If you are a new to the lending game and have never taken out a home loan before - here are some issues that you should consider before choosing your loan.

1. Check your credit rating

Before approaching a lender for a home loan make sure that you have a clear understanding of what is on your credit report. There’s nothing worse than being refused a loan because of a small debt that you fixed up years ago, or an error which was not your fault or responsibility.

Get a copy of your credit history on www.mycreditfile.com.au. If you do find something, take immediate action. If the report contains any mistakes these have to be removed by writing to the credit provider.
In the event that your credit history is very unhealthy you may need to approach a lender who specialises in Bad Credit Home Loans. Traditional lenders such as the major banks will generally not consider such loans. Applicants with a history of bad credit also must have a deposit. While some lenders do offer No Deposit Home loans - these are only available to applicants with a clean credit history.

2. Know your entitlements

If you qualify, you will receive the federal government’s $7000 First Home Owner’s Grant (FHOG). To find out if you are eligible check www.firsthome.gov.au. There are also state bonuses which you can find out about by checking with your office of state revenue.

3. 100-point check

If you’re approaching a lender for the first time ie. you have no existing relationship with them you’ll need to be “identified”. When you apply for a home loan you have to show identification up to the value of 100 points. A driver’s licence earns 40 points, a credit card can earn 25 points and a birth certificate 70 points.

4. What Type of Home Loan should you consider?

What sort of a borrower are you? Should you look at a Low Doc or a No Doc Loan? Are you a Non-conforming borrower? This will depend on the following. Your

- employment status;

- income position;

- available deposit;

- residency;

- age;

- availability of financials;

- credit history

5. What will the lenders need to know about you?

It’s not unusual for a home loan application form to take up to 10 pages. There are four main points lenders look for:

o Your capacity to repay.

o Your security property .

o Your existing assets.

o Your existing liabilities.

Some of the questions you can expect to be asked are:

o Your dependent children.

o How long have you lived at your current address?

o What do you owe and own?

o Your accountant’s details.

o Your personal insurance.

o Your credit cards.

6. Supporting Documentation for Your Loan Application

When it comes to the documents you need to support your application, most lenders are likely to ask for the same information. And yes, it is harder if you’re self-employed.

A PAYG applicant is expected to provide the following with their application:

o At least the two most recent pay slips, and group certificates for the past two years.

o A letter(s) from your employer(s) detailing income (for the past two years) and length of employment,

A self-employed applicant will need to submit:

o Past two years’ tax returns and your accountant’s details, or past two years’ financial statements and your accountant’s details. Some institutions may even ask for a profit and loss statement certified by a registered accountant.

Saving details:

o Bank statements including transaction, saving or passbook accounts.

o Investment papers including managed funds or term deposits.

o What you owe and own.

o Details of personal loans, credit cards or charge cards. Up to six months of statements should be produced to support these loans.

o Tax liability (if self-employed).

Life insurance policy details.

o Superannuation details.

o Approximate value of other assets such as furniture and jewellery.

If you do not have the necessary documentation - do not despair. You may be able to borrow under you lender’s Low Doc or a NO Doc program. While your LVR will be slightly lower than with the Full Doc loans(65% - 90%), the loan application process will be far more straight forward.

7. How much can you borrow?

The amount you can borrow depends on what you’re buying and how much money you have left when you take out all your fixed commitments from your net income. All lenders have their own affordability calculator which they will use to qualify your application.

If you’re buying a home, most lenders will let you borrow up to 80 percent of the purchase price, or 95 percent if you are willing to take on mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance is designed to protect the lender. A number of online calculators can help you determine how much you can borrow.

Some lenders even offer 100% or more of the purchase price. However these loans are quite difficult to qualify for and require a perfect credit history as well as strong financials.

8. Don’t Forget the Loan and Purchase Fees.

You should be aware of all the fees and charges that come part and parcel with a new home as well as with a new home loan. There’s much more to it than just a deposit. To avoid any last-minute surprises you need to ensure that you have enough to cover the cost of conveyancing, applicable stamp duty on purchase as well as stamp duty on mortgage. There are also various application fees, lender valuation fees and even possible mortgage insurance fees (depending on your Loan to Value Ratio - LVR).

Maya Pavlovski holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Melbourne University and is a qualified CPA

If you would like to learn more about the your Home Loan Options please visit
www.webdeal.com.au or

www.honeyloans.com.au

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Texas is making $255 million in homebuyer funds available to Texans for the purchase of a home.

“Owning a home has always been an essential part of the American Dream. For families, homeownership is not merely a source of pride, it is often the first step on the path to prosperity. And for our communities, homeownership provides an important source of stability,” Governor Rick Perry said.

“Research studies show that when a majority of families own the home in which they live, you end up with safer neighborhoods, greater economic opportunities and a stronger sense of community.”

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) will release $240 million in low interest home loans, with approximately $180 million dedicated to purchases in the Hurricane Rita Gulf Opportunity Zone. Borrowers in the Opportunity Zone will pay a low interest rate of 5.875%. They will be allowed up to 5% of the purchase amount through grants for downpayment assistance.

The Opportunity Zone residents do not have to be first time home buyers.

There are two loan options for those who purchase outside of the Zone area. The first is an unassisted loan that offers no added funds for downpayment and closing costs. The other is an assisted loan with funds offered for downpayment and closing costs.

The interest rates outside of the Zone range from 5.625% for unassisted loans to 6.125% for assisted loans.

The TDHCA will put the remaining $15 million into the Mortgage Credit Certificate Program. These certificates are available to eligible homeowners through the First Time Homebuyer Program.

“Today’s announcement represents the best opportunity for many low to moderate income Texans to achieve their dream of homeownership,” said TDHCA Executive Director, Michael Gerber.

“With 35 lenders participating in our programs, operating more than 300 branch offices throughout the state, Texans everywhere have a chance to begin to make a better future for themselves and their family. We encourage anyone interested in buying a home to learn how they can be a part of this initiative.”

Martin Lukac represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate and mortgage rates. We specialize in daily updates, mortgage news, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

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If you are planning to get a mortgage, then you should make sure that you avoid a number of common mistakes that will leave you paying too much money or getting into financial difficulties. If you are aware of potential mistakes you can make then you will be better equipped to get the best deal for your needs. Here are the most common mortgage mistakes and how to avoid them:

Not sorting out your finances

If you try and get a mortgage before you have sorted your finances out, you could find yourself getting a rough deal or even being rejected for a mortgage. If you are rejected for a mortgage it can harm your chances of getting one from elsewhere. Before looking at mortgages, get all of your finances in order and have all your paperwork ready to submit to mortgage lenders. Also, get hold of your credit report and make sure that all the information on it is correct. If there are mistakes on your credit report it could harm your chances of getting a good mortgage.

Looking for a house without pre-approval

Many people make the mistake of looking at property without having any idea whether they can secure a mortgage to pay for it. The most common mistake people mistake is confusing ‘pre-qualified’ with ‘pre-approved’. Pre-qualification is a very initial estimation of how much you can borrow, and there is no guarantees you will get this amount at the rate you want. Pre-approval means that you go through the credit checking process and the lender agrees in writing to give you a certain amount of money. Getting pre-approval gives you a budget and makes you much more attractive to sellers because you have the finance already in place.

Borrowing too much

Perhaps the biggest mistake people make is to borrow too much money. This can come about through a combination of not being honest with yourself and pressure from lenders. If you are not honest with yourself about how much you can afford then you will end up in financial difficulty. You shouldn’t be tempted by lenders who offer you overly generous mortgages because it is you who will pay the price if you cannot keep up with the repayments. Work out how much you can comfortably afford to pay each month and stick to this budget.

Not shopping around

It is quite easy to get hold of a mortgage, but if you want a good deal you have to shop around. If you find a good deal, you shouldn’t automatically think it is the best deal you can get. Many companies offer amazing deals that turn out to be a lot more expensive than initially advertised. Do your research and find out what someone with your credit rating should be paying on average for a mortgage. If you do this then you will end up with a much better price.

Paying for things you don’t need

With a lot of mortgages you will be offered extra items and pay extra fees that are simply unnecessary. Although they might seem a small amount here and there, they can soon add up and you could end up paying a lot more than you need to. Make sure that your mortgage agreement only includes the items that you need, and query the price of any fees you think are too expensive. If a company tries to charge you too much then walk away. Remember, there are always other providers for you. If you are careful and avoid common mortgage mistakes then you will get a great deal and remain financially stable.

For additional articles and an extensive resource for everything about credit cards and finance, please visit us at Credit Cards and Mortgages
Visit http://www.creditcards-gb.co.uk

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