Category Archives: Buyer Information

Selecting a Lender

SelectaLender“It is so important to find a good lender who is knowledgeable, experienced, easy to contact and has a large range of products to choose from.  In addition to asking the questions below, always make sure that your lender will be able to react quickly when you find a home you want to make an offer on.  You don’t want to be delayed by an unresponsive lender.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

 

Finding a mortgage lender is not a problem. Selecting someone who will help you find the best loan product for your situation even if it means sending you to another lender is paramount.

There is a huge advantage to be able to sit across the table from someone you’re doing business with and look them straight in the eye. It’s difficult to make an informed decision based on a website and a phone call.

Doing business with a full-time professional who specializes in residential loans like you’re trying to get is important. You want the loan officer to be familiar with local conditions, values and practices.

It’s to your benefit to have a loan officer who has the experience to put the unusual transaction together even if yours is not.

Here are a few questions that will be helpful in selecting the right loan officer.

  1. What percentage of your business are FHA & VA compared to conventional mortgages and how long have you been doing them?
  2. What percentage of your loans close on time according to the sales contracts?
  3. Will my credit score affect my interest rate?
  4. Will you help me select the best loan product for me regardless of your commission?
  5. Are there prepayment penalties on any of the loans we’re considering?
  6. Are there any restrictions on refinancing any of the loans we’re considering?
  7. When is my loan rate locked-in? Is there a charge for that?
  8. Is your loan underwriting in-house?

A real estate professional can be your best source of information and can recommend a trusted lender. If you have any questions as to what kind of answers you should expect, please give me a call.

Invisible, Odor-free and Potentially Hazardous

Radon“Over the years most experienced agents have come to pretty much know where potential issues exist in the area.  However, it is always concerning when we have a test done and find Radon in a home where families have lived for years without knowing there was Radon.  If you aren’t sure about your area, you should get any subterranean basement tested just to be sure.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Most people’s first introduction to Radon is during the inspections of a home. It can be as much a surprise to a seller as it is a buyer. Radon is an invisible and odor-free, cancer-causing radioactive gas.

Radon can get into a home through cracks in solid floors, construction joints, cracks in walls, gaps in suspended floors, gaps around service pipes, cavities inside walls and even the water supply.

It is estimated that one out of every fifteen homes in the United States has elevated radon levels. The EPA recommends that you test your home which is the only way to find out if you and your family are at risk. If the level found is 4 picocuries per liter or higher, the EPA suggests that you make repairs or install a radon reduction system. Even lower levels can have health risks.

The EPA’s interactive map is available to find state and county information but still recommends that all homes should test for radon. More information can be found from the EPA in A Citizen’s Guide to Radon.

Test kits are inexpensive and can be purchased at stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot if you choose to do it yourself. If levels indicate a high enough level, you can contact a qualified radon service professional for another test or to mitigate your home. You can get information on identifying these professionals at www.nrpp.info and www.nrsb.org.

The Interest Rate Makes a Difference

Shopping for Interest Rates“With rates as low as they are today, it’s easy to ‘assume’ that all lenders are offering the same low rates.  But even a slight difference can make a big difference.  There are so many different options available in today’s market, it pays to shop around.  We actually have preferred lenders who have as many as 20+ different types of loans available, depending on your situation and need.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

 

Over 50% of homebuyers don’t shop to find the best interest rate for their mortgage. While a buyer wouldn’t rarely purchase the first home they look at, they will accept the rate and terms offered by only one lender.

While the borrower and the property affect the rate and terms that a lender may offer, it is not to be said that all lenders will offer the same terms and rates to the same buyer. Credit score, home location, home price and loan amount, down payment, loan term, interest rate type and loan type all affect the interest rate but different lenders can interpret this information differently.

Shopping around to compare rate and terms for a mortgage is a reasonable exercise considering that a half percent lesser interest rate could not only lower the payment but the cumulative interest that is paid while that loan is outstanding.

Some borrowers don’t shop the mortgage because they are concerned that having their credit checked multiple times could adversely affect their credit score. The credit bureaus take this into consideration when several requests are made by the same category of lender in a short period of time.

Check to see the difference 0.5% could make in the mortgage you’re considering by using the calculator provided by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Contact your real estate professional for a list of trusted mortgage professionals to consider.

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Converting a Home to a Rental

For Rent“It’s not unusual for owners to decide to keep their current homes as investment properties when the move up.  But before you decide to do it, make sure you understand all the implications.  There are both Pros and Cons to this approach and you need to know what’s involved, as well as all your options.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

 

 

A simple decision to rent your current home instead of selling it when moving to a new home could have far reaching consequences.

If you have a considerable gain, in a principal residence and you rent it for more than three years, it can lose the principal residence status and the profit must be recognized.

Section 121 provides the exclusion of capital gain on a principal residence if you own and use it as such for two out of the last five years. This would allow a temporary rental for up to three years before the exclusion is lost.

Let’s assume there is a $100,000 gain in your principal residence. If it qualifies for the exclusion, no tax would be owed. If the property had been converted to a rental so that it didn’t qualify any longer, the gain would be taxed at the current 20% long-term capital gains rate and it may incur a 3.8% surcharge for higher tax brackets. At least $20,000 in taxes could be avoided by selling it with the principal residence exclusion.

Depreciation, a tax benefit of income property, is determined by the improvement value at the time of purchase or at the conversion to a rental whichever is less. If the seller sold the home and took the exclusion and then, bought an identical home for the same price, he would be able to have 60% more cost recovery and avoid long term capital gains tax.

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It is always recommended that homeowners considering such a conversion get advice from their tax professional as to how this will specifically affect their individual situation.

Downsizing Might Make Sense

Downsizing“As many of us are getting older, we are starting to realize just how much effort it takes to take care of all our ‘stuff’.  Downsizing might be the right answer for you if you’ve reached this stage in life.  You could free up some cash by reducing your monthly costs, as well as freeing up your time with less home to manage.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

 

With roughly 12.5% of the population over 65 years of age, it is understandable that some of them are thinking of downsizing because they may not need the amount of space they did in the past. There is something to be said for the freedom acquired by divesting yourself of “things” that have been accumulated over the years but are no longer needed.

Moving to a less expensive home, could provide cash that could be invested for additional income or savings for unanticipated expenditures.

Savings can also be recognized in the lower utility costs associated with a smaller home, not to mention, the lower premiums for insurance and property taxes.

Going from the home where you reared your family to one of the new tiny homes may be a bit extreme but downsizing to 2/3 or 50% of your current home may certainly be reasonable. In some situations, your interests may have changed so that a different area or city might be a possibility.

At one time, IRS had a once-in-a-lifetime exclusion of $125,000 of gain from a principal residence but it was changed so that homeowner’s are eligible for an exclusion of $250,000 of gain for single taxpayers and up to $500,000 for married taxpayers who have owned and used their home two out of the last five years and haven’t taken the exclusion in the previous 24 months.

Homeowners should consult their tax professionals to see how this may apply to their individual situation.

How to measure Returns on Investment Property

Calculator“Buying a rental property can be a great way of getting a strong return on investment (ROI).  What you may not realize is that you don’t have to be an ‘All Cash’ investor to get a good return on your money.  In fact, if you finance your purchase the ROI is even greater because you are leveraging your investment.  Here are a few things know when considering how to invest.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

 

Appreciation and tax savings are legitimate contributors to an overall rate of return on rental real estate but what if you didn’t consider them at all. If you only looked at one or two, very conservative measurements, you might decide to invest especially knowing that there are more benefits that will accrue to your investment.

If we bought a property for cash, collected the rent and paid the expenses, the amount left would be called Net Operating Income. In the example below, if would generate $7,200 a year which would be a 7.02% cash on cash rate of return which is considerably higher than the current 10 year treasury rate of around 2.3%.

If we place a mortgage on that property, the rate of return actually increases due to leverage. After the principal and interest are paid, the net operating income obviously decreases but the cash on cash rate of return increases to 9.10% because the borrowed funds means less cash invested.

Another contribution to the investment’s rate of return occurs with the mortgage due to amortization: the principal reduces with each payment made which increase the investor’s equity. In this example, the equity build-up divided by the initial investment yields a 5.25% rate of return in the first year.

Single family homes for rental purposes offer the investor high loan-to-value mortgages at fixed interest rates for long terms on appreciating assets with tax benefits, reasonable control and an opportunity to earn higher than normal rates of return. Call if you’d like to talk about what kind of rental opportunities are available.

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Being a Good Neighbor

Be a good neighbor“Ever wish you had more good neighbors?  Maybe it starts with YOU being a good neighbor first.  It’s amazing how kindness can be contagious.  Just doing a few nice things that take a small amount of effort could go a long way in creating more good neighbors.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

A good neighbor might be characterized as someone who’ll look after your home when you’re out of town by picking up your mail and watering your plants. You’d most likely reciprocate for anyone who’d be so generous toward you.

In some cases, you might only be able to name one or two of your neighbors who would step up to that level of service. Wouldn’t it be nice if more people on your street would be happy to make that offer?

The solution may just start with being a better neighbor first. The following suggestions go a long way to improving your neighborhood and making new friends at the same time.

  • Meet your neighbors and exchange phone numbers and email addresses. Agree with each other that you’ll let them know if you see something strange going on at their home.
  • Slow down when driving through the neighborhood; it will make it safer and everyone will appreciate it.
  • Control your dog: keep it on a leash; pick up after it; don’t let it bark too much.
  • Don’t park in front of your neighbor’s home.
  • Notify your immediate neighbors when you’re having remodeling done and ask them to let you know if any of the contractors cause damage to their property.
  • Let your neighbors know when you’re having a party and that there will be more cars on the street than usual.
  • Maintain your home and yard so that it adds to the beauty of the neighborhood.
  • Put your garbage out for collection on the correct day and bring the containers back in promptly.

In reality, it is fairly obvious; you just have to think of the things that you’d want from your neighbors. Be friendly; don’t be noisy; offer a helping hand when available and respect each other’s boundaries. Having a sense of community and that you all share the neighborhood can be underlying principles that will guide your behavior.

A good neighbor would be aware of suspicious activity and would call their neighbors and the police if warranted. This might be something you can discuss with your neighbors. Click here for a template to record your immediate neighbor’s contact information and keep readily available if needed.

Consider an Adjustable Rate

Adjustable Rates“Adjustable Rate Mortgages can be the right answer for some buyers.  In the past, there were buyers who used them, that shouldn’t have.  But there is a time and place for everything.  If you are not going to be in the home you are preparing to buy for very long, an Adjustable Rate Mortgage might just save you money.  Talk to a Lending professional to find out what is right for you.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

 

With fixed rate mortgages as low as they are, most purchasers or owners wanting to refinance might not even consider an adjustable rate loan. The determining factor should be how long the person plans to be in the home and which mortgage will provide the cheapest cost of housing.

For instance, if you compare a $300,000, 30 year term mortgage with a 4.125% rate on the fixed and a 3.25% on the 5/1 adjustable, the breakeven point would be almost seven years assuming the rates adjusted the maximum that they could in each year.

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Therefore, if a person is going to stay in the house less than 7 years, the ARM would provide the cheapest cost of housing. This example shows that at the end of five years, the ARM would generate almost $13,000 savings over the fixed-rate.

On the other hand, this could be a good time for homeowners with an existing adjustable rate mortgage to consider refinancing into a fixed-rate mortgage. The longer that they intend to stay in their home, the more advantageous it might be for them to convert their mortgage to lock-in their payment and fix their housing costs.

A trusted mortgage professional can analyze the alternatives to provide you with the information necessary to make a good decision. You can try the Adjustable Rate Comparison with your own numbers to see the effect.

What to Know about Home Appraisals

Home Apprasails“Whether buying, selling or refinancing, when you use a mortgage, a home appraisal will usually play a major role in in the transaction.  You’ll want to understand how the appraisal process works and how an appraiser determines a home’s value.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – Dc Metro Realty Team

What Is a Home Appraisal?
An appraisal is an unbiased professional opinion of a home’s value.  Appraisals are almost always used in purchase and sale transactions and commonly used in refinance transactions.  In a purchase and sale transaction, an appraisal is used to determine whether the home’s contract price is appropriate given the home’s condition, location and features.  In a refinance, it assures the lender that it isn’t handing the borrower more money than the home is worth.

Lenders want to make sure that homeowners are not over-borrowing for a property because the home serves as collateral for the mortgage.  If the borrower should default on the mortgage and go into foreclosure, the lender will recoup the money it lent by selling the home.  The appraisal helps the bank protect itself against lending more than it might be able to recover in this worst-case scenario.

The Appraisal Process and How Appraisal Values Are Determined
Because the appraisal primarily protects the lender’s interests, the lender will usually order the appraisal.  According to the Appraisal Institute, an association of professional real estate appraisers, a qualified appraiser should be licensed or certified (as required in all 50 states) and be familiar with the local area.  Federal regulations state that the appraiser must be impartial and have no direct or indirect interest in the transaction.  Fannie Mae requires appraisers to certify that they have experience appraising similar properties in the same geographic area.

A property’s appraisal value is influenced by recent sales of similar properties and by current market trends.  The home’s amenities, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, floor plan functionality and square footage are also key factors in assessing the home’s value.  The appraiser must do a complete visual inspection of the interior and exterior and note any conditions that adversely affect the property’s value, such as needed repairs.

Typically, appraisers use Fannie Mae’s Uniform Residential Appraisal Report for single-family homes.  The report asks the appraiser to describe the interior and exterior of the property, the neighborhood and nearby comparable sales.  The appraiser then provides an analysis and conclusions about the property’s value based on his or her observations.

The report must include a street map showing the appraised property and comparable sales used; an exterior building sketch; an explanation of how the square footage was calculated; photographs of the home’s front, back and street scene; front exterior photographs of each comparable property used; and any other information, such as market sales data, public land records and public tax records, that the appraiser uses to determine the property’s fair market value.  An appraisal costs several hundred dollars, and generally the borrower pays this fee.

What Homebuyers Need to Know
When you’re buying a home and you’re under contract, the appraisal will be one of the first steps in the closing process.  If the appraisal comes in at or above the contract price, the transaction proceeds as planned.  If the appraisal comes in below the contract price, however, it can delay or derail the transaction.

Chances are neither you nor the seller wants the transaction to fall through.  As the buyer, you have an advantage in that a low appraisal can serve as a negotiating tool to convince the seller to lower the price so the transaction can move forward.  The bank won’t lend you or any other prospective buyer more than the home is actually worth.  While appraisals help buyers avoid overpaying for homes, a seller may feel that a low appraisal is inaccurate and be reluctant to drop the price.  If a bad appraisal is standing between you and your home purchase, look into getting a second opinion via a second appraisal.  Appraisers can make mistakes or have imperfect information.

What Home Sellers Need to Know
As a seller, a low appraisal, if accurate, means you will have to lower your home’s price to get it sold.  Lenders won’t approve loans for more than a home is worth, and holding out for an all-cash buyer who doesn’t require an appraisal as a condition of completing the transaction is unlikely to net you a higher sales price.  No one wants to overpay for a home.

Unfortunately, recent distressed sales in the surrounding area can lower your home’s appraisal value.  If you feel that your home’s value has been dragged down by the sales prices of nearby foreclosures and short sales, you may be able to convince the appraiser that your home is worth more if it’s in significantly better condition than those properties.  Sellers should also know that federal guidelines (intended to eliminate the inflated appraisal values that contributed to the housing crisis) sometimes cause appraisals to come in below fair market value and can make low appraisals difficult to challenge.

What Refinancing Homeowners Need to Know
If you’re refinancing a conventional mortgage, a low appraisal can prevent you from refinancing your home.  The home needs to appraise at or above the amount you want to refinance for your loan to be approved.  However, if your existing mortgage is an FHA mortgage, you can refinance without an appraisal through the FHA Streamline program.  FHA Streamline is a great option for underwater homeowners.

The Bottom Line
When everything goes smoothly, the home appraisal is just another box to tick on a loan-closing checklist.  When the appraisal value is lower than expected, the transaction can be delayed or even canceled.  Regardless of which situation you encounter in your home buying, selling or refinancing experience, a basic understanding of how the appraisal process functions can only work in your favor.

Real Estate Investing – Cash Flow & Equity

Investor Calcs“If you have ever thought about buying investment properties, now may be a good time with interest rates still low.  Here is a strategy that we are currently helping our investors with in Today’s Market.  Give us a call today and let us help you analyze the numbers to see if this can work for you.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

 

Many years ago, Las Vegas hotels would entice customers with inexpensive rooms, meals and entertainment so they would gamble. It may have worked initially but if you’ve been to Las Vegas recently, the bargains are gone. Hotels expect each division to be a profit center on its own. As a consumer, I might not like the changes but as an investor, I’d have to be pleased with increased profitability.

Years ago, real estate investors used to accept negative cash flow buoyed by tax incentives in hopes of making a big payday due to appreciation when they sold it. Today’s investors are focusing on tangible, current results like cash flow and equity build-up.

Cash flow is the amount of money you have left over after collecting the rent and paying the expenses. Since rents have gone up considerably due to supply and demand in the last few years and mortgage rates are at near record lows, income is up and expenses are down, making the cash flows attractive.

If the cash flow is sufficient, you could have a good investment even if the value of the property never increased. Cash on Cash does not consider appreciation and measures the cash flow before tax advantages by the initial investment. A rental with $3,170 CFBT (Cash Flow Before Taxes) divided by an initial investment of $29,000 would generate a 10.93% Cash on Cash rate of return.

Low down payments on investor properties are also a thing of the past. Non-owner occupied mortgage money is available but the investor should expect to put down 25-30%. An advantage of having a smaller mortgage is a lower payment.

Most mortgages are amortized loans with both principal and interest due with each payment. The forced savings of the principal contribution builds equity in the property and can be considered a part of the rate of return.

A $100,000 mortgage at 4.5% for 30 years would have $1,613.29 applied to principal in the first year. Divide that by the same $29,000 initial investment and the amortization would generate another 6%.

Without factoring in appreciation or tax advantages, this rental example generates much more than most alternative investments. There certainly are many different aspects that affect the risk and return on rental investments. If you haven’t scrutinized single-family rental opportunities in a while, you should look again.