Even though the housing market has recovered to a large extent from the economic slump, some people believe that paying a commission to a property agent or a mortgage broker is the last thing that they would do in a down market. However, going about the sale business can be quite an arduous task in a down market and what most mortgage market experts would call “a not so good idea”. People often think that employing real estate agents during the crisis would translate into additional spending. However, experts believe that when the market is witnessing a downtrend, the first thing that you need in order to sell your home is a professional real estate agent. You can also consult mortgage brokers in Newfoundland to find out what they have to say in this regard.

When you have been a long time resident of your home, you tend to see it from your own point of view and not from the perspective of a potential buyer. Also, you will not be able to know what is going on in the housing market until and unless you are house hunting yourself. Employing a real estate agent on the other hand will give you a clear idea of what needs to be fixed or upgraded before you put the property up for sale. The unbiased opinion of a real estate agent can help you to make your home suitable for purchase and at the same time be a top draw among prospective buyers.

Mortgage brokers in NL believe that agents who have a solid track record will actually succeed in selling your home for a greater amount and that too without taking much time. The additional amount that you get from the sale of a home can then be used to pay the commission of the agent.

As Newfoundland mortgage brokers will often tell you that sellers require an agent who will market their property well and at the same time has a solid track record in the business. People trying to sell their homes on their own could face a difficult time in trying to save the commission fee. As a novice, when it comes to a home selling transaction, you are not sure about the steps to achieve an error free transaction. You can even put yourself in legal trouble, especially when it comes to handling the paperwork for the transaction. So in order to sell your home even amid adverse market conditions, it is advisable to opt for expert real estate agents.

People applying for Newfoundland mortgages are asked to verify their employment details, prove their income, and offer permission to get their tax return reviewed. However, often it’s seen that lenders ask questions that appear to be out of the context to borrowers. Things like accounting for every dollar in your account may seem like stretching things a bit. Lenders on their part are likely to keep a record of everything in order to assure underwriters that the borrower will pay the loan back.

As a borrower, you should therefore be ready to face the following questions from Newfoundland mortgage lenders.

Employment history: Majority of the lenders stress on a two year history of employment and need to be provided with a contact where they can verify the information. Some lenders may also go ahead and ask for educational certificates to check the background.

Income: Usually a couple of recent pay stubs are necessary, but some of them might even want to see the tax returns, especially in case of individuals who are self employed. If there are discrepancies in the income statement, these may lead to additional questions. A decline in your compensation may also require you to answer more questions than otherwise needed.

Assets: Lenders might want to know more about your assets to make sure that you have not taken a loan to make the down payment. If the borrower is taking help for the home purchase, then the gift letters need to be produced as evidence.

Debts: The borrower’s debts are indicated on the credit report and are calculated as part of the debt to income ratio. Ideally, borrowers should carefully review their credit history before applying for a mortgage as any debts which you think you have cleared may require proof or a disputed debt may need to be taken care of.

Credit history: Credit history constitutes an important part of the loan application. Lenders assess the loan application to check for any inconsistency. If there are quite a few credit inquiries, then lenders may as well ask questions regarding other loans or credit cards.

Apart from the usual questions pertaining to a loan application, do not be surprised if the lender asks you about any pending lawsuits that you might have, ethnicity or divorce. In other words, every borrower should be prepared to answer a wide range of questions. In case you feel that the questions asked are out of bounds, then you are always free to switch over to a new lender. In fact, mortgage brokers in Newfoundland can give you a fair idea of the kind of questions to expect.

At the time of the last recession, the U.S. economy collapsed owing to a problem with mortgage foreclosures. Borrowers throughout the nation faced difficulties while paying their mortgages. Also, around 8 out of 10 borrowers were found to be engaged in trying to get their mortgages refinanced. One couldn’t help but notice that even high end homeowners did not find it easy and had to face trouble with foreclosures. If you are about to buy a home and opt for a Newfoundland mortgage you need to know a bit about the background and know where the crisis began.

The root of all these problems can be traced to some of the mistakes that homeowners might have committed.

Adjustable rate mortgages may apparently seem to be the perfect solution to your mortgage woes with low interest rates for the initial years. These enable the borrower to purchase a bigger house than they usually qualify for and also provide lower mortgage payments. It is only after the initial 2-5 years that the interest applicable is reset per the current market rate. Though borrowers can take the equity out of the asset refinance to avail a lower interest rate when it is reset, it might not work in their favor. At the time when housing prices drop, borrowers find it difficult to payback their loan and therefore find themselves in a position to pay twice or thrice the original amount. It is necessary to have a clear idea of such mortgages and seek advice from mortgage brokers in Newfoundland.

At the time of the housing crisis, several companies were providing borrowers with no down payment loans. Down payment not only raises the amount of equity in a property but also raised the amount due in the transaction. Borrowers who pay a significant sum as down payment are more likely to complete their mortgage payment since they do not want to lose the significant amount that they have already invested. Borrowers who do not invest a significant amount as down payment may end up just walking away. Consult mortgage brokers in NL to get a better insight into the feasibility of such financing.

Liar loans had been extremely popular when the real estate boom happened. Mortgage lenders were eager to offer this type of a loan and borrowers most willing to accept these. These required less documentation or even none at times and no verification with the information provided including the borrower’s income, stated expenses and assets. Liar loans were so named so as borrowers inflated their income and some of them even turned out to be unemployed. Since borrowers taking such a loan fail to pay their mortgage payments regularly, they are more likely to face bankruptcy and foreclosure owing to non-payment.

Purchasing a home for the first time is exciting and can even be stressful at times. There are several issues that need to be taken into account and often first time buyers fall prey to “newbie errors”, especially when it comes to mortgage and financing issues. If you are purchasing a property for the first time, then you can consult Newfoundland mortgage brokers to avoid the most commonly made mistakes. Avoiding such mistakes can even save a lot of money for first time buyers.

Though everyone dreams of having an ideal home, the first purchase can be far from what you can call your dream home. Before you opt for a Newfoundland mortgage, it is necessary that you are sure of the property that you wish to purchase and understand the price that you can afford to pay. You also have to spend a good deal of time evaluating the financing options that you have. Your debt ratio will play a crucial role in your mortgage application approval.

People often assume that short-sale and foreclosed properties are great deals. In fact, the real estate business may as well be compared to a flea market where the value of a property depends on what people are willing to pay. Some of the short sales and foreclosed properties may turn out to be good bargains but real estate investors know that there is nothing called freebies. Some of the properties may even suffer from serious maintenance issues. Therefore, it is advisable not to take anything for granted. You can have discussions with mortgage brokers in Newfoundland to determine the aspects that you need to look into.

First time home buyers often underestimate the cost of home ownership. Staying at a rented accommodation does not come with additional charges associated with repair work and maintenance. But when you own a place, you need to pay every penny needed for its repair work. You can get an insight into these issues by talking to mortgage brokers in NL.

Omission of a contingency clause in a sales agreement is something that first time buyers are found to overlook. Sellers do not mind the omission but as a buyer you need to be extra careful about these issues, especially pertaining to mortgage contingency language and dates. As a first time buyer, you therefore need to be additionally careful about each and every detail and if necessary take the help of experienced Newfoundland mortgage brokers.

Homeowners in Canada do not get to enjoy the same mortgage interest deduction as their southern neighbors. However, Canadians do resort to the technique of the Smith Maneuver to convert a regular debt into a tax deductible one. It is a financial method that can restructure the biggest non-deductible debt of an individual to a deductible investment loan. Apart from this, one receives increased annual tax refunds, gets lower number of mortgage years and also enjoys an increase in net worth through methods that have been reviewed by the CRA or the Canada Revenue Agency. Newfoundland mortgage
brokers can provide you with all the necessary information in this regard.

The Smith Maneuver works in the following ways.

The borrower needs to find a re-advanceable mortgage first

This can be followed up by the sale of non-registered assets such as stocks that are held outside an RRSP.

The proceeds can then be used to pay the down payment on the mortgage

You can then pay the mortgage payments normally as one does.

Once the borrower starts paying off the principal, the amount can be re-borrowed into a LOC or a line of credit.

This re-borrowed amount can be then be invested for a higher rate of return that the amount paid as interest for the LOC.

Deduct the interest on the investment loan and then the tax savings could be used to pre-pay the mortgage till the time it is fully repaid.

There are many benefits associated with the Smith Maneuver, which can be explained by mortgage brokers in Newfoundland. First up, your net worth will go up significantly, given that you carry on with the same annualized return on the investments. The tax refunds will eventually get bigger and bigger as the interest applicable on the investment loan is now tax deductible. Smith Maneuver helps to pay off your mortgage faster and convert the same into a tax deductible format. However, there are some risks involved in the same as well just like any other investment plan. It does not lower your debt but simply converts it from a regular mortgage, which is not tax deductible in the country. It is necessary to get a readvanceable mortgage in order to use it as an investment loan. In order to get more information on the same and the risks involved, one can contact Newfoundland mortgage experts.