Monthly Archives: January 2018

2018 Financial Resolutions

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It’s not too late to start your 2018 Resolutions!

More than 25% of people who make a New Year’s Resolution include a financial goal on their list.  Here are the four most common finance-related New Year’s Resolutions, and how you can easily follow them throughout the entire year!

 

1) Monitor Your Credit Score

Don’t put yourself in a situation where you apply for a loan and have to hope your credit score is good enough. Monitoring your credit score is easy to do and should be done every few months. Keeping an eye on your credit is not only beneficial when applying for a home mortgage loan or credit card, but you’ll also be able to see if there are any fraudulent accounts opened in your name. Federal law allows you to get a FREE copy of your credit report every 12 months from each credit reporting company to determine if the information on your credit report is accurate and up to date. You can check your credit for free at www.annualcreditreport.com.

2) Track Your Expenses

The best way to manage your money is to know exactly where it is going. You can start tracking your expenses by writing down where you’re spending your money. You may be surprised to find out how much you’re actually spending, and how those Target runs and extra items at the grocery store really do add up. Once you see your spending habits, you’ll be able to find areas you can cut back and set a realistic budget.

3) Cash Diet

 After the holidays, you and your bank account may be feeling a little sluggish. If you’re like me, you’ve indulged in too many cookies and drinks and swiped your card too many times over the last few months. Consider helping your waistline and your budget by going on a cash diet by only paying with cash. When physically handing over cash, you’re seeing the money leaving your possession at that very moment. Unlike when you swipe your card, you generally won’t experience the same feeling until you check your bank statement to see all of the transactions at which point it’s too late.

4) Save

I am fairly sure that there isn’t a single person who hasn’t thought “I wish I would have saved more” at one time in their life. It is never too late to start saving, and it’s ok to start small. The easiest way to start is to set up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account every month. Setting a goal will also help you save. It’s great to say, “I’ll save more” but setting a specific goal will make it easier for you to see your progress and achieve your goal.

 

If your New Year’s Resolution is to save for your next home, ask our Twin Cities mortgage team about our low-down home mortgage payment options. You may only have to save 1% of the home’s value to be approved for a home loan! Rainbow Mortgage Inc. is one of the few independent home mortgage companies in Minnesota to offer this unique program. Learn more about our 1% Down Payment program and start your 2018 New Year’s Resolution today!       

Rainbow Mortgage Inc.

3300 Edinborough Way #550

Edina, MN 55435

 NMLS# 345827 || 952-405-2090|| www.rainbowmortgageinc.com|| dave@rainbowmortgageinc.com

Mortgage Myths

Mortgage Myths: Busted!

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When you mention you are about to buy a house, there’s a chance that your friends and family will give you their advice on how to get a mortgage or tips they’ve heard before. While some of the advice may be helpful, you should most likely proceed with caution since rules, regulations, and programs change all the time in the mortgage loan world. Here are the top 5 mortgage myths that we hear from our clients.

1) You need excellent credit to qualify.

Typically, a credit score of 670 is “good” and higher scores will generally help keep your interest rates lower- saving you money! Each specific loan program has a different credit requirement; some FHA loans can be done with a 600 or even a 500 credit score. While your credit score is a key factor, lenders look at other items while reviewing your mortgage loan application too. Ask us what programs your score qualifies for, or how to improve it if you’re not satisfied with your current credit score.

2) If you get pre-qualified, you definitely get a loan.

It’s advised that you get a letter of prequalification before you start looking for a home, and you may think this means you’re guaranteed a loan, but that’s not the case. The mortgage pre-qualification process determines the amount of home you’ll be eligible to purchase, based off of your income, credit score and a few other factors. Your pre-qualification letter is not a binding agreement or a specific offer to lend, as you’ll have to provide further documentation once you’re ready to move forward with the loan process and have found a house!

3) You need a significant down payment to purchase a home.

It’s been programmed in our minds that a 20% down payment is needed to purchase a home. It is not a requirement, but is an ideal amount. There are many loan programs out there that work with significantly lower down payments for those who may be strapped for cash, some programs even accept 1% or 3.5% down. The government also offers a few programs that require no down payment. Both the USDA and VA Loans offer mortgage loans without down payments! Keep in mind that if you do not put 20% down, you may be required to pay mortgage insurance. Adding that additional insurance will be important to factor into your monthly mortgage payment.

4) A 30-year loan is the best option.

A loan with a 30 year term may be the best option if you are looking to keep your payments lower, however, lower interest rates are usually offered with lower term mortgages. A 15-year mortgage may be the best option because of the amount of interest you’ll save over the life of the loan, however, your payment will most likely be higher than the 30 year option because of the shorter term of the loan (must be paid off in 15 years versus 30). Another low payment, low interest rate option would be an ARM or an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, where the interest rate periodically changes to reflect the market conditions. The rate may go up, causing your payment to go up, or it may go down, causing your payment to decrease. Consider each of these options when deciding which loan option is best for you! As a local mortgage broker, we’re able to shop around and find the different loan options so you don’t have to.

5) Student debt will prevent you from buying a home.

While it may be true that student loan debt may hinder your ability to purchase a home, new guideline changes have made it a bit easier. The debt-to-income ratio was increased to 50% since many of the first-time mortgage applicants looking to buy a home currently have student loan debt. Before this increase, borrowers had to fit all of their monthly debt obligations (including the presumed mortgage) within 45% of their pre-tax income. Even though the ratio has been increased, consider if it is right for your budget to have approximately 50% of your budget going towards debt.

These mortgage myths just break the surface on all of the free-floating mortgage advice. Have further questions on your situation, give us a call!

 

Rainbow Mortgage Inc.

3300 Edinborough Way #550

Edina, MN 55435

 NMLS# 345827 || 952-405-2090|| www.rainbowmortgageinc.com|| dave@rainbowmortgageinc.com