Sunday, November 1, 2015

How do interest rates really impact your buying power?



What can you really buy for your money?  Well, it depends on where you are buying and what type of property you are buying. This can vary greatly from state to state as well as from the city to the suburbs. I'm a big proponent of considering your future housing needs as well as your current financial situation before you decide to get pre-qualified and start your new home hunting. There are so many factors to consider, such as how long you are going to stay in your area, do you plan on starting or growing a family and how much disposable cash you have for a down payment.

Obviously, the lower th einterest rate, the more home you can buy. But by how much?  Well, for a $300,000 loan, the principal and interest payment for a 30 year fixed rate of 4.0% is $1432.25.  For every change in 0.125% in interest rate, the monthly payment changes by $21.54.  Not as much as you thought, huh?  Yeah, people tend to be a bit over dramatic when it comes to interest rate. In my humble opinion, the most important thing to consider is, "Can you afford the payment comfortably?"

There's also a great article today that addresses that, On The House:  On mortgage rates and what gets people to buy

These interest rates are for the purposes of example only.  You are not guaranteed these rates, you may or may not qualify for a loan.
For more information, pick up my #1 Best Selling Book at ElysiaStobbeBooks.com

For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

TRID! What does it mean to you?





TRID execution is quickly approaching!  What is TRID? TRID stands for TILA (Truth-In-Lending) RESPA (Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act) Integrated Disclosure. TRID was delayed earlier this year, pushed back from an August 1, 2015 start to this week.

What does this mean to you? TRID brings with it additional timelines designed for consumer protection and new forms. Expect your home purchase process to slow down a bit. From what I'm hearing, expect the typical closing time to slow from 30 to 45 days.

On October 3, 2015, new documents will replace the GFE and HUD-1. The GFE will be replaced by the Loan Estimate. The HUD-1 will be replaced by the Closing Disclosure.



For more information, pick up my #1 Best Selling Book at ElysiaStobbeBooks.com


For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
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Follow Elysia on Twitter at  https://twitter.com/ElysiaStobbe
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Sunday, September 13, 2015

Will the Federal Reserve Raise Interest Rates This Week? What does this mean for you?


This is a big week for economic news, particularly when it comes to interest rates. This Wednesday and Thursday, The Federal Reserve will meet to decide if the economy is stable enough to raise interest rates. The Federal Reserve has chosen NOT to raise short term interest rates for the last 7 years. Yes, 7 years!  Why is there a buzz that The Fed will raise interest rates now? There are several signs that our economy has stabilized, the first of which is the unemployment rate. There's lots of buzz on this regarding if the unemployment numbers are accurate or not. The biggest concern is that people who are unemployed are no longer counted in the statistics after six  months. So, if you have been unemployed for six months and 1 day you are not included in the unemployment numbers. That's some funny math.

Binyamin Applebaum wrote an interesting article for the New York Times, published today
entitled The Fed's Policy Mechanics Retool for a Rise in Interest Rates. Binyamin's article has some great points about how The Fed's plans may affect lending and our economy.

Seems to me if you are in the process of purchasing a home or refinancing, it's a good time to lock your interest rate!

Grab our new kindle version of my #1 Best Seller on Amazon.

For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
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Monday, September 7, 2015

Should You Buy an Investment Property or Invest in a REIT?



How do you decide if you want to be a landlord or not? Well, there are several things to consider...first of all, how active do you want to be in your investments? How active should you be in your investments? If it's not your full time job, you still need to pay attention to your investments. This includes your stocks, bonds, retirement accounts, real estate investments, etc, where ever your money is kept. If you don't pay attention to it, who will? If it's not your full time job, even more reason for you to check in. This can be weekly, monthly or daily depending on what vehicle(s) you invest your money into. I have a third party property management company handle my rentals and I check in with them at least once a month. In addition, I review the #'s every month to make sure we are on track with rents and renewals. You may need to do this more or less depending on your preference, number of rentals and if you use a property management company or not. For the stocks that I actively trade, I check on daily. I also spend a few hours every month on my asset allocation and overall performance.

So, what does this mean to you? You need to do what is best for you. How much time do you have to devote to your investments? Do you want to add real estate to your investment portfolio? According to Barron's recent article, "The Allure of Mortgage REITS" by Amey Stone some REITS are paying up to 12% annual yields and the are on sale right now for deep discounts. So, this begs the question, if you can get 12% returns with little or no time investment, why would you build your own real estate portfolio?

A REIT can offer you a (hopefully) diverse portfolio. This can be across property types such as commercial or residential single family homes or multi family. Or  it could be spread among properties in various markets across the country. Some REITS are traded like stocks, some require a minimum investment and can be difficult to get out of, so do your homework.

If you buy your own real estate investment properties you have a few models to choose from...buy and hold, fix and flip or a combination there of. Things to consider include available cash, available time, access to general contractors and  construction teams (if you are considering fix & flip), opportunity to leverage, return on investment goals and much, much more. You can start with one rental or 2nd home that you rent out when you're not using it, see if you have a taste for being a landlord and go from there.

I don't suggest you jump into either real estate investing or a REIT without doing your homework. Real estate can be an amazing investment and it's not for the faint of heart.I hope you find this information thought provoking. If you have questions email me at info@bestmortgagebook.com.


Grab our new kindle version of my #1 Best Seller on Amazon.

For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
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Tuesday, August 11, 2015

How Does Oil Impact Interest Rates?



How does the economy impact interest rates? Oil, stocks, bonds, Federal Reserve Chairman Yellen, flying monkeys...how do these factors play out in regards to interest rates? This is a hot topic right now, as reported by CNBC's Trading Nation this morning.

Well, you can watch a plethora of TV shows, read a ton of newspaper and blog articles. Or you can consider interest rate as merely one factor in your choice to buy a home.

I think that interest rate is an important factor while considering whether or not you will purchase a home. However, there are several other critical items to ponder. Obvious questions to ask yourself would be, "Can I afford the total monthly payment?" "What other bills may come up that I'm not anticipating?" "Will I need a new car in the near future, how much will that payment be?"

In addition to the economic piece of the equation, I think this is a very personal decision.  I know that sounds obvious, but just as important as how hot the real estate market is or is not or where interest rates will go, is an individual's plans for the future.
I believe there are at least two sets of questions that we should ask ourselves when considering the purchase of a home. The first set of questions has to do with a person or family's plans. Am I going to stay in this city, this state, this neighborhood for 1-2 years?  3-5 years?  How is my job stability? Do I love my job?  Can I work from anywhere? Am I single or engaged? Am I planning on growing my family?

The second set of questions has to do with the economics. What do I need/want in my housing? Can I rent a luxury apartment or do I need a 4 bedroom house? What's the cost of renting vs. buying? What's the cost per square foot of renting vs. buying? Does it cost more or less to rent than to buy? Any excellent licensed loan originator as well as real estate agent should be able to help you with this calculation in your local area. Basically you take your total estimated monthly mortgage payment including property taxes, home owners insurance and any monthly home owners association or condo fees and compare it to the cost to rent something similar in location and size. To make it more complex, factor in your down payment and estimated closing costs spread over the time you think you will be in that location as well as any interest deduction your CPA thinks you would benefit from by owning. Other factors to consider are leverage and appreciation.

Grab our new kindle version of my #1 Best Seller on Amazon. You can get it for FREE for a limited time if you have Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited or it's just $2.99 and that's a steal too!

For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
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Tuesday, August 4, 2015

How Can Knowing Your Mortgage Options Help You?


Rich Rosa, co-founder and co-owner of Buyers Brokers Only, LLC asks “Is a Lack of Understanding About Mortgages Holding Back Home Buyers?

Possibly….this is one of the reasons I wrote my book. The mortgage process is confusing to say the least and whether you’ve never applied for a mortgage before or have multiple mortgages, the more you know about the process, the better. I believe that an educated consumer is our best client. An educated consumer asks better quality questions and is more comfortable discussing and exploring their loan options.

Most people don’t know how much home purchasing power they have, how much to expect for closing costs (varies by state), or how much paperwork is involved when applying for a home loan. Most people have no idea the difference between loan programs from bank to bank, lender to lender, or broker to broker— or what the differences are between the main types of residential mortgage providers. Most people have no criteria for choosing a lender, the type of loan to seek, or how much down payment is best for them. For example, are their differences between the types of property that may affect down payment?

The mortgage industry is packed with nuance, which can lead to confusion for the consumer. While trying to buy a home, you may have people from many different professions telling you what you should do and how to make decisions—who should you listen to in which situations? Your most personal financial information is critical to the mortgage process and yet do you know who you are sending it to? What about mortgage insurance? Why is it required and when?

The two questions I most often hear are: “What’s the payment?” and, “What’s the interest rate?” While these questions are important, there are several other questions that are just as critical: what is the right loan type for me; is there an up-front funding fee for this loan; what are the differences in available mortgage insurance; how will property type restrictions affect my loan; what are the pros and cons of this loan; what is the down payment requirement with this loan choice over another; what are the closing costs associated with each loan type; and, who is allowed to pay the closing costs? Successfully navigating the maze of questions, regulations, and requirements ultimately leads to a mortgage closing.

Email me at info@bestmortgagebook.com for my Free Checklist “Questions to Ask When Selecting a Lender”.

For more information on loan documents, read my #1 Best Selling Book on Amazon

For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
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Wednesday, July 29, 2015

The Fun and Excitement of Loan Documentation - Ok, its Not Really Exciting, More of a Necesary Evil


Teresa Mears of U.S. New & World Report, Money has written a great article about the documents needed when applying for a loan.  Thank goodness someone else is talking about this! I can’t emphasize enough how much documents impact your loan timeline as well as your loan approval.

While this may seem more boring and makes you want to Stick A Fork In Your Eye, documents can make or break your loan. With documents, the devil is in the details. You will submit your asset accounts (checking & saving accounts, money market, IRA, CD, 401K, 403B, brokerage accounts, etc.)— any accounts you plan to draw money from for your down payment and closing costs. Supplying the proper documentation in the correct form can save you days of frustration and loss of time. The clock starts ticking when you sign a sales contract and everyone is working hard to get you to closing; so, if you do not respond quickly to document requests, you are not only risking your mortgage and your binder, you are also making it very difficult for the lender to finalize full approval for your loan. Also, if you cut corners and do not send documents in the proper form, you are burning time. Sending incorrect documentation can burn up several days—a day for the request, another day sending incorrect documents, another day the lender has to request correct documents… and so on.

If you want to be a proactive participant in your loan process, pay attention to what is requested and what you send. Failure to provide the correct documentation for loan approval will stop the loan process. If you are not able to provide the requested documentation for the underwriter, sorry to say, you will not be approved for the loan. I was working with a client last year that sent a scanned copy of his wife’s driver’s license that was illegible. After months of requesting a clear and legible copy of the driver’s license, we finally received a clear copy and were able to move forward. Thank goodness! Something as simple as taking a picture of your driver’s license with your smart phone and emailing it to your lender is a silly thing to hold up your loan closing.

Be prepared to get lots of documents and you will save yourself time and mental anguish. I once had a client that was wondering why his loan was not closing quickly. We had asked the borrower again and again for the documents, but he just said he couldn’t find them. Unfortunately, as much as I despise paperwork, if the underwriter needs it to approve your loan, you must provide it. If you need help with the document format or where to find some documents, just ask your lender. They should be happy to help you. If not, get a new lender!  Email me at info@bestmortgagebook.com for my Free Checklist “Questions to Ask When Selecting a Lender”.

Many of the documents you are asked to supply, such as a driver’s license or photo ID, are required by law. If you have questions about the document requests— wonderful!— I can’t preach enough about staying informed. Just make sure to ask your questions right away to keep the momentum going towards full approval and a fast closing. As you’ll see in more stories below, just a little attention can save tons of time and contribute to the smoothest loan process possible. Although everyone is working for you via the fees you pay them, they are also human beings working to get you a lump sum of money that you would not have otherwise. Keep in mind that all of these people want your loan to be approved and they have the best intentions in being your advocate for loan approval.

For more information on loan documents, read Chapter 11 in my #1 Best Selling book on Amazon.

For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
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Monday, July 27, 2015

What? Interest Only Loans Are Back!

Just when you thought the mortgage environment was safe….Oh NO! According to USA Today Interest Only loans are back!  This can be seen as both a good and bad thing. The fact that Interest Only loans are being offered means that the higher ups in the lending world think that the real estate market will stay flat or go up. The fact that banks are betting on that reminds me of 2006, that makes my insides flip and that’s not good.

What’s an interest only loan you ask? I’ll tell you…An Interest Only loan is a type of balloon loan. Each month you are only required to pay the interest on your loan, not the Principal & Interest. Why is this scary to me? If you only pay the interest, you will not be paying down the principal of the loan. So, in 10 years you will still owe the exact same amount as when you started. Most of the Interest Only loans require that the interest start being paid in five or ten years. That means a big payment increase for you; OUCH! Or possibly your entire loan coming due; OUCH OUCH! Be extremely careful and consider all your other options if you are considering this type of loan.

Is there a benefit to an Interest Only loan? Yes, when you pay over the interest required any principal is applied to your loan balance and the loan is recast. What does that mean? The extra you pay towards your principal is applied to the outstanding balance and your new payment reflects the updated balance. If you are disciplined and want to pay down your mortgage faster, an Interest Only loan may help you achieve that goal. An interest only loan can also be beneficial to those of you on commission. If you can pay your Interest Only payment with your draw or base and when you get your commission or bonus and you put that towards your loan balance that may also benefit you in paying off your loan quicker.

Keep in mind that this type of loan is not for everyone and you need to clearly understand what you’re getting into with this type of loan product.

For more information on loan types, check out my #1 Best Selling book on Amazon.

For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
For video mortgage tips and tools subscribe to our YouTube
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Monday, July 20, 2015

There's No Need to Get Stressed Out Buying a Home!



The stress of buying a home is right up there with death of a loved one, getting married or divorced. Moving is a life stressor and a major contributor of mental and physical disease according to HealthCentral.com. Add to that you can lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in the biggest purchase of your entire life and you can be stressed out if you don’t know what to avoid!

I wanted to share with you some of the information I presented last month at the FL Times Union Home Buyers Expo 

One of my presentations was 3 Monumental Money Mistakes To Avoid.

1.     Shop for the best lender, not the best rate.
-Do you start haggling with a car salesperson before you pick your car? No, so don’t make that mistake with the biggest purchase of your life. Shop for Lenders who are licensed, knowledgeable and can give your written references and success stories.  The best lender will get you the best loan program to suit your needs as well as the best interest rate.  This will save you thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage loan.

2.     Get PreQualified or PreApproved before you start home shopping – Don’t waste time and money looking for houses you don’t qualify to buy.  Know your buying power.

3.     Choose your Team Wisely
– Would you choose a school without knowing where they rank in test scores in the state?  Would you choose a heart surgeon without knowing their education, what hospital they work for and how long they have been practicing?  You need to interview everyone who will be working for you during the home buying process:  Lender, Realtor, Title Company, Home Inspector, Insurance Agent.  They all need to work together to get you to closing on time.

I hope you find this information useful.


All of this information can be found in much more detail in my book on Amazon


To grab my new book, How To Get Approved for the Best Mortgage Without Sticking a Fork in Your Eye™, click here: elysiastobbehomeloans.com
For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
For video mortgage tips and tools subscribe to our YouTube
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Thursday, July 16, 2015

July's Real Estate Market


Welcome to July.  It seems that it is a seller’s market, with about 5 months of inventory available.  Once this surpasses 6 months supply we may see a transition to a buyer’s market. But for now, the sellers have the upper hand.

What does this mean for you? Well, it could mean higher sales prices, bidding wars and less contingencies. What’s the best way you can be prepared?

As always, I recommend getting pre-approved instead of pre-qualified. This lets you know your true buying power. Also, a pre-approval is stronger than a pre-qualification.  In some markets, usually the hotter markets, Realtors ® and sellers won’t accept pre-qualification letters, they will only accept pre-approval letters.

In addition, select your team ahead of time so once you are under contract you are not scrambling to put together the pieces.  By team, I mean your Real Estate Agent, your lender, your title company, your home owner’s insurance agent and your home inspector. Take the time to ask questions of each and make sure you are comfortable with their answers. Once you are under contract you will have limited time to make decisions and that’s no fun if you are stressed out.


Here are Key Considerations when Selecting a Real Estate Agent

·        Look for Success and Experience
·        Look for a Listener that Hears YOU
·        Choose Team Sports Over King of the Hill – Look for a Real Estate Agent that works well with Others
·        Are there specialties that are relevant to YOU?  Such as MRP- Military Relocation Professional.  For a complete list of the National Associations of Realtors ® Certification, check out www.realtor.org/designations-and-certifications


For questions to ask your lender, check out my free download, Top 10 Questions to ask your Lender at www.BestMortgageBook.com

All of this information can be found in much more detail in my book on Amazon


To grab my new book, How To Get Approved for the Best Mortgage Without Sticking a Fork in Your Eye™, click here: elysiastobbehomeloans.com
For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
For video mortgage tips and tools subscribe to our YouTube
For sponsorship opportunities go to:  sponsorbestmortgagebook.info


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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Common Questions Asked By First Time Home Buyers



Wow!  What a ride!  I cannot thank you enough for your support. My book launched on Friday and became the #1 New Release in Mortgage Books on Amazon. Amazon likes it so much they just reduced the paperback price to $8.99!  Grab your copy here: www.elysiastobbehomeloans.com
I consider it a privilege to share this information with you.

I wanted to share with you some of the questions I got yesterday at the FL Times Union Home Buyers Expo. Over 1500 people attended, it was a huge success!  I was honored to be asked to speak to their audience.

I did two presentations.  Each presentation gave a quick overview of two topics.  The first presentation was 3 Monumental Money Mistakes To Avoid & Why Shopping for the Best Interest Rate can Cost you Money. Common questions pertained to the differences in FHA and Conventional Loans and the different mortgage insurance rates for each as well as the funding fees for government loans.

The second presentation covered 7 Massive Mortgage Mistakes to Avoid & VA, FHA & Conventional Financing Highlights. A common question was, "What if I have a 640 credit score and I am a first time home buyer, can I put down only 3%?"  Yes, if you are a first time home buyer and qualify for conventional loan financing, you can put down as little as 3% with a 640 credit score. However, the monthly mortgage insurance will be more expensive due to the 640 credit score. Here are some highlights from the 2nd half of this presentation.  I hope you find this information useful.

Here are some VA Loan Highlights:

Minimum Down Payment 3.0% for first time home buyers, otherwise 5%
No Funding Fee
Monthly MI varies based on down payment, credit score, type of residence, varies from 0.22%-0.74%
MI is automatically removed at 22% equity

Minimum Credit Score 620 with 20% down payment or 640 with 5% down payment

***Veterans, THANK YOU for your Service!!


Here are some FHA Loan Highlights:

Minimum Down Payment 3.5%
FHA Funding Fee of 1.75%
Monthly MI of 0.85% with 3.5% down or .80% with 5% down payment
MI is for the life of the loan
Minimum Credit Score 580

Here are some Conventional Loan Highlights:

Minimum Down Payment 3.0% for first time home buyers, otherwise 5%
No Funding Fee
Monthly MI varies based on down payment, credit score, type of residence, varies from 0.22%-0.74%
MI is automatically removed at 22% equity
Minimum Credit Score 620 with 20% down payment or 640 with 5% down payment

***Please keep in mind this is only an example for illustration purposes.  These interest rates may not be available and/or you may not qualify for this loan type.

All of this information can be found in much more detail in my #1 Best Selling Book on Amazon


To grab my new book, How To Get Approved for the Best Mortgage Without Sticking a Fork in Your Eye™, click here: elysiastobbehomeloans.com
For more mortgage tips check out our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
For video mortgage tips and tools subscribe to our YouTube
For sponsorship opportunities go to:  sponsorbestmortgagebook.info

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Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Top 3 Reasons Why Mortgages are Sexier Than Caitlyn Bruce Jenner




1. If you qualify for a mortgage you don't have to use your hard earned cash to buy your new home. Now that's sexy!
Why use your cold hard earned cash to buy your next home when you can use the bank's money?  First Time Home Buyer's can put down as little as 3% for a down payment now.  For example, if you are buying a $300,000 home, 3% is $9,000. Spending $9,000 sounds a whole lot better than spending $300,000, right?
2. Mortgage Interest Can Be Tax Deductible. Now that's really sexy! 
What better benefit to being a home owner and using someone else's (the bank's) money than to get to write off the interest expense? This just keeps getting better and better! When you get a loan, your repayment schedule usually consists of principal & interest.  That interest you pay every month can be tax deductible. Consult your CPA for details.
3. There's more than enough paperwork in the mortgage process to cover up every inch of Caitlyn you didn't really want to see in Vanity Fair.
I'm very excited for our Olympic Hero and her quest for happiness. The Vanity Fair spread is eye catching to say the least. In addition to covering up parts of Caitlyn you didn't want to see mortgage paperwork can be recycled for later use as a toga, paper skirt or those weird flip flops they give you when you get a pedicure. Just be sure to shred the documents that have all your pertinent info such as your name, social security #, address, bank account #'s, etc.

For more info about and pictures of Caitlyn Jenner and what his/her ex Kim Kardashian has to say, click here:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3107508/Kim-Kardashian-defends-Caitlyn-Jenner-s-choice-dress-sexy-clothes-reveal-cover-Vanity-Fair.html

***Please keep in mind this is only an example for illustration purposes.  These interest rates may not be available and/or you may not qualify for this loan type.

To get on our waiting list for my new book, How To Get Approved for the Best Mortgage Without Sticking a Fork in Your Eye™, go to our website www.bestmortgagebook.info
For video mortgage tips and tools subscribe to our YouTube
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