January 5, 2010
Home Loans During A Recession? The True Boogie Monster
A recession brings on economic uncertainty. It\’s one of those spiral effects. Consumers aren\’t willing to spend money and banks aren\’t always willing to lend it.
A recession is a good time to buy a home because interest rates tend to be lower, which will save the buyer thousands of dollars. But that doesn\’t mean you should go into the home loan process unprepared. First of all, pull your credit report.
A high credit score is your key to getting in. Do not have a high credit score\’ Especially during a recession your chances of getting approved are very low and even if you are approved, the interest rates will be extraordinarily.
Second, make sure you have money in the bank. You will not only need between three and 20 percent of the home\’s total cost for a down payment, but you will also need a minimum of two or three months of mortgage payments in the bank. These are called reserves, and most lenders require reserves in order to obtain a home loan. Your lender can provide specific details on the down payment and reserves requirements.
Always carry documents that verify employment, income, and assets. The individual cannot simply tell the lender he has a job and expect to win the loan. No, documentation includes paycheck stubs and bank account statements.
The documentation is even more important if applying for a home loan during a recession, because the bank is less willing to grant the loan. Submitting the documentation early ensure a quicker approval.
Do not let the recession scare you away from a home loan. The recession is like the boogie monster. You were concerned that it was real when you were kid. Now you are grown up and realize its nonsense. The same applies to home loans when you think as a kid. You are scared the recession prevents them, when in actuality it\’s just like the boogie monster.
Scared about the recession and intimated about the recession. Do not worry, as a lot of it is in your head. As you can see, with the right credit score and funds, you are actually at an advantage over the lenders in this point of the economy.
Tom Martens is the content coordinator for South Arica?s leading Homeloans portal which amongst others offers Bond origination services for all major banks.
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