There is a great responsibility in lending; recently, there appears to be a movement in the marketplace to commoditize lending by making products available on-line. The emphasis is on closing the loan quickly and making the process automated; this approach implies that counseling to find the right mortgage is not necessary, and leaves the choice...
Tag: CPA
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NEW CONFORMING LOAN LIMIT: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU?
The Federal Housing Finance Agency increased the 2018 conforming loan limit to $453,100 and is projected to rise to $484,350 during 2019. What does this mean for you? Conventional loans in the amount of $484,350 and less are typically underwritten in accordance with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac guidelines. Loans in excess of this amount...
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MORTGAGE APPROVAL: PROPERTY CONDITION
In order to get a mortgage, the property condition must be move-in ready; it must be habitable and safe. I often get asked if there is a list of items the house must have in order to meet the habitability standard, but there is not, as it is on a case-by-case basis. Here is a...
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HOW TO QUALIFY WITHOUT A JOB
The Dodd-Frank Act includes a provision that a borrower must show an ability-to-repay a mortgage to qualify. It seems silly that a law had to be passed with this provision in it as you would think someone would not make a loan unless they knew it was going to be paid back. Nevertheless, this law...
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NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
Now is the time that we reflect on 2018 and make resolutions for 2019. Many people will review their financial picture to see where they can improve on their finances for the upcoming year. The mortgage is as much a part of your financial picture as your investments. How best to finance the mortgage and...
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TERM SHEET OR COMMITMENT LETTER
The glossary of terms in commercial real estate (CRE) lending is packed with synonymous and unique terms not typically found outside the arena of commercial real estate lending, and often mis-used by practitioners within the industry, as well as those bumping up against CRE lending in their respective tangential industries, e.g., CRE real estate licensees, escrow...
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TO REFINANCE OR NOT TO REFINANCE, THAT IS THE QUESTION
Perhaps a better question is HOW to refinance. This week the Fed (FOMC) stayed the course as advertised, raising their Fed Funds rate another 25 bps, their 8th ¼ point increase since late 2015. This takes Fed Funds to 2.00-2.25% range, and Prime to 5.25%. In their public announcement following the Wednesday meeting they reiterated...
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CRE LENDING NOT OVER-HEATED
The latest Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey from the Federal Reserve offers good news for business in general, reporting that terms and conditions for loans have continued to ease. The commercial real estate (CRE) sector, though, received no such love. Banks kept commercial real estate lending standards about unchanged on balance, it said. It wrote:...
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Booming Economy Prompting Hawkish Fed Policy
June 13 the Fed raised its benchmark interest rate, the Fed Funds rate, by another ¼%. Two additional increases anticipated in Sept and Dec. The Fed’s overnight lending rate is now in a range of 1.75% to 2.00%. Citing stronger consumer spending, and a highly optimistic business community, the Fed laid out the potential for...
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COMMERCIAL LENDING UPDATE
The FOMC raised the target federal funds by 25 bps earlier this month to a range of 1.75-2.00 %, and projected a third and fourth rate hike later this year, read that to be Sept and Dec. This sending the prime rate to 5%, and jacking up variable rate loans by ¼ point. The Fed...