CarolinaMortgageConnection.com

Archive for July, 2008

Wachovia Bank Losses Forces Game Playing

Wachovia today reported losses of over $8 Billion, well beyond any analyst’s expectation. With most of Wachovia’s losses coming from the mortgage market, which I would assume was made even worse by the purchase of Golden West and the Pick A Payment loan program, Wachovia is scrambling to prevent being a lame duck ripe for a takeover.

Right now they need to make their shareholders feel confident that Wachovia can turn this ship around quickly. So what do they announce? Wachovia is withdrawing from the wholesale mortgage business and will no longer do business with mortgage brokers. (Really? Did they really?… we’ll explore that more in second.)

The idea here is that since mortgage brokers have been unfairly held repsonsible for the entire mortgage snapfu that we are in, why not seperate themselves from the “evil mortgage brokers” and show investors that they have made major changes! This will allow them to put on a show to their shareholders to make them feel a little better about the major losses.

But this show is really just smoke and mirrors. Read the rest of this entry »

Question:
I went through bankruptcy back in January and wonder now what chances, if any, I have to get a home. This may be completely fruitless at this time, but I would like to set some stepping stones so that I would know what I need to do along the way to prepare myself to better be able to get a loan.

Thanks,
Patricia

Answer:
Patricia,

Thanks for the contact. The recent bankruptcy would present the biggest challenge in obtaining a mortgage for buying a home right away. Typically most lenders are looking for 2 years of re-established credit after a bankruptcy is discharged. So while you are going through those re-establishing years, here are a few tips:

• Pay everything on time (beyond just credit debts… utilities can help create alternative credit when the time is right)
• Pay everything by Check or Debit Card (you want hard proof of timely payments)
• If you rent, pay by Check! (This is especially important to prove!)
• Open a credit card and use it effectively to re-establish credit (see http://startovercredit.com/build-positive-credit.php for more info)
• Build a savings account. Lenders like to see money in the bank for a cushion… gives them a sense of security.
• Keep debts to a minimum. When you are rebuilding credit, use credit cards (revolving credit) properly and avoid installment loans just to build credit. In other words, don’t buy a car unless you have to. Installment loans  take forever to make a positive impact on credit.

These should help get you on track to buy a home again in the near future.

If I can be of any assistance, please give me a call.

Ed Nailor
877-411-9327 Phone

Mortgage Loans Got Tougher

Throughout this mortgage “crisis” we have had one investor that was not requiring any particular credit score. They would underwrite any loan and did a lot of manual underwritten business. (A manual underwrite is a loan decision made by a real person rather than a computer and is a tough approval to get.)

With the tightening of money and credit lines available to lenders, this investor has just made some major changes. Not only have they imposed a minimum credit score of 620, they now will no longer accept any manual underwritten loans! The result: mortgage applicants with soiled credit have one less option for mortgage financing.

The way things are headed, home buyers and mortgage applicants are going to need solid credit in order to qualify. There are still a few options out there for dinged credit, but those that just won’t pay their bills are running out of options.

If you have had some credit issues and are on the fence about buying a home, now is the time to act! While there are still lenders willing to look at less than perfect credit and accept minimal down payments, you need to act now! Forget what the media is selling. The real estate and mortgage market in Charlotte is still attractive and strong! But if you wait until all the “smoke clears” you may be left sitting out in the cold!

Ed Nailor, Charlotte Mortgage Lender, Out of Office July 11

On Friday, July 11, 2008 I will be out of the office and unavailable. I will be having wisdom teeth removed and will be on pain meds most of the day afterwards. Although I may be unavailable Friday, that does not mean that I am not here to help!

If you are seeking to refinance your mortgage or get approved to buy a home in Charlotte, you can still apply online for your Charlotte mortgage loan. I expect to be back to work on Monday and will begin on your mortgage application right away.

Thanks for your patience and understanding, and any prayers you may be willing to send my way as I am just a little nervous! LOL

{{FHA}}

Mortgage Rates for Charlotte mortgages get better

Today we actually saw an improvement in mortgage rates for the Charlotte mortgage market. For the past few weeks we have consistently seen mortgage rates in Charlotte erode. However, today there was some improvement which was a welcome change.

If you are in the market to buy a home in Charlotte, or need to refinance your Charlotte home loan, now is the time to make your move. Mortgage rates are expected to continue to worsen as the summer continues, so waiting can cost you a lot of money.

I urge all Charlotte Realtors and agents to act now and get your home buyers qualified now. With the great number of homes for sale in Charlotte, this is the best opportunity to buy a home we have seen in a long time. This is especially true for First Time Home Buyers in the Charlotte NC market! With no home to sell, and only rent to walk away from, first time buyers should be jumping at the opportunities in front of them!

Act now and take advantage of the low mortgage rates available for the Charlotte area.
Apply for a Charlotte mortgage loan now and get started!

Celebrate your Independence!

What a city! What a town! Charlotte, NC is one of the best places to live in the entire country! Our local economy is strong, our local real estate market is solid and we are about to celebrate the 4th of July!

As we celebrate our great Nation’s Independence, let’s also remember someone less fortunate than ourselves. Take a few moments to reach out to someone that could use a hand and help them out. What a blessing it would be to help someone else achieve their own personal independence!

Have a great and safe 4th of July!

Charlotte Refinance Mortgage Loans

Attention Charlotte Home Owners: If you are considering a potential mortgage refinance in the Charlotte NC area, you should act now! Charlotte refinance mortgage rates are still very low!

Charlotte home owners are refinancing their mortgages in large numbers! With so many people deciding to stay in their homes, Charlotte refinancing is hot. By refinancing your mortgage today, you can lock in a lower mortgage rate, obtain a lower mortgage payment or even consolidate your bills.

With gas prices on the rise and the cost of living getting tougher, now would be the best time to refinance your mortgage in Charlotte and get a better mortgage program. Get cash out to pay off other debt or improve your home. Lower your monthly mortgage payment and give your budget a break

No More Pick a Payment for Wachovia

It appears that Charlotte NC based Wachovia could no longer handle the negative press. They have officially dropped the Pick A Payment product from their mortgage portfolio. After spending all the time and money in buying (and defending the purchase of) Golden West Financial, they are now stuck with nothing more than a less than stellar return on the investment.

Wachovia has taken a beating on this product. While the “option arm” mortgage product is not a bad product when sold correctly to the right borrower, the way this was sold and the pressure Wachovia put on its loan officers to push this product really gave it a bad image. This image was one that Wachovia could not overcome, mainly because they never changed how they sold it!

So for now, Wachovia has dropped the Pick a Payment mortgage loan. In my opinion, this is actually good for consumers. While a good mortgage option for a select few, too many potential borrowers were being pushed to look at this loan even if it didn’t make sense for them. Now, with it no longer offered, Wachovia can push their borrowers towards less risky loans. But expect that they will still push. Their loan officers are paid on the types of products they sell and if they hit their quotas for each product. So while a 30 year fixed may be your best bet, your Wachovia loan officer may well still push you towards a 5 year adjustable because they need to sell 3 more of those this month.

When considering mortgage options, you really should look to a licensed mortgage professional that focuses on what best fits your needs, not the bank’s needs. The Carolina Mortgage Connection does not have any quotas to hit, and we only focus on the right solution to match with your needs and goals.

Banking on Bank of America could Cost You

Charlotte Realtors… If you currently count on Bank of America for majority of your Charlotte mortgage needs, you may want to start looking around a bit. With the aquisition of Countrywide, you should expect to see some changes at Bank of America!

Its no secret that Bank of America is buying trouble. Countrywide is riddled with bad loans, major defaults, negative press and a ton of impending lawsuits. And yet Bank of America is still buying Countrywide. The latest news is that 7,500 jobs will be cut as a result, mostly expected to be on the Countrywide side. But Bank of America will have to make changes too.

Any time a lender in the mortgage business sees major losses and defaults, they have to tighten up their lending practices to help compensate. We in the lending business have seen this time and time again. Mortgage banks that used to offer more flexibility are having to tighten up and offer less in terms of mortgage products and mortgage underwriting. Bank of America, while having made good decisions overall, is buying a major black hole that will force them to have to over-correct.

As a Realtor, if you have been relying heavily on Bank of America as your Charlotte mortgage referral source, you will want to quickly explore other lenders. As a result of this acquisition, you should expect Bank of America to begin raising their internal standards to accept only the cream of the crop home buyers. They will begin to further separate the margin of perfect credit borrowers with major equity from the less than perfect home buyers needing less money down. Very soon, those that fall into the latter circumstances will not see favorable mortgage programs offered.

At the same time, placing all your mortgage business with a major Bank will limit your opportunities. Major banks like Bank of America and Wachovia are having a tough time and will only have a handful of options for your buyers. However, working with a dedicated Charlotte Mortgage Lender will offer many solutions!

For example, the Carolina Mortgage Connection works for a Charlotte mortgage Lender. We offer the same mortgage products that any bank can offer, with mortgage rates and closing fees just as competitive. However, when you have a buyer that does not fit the “traditional bank mold”, we still have the flexibility to broker to other mortgage investors willing to take a risk on your buyers. And as investors come and go, we will always be in position to line your buyers up with the money they need at a price they can afford!

So Charlotte Realtors, arm yourself and your Charlotte real estate business with more options and opportunity. Let Ed Nailor and Residential Mortgage Center help you get more buyers qualified and close more deals! From the credit perfect to the credit challenged, we are uniquely positioned to provide the best in Charlotte mortgage rates, mortgage programs and mortgage solutions to your home buyers!