When applying for a mortgage, the lender you have chosen will take many factors into account. These factors not only influence what type of loans you can qualify for but also what your monthly payments will be and how many years you will take to pay the loan off completely.
Knowing these factors and doing what you can to improve them all can make a tremendous difference when you go and see your lender and start the process that will get you your new property.
The basic factors apply for any type of loan approval, but they are particularly important when trying to get approved for what is probably the largest loan you will ever apply for. The most important factor is credit.
Have you seen your credit report lately? Most people haven’t. Get a free copy of your credit report from each of the 3 major credit reporting agencies from the annualcreditreport.com website with just a few minutes’ effort.
Credit reports commonly include inaccurate information which damages your credit score and needs to be corrected. You can challenge incorrect information directly at the source and greatly improve your credit score prior to applying for a loan Pay off all credit balances showing on your credit report if you can but don’t close any accounts.
The size of your down payment can make a huge difference in your chances of being approved. If you have credit problems, the bigger the down payment, the less impact from your credit score.
If you have great credit, you can still obtain better mortgage terms by increasing your down payment
The absolute most important rule is never lie to your lender. Do not tell them you have been on the job 5 years if you have only been there 6 months. These things will be followed up on and that will just cause a delay. Your mortgage originator is there to help you, so be honest and you will get the best possible loan approval.