“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?

Mike Sikorski,MBA,GRI

HOW A LOAN APPROVAL BECOMES A LOAN DENIAL

The loan approval that you receive today could fail to close due to the lack of follow through required by consumers and their loan officers as stipulated directly within the loan approval itself.

A loan approval contains several stipulations by a mortgage underwriter that requires the verification of a number of issues primarily dealing with income and credit. Failing to meet the stipulations of the loan approval EXACTLY as written in the loan approval will likely change your loan approval into a loan denial.

Job Loss or Job Change. Proving you have the ability to pay a loan back to a lender is probably the most important attribute to a loan approval. Losing your job before your loan closes is a serious setback that could cancel your loan approval automatically.

Even if you experience a change in your employment status, a mortgage loan underwriter will need to re-evaluate your entire loan application to ensure that you still qualify for the initial loan approval. A loss in income could result in a lower loan amount, which could require you to accept less money if you are refinancing a mortgage on your current home, or put down more money if you are purchasing a home. Worse yet, a loss in income will likely increase your debt to income ratios and likely disqualify you from the initial loan approval all together!

I have known several instances where consumers either changed employers or lost their jobs entirely, and failed to disclose this to their mortgage lender, thinking that no one will notice. Mortgage lenders will re-verify your employment up until the day of your loan actually closing, so it is highly advisable that you tell you are upfront about any change in your employment status. Failing to disclose a change in employment has caused many loan underwriters to turn a loan down automatically.

Failing to disclose a job change to your mortgage lender could result in lengthy delays to your loan approval getting to the closing table. Some loan underwriters may question why you failed to disclose a job loss or job change, viewing this as an attempt to deceive or defraud the mortgage lender, which could result in an immediate loan denial.

Low Credit Scores. The current real estate and mortgage crisis has caused many mortgage lenders to re-evaluate the risks they are willing to take with consumers whose credit scores are below 600. Several mortgage lenders are honoring some loan approvals with credit scores below 600, but there is no guarantee that the approval will be honored 30 days after the approval was initially offered. Applying for new credit while your loan is in process could also decrease your credit scores, potentially causing your loan approval to be denied.

Increased Consumer Debts. The purchase and finance of a new automobile or adding new credit cards while your loan is in process will likely change your debt to income ratios, making the loan you initially were approved for no longer affordable.

Excessive Monthly Housing Expenses. The monthly housing expenses calculated within your loan approval contain estimated costs for the principal and interest payment, as well as calculations for property taxes, hazard insurance, flood insurance, and mortgage insurance. The underwriter verifies these expenses, and depending on your debt to income ratios, cannot happen.

Failing To Lock In Your Interest Rate. Floating interest rates during a turbulent economy is a gamble almost not worth risking. Interest rates can change daily, and depending on various events happening worldwide, the interest rate for your loan approval could change rapidly, thus changing your loan approval as well.

Three of the items above are easily avoidable, if you follow through by taking the necessary steps to ensure that these issues do not occur:

*When you find a good interest rate, lock it in immediately. Most mortgage lenders will honor interest rate locks for 30 days, giving you sufficient time to process your mortgage loan and clear all conditions set forth by the mortgage loan underwriter.

*No Major Credit Purchases. Smart loan underwriters will pull an updated credit report just before your loan is set to close to make sure nothing dramatically has changed on your credit report. Avoid major credit purchases at all costs before your loan closes.

*Review Monthly Housing Expense Budget in Your Loan Approval. Verify the interest rate that you applied for is the same interest rate available for the loan approval you were given. Property tax calculations are based on worse case, so use the amount due March 31, not when discounts apply in November. New construction home purchases with property taxes levied on land only will be given an estimate of future property taxes based on similar homes in the area. Verify annual insurance premiums for any potential cost increases.

Consumers faced with the prospect of a job of a change in employment should strongly consider contacting their loan officer to verify that the original loan amount applied for is still possible; a loss in income will certainly have an effect on the original loan approval, and could require a loan approval for a lesser loan amount, or worse yet, a loan denial.

The loss of a job without a job to replace it will almost certainly require a loan denial.

Mortgage loan approvals can be very tricky, especially for those consumers who may run the risk of falling into any of the issues above. Knowing how to avoid these potential pitfalls will certainly create shorter path in getting to the closing table. Working with an experienced loan professional will certainly help you to accomplish this.

Mike Sikorski MBA, GRI

Licensed Real Estate Broker

Licensed Mortgage Broker

Loss Mitigation Specialist

Florida Realty Network LLC

22079 Kimble Avenue

Port Charlotte, Fl. 33952

941-206-6000

Mike@FloridaRealty.net

Fix Credit Issues BEFORE Shopping For a Home

Financing the purchase of a home is getting more difficult these days, especially for those consumers who may have recent or past credit delinquencies in their credit file.

Credit score requirements by most mortgage lenders are changing on a weekly basis, requiring no less than a 580 middle score from the three credit repositories: Transunion, Experian, & Equifax.

Many of the loan approvals issued by banks and mortgage lenders over the last several months have failed to close due to these changes in the credit score requirements, leaving many potential homeowners without the means necessary to finance their home purchase.

In years past, banks and mortgage lenders had the ability to finance home purchase for consumers with low credit scores, recent delinquency and even a recent bankruptcy. Well, those are long gone, with the large number of foreclosures around the country as evidence of substandard underwriting of consumers with low credit scores.

Today, thousands of consumers with credit issues still choose to shop for a home first sign a purchase contract for a home they think they can afford, and then take their chances of securing financing with a bank or mortgage lender.

I still find consumers with credit issues armed with a purchase contract, running from bank to bank, mortgage lender to mortgage lender, scrambling to find someone to finance their home purchase. In most cases, they fail to get their financing, fail to get their home, and could likely lose the deposit on the purchase contract.

Here are some tips on helping you to deal effectively with your credit issues:

*Get a FREE copy of your credit report from all three credit repositories. All three credit repositories (Transunion, Experian, & Equifax) allow consumers one free credit report per year. Other firms such as www.FreeCreditReport.com can provide you with additional services such as credit analysis and helpful information on improving your credit.

*Use Your FREE Credit Report When Shopping For a Mortgage. Mortgage lenders are anxious to see your credit report, especially your credit scores. Bring the free credit report to your loan officer when you first apply for a mortgage. The information contained within your free credit report should provide sufficient information for the loan officers to determine if your credit works within their own underwriting guidelines. A competent, experienced loan officer will easily understand the information on this report. If a loan officer insists on ordering his or her own credit report on you before committing to a loan approval or denial, consider applying with another bank or mortgage lender. Needless inquiries into your credit file can lower your credit scores as well as decrease your chances for a loan approval.

*Get Approved For Financing BEFORE You Sign A Purchase Contract. Knowing how much you can afford in terms of loan amount and the monthly loan payment is most important. Signing a purchase contract for a home without first knowing that you can afford to purchase the home will not only create disappointment for you, it could also obligate you to purchase the home anyway, depending on the legal verbiage of the purchase contract. Knowing how much you can

*If Your Loan Request is Denied, Work diligently to fix your Credit Issues. Deal with your credit issues by contacting creditors directly to clear up the delinquencies. Consult with a credit counselor about payment plans that can help you re-establish a payment history and even help to re-establish your credit. Consumers with serious credit issues should consider consulting with an attorney who specializes in bankruptcy.

Working to correct credit issues will make it easier to secure better financing options when you are ready to purchase a home. Choosing to ignore your credit issues when applying for a mortgage loan makes it less likely you will get the financing you desire. With increased credit standards asked for by most mortgage lenders, ignoring credit issues to today will certainly diminish your chances of securing financing in the future.

Mike Sikorski MBA, GRI

Licensed Real Estate Broker

Loss Mitigation Specialist

Florida Realty Network LLC

22079 Kimble Avenue

Port Charlotte, Fl. 33952

(941)206-6000

Mike@FloridaRealty.net

FINANCING THE "AS-IS" HOME PURCHASE

The loan approval from your bank or mortgage lender to finance a home purchase may not include many homes for sale in "As-Is" condition, so it is critically important that you recognize this before committing yourself to a purchase contract.

Several purchase contracts have failed to close recently due to various banks and mortgage lender's refusal to finance homes in serious disrepair. Many of these homes are classified as homes listed for sale in as-Is condition, and likely could still have had a successful closing provided that the correct method of financing the purchase was in place from the beginning.

When a buyer first makes application for a mortgage loan, it is critically important that they inform their loan officer what their intentions are in terms of the type of home they intend to purchase. Your loan officer can address what types and conditions of homes are acceptable to their lending guidelines. Homes in serious disrepair are less likely to get approval from most banks, and several mortgage lenders will likely consider financing a home in need of repairs, provided that escrows are set up to ensure vendors and contractors are compensated once the necessary repairs are completed.

Why consider the purchase of a home in as-is condition?

Homes for sale in as-is condition tend to be priced more competitively, given the current condition of the property. The tricky part is getting the right financing to purchase a home in as-is condition, so it is very important that you understand what a home in as-is condition is, and how to successfully secure a purchase contract for a home and also get the right financing, the first time.

Unlike homes for sale where a seller has offered a Seller's Real Property Disclosure that allows the seller to disclose defects or facts that materially affect the value of the property but may not be readily observable to a buyer, a seller will typically a home for sale in as-is condition due to either the fact that repairs need to be completed but not by the seller, or the seller may have little or no immediate knowledge of the property' condition, as in the case of many investors.

In most cases, banks and mortgage lenders will offer financing for most of these homes, provided of course that all necessary repairs are completed PRIOR to funding the purchase. In some cases, a mortgage lender may allow for the escrow of funds for the repairs to be completed after the loan closing, with the bank, mortgage lender, or Title Company directly responsible for the disbursement of the funds needed to complete the repairs for the home.

Why is this important to know? The loan approval that you receive from your bank or mortgage lender will determine whether the repairs need to be complete prior to your loan closing, and if they will allow for funds to be held in escrow to complete these repairs.

For example, FHA and VA mortgage loan programs will require all necessary repairs be completed prior to the loan closing. Examples of necessary repairs are typically related to structural issues such as the roof on the home, cracks in the foundation or walls of the home, or other issues that may not make the home immediately habitable. All of this is subject to the individual mortgage loan underwriter.

Often times a home may be listed for sale in "as-Is" condition simply because of cosmetic issues, such as paint, soiled carpeting, poor landscaping, etc. Most mortgage loan underwriters will likely overlook these issues, depending on their severity.

Currently, there are over 1200 homes for sale in our local Multiple Listing Service that are being offered in "As-Is" condition, with almost 400 of these homes classified as "repaired', likely from the damage incurred from hurricane Charley. Other homes for sale ‘as-is' appear to be in good condition, with many others in need of serious repair.

Before you sign a purchase contract for a home in as-is condition, you should consider getting all of the facts upfront, especially on how a home purchased in as-is condition directly affects your loan approval. Find out what your bank or mortgage lender considers ‘acceptable' condition for a home that they would finance. Again, most banks and mortgage lenders will require all necessary repairs to be completed prior to a loan from closing. If the repairs are extensive, you may want to discuss this with your real estate professional, as the sale of the property could hinge on the repairs being completed, and the seller may opt to complete those repairs just to get the sale completed.

Consider hiring a home inspector to inspect the home first before signing a purchase contract. You may find that the repairs needed to make the home habitable may be too expensive, and will likely have an adverse affect on securing the financing that you need to complete the purchase of the home. The cost of a home inspection could be money well spent, especially if it helps the buyer recognize the costs associated with purchasing certain as-is homes in need of repair.

If you do sign a purchase contract first prior to a home inspection, consider using a purchase contract that gives you an out from having to purchase the home if the cost of the repairs exceeds a certain dollar amount. If you only have $2000 to complete the repairs and the cost estimates for the repairs are over $2000, you may be able to negotiate this with the seller for the difference, or simply opt out of the purchase agreement.

Purchasing a home in as-is condition requires special attention, especially when it comes to financing the purchase of a home in as-is condition with a bank or mortgage lender. Recognizing the potential pitfalls with financing a home in as-is condition can save the buyer from needless headaches, costly repairs, and unnecessary mortgage loan denials.

For a free copy of the Seller's Real Property Disclosure Statement, please contact 941-206-6000.

Mike Sikorski, GRI
Licensed Real Estate Broker

Licensed Mortgage Broker

Loss Mitigation Specialist

Florida Realty Network LLC

22079 Kimble Avenue

Port Charlotte, Florida 33952

Phone 941-206-6000

Email: Mike@FloridaRealty.net

COMMIT MORTGAGE FRAUD AND PAY A HEAVY PRICE

Question: What do you get when you combine a dishonest mortgage broker, dishonest title agent, and a dishonest real estate appraiser? Answer: heavy fines as well as a lengthy prison sentence!

Law enforcement officials and government regulators are cracking down hard on people involved in all aspects of the real estate business who commit or conspire to create fraudulent mortgage loans as well as illegally obtain mortgage loans, which ultimately costs tens of billions of dollars to both mortgage lenders and consumers each and every year.

Recently, Federal agents in both Miami and Anchorage, Alaska have charged numerous people with scheming to defraud banks and mortgage lenders out of millions of dollars in illegally obtained mortgage loans. These individuals include home sellers, so-called ‘straw' buyers, real estate agents, title agents, real estate appraisers, bank employees and mortgage brokers, all d in the purchase & sale of properties using inflated real estate appraisals, fraudulent loan documents, as well as inflated mortgage loans, allowing these people to pocket millions of dollars. Kickbacks and bribes were paid to cooperating home sellers with the remaining individuals earning illegally obtained commissions in their respective professions.

These various individuals are now facing charges of mail fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, as well as giving false statements (e.g. signing loan documents you know to be false!), with penalties involving lengthy prison terms as well as millions of dollars in fines. The home sellers themselves are also faced with these same charges.

In these particular cases, the persons involved seem so far away, especially with Anchorage Alaska thousands of miles away from Florida. Yet you may not know it, but mortgage fraud has occurred right here, in our own back yard!

Numerous homeowners in and around our community as well as nationwide have obtained fraudulent mortgage loans to either purchase a home or refinance the mortgage on their current home, who under normal circumstances would have never received a mortgage loan of the amount they did. As a result, many of these same homeowners are now facing the very real prospect of losing their home to foreclosure.

Recently, I have personally spoken with well over 100 homeowners in and around our community who have disclosed some rather unorthodox methods of purchasing and financing real estate, all of which was accomplished with the aid of some very unscrupulous mortgage brokers, mortgage bankers, title agents, real estate appraisers, and yes, even real estate agents. In almost every case, each of these homeowners has obtained a mortgage that would never be approved by an honest mortgage loan underwriter. Each homeowner had debt to income ratios that almost doubled what a conventional mortgage loan underwriter would find acceptable. Each of these homeowners had fully documented income sources, with no job or income changes since their loan was first obtained. You may be asking yourself, how could this happen? How can someone get a mortgage loan they know they cannot afford, and yet somehow still qualify for what amounts to be a very unaffordable mortgage loan? Mortgage fraud, pure and simple.

These days it seems mortgage fraud is involving more than the usual suspects. Now the actual home owners and home sellers are getting involved, perhaps not realizing that their involvement alone subjects them to the same scrutiny of that of anyone else involved in a fraudulent transaction. Falsifying income tax returns, creating pay stubs, and conspiring with others to re-create an income or credit history is being accomplished by real estate professionals, mortgage professionals and consumers alike, all in the effort get something that you would normally not qualify for.

The current mortgage and real estate crisis we are now faced with is definitely giving pause to many, especially those faced with losing their homes to foreclosure. However, those people involved in many of these mortgage loans that were obtained fraudulently should be more concerned about how they may be judged in the near future, should they get caught being a party to mortgage fraud.

There is no home or mortgage loan you must have that means having to commit mortgage fraud to get it. One can only hope that seeing this mortgage and real estate crisis first hand will cause them to think twice about being a party to mortgage fraud.

Reading articles like this one about mortgage fraud is one thing; actually reading the headlines of the arrests & indictments of people within their own community and seeing the names of the actual individuals facing serious prison time has to be a real wake up call. Let's hope everyone wakes up today, and realize that the mortgage fraud you commit today may end up costing you your freedom tomorrow.

Mike Sikorski, MBA,GRI

Licensed Real Estate Broker

Licensed Mortgage Broker

Loss Mitigation Specialist

Florida Realty Network LLC

22079 Kimble Avenue

Port Charlotte, Florida 33952

Phone 941-206-6000

Mike@FloridaRealty.net

IS YOUR LANDLORD MAKING THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENT?

Just when you thought the housing and mortgage crisis was limited to only homeowners, a new victim has been brought into the fray, one who doesn't own a home or have a mortgage. Who are these new, unsuspecting victims? The people who are actually renting homes!

Thousands of homeowners (namely investors and property speculators unable to sell homes purchased in the recent sellers market) have opted to rent their homes to help offset their monthly debt service. Low market rents compared with high risk, high interest mortgage payments are causing many investors to go ‘out of pocket' to pay the difference each and every month, creating a negative cash flow position costing hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars monthly in subsidized debt service payments.

"Robbing Peter to Pay Paul" Landlords/investors juggling several properties with negative cash flow are often seen prioritizing which mortgages should get paid first. This can prove especially difficult after doing this for several months, in most cases providing disaster results. Poor bookkeeping coupled with a consistently delinquent mortgage history are causing many landlords to default on their mortgages all together, leaving many of their tenants with no place to go.

"...But I'm paying My Rent on Time!!" A perfect rental history may still get a tenant evicted from their homes, especially those tenants renting from landlords' facing a property foreclosure. The rental lease you signed with your landlord may afford you some legal remedies, but in most cases may not help you if your landlord ends up in foreclosure. If your landlord does end up in foreclosure, they might not tell you directly, but you will find out soon enough, when a sheriff's deputy or other process server serves you, the tenant, with a summons for foreclosure. Your actual name likely will not appear on the summons, except as Tenant #1, 2, 3, & 4. The summons is merely to inform you that the leasehold interest you have in the property is at risk of foreclosure. At this point, you should strongly consider seeking the advice of a competent attorney to help you understand your rights as a tenant. The rents you pay today may only end up in your landlord's pocket, with no assurances that your landlord will honorably pay their monthly mortgage payment.

So You Want To Rent Me your Home.... Although it is customary for the landlord to interview a prospective tenant, in these times, it may be just as important for a tenant to interview the prospective landlord. Before you sign a lease for the next home that you rent, ask your prospective landlord about the number of homes they are currently renting out, as well as the number of year's experience they have as a landlord. Ask them about their take on the current mortgage and housing crisis, especially their thoughts on the high number of rentals falling into foreclosure. It may not hurt to do quick search of the Public Records with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in your county may show pending lawsuits or foreclosure actions against a prospective landlord. Access to these records is easily attainable over the Internet.

Help Your Landlord, Help Yourself. The difficulty a landlord has in making their monthly mortgage payments could present a real opportunity for you, the tenant, to actually purchase the home you're renting. Depending on the market value of the home you are renting, how much your landlord owes on their mortgage, and how much you can afford to pay each month you may present a real opportunity for you to purchase the home through a short sale, provided that your landlord's mortgage lender will approve of a short sale. If this is not an option, and you find out the home you are renting is in foreclosure, consider having a frank and open discussion with your landlord regarding the remaining term of your lease and how it may be affected by a potential foreclosure on the property you live in. Inquire about any security deposits you may have paid at the beginning of the lease. If your landlord is uncooperative, you may want to consult a competent attorney immediately.

Get All of Your Ducks In A Row A foreclosure action against your landlord could pose potential problems for you should you decide to rent somewhere else. A sudden move in the middle of a lease could raise questions from future landlords, so proper documentation by you to support your rental history is critically important. Some examples of proper documentation to consider are as follows:

*Pay all monthly rent payments and security deposits by personal check, bank check, or money orders. Paying cash proves nothing in terms of a rental history, and provides no support to you should you seek to recover any security deposits. Always pay in a format that can prove your honesty.

*Keep copies of cancelled checks to show a consistent payment history. Cancelled checks are the most effective way to show your ability to make monthly rent payments on time as well as the frequency of paying your rent at a certain time every month. A consistent payment history can provide indisputable proof that you are a good risk.

*If you are served a foreclosure summons, keep a copy for your records. If the rental you are living in does fall into foreclosure, you are likely to be served foreclosure papers as well, since you have a leasehold interest in the property. If you lose your rental as a result of a foreclosure through no fault of your own, the foreclosure papers you are served along with the documentation noted above will greatly enhance your chances of securing another rental with greater ease, and will also help you tremendously in the event you decide to purchase a home of your own in the near future.

You may not always know if your landlord is making their mortgage payments, but through careful landlord screening and proper documentation, you can protect yourself and minimize the chance of facing eviction by foreclosure.

For free copy of "Ten Tips for Tenants" or a free brochure on "Why Rent When You Can Buy?" please call 941-206-6000.

Mike Sikorski, MBA, GRI

Licensed Real Estate Broker

Licensed Mortgage Broker

Loss Mitigation Specialist

Florida Realty Network LLC

22079 Kimble Avenue

Port Charlotte, Florida 33952

Phone 941-206-6000

Mike@FloridaRealty.net