What Exactly Are Closing Cost?

If you are considering the purchase of a home, you know that there could be

Trying to Have Money Left Over After Closing?

Trying to Have Money Left Over After Closing?

a downpayment requirement (unless you are a Veteran, or you are purchasing in a rural area that qualifies for USDA Home Loan Mortgages)… and you might be aware that there will be “Closing Costs.”  Your REALTOR might have mentioned that you are going to ask the Seller to pay some or all of those costs… but WHAT ARE THEY?

The Federal Reserve Board refers to them as “Settlement Fees.” They are, in fact the fees you pay to the various agencies and service providers who work to get the title of the home transferred into your name.

So, obviously there’s a credit report, and you pay for that.  There’s an appraisal on the property, and a fee of @$375 for that (today).  For a comprehensive list of the types of fees, click here.

IN GENERAL (this is just MY rule of thumb)… You will need to budget 3% of your home’s value in closing costs.  You might have less – but you will generally have 6 months of taxes in escrow, and you have to pay your homeowner’s insurance a year in advance.

You might not need that much, but if you are a first time homebuyer counting pennies – I would rather come up with a few extra dollars at the end!

If you want to get Pre-Qualified for a mortgage in NC, call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, Professional Mortgage Planners!  919-649-5058

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VA Loans – Cheaper if you make a Downpayment

There are GREAT VA benefits, but most Veterans we talk to never mention them to their loan officer!  That’s a shame, because there are many times when it might make sense to do a VA home loan as opposed to a Conventional or FHA loan for your mortgage program!

If a Veteran can  put a down payment on the home, the funding fee is reduced. For regular military, the funding fee on a 95% loan is only 1.5% and 1.25% on a 90% loan. Reserve members pay 1.75% & 1.5%, respectively.

There’s no MONTHLY fee – which is why it is cheaper than FHA or often times, Conventional PMI.

If you are considering purchasing a home in NC and you want to get pre-qualified, please call Steve and Eleanor Thorne 919-649-5058!  We have the LOWEST RATES!

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Government Guidelines Are Getting Tighter

A major bank announced last week that they are going to begin charging a higher fee to folks seeking Government Financing (the most popular loans right now) that have credit scores less than 620.

For more information about this change… click here8o((

This does NOT mean that you can not get a loan if your score is less than 620, only that you will pay a higher interest rate, and it will be more difficult for the lender to give you a credit to cover part of your closing costs!

If you have specific questions about purchasing a home in NC, call us!

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