Mortgage Approval Process

Mortgage Approval Process

Whether you’re a First-Time Home Buyer or seasoned investor, the mortgage approval process can be a a bit inundating without a proper road map and good team in your corner.

Updated program guidelines, mortgage rate questions and down payment requirements are a few of the components you’ll need to be aware of when getting mortgage financing for a purchase or refinance.

Mortgage Approval Components:

Mortgage lenders approve borrowers for a loan, which is secured by real estate, based on a standard set of guidelines that are generally determined by the type of loan program.

Following are the main parts of a mortgage approval:

Debt-To-Income (DTI) Ratio –

A borrower’s DTI Ratio is a measurement of their income to monthly credit and housing liabilities.

The lower the DTI ratio for a borrower (more income in relation to monthly credit payments), the more confident the lender is about getting paid on time in the future based on the loan terms.

Loan-to-Value (LTV) –

Loan-to-Value, or LTV, is used by lenders when comparing the difference between the outstanding loan amount and a property’s value.

Certain loan programs require a borrower to invest a larger down payment to avoid mortgage insurance, while some government loan programs were created to help buyers secure financing on a home with 96.5% to 100% LTV Ratios.

EX: A Conventional Loan requires the borrower to purchase mortgage insurance when LTV is greater than 80%. To avoid paying mortgage insurance, the borrower would have to put 20% down on the purchase of a new property. On a $100,000 purchase price, 20% down would be equal to $20,000.

Credit –

Credit scores and history are used by lenders as a tool to determine the estimated risk associated with a borrower.

While lenders like to see multiple open lines of credit with a minimum of 24 months reporting history, some loan programs allow borrowers to use alternative forms of credit to qualify for a loan.

Property Types –

The type of property, and how you plan on occupying the residence, plays a major role in getting mortgage financing.

Due to some HOA restrictions, government lending mortgage insurance requirements and appraisal policies, it is important that your real estate agent understands the exact details and restrictions of your pre-approval letter before placing any offers on properties.

Mortgage Programs –

Whether you’re looking for 100% financing, low down payment options or want to roll the costs of upgrades into a rehab loan, each mortgage program has its own qualifying guidelines.

There are government insured loan programs, such as FHA, USDA and VA home loans, as well as conventional and jumbo financing.

A mortgage professional will consider your individual LTV, DTI, Credit and Property Type scenario to determine which loan program best fits your needs and goals.

Frequently Asked Questions – Mortgage Approval Process:

Q. Why do I have to obtain another Pre-Approval Letter from a different lender when I make an offer on a home?

Cross-qualification is imminent in certain markets, especially with bank-owned or short sale properties. Some of the large banks that own homes require any potential home buyer to be qualified with their preferred lender – who is typically a representative of the bank that owns the home. This is one way for the bank to recoup a small portion of their loss on the home from the previous foreclosure or short sale.

In other scenarios, the listing agent/seller prefers to feel safe in knowing the home buyer they’ve selected has a back up plan should their current one not work out.

Q. I was pre-approved, but after I found a home and signed a contract, my lender denied my loan. Why is this a common trend that I hear about?

There are literally hundreds of moving parts with a real estate purchase transaction that can impact a final approval up until the last minute, and then after the fact in some unfortunate instances.

With the borrower – credit scores, income, employment and residence status may change.

With the property – appraised value, poor inspection report, title transfer / property lien issues, seller cooperation, HOA disclosures.

With the mortgage program – Interest rates can change affecting the DTI ratio, mortgage insurance companies change guidelines or go out of business, new FICO score requirements etc.

It’s important to make sure your initial paperwork is reviewed and approved by an underwriter as soon as possible. Stay in close contact with your mortgage approval team through the entire process so that they’re aware of any delays or changes in your status that could impact your final approval.

Q. What happens if I can’t find a home before my pre-approval letter expires?

Depending on your mortgage program and final underwritten conditions, you may have to re-submit the most recent 30 days income and asset documents, and have a new credit report pulled.

Worst case scenario, the lender may even require a new appraisal that reflects comparables within a 90 day period.

It’s important to know  critical approval / condition expiration dates if your real estate agent is showing you available short sales, foreclosures or other distressed property purchase types that have a potential of dragging a transaction over several months. See the details home purchase FAQ

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