Should I Put Down 10 Percent Or 20 Percent To Get A Mortgage?

Typical Advice Given to Middle Age People

This is a difficult and a very personalized question that if possible can be reviewed with a financial planner that will help them save thousands of dollars over time on their mortgage. With these savings they can sit down and discuss where to allocate those investments.

Not only are they increasing liquidity, safety, rate of return and tax deductions, but they are also planning for retirement and reaching the freedom point sooner where their assets have exceeded their liabilities.

Before applying for a mortgage you should work on eliminating a good majority of consumer debt to lower your debt-to-income ratio, improve your credit score, and increase your cash flow.

If you saved enough to put down a large down payment, let’s say 20 percent, you should first check how much you could afford in monthly payments. The reason behind this is to leverage and keep funds liquid for other purposes.

Remember there is no rate of return in equity. Therefore, the least amount you put as a down payment the higher the rate of return will be.

Usually it is good advise to tell clients never to put a big down payment if they can afford a higher loan amount. Financial planners tell them that keeping money liquid is critical in case an emergency should arise that will prevent them from working.

Also, it is a good idea to always have six months of salary in a liquid savings account or asset accumulation account to withdrawal at any time without having to refinance

Typical Advice Given To Young Couples

The amount you need for a down payment varies depending on how much money you have to contribute and the type of financing you obtain. Some lenders want you to put down 20 percent or you may qualify for 0 percent financing, requiring you to cover only closing costs and incidentals.

Five percent down is usually the minimum many lenders will accept. Don’t’ have that much? You could borrow that money from someone, but that means more money to pay back and you pay interest on that also.

If you don’t put down a minimum down payment, the lender considers it a risk to give you a loan, but they will if you will pay for your own insurance.

Typical Advice Given To Those Without Money To Put Down

Should you get a zero percent down loan just because you can? Here are the reasons to think twice about getting a 0 percent down loan:

You are more likely to lose your home because you didn’t have the financial discipline to save or are not making enough money for your home. The less you put down, the higher your monthly payments will be making the entire matter worse.

If you put nothing down that means you will have to settle with a smaller home and soon out growing it. Also, it will be more difficult to find lenders because of the risk they will be taking on.

In the end it is a personal choice and the money that you have saved. If I had it all, I would put a large amount down to have a smaller monthly payment and qualify to receive a lower interest rate. Therefore, be able to put more into personal savings monthly and reach my goals by keeping my funds liquid and plan for a richer retirement.

That’s a perfect dream for many, many of us!

How Do You Improve Your Credit To Get A Mortgage?

There are many different ways to be financially successful in the world today, and unfortunately many different ways that will cause people to become financially ruined if they are not careful. The financial world has become pretty brutal in the last several years, with fierce companies competing for your money in any way possible. In order to financially secure in today’s society, you must abide by certain rules and strategies that will help guide you through the financial burdens that most people will have to eventually encounter in their lives.

Most people will have to take out loans for major purchases such as cars, property, and real estate investments. The loans for homes and property are called mortgages, and are some of the largest amount of money that people have to borrow. Since mortgages are some of the biggest loans that exist in the financial world, the acquisition of such loans can be a difficult thing to achieve.

There are two main reasons why people experience such a hard time in getting a good mortgage. The first is because some people have a bad credit history and companies simply do not want to lend out money to them. The second reason is because some people are new home buyers and do not have any history of credit.

The latter situation is much easier to overcome, and that is through the increase in credit activity. There are many different ways that you can improve your credit and create a good credit report. The most common way to increase your history of credit is by applying for and obtaining a credit card.

Credit cards are a great way for people to show companies that they can be trusted with borrowed money. Make large purchases with the credit cards and then pay them off as soon as you can.

Another way to improve your chances is to maintain a good financial relationship with the credit card companies. Making your credit card payments on time is the first step, but by also consistently making big payments on your credit cards, companies will be more than happy to give you money in the form of a mortgage. Consistency in making large payments on time is the key to constantly gaining the approval of enlarging your credit card limits and increasing your chance of getting a mortgage.

There is often more than one advantage of using credit cards. Many credit cards are also called rewards cards, that give special incentives and prizes to people who actually use them for purchases. Using credit cards will not only improve your credit score but also provide great rewards in the process.

When making ordinary purchases, people mostly use cash and/or debit cards, which is a safe yet unrewarding way to increase personal benefits. If people would simply switch their usage of cash and debit cards for reward cards, their amount of prizes and other financial rewards would automatically increase. When buying gas, going grocery shopping, getting new clothes, paying bills, and making other ordinary purchases, remember to use your rewards card.

How Do I Get a Free Copy of My Credit Report?

It used to be that many people had no idea what their credit score was until someone else checked it because they bought something using a loan, or applied for another credit card. Often they never checked their credit scores because they did not have the means to do so, and sometimes it cost money that most people aren’t willing to spend. However, today just about anyone can ask to receive a credit report on the Internet, over the phone, or through the mail, and the best part is that everyone is entitled to this credit report for free up to three times a year!

Getting Your Free Report

Getting a free copy of your credit report is easy. You can simply go online, fill out the information they ask of you, and submit it. How you will receive your credit report, whether by mail or email, is up to the specific company that you are requesting your information from. The three main companies that most people request their credit report from are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, and you may request a free credit report from each of these companies for free once every year, therefore giving you the chance to view your credit score for free three times a year.

You may also check your credit report more than three times a year if you like. However, this will not necessarily be free. If you check your credit report more than once with any of the three major companies, you will likely be charged for it, and any other company may be very risky to give your personal information to.

Why Do You Need to Know?

Getting a copy of your credit report and knowing what your credit score is will be a huge advantage to you. If you monitor it regularly, you will be more likely to detect any kind of fraud that someone else has committed on your credit. It will also help you to track your own credit, how your credit spending affects your credit score, and allows you to see what you can do to improve your credit attaining possibilities.

Risks

There are some risks that you must be wary of when it comes to getting your credit report. Probably the most dangerous, though most convenient, way to get your credit report is online, but only if you are not careful about where you go. Getting your credit report through the mail or on the phone can be just as hazardous if you are not cautious of who your sources are.

You are generally very safe when getting a credit report with the three previously mentioned reporting companies. They have a very well known reputation of legitimacy in the United States. There are other companies, however, that may be setting you up for identity theft, or who are trying to steal your money. Just make sure you know that the website and the company you are requesting from are perfectly safe before you give them your personal information.

How To Get A Loan With Little Or No Credit

Many students fear that they won’t get a student loan or a good rate with a student loan because they have little or no credit and it is a valid question. I am going to take a look at a few different types of loans and some things you can do to improve your credit.

Stafford Loans

There are no credit checks done for a Stafford Loan when subsidized or not. You are limited in how much they can give you based on your age and circumstance. If you are a freshman you can get $3,500, Sophomores $4,500, any other year $5,500. If you are over 24, or married, serving for the military, or if your parents are struggling with their own finances and credit then an additional $4,000 could be offered.

Perkins Loans

This is where the worse your situation is the better you are. They will look at your credit, your financial income, your parents financial situation, and anything else that can give them a good idea if you are struggling or not. I suggest that you go to your financial aid office to find out information on what they can offer you, but it could be up to $4,000 to help you to get going.

PLUS Loans (Parent loans for Undergraduate Students)

This is something that your parents are going to be checked and not you. This could very well cover the remaining portion of your tuition or other school funds to help you move through your education without having that responsibility on your shoulder.

School Certified Private Loans

This is an example of where your credit will matter. You are going to need to have a minimum of a 620 FICO score to get the student loan for the entire process. Otherwise I would look for a parent or a trust friend or family member that is willing to trust you with their credit.

Direct to Consumer Private Loans

So many people look for loans like this because not only is tuition taken care of but funds are sent directly to the student so you decide how the funds are spent on room and board, food, school supplies, dates, etc. Many schools also give direct loans to students, but whether it is private or federal student loans, you are probably going to want to make sure you are in the 700’s when it comes to your credit. This shows you are responsible, so don’t screw it up. This also may be a good example where you should be extra kind to mom and dad to get some co-signing help.

How To Improve Your Credit

Some of you may have some time before you have to worry about this or there may be some parents out there that want to help their kids out by making sure their credit is good enough that they don’t have to co-sign. One of the best things that you can do is get a credit card and use it wisely. Make normal purchases on it that you can easily pay off with your own funds. Make sure you never miss a payment. Set up an automatic payment system.

The next thing you can do is make sure that you get a checking account and start paying some bills like a cell phone bill or rent or whatever. This may take a few months or maybe a year, but it is worth it and you are going to buy stuff anyways. It might as well be noticed by national credit bureaus. If you can make sure to make even multiple monthly payments to help your credit score improve. You would be surprised what it does if you make weekly and bi-weekly payments.