Sunday, April 20, 2014

The Advantages of New Home Mortgage Loans

Home mortgage loans now offer shorter waiting periods among other advantages for families with extenuating circumstances

The Federal Housing Administration’s new home mortgage loans suggest that millions of families are finally being rescued from the housing market crash of 2008. As of August of last year, borrowers who have faced extenuating circumstances have a program specifically designed for their financial struggles.

If you have faced foreclosure or another economic event that significantly reduced your credit score and caused you to lose your home and your job, you may be eligible to apply. Check out these top-four advantages of beginning Back to Work home mortgage loans.

1. Shorter waiting periods
After foreclosure, short sale and deed-in-lieu, the typical waiting period is three years. The waiting period after bankruptcy is normally two years and other economic events can last up to seven years. Through the “Back to Work” program, families battling extenuating circumstances can apply for a new mortgage only twelve months after losing a home. This is a dramatic and life-altering change for lenders and their borrowers.

In order to qualify for the reduced waiting period, the borrower must be able to provide proof of an economic event and a reduction in income of 20 percent or more for a period of at least six months. This can be documented through a federal tax return, W-2 form or written verification of employment.

2. Efficient rates
The “Back to Work” program allows families to put 3.5 percent down with no premiums nor fees at closing. Rates are the same as other FHA loans. Your mortgage rate will be unaffected by the “Back to Work” program. With other lending programs, a poor credit history could significantly change your repayment schedule. The program does not accept borrowers with credit scores below 500. However, borrowers with no credit score remain eligible.

3. Housing counseling
The FHA requires “Back to Work” borrowers to attend at least one hour of one-on-one housing counseling. Some borrowers may frown upon this requirement, but it is harmless and very beneficial to the borrower. During counseling, borrowers learn how to become better prepared for future financial shocks, how to avoid scams, and how to create and manage a household budget. The FHA hopes by requiring counseling, borrowers learning these actions will help prevent reoccurrence. The counseling agency must be approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For a list of approved agencies, visit www.hud.gov.

4. Guidance designed for your situation
Lenders who provide the “Back to Work” program are understanding and willing to work with your financial situation. Good lenders are good listeners. Although applying for a new home loan after an economic event is stressful, lenders are excellent communicators and will disclose all fees and costs upfront. Search for a lender who has your best interest. Mortgage lenders should view you as a life-long customer, since you could be committing to a long-term repayment schedule.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Shopping For Your First Home Mortgage Loan

Shopping for your first home can be one of the most exciting events in your life. To ensure your home shopping experience goes smoothly and you get the best rate possible on your first home mortgage loan you will want to have your finances in order and be prepared to put a down payment on the home.

How To Improve Your Loan Terms
1. Pay off any outstanding balances on your credit cards before applying for your loan.

2. Pay creditors off and ask that they remove your account from any credit history.

3. Rebuild your credit score. (This will help you tremendously, as it will lower your interest rate, down payment requirement and the overall condition of your loan terms.) You will be glad you took the time to correct your credit history and score, as this will allow you to receive better loan terms. With better terms, you will be able to find a mortgage loan that you are confident and comfortable with, which will make paying for your new home much easier to manage.

When To Apply For Your Home Mortgage Loan
Applying for your mortgage loan before you begin shopping is a great option, as this will allow you to be pre-approved for your loan amount and make you 100% aware of your shopping budget. This also allows you to submit offers on the home that you are most interested in without having to wait weeks to see if the lender will approve the amount.

If you are serious about buying your first home we would like to guide you about loan options and terms that may fit your circumstance. Our focus is to create loans that are sustainable for our borrowers so they are set up for homeowner success, now and in the many years to come. Feel free to Contact us today about your options for a new home loan.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

New Home Mortgage Loan Process for First Time Buyers

1st Alliance Lending, LLC
Are you a new home-buyer wondering what the process is for obtaining a mortgage?  It is not as complicated as it seems especially if you have a lender working as a partner with you.  At 1st Alliance Lending we will be on your team as you navigate the loan process.
Submit a Loan Application
The first step is to submit a loan application.  You will need to include proof of your income by submitting 30 days worth of pay stubs.  You will provide your drivers license and social security card so a credit history can be examined.  Tax forms and W-2s from the past 2-3 years are also requested.  You may be requested to provide bank statements and a list of your addresses for the past 7 years.  If you have had a financial hardship in the past that you would like to explain you can include a Hardship Letter.  Many financial institutions will not take into account job loss or illness of a family member impacting previous credit performance.  At 1st Alliance Lending we want to know the details and will take information provided in a Hardship Letter into account when evaluating your application.  
If all of this documentation seems like a lot of work just realize that after you submit your loan application your homework is done.  Now it is time for 1st Alliance Lending to do the work.  
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Application is Processed
After your application is completed we will provide you a Good Faith Estimate (GFE), which gives our best estimate of the fees and costs you will incur to obtain a mortgage.  We provide the GFE within 3 days of application as required by law.
Processing the application typically takes 1 week and includes verifying it has been filled out completely and accurately.  We evaluate public records to see if there are any liens.  Occasionally additional information or documentation may be requested.
Options Presented
You will be presented the rate and loan options that you qualify for.  In general, better credit history equals a better interest rate and more options available.  Keep in mind that 1st Alliance Lending doesn't just rely on your credit number but looks at the whole picture to determine which loan is appropriate for you.  We strive to provide you with a mortgage you can afford long term.
If you are ready to partner with 1st Alliance Lending to procure a new home mortgage loan contactus.  We would be happy to be on your team and walk you through the mortgage process.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Check Your Credit Before Buying Your First Home

Like most first time home-buyers, you don't have the money to pay the full price in cash for your purchase. So you'll need to depend on a mortgage to finance the deal. Lenders look at the price of the house, down payment, and monthly dues to partially qualify you for a loan. However, they also look at your credit report and credit score to determine your payment rate and terms.
While you can't get your score without paying for it, you can look at your credit report, so you know what the lender is examining. The report reveals your financial obligations, your payments to merchants and institutions, and whether you pay on time or not. You're entitled to one report every year from each of the three major credit agencies, which are Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. You can get each document for free from AnnualCreditReport.com, without any obligation or without having to sign up for financial services.
Check out your listings as soon as you download them. Make sure everything is correct, especially the merchant name, account number, amount owed, monthly payments, transaction history, and your record of payments. Find any discrepancies? Then let the merchant and reporting agency know as soon as possible. They're legally obligated to address any issues, however, that may take several weeks for the fix, so you want to start looking at your report many months before you apply for a mortgage.
Red flags for lenders include foreclosures, bankruptcies, or late payments. You can't do too much about these issues if they are accurate, but you can develop explanations of why they exist. For example, perhaps you lost your job and missed a few payments during that time.
If you're interested in obtaining a mortgage or want to find out more about the financing involved, please contactus. We will put your first and be your partner through the process.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

How Prequalification Helps with Buying Your First Home

You've spent many months visiting models at new housing developments, visiting open houses, and arranging appointments to see existing properties for sale. You and your spouse have finally found the house of your dreams. It's in a perfect location, has enough square footage and bedrooms for your family, and boasts a host of excellent features like a gourmet kitchen and spa tubs. You apply for a mortgage to buy your first home and are denied. The lender says your down payment and income do not put you anywhere close to affording what you want.
You could have spared yourself the embarrassment and wasted time by undergoing prequalification before buying your first home. Going home-shopping without this prerequisite, as you've discovered, is like taking a long taxi ride and realizing you left your wallet at home. The process essentially looks at your income and expenses to determine how much home you can afford.

After you have been prequalified, you can use this knowledge to look for properties that are within your price range. Once you make an offer, the lender then examines your finances in detail before issuing you the mortgage. After prequalification, this examination is often just a formality because the lender already knows the state of your finances in advance.
To make the process go more quickly and efficiently, do what you can to clean up your finances before you apply. Pay off as many bills as possible to reduce your outstanding balances. You'll be able to afford more house if you have fewer monthly obligations.
Why don't you contactus today to find out more about obtaining a mortgage or getting prequalified?

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Do You Qualify For The New Back To Work Lending Program?

With the new back to work lending program, lenders are all set and ready to help people who have gone through an adverse economic event. If this describes you, then there is no reason why you should miss out on this program. This HUD mortgage plan is aimed at giving you a new start if you have recently recovered from an economic downturn. In order to qualify you will need to prove that the economic event was caused by events that were not in your control. In addition you will need to show that the event reduced your household income by twenty percent or more for as long as a six month period. The FHA understands that sometimes life happens and you can’t do much about it.

If you have suffered foreclosure, pre-foreclosure, bankruptcy (either chapters 13 or 7), needed a loan modification or deed-in-lieu or forbearance, then you are a prime candidate for these loans. After you have documented your loss of income satisfactorily, your credit history will pretty much be forgiven and you can borrow money to buy your family a home.


One of the things to note, to the FHA’s credit, is that the loans are written with regular FHA standards. In fact you can get your new home with just a 3.5 percent down payment. The interest rates have also not been inflated but are the same as those of other FHA products. This has all been set up like that to ensure that the borrowers are not in any way penalized for an event that they could not have done anything about. Of note is that not all lenders are offering the back to work loan. Only specific ones have signed up with the FHA to provide this product.

In order to get approval with the new back to work lending program you will also be required to attend an hour of housing counseling or home ownership education or both. If you do not go through this counseling your loan will be denied. It is important that you have all of your documentation well put together and make sure that every requirement outlined by the FHA has been met. It is in your best interest to find an underwriter who is both confident that you can repay the loan and also one who is confident with your documentation.

With this loan you will be well on your way to getting your life back to the place it was before you suffered the economic event. We all understand how important it is to own a home. It is indeed a landmark event in the life of any person. Don’t let anything stop you from owning your dream home. Just get your documentation together, attend housing counseling and speak to a lender near you.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Want a Loan from Back To Work Mortgage Lenders? Get HUD Counseling First

Now that the FHA has a loan product to serve those who have been through a negative economic event it is important that you find out what the requirements are to qualify for the said loan. Loss of income, employment or both is what has been termed as an economic event. However, it needs to have reduced the income of the borrower’s household by at least twenty percent for more than 6 months. Back to work mortgage lenders have received instruction not to approve any loans unless the borrower has been through housing counseling.

If you are to get approval for a back to work home loan you need to have sat through a homeownership counseling and education class. Each borrower hoping to get an approval will need to have sat with a HUD approved counselor and had an hour of one-on-one counseling. This counseling is meant to review and analyze why the economic event occurred and to also find out what steps have been taken by the borrower to overcome the event. In addition, the counselor will also want to know what measures have been put in place to ensure that a reoccurrence is unlikely.


FHA back to work program lender by 1stalliancelendingllc

The counseling must be carried out by a housing counseling agency approved by HUD, or by intermediaries and sub-grantees that have been approved to do so. Finance agencies that work with state housing are also allowed to offer housing counseling. The counseling can take place online, by telephone or even via the internet, so long as HUD has approved of the method. It is also a requirement that the housing counseling session take place between 1 month and 6 months before the loan is applied for.

The borrower will need to provide the back to work mortgage lenders that he/she approaches with the certificate of participation that he/she has received from the HUD counseling agency. Unfortunately if this certificate is not submitted along with the other loan application forms, the borrower will not get the financing.

This loan is a great opportunity for those who have gone through bankruptcy – both chapters 7 and 13 - forbearance, pre-foreclosure, deed-in-lieu, foreclosure and loan modification- to get a fresh start. In fact, the long waiting periods before one could get a mortgage (2 years for bankruptcy and 3 years for foreclosure, deed-in-lieu and short sale) have been completely waived. Now if you can show proof that for the last 12 months you have been in economic recovery, gone through the necessary counseling and met your financial obligations, you can get a home loan easily and start on the path of becoming a home owner again.