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Refinancing
June 15th, 2009 2:05 PM

There are two primary reasons to refinance a mortgage: to get more desirable rate and terms, or to extract cash from the home's equity.

Rate-and-term refinancing
Rate-and-term refinancing pays off one loan with the proceeds from the new loan, using the same property as collateral. This type of loan allows you to take advantage of lower interest rates or shorten the term of your mortgage to build equity faster. (Use this mortgage calculator to see how you can pay off your loan faster.)

Rate-and-term refinancing refers to myriad strategies, including switching from an ARM to a fixed or vice versa. For example, if you have an ARM that is set to adjust upward in a few months, you can refinance into a fixed-rate mortgage. Or if you have a fixed-rate loan and you know you'll move in two or three years, you could refinance into a lower-rate 3/1 hybrid ARM.

Cash-out refinancing
Cash-out refinancing leaves you with additional cash above the amount needed to pay off your existing mortgage, closing costs, points and any mortgage liens. You may use the additional cash for any purpose.

 

Source: Bankrate.com


Posted by Tara Patton on June 15th, 2009 2:05 PMPost a Comment (0)

Tax Deductions for Homeowners
September 12th, 2007 8:06 PM
Deductible Homeowners Expenses

One of the advantages of owning your own home is that the home mortgage interest and real estate taxes paid can be deducted from your federal income tax*. To do so, youll need to comply with current tax laws and complete the appropriate federal tax forms and itemized deduction schedules.Home

Mortgage Interest

For your home mortgage interest to be deductible, it must be for a first or second mortgage, a home improvement loan or a home equity loan. Additionally

  • The mortgage loan must be secured by your main home or a second home
  • Only interest paid for that tax year can be deducted

Points

Points (aka loan origination fees, maximum loan charges, loan discount, or discount points) are generally treated as pre-paid interest and, as such, the full amount cannot be deducted in the year paid. Rather, the deduction must be taken over the term of the loan.

Real Estate Taxes

State or local real estate taxes can be deducted from your income if they are paid in the tax year. To qualify, the tax must be levied on the propertys assessed value, the taxing authority must charge a uniform rate for properties in its jurisdiction, and the tax must not be for your special privilege but for the benefit of the general welfare.

Non-deductible items

Many of the expenses related to owning your own home cannot be deducted from your income tax. These non-deductible items can include:

  • Most settlement costs, including (but not limited to) appraisal fees, notary fees, VA funding fees, and mortgage preparation costs
  • Insurance
  • Local assessments that generally add value to your home, such as sidewalks, sewers, etc.
  • Utilities
  • Domestic help
  • Depreciation

Check with the IRS

*The information above is for informational purposes only and may not reflect current tax year rules and regulations. Youll need to consult with your tax attorney, CPA, or the IRS for current tax year rules, restrictions and regulations.


Posted by Tara Patton on September 12th, 2007 8:06 PMPost a Comment (0)

How to get your mortgage loan done faster!
September 9th, 2007 10:35 AM

Here are five ways to speed up the loan process.

1. Have everything ready and in one place. Elsewhere on our website, you'll find a list of things you might need in support of your mortgage application. If you get them all together and keep them in a safe, portable place like a special pouch or folder, you can cut down on time spent rooting around for things we may need.

2. Be honest and complete when you fill out your application. "Fudging" your employment or residence history or omitting open credit accounts you'd rather not have considered doesn't increase your chances of getting a favorable loan. In 100 percent of cases, it makes it harder, and take longer.
3. Respond promptly to requests for additional information. During processing, we or the lender considering your loan may need additional information. Provide it as soon as you get the request, or return the call as soon as you get the message.

4. Be prepared to explain derogatory items in your credit report. This is really part of number 2 above. If you had an illness or a divorce where you missed or made late payments, or you have other instances of late payments or delinquencies on your credit report, be prepared to explain them. Be honest, and don't be nervous! The loan processor isn't judging you, they're trying to fill in all the blanks in their paperwork.
5. Let the appraiser in! The appraisal is one of the lengthiest parts of the mortgage loan process. Studies have shown that the single biggest factor in appraisal "lag time" is the appraiser's inability to reach the homeowner to make an appointment. If you're refinancing and the appraiser calls to make an appointment, make it as soon as convenient for both of you.

And remember that the appraiser doesn't want to buy your house. He or she will say what the house is worth clean and tidy and in reasonable repair, even if you have some dirty laundry on the laundry room floor or dirty dishes in the sink. Cleaning doesn't get you a higher appraisal! Letting the appraiser in as soon as possible gets you a loan faster, though.


Posted by Tara Patton on September 9th, 2007 10:35 AMPost a Comment (0)

Fixed Rate vs Adjustable Rate Mortgages
September 2nd, 2007 1:39 PM
What are the advantages of fixed rate versus adjustable rate loans?

With a fixed-rate loan, your monthly payment of principal and interest never change for the life of your loan. Your property taxes may go up (we almost said down, too!), and so might your homeowner's insurance premium part of your monthly payment, but generally with a fixed-rate loan your payment will be very stable.

Fixed-rate loans are available in all sorts of shapes and sizes: 30-year, 20-year, 15-year, even 10-year. Some fixed-rate mortgages are called "biweekly" mortgages and shorten the life of your loan. You pay every two weeks, a total of 26 payments a year -- which adds up to an "extra" monthly payment every year.

During the early amortization period of a fixed-rate loan, a large percentage of your monthly payment goes toward interest, and a much smaller part toward principal. That gradually reverses itself as the loan ages.

You might choose a fixed-rate loan if you want to lock in a low rate. If you have an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) now, refinancing with a fixed-rate loan can give you more monthly payment stability.

Adjustable Rate Mortgages -- ARMs, as we called them above -- come in even more varieties. Generally, ARMs determine what you must pay based on an outside index, perhaps the 6-month Certificate of Deposit (CD) rate, the one-year Treasury Security rate, the Federal Home Loan Bank's 11th District Cost of Funds Index (COFI), or others. They may adjust every six months or once a year.

Most programs have a "cap" that protects you from your monthly payment going up too much at once. There may be a cap on how much your interest rate can go up in one period -- say, no more than two percent per year, even if the underlying index goes up by more than two percent. You may have a "payment cap," that instead of capping the interest rate directly caps the amount your monthly payment can go up in one period. In addition, almost all ARM programs have a "lifetime cap" -- your interest rate can never exceed that cap amount, no matter what.

ARMs often have their lowest, most attractive rates at the beginning of the loan, and can guarantee that rate for anywhere from a month to ten years. You may hear people talking about or you may read about loans that are called "3/1 ARMs" or "5/1 ARMs" or the like. That means that the introductory rate is set for three or five years, and then adjusts according to an index every year thereafter for the life of the loan. Loans like this are often best for people who anticipate moving -- and therefore selling the house to be mortgaged -- within three or five years, depending on how long the lower rate will be in effect.

You might choose an ARM to take advantage of a lower introductory rate and count on either moving, refinancing again or simply absorbing the higher rate after the introductory rate goes up. With ARMs, you do risk your rate going up, but you also take advantage when rates go down by pocketing more money each month that would otherwise have gone toward your mortgage payment.


Posted by Tara Patton on September 2nd, 2007 1:39 PMPost a Comment (0)

Credit Repair
August 27th, 2007 8:49 PM
You can try to repair your credit yourself or you can use a credit repair company like Collins Credit Repair. Check them out on the web and see if they can help you!

Posted by Tara Patton on August 27th, 2007 8:49 PMPost a Comment (0)

Things to avoid when buying a home!
August 24th, 2007 12:08 PM

Things to avoid before buying a home

Many new homebuyers make the mistake of rushing out to buy things to fill their home with as soon as the seller accepts their purchase offer and the lender pre-approves their loan. But there are still a few major hurdles to overcome before the keys are handed out. Here are some things to avoid during the home buying process to assure your transaction goes as smoothly as possible:

  • Don't make an expensive purchase. It may be tempting to order that new sofa for your soon-to-be living room, but its best to avoid making major purchases like furniture, cars, appliances, electronic equipment, jewelry, or vacations until after the closing. Financing that furniture with a store credit card or even one of your own credit cards could jeopardize your credit worthiness during the time it means the most. Using cash to purchase big items can also create a problem because many banks take into consideration your cash reserve when approving your mortgage.
  • Don't get a new job. Lenders like to see a consistent job history. Generally, changing jobs will not affect your ability to qualify for a mortgage loan - especially if you are going to be making more money. But for some people, getting a new job during the loan approval process could raise some concern and affect your application.
  • Don't switch banks or move money around. As your lender reviews your loan package, you will likely be asked to provide bank statements for the last two or three months on your checking accounts, savings accounts, money market funds and other liquid assets. To eliminate potential fraud, most loans require a thorough paper trail to document the source of all funds. Changing banks or transferring money to another account - even if its just to consolidate funds - could make it difficult for the lender to document your funds.
  • Don't give a good faith deposit directly to the seller in a FSBO purchase. As a rule, your good faith deposit belongs to you, not to the seller, until the deal closes. Your FSBO seller may not know that your good faith funds should be applied to your expenses at closing. Get an attorney or other neutral party who can hold the deposit or put it in a trust account until you close on the home. Your purchase contract should dictate to whom the funds go should the transaction fall through.
  • Don't disregard your lenders requirements. You may have been pre-approved for the loan but your work with the lender is far from over. In order to process your loan, you need to meet certain requirements. Your lender will need copies of your bank statements, W2s and other paperwork. It is up to you to get it to him or her as soon as possible. Failure to submit certain qualifying documents could cause you to lose your loan and the financing you need to buy your home.

Posted by Tara Patton on August 24th, 2007 12:08 PMPost a Comment (0)

Reasons for mistakes on your credit report.
August 19th, 2007 8:15 PM

Reasons for mistakes on your credit report
Credit report errors occur for a number of reasons but they can all have a negative impact on your eligibility for any future credit. It's important to stay on top of your credit report to avoid any mistakes made by the creditors and credit bureaus —Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Some common reasons for credit report errors include: 

  • The individual has applied for credit under several different names (i.e. John Doe and Jonathon Doe)
  • Someone made a clerical error in entering or reading information (names, social security numbers, addresses, etc.) from a handwritten application.
  • Mix ups with common names. For example, there is likely more than one John Smith living in New York City and often there is the chance that information intended for one John Smith might appear on another John Smith's credit report as he applies for a mortgage.
  • The individual gave an inaccurate Social Security number or the number was misread by the creditor.
  • Loan or credit card payments were inadvertently applied to the wrong account.

No matter what the reason, the erroneous information could reflect poorly on your credit file, thus causing approval problems when the time comes to apply for a job or obtain a mortgage. If you find errors, no matter how small, be sure you get them fixed, and make sure that you contact all three credit bureaus with your change.


Posted by Tara Patton on August 19th, 2007 8:15 PMPost a Comment (0)

For More information on Improving Your Credit
August 16th, 2007 8:33 PM

I am selling an awesome Ebook Package for only $3.95!  It includes the ebooks: Improve Your Credit Score in 24 hours and 101 Powerful Tips to Legally Raise Your Credit Score AND 11 Sample Credit Dispute Letters. 

Go to http://www.pattonpropertiesofhouston.com/Improve_Your_Credit.html

to purchase by paypal these awesome tools!

If you have any other questions email me at roycerealty2@aol.com

Thanks and have a great day!

Tara Patton


Posted by Tara Patton on August 16th, 2007 8:33 PMPost a Comment (0)

Disputing your Credit Report
August 16th, 2007 8:14 PM
Your credit report is a record of your credit activities. It lists all of your credit card accounts and loans, the balances as well as your payment history. It also shows if any action has been taken against you because of unpaid bills such as a lawsuit or bankruptcy filing. Because businesses use this information to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance and employment, it’s important that the information in your report is complete and accurate, especially if you plan to make a big purchase like a home.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is designed to promote accuracy and ensure the privacy of the information used in consumer reports. Under the FCRA, both the credit reporting agency (CRA) and the organization that provided the information to the CRA (usually the credit card company) must correct any errors or incomplete information in your report.


If you do encounter a mistake on your credit report, several steps need to be taken to correct the matter:

1. The first thing to do is get a copy of your credit report from each of the three major CRAs: Equifax, http://www.equifax.com; Experian, http://www.experian.com; and TransUnion, http://www.tuc.com.

2 In a written letter, tell the CRA what information you believe to be inaccurate. Include copies (not originals) of documents that support your position. Provide your complete name and address, identify each item in your report you dispute, and request deletion or correction. Be sure to make copies of your dispute letter and enclosures.

3. Send your letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can document what the CRA received.

4. The FCRA mandates that all CRAs reinvestigate the items in question — usually within 30 days — unless they consider your dispute frivolous. They also must forward all relevant data you provide about the dispute to the credit card company. After the credit card company receives notice of a dispute from the CRA, it must investigate, review all relevant information and report the results to the CRA.

5. If the disputed information is found to be inaccurate, the credit card company must notify all nationwide CRAs so they can correct this information in your file. Disputed information that cannot be verified must be deleted from your file.

6. When the reinvestigation is complete, the CRA must give you the written results and a free copy of your report if the dispute results in a change. If an item is changed or removed, the CRA cannot put the disputed information back in your file unless the credit card company verifies its accuracy and completeness, and the CRA gives you a written notice that includes the name, address, and phone number of the credit card company.

7. In addition to the CRA, you should also write to the credit card company about the error. Again, include copies of documents that support your dispute. If you are correct — meaning the information you disputed is found inaccurate — the credit card company cannot use it again. Further, at your request, the CRA must send notices of corrections to anyone who received your report in the past six months.


Posted by Tara Patton on August 16th, 2007 8:14 PMPost a Comment (0)

I am a Licensed Texas Real Estate Broker too!
August 16th, 2007 8:01 PM

I can help you buy or sell a home in the Houston area!  Call or email me today to discuss the real estate market in your area!  Email: roycerealty2@aol.com and Phone Number: 713-202-2701.  I look forward to speaking to you and helping in any way possible!  Tara Patton

Or you can visit both http://www.pattonpropertiesofhouston or http://www.tarapattonhomes.com for free buyer or seller information.


Posted by Tara Patton on August 16th, 2007 8:01 PMPost a Comment (0)

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