Tag: trust

Why I only refer clients to lenders I trust!

I won’t be pasting the entirety of Jay Vorhees of JVM Lending’s blog about this here. I’ll just hit the major points. But this is a perfect example of why I only refer clients to lenders I trust. Read on:

Last week, a borrower came to us to discuss her refinancing because she had lost trust with the lender she was working with (America’s largest non-bank lender). She was trying to refinance the house she lived in but it was owned by her Dad and she was not on the title, so a refinancing was impossible.

In any case, she was trying to refinance the house she lived in but it was owned by her Dad and she was not on title.  So a refi was impossible – something the other loan officer failed to comprehend – and it had to be structured as a purchase.

Further complicating things was a “gift of equity” down payment, the need for “cash out” for improvements, and the need to avoid capital gains taxes for the seller – all issues that the other loan officer had zero understanding of.

In any case, one of our Mortgage Analysts quickly figured out how to structure the loan and then re-locked the same borrower with the same lender via our correspondent relationship but at a 1/2 percent lower rate. 

I share this story not to make JVM the hero but to once again warn buyers away from the big call center mortgage companies. The call centers stuff bodies into cubicles to do nothing but sell.

Those “bodies” often do not have the skill to close transactions when there is even a small amount of complexity, and…their rates are way higher to boot.  

That’s Jay’s horror story about call centers. It does a great job of explaining why I prefer to refer specific lenders I know who will always get the job done. It creates a smoother process for everyone that way. Most banks or Quickens of the world don’t fully underwrite upfront; it requires a lot of paperwork initially, but it creates a very smooth process to closing. This way the buyers are aware of any potential issues before you ever write an offer. They also don’t tell you that once you are in contract, you are handed off to loan processor who you have never spoken with and many loan agents are on to the next approval and are no longer in the immediate loop. Communication often falls apart at this point. Your loan officer may be local, but the processor could be in a different state.

I currently have a new home buyer who is shopping three different lenders looking for the best rate. With two of them, I expect possible delays and a questionable overall experience for my buyers. One is fantastic, but a first-time home-buyer doesn’t understand those nuances far outweigh an eighth of a point difference in an interest rate. Hopefully whoever they choose will do right by them and it will be smooth sailing.

I just closed on a house (blog to come on Thursday). When we first met, they were talking to one of the largest non-bank lenders. I recommended they speak to JVM and just compare the experience and decide who they would like to work with. They closed with JVM and when I handed them the keys, they remarked at how smooth the overall process was for them and when compared to their friends who recently purchased and had a loan with one of the big banks, they said their lending experience was horrible.

Home Buying 101: Having a Good Lender in Your Pocket

4439276478_109791356b_o (1)When you’re in the market for a new home, having a good lender is essential. In a seller’s market or at entry-level price points, where many first-time home buyers are also submitting offers, the information in this blog becomes even more critical.

I like to have a buyer’s lender call and speak to the listing agent when I submit an offer. I want to know what their qualifications are, and more importantly, the lender’s ability to close in the time stated on the residential purchase agreement. This is where a local lender becomes very important; it is unlikely if you go with an out-of-state lender or one where you have to speak to somebody different each time, that they’d be willing or able to make that call to the listing agent.

However, if the listing agent has worked with the lender before (odds increase if they are local) and had a good experience, the buyer is one step closer to getting their offer accepted over others. Simply put, people like to work with people they know they can trust.

Another question to ask your lender is if you’ll be completely underwritten with a complete file in hand. This prevents surprises. If you walk into a bank and give them the basics, oftentimes they will give you a pre-approval for a certain amount, or for the amount you stated you would like to have (provided you qualify).new home 2

This is fraught with land mines – once you are in contract, that lender is now asking for additional paperwork and, surprise! Something comes up under Freddie and Fannie guidelines that won’t allow you to get the loan for that amount, or at all. This is not a happy situation for anyone involved, so it is also helpful if the underwriter is somewhat local and they work closely with the lender on a daily basis. Communication is key!

One of the many benefits of working with a mortgage broker is the appraisal managment company most likely has better quality appraisers, who know the neighborhood they appraise in. They can’t select who will appraise the property, but they can choose who is or isn’t in the group.
Finally, if you are shopping a loan, make sure you are comparing apples to apples. If you get a quote for a condo, make sure the other company is also quoting a condo and not a townhome. I know some great lenders – contact me if you would like their names and numbers.