Preferred Properties of Texas

The Preferred way to buy & sell property for over 25 years

Mortgage Help for Homeowners During the Crisis

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During times of financial chaos and widespread unemployment, then you aren’t alone in the event that you end up worried about keeping up with your mortgage obligations. As per a U.S. Census Bureau poll earlier this season, a quarter of all Americans either missed a mortgage or lease payment, or had little to no assurance that they’d have the ability to make next month’s payment in time.

The great thing is you do have choices if you discover yourself coping with income reduction or struggling financially.

Exactly what the CARES Act Means For You
Lien backed by the national government might be eligible to suspend payments when a borrower is coping with financial hardship
Lenders Won’t charge late fees or report late payments to credit agencies during that period
Foreclosures and foreclosure-related evictions are suspended prior to the end of the year
If a mortgage Isn’t federally-backed, then contact your creditor and inquire about hardship strategies and alternatives

First Things First: Reach Out For Your Mortgage Bank
It’s essential that you don’t assume you’ll be addressed by your CARES Act and simply quit making your monthly obligations even if you’re not qualified for the CARES Act, you likely have more choices than you may realize. Speak to your creditor as soon as you can notify them of any fiscal conditions, and inquire what choices they have set up as a consequence of the present catastrophe. They will likely have a couple alternatives for forbearance or altered loan arrangements for you to think about, though you’ll normally have to submit some kind of documentation demonstrating your financial hardship.

Forbearance vs. Refinancing
Forbearance choices will defer your mortgage obligations to get everywhere from six-12 months, with the knowledge that payment will continue to be due in the conclusion of forbearance. Forbearance isn’t a forgiveness program, but this alternative does leave you with additional money flow during uncertain times. If you cannot settle your missed payments at one time, you could be qualified to generate higher payments for a time period to settle the sum past due. If it is possible to restart your monthly payments in any stage, you might qualify to reevaluate the sum past due until a later date.

Some mortgage lenders will also be offering loan arrangement modifications in that time, many in the kind of a longer-term loan period or a lower rate of interest. Loan modifications make an option that changes the conditions of your loan so as to think of a monthly payment you can spend.

Research Added Options Available to You
There are lots of national, local and state entities offering grants, loans and other assistance programs for homeowners fighting because of the pandemic. Federal and state funds are usually distributed to city and county departments and are frequently dispersed from there to local agencies or financial institutions to handle.

Added resources for homeowners throughout this time:

Gov Temporary Mortgage Relief
USDA Rural Development Programs
Housing and Urban Development Resources for Homeowners
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Mortgage and Housing Assistance

If you have received help with your mortgage payments throughout the ordeal, continue to carefully track and record your own accounts and statements to be certain they remain error-free. Cancel or fix any automated payments you’ve set up to make certain you stay away from any penalties or fees from your bank. The moment your earnings is revived or in a level in which you feel more comfy, get in touch with your mortgage lender and then resume your normal payment schedule.

Should you strike instances of financial hardship, do not worry –research which apps are available so that you may pick the choice which makes the best sense for you personally. Do not just stop making payments, or you could encounter consequences such as fees, overdue charge, as well as potential foreclosure. Bear in mind that during times of catastrophe, there’s an elevated probability of fraud and spam, so ask questions and read all materials supplied to you attentively.

Home Buyer Down Payment Assistance Programs

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Home Buyer Down Payment Assistance Programs

Don’t let the lack of a down payment stop you from becoming a homeowner.  With mortgage rates at historic lows, why not take advantage of this market! Here’s how a home buyer down payment assistance program may help you in achieving the American Dream.

So what is Down Payment Assistance?

DPA helps home buyers with grants and low interest loans that help reduce the amount of money needed to save for a down payment. It’s essentially the “money” to help a home buyer get into a home and can come from federal, state or local agencies, as well as non-profits and employers.

What types for DPA programs are available?

There are all types of programs available.  Some, like Grants, do not have to be repaid.  However, grants only make up a small percentage of what is available.  Other types of programs are considered loans and have deferred payments or are forgiven after a set amount of years.  It all depends on which program you choose.  You can also look  to use some loan programs with other down payment assistance programs as long as you qualify.

FHA Loan

An FHA loan is a loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration, and helps borrowers with lower credit scores or little down payment. This type of loan is usually chosen because it allows a borrower to put as little as 3.5% down and offers more lenient credit and debt-to-income requirements.  Because a small down payment is usually associated with these types of loans, you’ll need government-provided mortgage insurance (MI).  However, to compensate, lenders often offer FHA loans at attractive interest rates.

USDA Loan

The USDA loan is a loan program guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with low interest mortgages designed for lower-income borrowers who wish to live in eligible rural areas. USDA loans offer low to no down payments.  There are income requirements for USDA loans and because they require low down payments, you’ll need to take out mortgage insurance (MI).

VA Loan

A VA loan program is a US Department of Veterans Affairs backed loan for active-duty military personnel, veterans and some spouses/widows. In addition to lower interest rates and minimal closing costs, the most distinct advantage of a VA loan is that it requires NO down payment and NO private mortgage insurance. Credit scores are important, however minimum requirements usually lead to a good interest rate.

Good Neighbor Next Door

The Good Neighbor Next Door is a HUD program that provides a 50% discount on a home’s list price in revitalization areas (designated by HUD) for law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers.  There are eligibility requirements and the program is highly competitive. For public service professionals first-time home buyers, the program also offers benefits and grants. In return, home buyers must commit to live in the property for 36 months as the sole residence.

HomePath ReadyBuyer Program

For those first-time home buyers who don’t have a lot of money for closing costs and are wanting to purchase foreclosed Fannie Mae property, this program provides up to 3% in closing-cost assistance.  Before making the offer, buyers are required to complete an online first-time buyer education course.

FHA Section 203K

The FHA Section 203K loan is great for those wanting to purchase a home that needs major improvements but don’t have a lot of cash to do so.  This FHA-backed loan lets you roll the costs on the renovations into your primary mortgage. The down payment on these loans is as low as 3.5% but the cost of the improvements must be more than $5000.

Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation Programs (TSAHC)

TSAHC is a non-profit organization created to provide mortgage loans and down payment assistance grants for low-income families and other under-served populations who would not qualify through conventional financial channels. These programs offer 30-year fixed interest rate mortgages, down payment assistance as either a grant or 0% interest, no monthly payments due second lien, and is available statewide. TSAHC offers two first-time home buyer grant programs:

Homes for Texas Heroes Home Loan Program: Designed for teachers, fire fighters and EMS personnel, police and correctional officers, and veterans.

Homes Sweet Texas Home Loan Program: Designed for Texas home buyers with low and moderate incomes.

Contact us at Preferred Properties today if you’d like more information on how to purchase your first home!

When Should I Upgrade to a Bigger Home?

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#1. How do you know you need a bigger place?

Is getting more crowded in the bathroom in the mornings? Our kids piling up in the bedrooms? Do you feel like you’re just walking over everybody throughout the house? It might be time to upgrade your home. You might just be a little bit of space. Maybe you have pets and are taking up more space than you’d like. Maybe you need a bigger backyard, your family room, larger layout or just a more open space; whatever the reason, you know you need more home.

When Should I Upgrade to a Bigger Home?

#2. Can we afford it?

In this market, you might be nervous about selling your property and buying another one because of everything going on right now. It might be a great time to sell but is it a good time to turn around and buy again? It’s important to talk to your real estate agent and your lender about buying and selling at the same time.

Your lender will discuss how much you need in order to afford a bigger home and what the current market is doing so that you know how much you can sell your home for in order to put more equity into your new home. A lender will also look at all of your income, debts, assets, and liabilities to give you a fair and accurate assumption of how much you can afford in a monthly mortgage payment.  If everything falls into place perfectly, you may be able to transition easily.

#3. How much does it cost to buy and sell simultaneously?

This really is a balancing act. Lenders, escrow agents, real estate agents, buyers and sellers all need to work together to make a cohesive simultaneous purchase and sale. But, don’t fear, because it can happen. It happens all the time. You have to decide when is the right time to do it and do you sell first or by first? There are a lot of factors involved to that one question. Your agent may feel that now is a great time to sell and then look for homes or look for the right home and then put the house on the market because it will sell quickly. This really is a strategic game to play and an experienced, qualified and seasoned agent can help you get there.

A lot of times you can simply move money from one house to the other making your out-of-pocket costs very minimal. You may have to pay for a home inspection out-of-pocket, which can run anywhere from $300-$800. But, closing costs, and down payments may be able to come from the sale of your existing house. You may need to come up with an earnest money deposit, which is typically 1% to 3% of the purchase price of the home you are buying.

Upgrading because you need it is a necessity for your family. Finding the right home and pulling the trigger at the right time is something that you, your lender and your real estate agent can all discuss.

Thinking of selling and moving up? Give Preferred Properties a call today for all Stephenville, Texas and surrounding area properties.

HOW TO FINANCIALLY PREPARE YOURSELF BEFORE LOOKING AT A HOME

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Prepare Financially Before Looking at Homes

Too often home buyers fail to prepare themselves financially before looking for a home to purchase. Doing so is a common mistake that many future home buyers make even though this may be the largest purchase of their lives. Not taking the proper steps to set yourself up for success could mean that you do not get your dream home, or it costs you more than it should.

Here are some of the best tips for preparing yourself financially before starting the home search process. By doing so you’ll be two steps ahead of the game and well on your way to home ownership!

CONNECT WITH A LENDER FAR IN ADVANCE

Before you start driving around neighborhoods, flipping through listings online or even stopping in to speak with a Realtor, it would be a good idea to know what your buying power is today. If you have a goal to be able to buy into a particular neighborhood, you should put a plan in place to be able to achieve that.

Speaking with a lender first to develop a plan of action on how you can qualify to buy a home in that area or price range is critical.

My recommendation is that you have an initial discussion with a lender nine months to one year in advance. Sound crazy? I know many people do not know that far in advance that they may be buying a home next year. For those who do, this is extremely important.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO PLAN SO FAR IN ADVANCE?

First, your lender will let you know what you can qualify for today based upon your income, down payment and credit score.  There are other factors which play a part including credit events and large monthly payments on your credit report.

Income – Income sometimes is difficult to change in one year. Lenders will be looking at your last two years’ tax returns and recent pay stubs when you are ready to apply. They will also require that you have a two-year work history.

Some individuals decide to take a break for personal reasons without realizing that a gap in employment may prevent them from getting loan approval. Documenting your income is essential as well. If you are in a cash business, then you should begin depositing that money into an account on a regular basis so that you can qualify for a bank statement loan. These are just a few examples of what your lender will discuss with you.

Down Payment – This is extremely important, and it will partially determine your buying power. It is also connected to the various loan programs that you may or may not qualify for.  You will need to have those down payment funds in your bank account three months before you submit a loan application.

If you have little to no down payment and do not think you can raise additional funds over the next nine months, then your lender will discuss low down payment and loan program options which will then help determine your realistic price range.

If you can get to a twenty percent down payment that is ideal. When you don’t have at least twenty percent to put down, you’ll often be required to pay private mortgage insurance.

PMI is a useless fee that only benefits the lender as protection in the event you default on your loan. Most people will try to stop paying private mortgage insurance as soon as they can.

Credit Score – Your credit score plays a significant role here. It will have an impact on your final mortgage rate, in some instances your down payment requirement, or whether you are qualified at all for a mortgage. Borrowers with the best credit scores generally will get the lowest mortgage interest rate. Therefore it makes sense to put a lot of work into improving your financial status.

The good news though is that it is not that hard to improve your credit scores in as little as 6 months or less. There are creative ways to do it yourself and even some reputable services out there who know how to get your scores raised for you.

Do your best to target a score of 680 or above. There are lenders that can find a bad credit mortgage for you with scores as low as 500 but then your down payment requirement and your rate will be much different.

Credit Events – A credit event is a bankruptcy, foreclosure and in some instances collections. If you have a bankruptcy or foreclosure, your lender needs to know up front so he or she can plan for this. It is preferable to have had these two years prior to applying for a loan.

Less than two years out of bankruptcy for example will prevent you from getting an FHA loan. Collections need to be dealt with. Pay outstanding collection amounts and work to have them removed from your credit report. That can be negotiated with the creditor as part of the payment agreement.

Large Payments on Your Credit Report – Too often potential home buyers fail to qualify because they have too many other minimum monthly payments showing up on their credit report. During the qualification process, lenders need to factor your future mortgage payment as well as the monthly obligations that appear on your credit report.

Together, and when divided into your gross monthly income they make your debt to income ratio (DTI). Each loan program has a maximum DTI allowed. The less that you have in OTHER monthly payments on your credit report, the larger the loan you will be able to qualify for.

In this example, you can see that with a gross monthly income of $6,500, this person would qualify for a $300k loan at current rates using a maximum DTI of 43%. At the bottom, you can see how much more buying power this person has when the other monthly payments are removed.

This example above should hopefully explain why it is important to keep your credit report free from other monthly obligations. If you think there is a chance that you may buy a home in the near future, then do not buy a new car. At least not without discussing the implications with your lender.

In the example above, the person could afford $88k more if there was no car payment when applying for the loan.  The truth is that auto lending is much more lenient when it comes to qualifying. Once you are approved and close on your home loan, there is an excellent chance that you can then go and buy the car you want.

RESERVE FUNDS

The cash needed to buy a home is not just about the down payment and closing costs. Lenders will require a few months’ reserves (check with your lender). They want to be sure that if you have a job loss that you can at least make a few payments before you are out of money.

Realistically, you need to plan for a lot more than that. When you buy your home, do you think you may need some money to fix it up the way you want? Even with new construction, there are expenses.

Do you need to buy furniture? Do you own basic home needs like a lawn mower? This is also part of the planning process. Throwing everything you have into your initial purchase without anything left over makes you “house poor” and with one small setback can land you in a very difficult scenario where you could lose your home.

FINAL PERSPECTIVE

Once you have this plan developed with the assistance of a lender, then you can target price points and specific towns or neighborhoods. You will be able to spend time focusing on homes that are a true reality for you.

Developing a plan far in advance and sticking to it will also help make the home buying process much easier and will take the stress out of finding a mortgage. Your realtor will also be pleasantly surprised to know that you have taken the time to make sure you have the ability financially to purchase the home.

If you are thinking about looking for a home at some point in the future, contact a lender today to have a preliminary discussion.

Is This Your Situation: Looking for the Best Home in Your Budget?

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You’re neither rich nor poor, and you’re ready to buy your first home. You look around—all those homes on the market, but they all seem priced out of reach.
Cheer up. You’re not alone. With some solid real estate counseling and some help from your lender and/or sellers and others, you can not only get your foot in the door, you can own the house too. It just takes some creativity, a few inside tips and a bit of homework.

Examine Your Goals

How ironclad are your dreams? Can your dream of a formal dining room or a hot tub on a redwood deck be postponed? Must you have a two car garage? Lowering your expectations and starting out modestly (in decent housing that meets your needs) can lead to owning those dreams in time.

Start Saving

Get your priorities straight. Without taking all the fun out of life, what’s more important to you, weekends on the road and dinners out or stashing away at least part of your down payment? (Most lenders want to see that some of the money you invest is your own.)

Keep Your Credit Record Clean

When you go mortgage shopping, lenders will be looking over your payment records. Don’t let a late-payment habit rise up to haunt you. (Reformed late-payers can request creditors to erase the blots on their records—for a small fee).

Look for Financial Assistance

Your parents and other relatives may be able and willing to give you gifts that will get you over the down payment hurdle. (Loans from relatives will be counted as debts and will lower a number of mortgage payments your lender will allow you to carry).

Get Some Co-Signers

Parents, relatives (and unrelated investors) can either co-sign a loan or share the ownership of your home. With shared ownership, you’ll be the resident but your co-investor may share specified expenses (plus tax advantages and equity accrual) and will share in your profit on the sale.

Shop for Mortgage Loans

Qualifying for a mortgage can be managed in several ways to fit your down payment and monthly payment abilities. FHA and VA loans come with low down payment requirements, and lenders offer ARMs (adjustable-rate mortgages) at initially low-interest rates. (Look for an ARM that can be converted to a fixed rate should rates drop).

Consider Creative Financing

Also, new-home builders and other sellers may offer buy-downs that lower your interest rate in the first few years of a mortgage, thereby making a home more affordable. Balloon loans (if they have at least a 7-year term) can often bridge gaps and give you time to accumulate equity and/or cash to pay them off. Home sellers can sometimes help you financially—with a lease-purchase arrangement or a take-back loan. Lenders and sellers are constantly creating new ways to help buyers buy homes. We can help you check them out.

Look at Starter Homes

Once freed of the vision of “instant dream home,” you can look for housing that will start you on the equity-building path to realizing your dream. Condominiums and townhouses are often much less expensive than detached houses and buying one now can serve well as a stepping stone.

Search for Bargains

If you’re handy with tools, a fixer-upper home gives you the opportunity to buy inexpensively. Fix it up and in a few years, trade up. If you’re adventurous, auctioned properties in suitable neighborhoods can also be good values. If you don’t mind a longer commute to work, outlying areas frequently offer homes at lower prices than those found close to town.

Whatever route you choose toward buying your first home, keep cool. It may take time to find the right combination of elements, but there is a home out there for you and a way to obtain it. We’ll be happy to help you create your path to its door.

Call or email us today to help you discover the best home that your budget can buy.

5 Ways to Finance Home Repairs

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water pipe repair

There are a lot of great things about being a homeowner, but having to finance home repairs isn’t one of them. Repair costs often pop up unexpectedly and at inopportune times, such as a broken furnace in the dead of winter or an extensive roof repair right after you’ve come back from vacation. And they’re rarely cheap. In 2018, 88% of American homeowners had to take care of at least one major repair, with an average annual spend of almost $5,000.

A home is a big investment, and like many other big investments, you need to take steps to maintain and improve it if you want to make a return. And depending on the age and condition of your home, as well as the elements that it faces where you live, a large part of maintaining your investment is addressing home repairs. So how do you finance home repairs without completely depleting your savings? Alternately, how do you finance home repairs if you don’t have a lot of savings? Fortunately there are options to help with both cases.

Budgeting for Home Repairs

Even before you start looking into ways to finance home repairs you should be actively accounting for the possibility of repairs in your budget. There are a few ways that you may choose to do this, but many homeowners abide by either the 1% rule or the square footage rule. Here’s how they work.

The 1% rule dictates that you should set aside 1% of the purchase price of your home each year for potential repair costs. So if you bought your home for $250,000, that’s $2,500 allotted in your budget year after year for maintenance and repairs. The logic behind the 1% rule isn’t so much that your repairs are going to cost you that much every year, but that it’s a good way to set a guideline and encourage yourself to save.

Variations on this rule include saving 2-3% instead of 1%, or putting aside 10% of what you spend on your property taxes, mortgage payment, and insurance payment each month for repairs. With the latter rule, if you’re spending $2,000 a month on those combined expenses you’ll want to put an additional $200 a month into savings for repairs.

The square footage rule is a recommendation that you budget $1 per square foot of your home for repairs. A 2,200 square foot home means $2,200 in savings for repairs a year, for example, and a 3,000 square foot home means $3,000 a year. Again, this doesn’t mean that there’s a direct correlation between the square footage of your home and what you’ll spend in repair costs each year—it’s just a good way to ensure you’re saving a decent chunk of change toward these types of expenses.

How to Finance Home Repairs

Even with a well-executed savings plan it’s not uncommon to need extra funds when it comes to financing home repairs. If you save $2,000 a year for example, you’ll see it go quickly if you need a roof repair (averages $351 to $1,352, depending on whether the repair is minor or major) followed by a new water heater (averages $767 to $1,447 with the new unit and labor). And there’s always the possibility of needing a notoriously expensive repair, like a foundation repair (average cost of $4,511 but can range as high as $15,000) or needing to restore and repair after incurring water damage (average cost of $2,701).

As you might expect, many homeowners will at some point find themselves in need of having to finance home repairs. And fortunately, there are a few good options for how to do it. Here are five of them.

  1. Home Equity Line of Credit

    A home equity line of credit—often shortened to HELOC—is a loan that you take out using the equity that you own in your home. Think of it almost like a credit card, with the set limit that you can borrow being the amount of equity that you have when you first take out the HELOC. Most of the time, you’ll have a 10 year draw period during which you can pull out money from this fund, followed by a 20 year payback period.

    There are a few advantages of using a home equity line of credit to finance home repairs. To start, HELOCs generally have low interest rates—or at least lower than you’ll find with other loan options. That’s because lenders consider these loans to be less risky endeavors on their part, since you’ve already shown your ability to earn and pay that amount with your mortgage.

    Another advantage is that you can take out money as you need it, instead of taking all of your equity out as a lump sum. If you have $50,000 in equity to borrow from then, you can take out money multiple times during the draw period—perhaps $5,000 for a major roof repair one year, $2,500 for a new gas furnace another year, and so on. And you’ll only pay interest on the amount that you actually pull from the available limit.

  2. Cash-Out Refinancing

    A cash-out refinancing takes your existing mortgage and turns it into a bigger mortgage, meaning you end up with a new loan that puts more money in your pocket for things like home maintenance and repairs. You can get up to 80% of the market value of your home refinanced, and then take the difference in cash.

    Opting for a cash-out refinance to finance home repairs is a popular choice, since depending on market conditions and how much you’ve already paid toward your original mortgage you could end up with a large amount of cash that you can then put toward expensive repair needs.

    Unlike a home equity line of credit, cash-out refinancing doesn’t borrow off of your existing mortgage. Instead, it creates an entirely new mortgage for your property, complete with its own rates, lending terms, and repayment schedule. This means that you may be able to get extra benefits out of a cash-out refinancing if mortgage rates have gotten more favorable since you first bought your home.

  3. FHA Title-1 Loan

    A home equity line of credit or cash-out refinancing are great if you have lots of equity in your home, but what if you incur an expensive repair cost in your first year of home ownership or at some other point where you haven’t built up a substantial amount of equity? In that situation, you may want to consider an FHA title-1 loan, which allows you to borrow money specifically for many types of home repairs and improvements.

    There are some guidelines to be aware of with an FHA title-1 loan. To start, the maximum loan amount is $25,000 for a standard, single family home, and loans above $7,500 require you to put down your home as collateral (FHA title-1 loans below $7,500 do not need to be secured by your home). The loan repayment period for a single family home is 20 years.

    FHA title-1 loans are fixed rate, so you won’t have to worry about variable interest rates over the course of your repayment period. To qualify, you’ll need to have a debt-to-income ratio of 45% or below, and you must be applying the loan to an approved repair or improvement costs. You can find more info on what those are by visiting the Department of Housing’s FHA title-1 loan information page.

  4. Credit Cards

    Using a credit card to finance home repairs can be an easy way to go, especially if you have a high enough limit on your existing credit card to simply borrow money on there. If you don’t though, you’ll likely have no problem applying for and receiving a new credit card just for home repairs.

    It’s important to note though that credit cards aren’t always the best way to go. What you gain in convenience you may end up paying in high interest rates and high monthly payments with a shorter repayment period than you’d get with other types of repair financing loans. Look into the other options above before opting for a credit card if you’re facing a major repair cost and do a comparison on interest rates and other loan terms. If you just need to cover a basic and not too expensive repair though a credit card may be a good way to go.

  5. Personal Loan

    Finally, you could consider getting a personal loan just for home repairs. These tend to have higher interest rates than options like a home equity line of credit as well as shorter repayment periods, but you’ll have a lot of freedom to use the loan as you need to, and can usually borrow as much as $40,000.

    Check with your existing bank first to see what kinds of terms they offer for personal loans, and then expand your search to other lenders. If you can find a personal loan with favorable rates and terms, then it is certainly worth considering as a way to finance home repairs.

Final Takeaway

Home repairs pretty much always need to get done, even if you don’t have funds on hand. Look through the available options above and find a lending option that makes the most sense for your long term financial goals and your existing financial situation, and be sure to account for repair costs in your annual budget as well.

Preferred Properties of Texas

(254) 965-7775|Contact Preferred Properties of Texas