With mortgage rates at 4.42%, which is the LOWEST EVER since rates have been tracked, have you thought about re-financing. It's a tough decision that would normally be an easy one.

There are a few Pro's to re-financing:

1) Lower payment due to lower interest rate
2) Locking in an ULTRA-low interest rate good for 15, 20, or 30 yrs.
3) Converting monthly payment savings into HARD, IN-THE-BANK savings OR
4) Paying off bills with the monthly payment savings
5) Avoiding a balloon payment if you have a balloon mortgage


Some Con's you should consider:

1) Payments are pushed out 15, 20, or 30 years, setting back full satisfaction of the mortgage
2) Your principal portion of monthly payment shrinks
3) You may have to pay PMI (Mortgage Insurance) if you dont have at least 80%-85% loan-to-value ratio (LTV)
4) If you have a pre-payment penalty built into your current loan (tsk, tsk...yuou should have read the fine print)
5) If re-fi'ing with an ARM, you are losing longterm stability of your interest rate.
6) If you are paying points at the time of re-finance, compare actual upfront cost to annual savings...you may find it will take 5-10 years to break even on your savings.

Please do your due diligence if considering a re-fi! It's good for most but not for ALL!

July stats are in and our market continues to sputter as it tries to get it's legs. My personal opinion is we are in a POST-Homebuyer Tax credit depression coupled with the severe mortgage and appraisal issues we are constantly dealing with.

The number of Homes Sold in July plunged 32% compared to June. On the other hand, the amount of new homes for sale only increased 2.4% (a stable supply will stabilize home prices) and Pending Sales showed a 14% increase over June's numbers. That should translate into a good August!

Short Sales – just GOOGLE it!

For most realtors, short sales are a substantial part of our business. After 4 years in a decreasing marketplace, more people find themselves upside down on their mortgage EVERY day. While they certainly have their downsides, helping sellers in a financial quagmire unload a very negative asset is rewarding.

While I have a SFR designation (Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource) and have attended numerous training events offered by our local realtor Board and other entities, there is NO substitute for getting your hands dirty and working the phones for a short sale. I learn new things just about every short sale I close.

I took a listing recently that has THREE mortgages. It’s a first for me. Obviously, 1 mortgage is normally fairly straightforward and 2 mortgages requires some more advance planning and technique. But 3 mortgages??? Now I’m in the majors, baby!

After the fear subsided, I realized I had no choice but to dive right in. The very first thing I did was send in the authorization letters. My second action was to hop online and Google “short sale 3rd mortgage” and also the bank holding the note.
Now, we all know 2nd & 3rd lienholders THEORETICALLY have no “leverage” but they actually wield quite a lot of power, which catch many by surprise. They have the power to withhold approval, meaning you have a dead deal. They have the power to release the lien, allowing the sale, but NOT release the seller from the obligations of the note. They have the power to require a large payoff at closing, which is basically a ransom demand.

If one has never dealt with a particular bank in a particular lien position, then Google is a great place to start. The amount of info-sharing via customers and realtors is great. For instance, I learned that this particular 3rd mortgage has a separate number for submitting authorization letters (which I knew beforehand) and it behooves realtors to follow up for a contact in their Executive Client Relations division, where they will be assigned a neogitator. Unfortunately, I also learned that under no circumstances will they release the deficient amount owed on the equity line – at least that is what people claim. A follow-up call to the lender confirmed that.

Information is power these days. I have already alerted the sellers in order to set their expectations. I know the bank’s negotiation position beforehand. I also know how they have responded to other borrowers.

So if you’re wondering how your bank responds to short sales, just Google it. You’ll be glad you did.

Mortgage tips for Buyers.

Preventing the last minute collapse of your mortgage file doesn't take much...just knowing how the game is played. A new rule (Fannie) called Loan Quality Initiative went into effect on July 1, 2010 that requires lenders, Before Closing, to check credit to make sure borrowers have not incurred any new debts. If borrowers incur More debt, and it affects the underwriting ratios by more than 2%, the loan will have to be re-underwritten prior to closing. Here's some Old School Advice that's still relevant!


Don’t – allow multiple credit checks

Don’t - apply for new credit within 45 days of signing a contract

Don’t – “Shop” for new credit before closing (Furniture, cars, etc)

Don’t – Go on a spending spree (using your credit limits) to buy things for your new home.



Do – File tax returns and/or extensions

Do – Explain or document all inquiries on your credit report

Do – Disclose all Debt – even if it did not show up on your credit report

Do – Work with a knowledgeable lender who can help you navigate the ever-changing mortgage industry.