have as little as 3 1/2 percent down and a credit score of 620.

Key Reminder : Be careful of those lenders that can do your credit scores below 620 with a much higher rate, who tell you not to worry because you can refinance in 6 months. Yes, that is true, but at what rate?  A very scary unknown. Why not just get your scores up in 2 to 6 months. It could save you thousands of dollars even in the short term.

 

In part 2, Understanding your Credit Scores, I will get into more detail of how credit scores work and what needs to be done.

 

  • Credit Scores Part 2 – Understanding your Credit Scores

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter

 

The FHA Expert's fan page on Facebook     Add Jeff Belonger to your network @ LinkedIN

                                                                            FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2011 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

Buying a home vs Renting - Understanding & knowing the difference - Part 1 of 3

 

throwing money out the window - from istockphoto

In today's economy, you will hear many different rhymes of reason why to rent now or why to buy a new home now.  Ultimately it comes down to your own decision and you should only use such news with caution.

You might have heard some say, don't buy now because home values will decrease another 5% to 20%. Remember, real estate is local. In some areas, home values have already increased by 10%.  So get to know your area and speak to a qualified realtor about this. Here is a good post showing you even if home values dropped, that waiting might not be such a good idea. Home prices will drop, so wait until next year??

You will also hear so many say that right now is the best time to buy, because interest rates are extremely low and so are home prices. There is a lot of truth to this, but again, you need to look at it from both sides of the fence.

So, are you throwing money out the window if renting?  Yes, but this could be a complicated topic based on so many issues. Word of advice : Be careful of such online tools as renting vs buying calculators. Each one is not the same and some lack important details.

 

 

When should you not buy a home?

  • If your rent is very low. (usually 20% or less of your gross monthly income) If you like the area and will probably buy in the area, maybe save for one more year.
  • You intend to move in a few years.

 

Things to think about prior to buying a home.  When you buy a home, you still have expenses unlike renting.

  • maintenance of the home
  • original closing costs when buying the home
  • monthly property taxes & yearly homeowners insurance (both of which are usually in the mortgage payment)
  • sometimes mortgage insurance depending on your down payment and the type of loan

 

 

So I have mentioned some negative reasons why not to buy a house and that confuses you a little. It's because the positive reasons will outweigh the negative reasons of buying a home. Key word being usually. Your home can become your own personal bank.

Positive reasons for buying a home 

  • You can write off the interest yearly
  • You will build equity in your home on a monthly basis, unlike when you rent.
  • You can deduct the points that you paid when purchasing, the 1st year, that's if you pay points.
  • Your home will usually appreciate, becoming more valuable over time. Ignore what has happened in the last 3 years with values plummeting. Values had increased to quickly and this happened for several reasons.
  • Pride :  The home is yours. You can basically do what you want, within reason.
  • Once your home is paid off, you just have yearly taxes and homeowners
  • Creating memories - Since the home would be yours, you will creative ever lasting memories, especially if you have a family.

 

 

Conclusion : Overall, this could very well be the best time to buy.  Home values have dropped in many places and they are now leveling out, stabilizing.  Also, rates are still low.... anything from 4% to 4.75%. And no, you don't need 20% down or 720 credit scores to buy now. I will go over this later. You just need to have a plan, feel comfortable, know your goals, and have weighed all your options to help make your decision when deciding to rent or buy a new home.

 

In Part 2 : I will talk about comparing renting vs buying in dollar figures. - The pros & cons -

 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter

 

The FHA Expert's fan page on Facebook     Add Jeff Belonger to your network @ LinkedIN

                                                                            FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2011 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

My credit is not good - but my co-signers credit is excellent - Yippie, I can buy & use FHA loans

FHA Loans - FHA Home Loans - FHA Mortgages

 

There will always be some sort of mortgage myth in our industry or a piece of information given by a loan officer that is misleading. What I am about to talk about is regarding FHA loans and a borrower using a co-signer to help them purchase their new home. We call this a non-occupant co-borrower type of loan.

 

 

 

Knowledge of FHA loans

Let's first talk about co-signers for mortgages, because this term is used loosely throughout the real estate industry. When doing a mortgage, a co-signer is much different than when buying a car. When buying a car, you can still have bad credit below normal standards and bring a co-signer into the mix to solidify the deal. On a mortgage, if the primary borrower doesn't fit the normal credit score requirements and or the credit criteria, then you can't use a co-signer to help you purchase or refinance. A co-signer is used only for the purposes of qualifying with more income. The main point, the good credit of a co-signer can't be to offset the bad credit of a primary borrower, it's not allowed.

Now, there is a difference between specific types of loan products when using a co-signer.  On a conventional loan, the primary borrower still needs to qualify with an income ratio, which is usually only about 6%-8% above the normal qualifying ratios of 28/36. In regards to an FHA mortgage, there is no minimum requirement. In many cases, the primary borrower wouldn't even need income, but this depends on the overall deal. As long as the primary borrower met the credit requirements and the credit scores. This kind of scenario is typically scene when doing a FHA kiddie condo loan, which can also be known as a FHA non-occupant co-borrower loan. This is when you have a college student buying a property and the parent(s) are co-signing. More details on FHA kiddie condo loans.

 

 

 

Summary : I had to bring this up because I just received a call from a borrower who has credit scores of 565 who was told by a large bank that they can't get a loan.  But if they get a co-signer with good credit, that they would be able to get a loan. Knowledge in regards to the basics of FHA loans is so important. To me, this is actually Mortgage 101.

In regards to the word co-signer, in the mortgage industry, this is referred to as a non-occupant co-borrower. As long as the person who is co-signing is a family member or a relative and they aren't living in the property. Hence why they are called a non-occupying co-borrower. And a FHA non occupant co borrower is much easier doing this with than a conventional loan. So it's a mortgage myth if one says that you can get a co-signer no matter how your credit is. Lastly, if the primary borrower has someone that will occupy the property with them and will be on the loan, they are known as a co-borrower.

 

 -- Update per Missy Caulk's comment # 8 - The co-signer, aka non-occupant co-borrower can have a primary home, even a home with a FHA mortgage on it. Meaning that the home does not have to be free and clear. It's considered a debt and is part of the qualifying ratios.

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter               The FHA Expert   

                                                                                                           FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter

 

The FHA Expert's fan page on Facebook     Add Jeff Belonger to your network @ LinkedIN

                                                                            FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2011 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

FHA Rumors & FHA Home Loans - June 2010

FHA Loans - FHA home loans - FHA Mortgages

 

          FHA Rumors & Myths about FHA LOANS

 

FHA Mortgages have gained popularity in the last 2 years because of the demise of the subprime mortgages and because of conventional loans. Conventional loans have become harder and in some cases, more expensive depending on your credit score and down payment.

In any case, I am still hearing some negative comments and input about FHA loans.  I have been doing FHA loans since 1993 and I never felt that they hindered the loan process. These rumors are usually started by those that aren't as experienced in doing FHA mortgages.

 

 

 

 

List of FHA Rumors & Myths

 

  • FHA Origination Fees - This one angers me the most. If you ever have a loan officer tell you that part of the origination fee goes to FHA or HUD, don't walk, but run from them.  The handbook states that this fee is for administration purposes. In reality, it can be used for the lenders costs or to buy down your interest rate. PS. I actually had a previous client was told this by a loan officer.

 

  • FHA Loans take forever, sometimes up to 2 months. Well, many loans are taking a little longer now because of all the checks and balances when it comes to the mortgage process. But if you are speaking to a very good loan officer and if they do their job properly upfront, then things should get done in a reasonable time. What is a reasonable time frame?  30 days from start to finish for a loan to close.

 

  • FHA appraisals are more harsh than conventional appraisals.  This one always made me laugh. First, let's start with the realtor who should be looking out for your best interest. Why would anyone want to purchase a home that might need repairs.  Secondly, FHA did away with the VC sheet prior to 2003, so we are just talking about specifics in most cases. Overall, it's not because it's an FHA appraisal, but more so because it's harder to comp for values in some areas.

 

  • FHA loans are more expensive than conventional loans. - This one would need to be broken down because there are to many variables and factors. The general fees and rates should be almost the same with any lender out there. For a better glimpse to why FHA loans might be cheaper, even with 10% down, please read this post. FHA loan vs Conventional loan with a 659 credit score

 

 

 

Summary : FHA loans in my opinion, are excellent for many borrowers. It just comes down to speaking with a very qualified loan officer who will ask the borrower about their goals, to figure out what loan best fits that borrower, not what's easy for the loan officer.  And seriously, people need to stop listening to their friends, neighbors, family members, and some realtors that just don't know any better. There are also some loan officers that just don't know better or might be afraid of such loans as FHA loans, USDA loans, or VA loans. Just choose the loan officer wisely.

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter               The FHA Expert   

                                                                                                FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

 

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter

 

The FHA Expert's fan page on Facebook     Add Jeff Belonger to your network @ LinkedIN

                                                                            FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2011 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Even with 20% down, FHA home loans could be better

fha loans & fha home loans & fha mortgages

 

FHA loans have become very popular in the last 2 years and there are several reasons for this. What I hate hearing is that FHA mortgages have taken the spot of the subprime loans. This is not true at all. This statement is from those that are inexperienced in both the mortgage and the real estate industries. To many subprime loans should have gone FHA and that is just a fact. But why are FHA loans getting bad press now, stating that they are the most defaulted loans recently?  Read this : We should ABOLISH FHA loans...

 

In today's market, I am still hearing that if you have 20% down, that you are best using a conventional loan. But so many fail to realize that if you have credit score less than 680, that there are some major pricing hits. It's very sad when your loan officer doesn't even understand this and doesn't take the time to evaluate what the better loan is for their client. Even with 10% to 20% down and credit scores less than 680, FHA loans in many cases will be the best mortgage for you.

 

 

 

The example below is based on a $275,000 purchase price with 20% down. One reason why conventional rates are a little higher in this scenario as in FHA rates is because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have added penalties per se. If you are putting down less than 30% and your credit score is less than 720, certain fee penalties would apply to you, which would increase your rate and or points.  The FICO (credit score) that I am going to use is 639Keep in mind... Don't ever be fooled by that loan officer that says, don't worry, you can refinance later.  This is a bad statement for many reasons that I will write about another time.

 

 

***And keep in mind, some lenders have penalties on FHA mortgages with credit scores under 660. And many lenders can't do FHA loans under 620. At Infinity Home Mortgage, I can do credit scores down to 580 now. Just beware of those that promise you a mortgage with scores under 620. It can happen, but they aren't as easy as advertised. Please read - Credit scores/FICO scores - I need a 700 credit score? ***

 

fha loans vs conventional loans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer :  These rates are examples of today's pricing, and the spread shown in the example is real with the same profit margin for both sides. To compare this scenario apples to apples, there are no lender fees and with 3/4 of a point on the conventional side because of the pricing hit for the fico score.

 

 

GOALS – Important :

 

**So IMPORTANT - your loan officer should always be asking your goals. For 3 years, 5 years, and 10 years. Yes, we all don't have crystal balls, but in many cases you should have an idea and a plan.  As you can see, on paper, it looks like the conventional loan would be cheaper. But some important things to know. It cost the conventional borrower an extra $825 upfront, so that $33.18 saved a month actually doesn't truly start until the 25th year.  In 5 years on all FHA loans, if you put 20% or more down, the FHA mortgage insurance falls off automatically.  So after payment 60, you will now be saving $58.49 more a month on the FHA loan.  And as you can see, in 5 years on the FHA loan, you shaved off $2,200 more on the principal based on the upfront MIP of $4,950 that was added to the loan. So as you can see, goals are very important. If you were to put even 15% down in the scenario above, FHA loans would be much cheaper right away.

 

 

 

For more FHA loans vs conventional loans comparisons :

 

Donw Payment Series - A Must Read -

  • FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Don't be cash poor!! - Part 2 of 3 - 01-29-10  I want to show even a bigger difference if you put less down. And even if you decided to put less than 10% down, because cash is king now. You can't predict even next week. And keeping in mind of some misleading rumors, that you need more than 10% down to buy a house.

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter               The FHA Expert   

                                                                                                FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

 

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter

 

The FHA Expert's fan page on Facebook     Add Jeff Belonger to your network @ LinkedIN

                                                                            FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2011 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

Active Rain Groups - Where to get your Mortgage & Real Estate related news

 

Where do you go for your information on MORTGAGES & REAL ESTATE?

 

searching for mortgage & real estate news

Yes, Active Rain offers 100's of groups in so many different fields. Right now, there are over 6,200 groups. So where do you start if you want to find some good posts on a specific topic?  Or if you wanted to place you post to a specific group that has high readership. It could take you a while to weed through certain groups until you found what you liked.

I have been on Active Rain for 3 + years and I like to post to the larger groups that have a large subscriber base. It usually becomes a great place for me to start my day when I want to read about those same type of topics. I wanted to share some of these groups that I think are beneficial when it comes to mortgages and to real estate.

 

 

Mortgage & Real Estate related groups :

 

Top 4 real estate related groups (based on my opinion) :

 

Realtors® - 19,062 subscribers - basically anything real estate related, top news, trends, and mortgage related news.

 

Mortgages - 2,644 subscribers - just as the title indicates, mortgages. Basically anything mortgage related.


All About Mortgages/Mortgage Networking - 1,444 subscribers - same above, just another good source for mortgages when all mortgage related posts aren't placed in both groups.

 

1st Time Buyers - 1,191 subscribers - Very good for the consumer - here is a great place for 1st time homebuyers to get some good home buying tips.

 

 

 

More specific type of groups for mortgages :

 

The FHA Mortgage Group - 718 subscribers - A great place to find many current updates and opinions when it comes to FHA loans.

 

USDA Rural Development Loan Group - 152 subscribers -  This is a great place to find up to the minute updates and opinions when it comes to USDA loans.

 

VA Loan Group - 62 subscribers - an very good group for anything related to VA loans, those veterans once in the service or those with any type of active duty service. God Bless those that have served and who still protect our country.

 

Real Estate Trends - 210 subscribers - a place with today's real estate trends and changes.

 

FHA 203-k and FHA 203-k Streamline Loan Group - brand new - the original founder has left the business and Active Rain. I searched and didn't find this group available. If anyone would like to take this group over from me and or to be a moderator in the group, please let me know by e-mail.  thanks

 

Realtors Needing the services of the Lending Powers - 763 subscribers - A place where realtors and other like professionals can bounce ideas off of loan officers and or a place to share new mortgage related topics.

 

MORTGAGE PRO Week in Review - 135 subscribers - This group has become inactive and I have plans with a few others to bring this group back. It's a great place to get weekly mortgage & real estate blogs all rolled up into one review that is done once a week.

 

 

 

Summary : As I have stated, I have been on Active Rain for over 3 years. I know we all have our ways of posting to certain groups or going to certain groups for specific information. What I don't get is why would you want to post to a mortgage group that has only 50 subscriptions to that specific group, even though the name of the group has mortgage in it. This is how I look at it....

 

Jeff's opinion - I want to get more readers to my general mortgage and real estate posts. Some of these larger groups are still active with the founder being active and some moderators within the group, who still feature specific related posts that might seem to be important.  So when you go to the group, you will usually see the top 5 posts of that week. Yet, I have seen many groups that have been abandoned and the last feature was 5/10/08 or 1/23/09. Once you place your post into that group, it will slide down the list of other posts when a new one is inputted into that group. If it has less subscribers and the good important posts don't get noticed and or feature, aren't you losing some possible readers?  Just food for thought.... think about it. Yes, many of the posts that we write get indexed by Google, but why do you go to a specific group? What do you look for?  Wouldn't you rather be recognized in front of a larger audience than a small one?

 

 

Disclosure & Input Needed :  Again, this is based on my opinion.  If you think you know of a really good mortgage or real estate related group, please don't hesitate to place a link to it in your comment. I would be glad to include it in this post of it fits what I am talking about.  thanks

 

 

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- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

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- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

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Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

 

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter

 

The FHA Expert's fan page on Facebook     Add Jeff Belonger to your network @ LinkedIN

                                                                            FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2011 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

What is Transparency?? Best Mortgage Rates/Online services/Real Estate Services - (Part 1 of 2)

 

Transparency in the Real Estate world… what does it truly mean?

 

 

Transparency

How many of you in the last few years kept hearing real estate and mortgage professionals talk about transparency? Before we start, let's define a few types of transparency.

Transparency - as used in the humanities and in a social context more generally, implies openness, communication, and accountability.

The secondary meaning of transparency are - procedures that include open meetings, financial disclosure statements, the freedom of information legislation, budgetary review, audits, etc.

(These definitions come from Wikipedia)

 

 

 

questioning transparency

Here is my major frustration about the word transparency. So many loan officers are now telling clients that you need to know what you are being charged, and that is to include the back end. When I say back-end, I am talking about Yield Spread Premium. (YSP) This argument seems to be more from those that just sell, but those who don't educate the consumer. I am seeing this all throughout real estate, even with realtors. In all honesty, who cares what my YSP is if my rate and fees are less than the person selling you YSP, who might be the same or a tad higher.

To me, my opinion, this is smoke and mirrors. I am seeing many sales people turn the word transparency upside down. Putting a totally different spin around it. Sorry people, any loan officer can quote a rate. Any realtor can throw out a price of your home to you. But what about the fundamentals?  How about truth, honesty, openness, and communication?

So what do we do from here?  How does a consumer know the real meaning?  Keep in mind, many relate to transparency when you buy a car. It is now common practice to actually see the invoice, showing how much the dealership bought the car for. Sorry people, cars are built on an assembly line. Shopping for a mortgage or a house, or listing your house, is different for each and every person. Not one is the same.

Important to share this point - Please read - I want the same deal that my friend got !!!

 

 

lies - being honest & sincere

 

The real transparency should not be about obtaining the best mortgage rate. Or getting the best or highest price for your home. Or the cheapest home. Yes, we all want the best deal. But what might seem like the best, could be the worst. Just because I tell you that I am an upfront mortgage broker, that I get you the best deals, can this bite you in the arse?  If I don't iinterview you properly, the best mortgage rate might not mean much, if I give you the wrong mortgage program. Please read : What does your professional designation truly mean.

What ever happened to being upfront? Honest? Integrity? Knowledgeable? Things to think about....

 

 

 

Summary - So how do we get around this issue, trying to get around being an educated consumer? Some ideas....

  • We can research online, on the internet. But be careful, just because it sounds good, doesn't mean that it is or that it's true.
  • Get referrals from friends, family, or related professionals. But again, be careful, not all seem to be out for your best interest or know what they are doing. Just because the referral comes from someone that you trust.

 

 

Solutions?

  • How about going back to the person that you had a good experience with before?  What happened to loyalty? If you truly trusted that person and felt really comfortable with them, why do you listen to others making new and or better promises?  Please, question yourself about this.
  • Interview those that interview you. Interview your loan officer. Interview your realtor. Hey, a good realtor or loan officer should be interviewing you. Why not do the same. I will be talking about this in detail in my part 2 section.

 

 

Reminders - this is based on my opinion of over 17 years of mortgage experience and from talking to other like-minded mortgage professionals.

 

All pictures are courtesy of istockphoto.com

 

 

 

 

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter               The FHA Expert     

                                                                                               FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

 

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter

 

The FHA Expert's fan page on Facebook     Add Jeff Belonger to your network @ LinkedIN

                                                                            FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2011 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc