Sunday, October 17, 2010

Top Five Tips for Saving Money While Mortgage Shopping

The Placer County real estate market features several Rocklin homes for sale that are excellent values in today's market. As a result, it's worth shopping around for a mortgage that can help you take advantage of these deals.

Here are five helpful tips which can help Rocklin home buyers save money on most Rocklin real estate mortgages:

1) Do some research in advance to find out which mortgages are right for your situation.

Some Placer County residents need an Adjustable Rate Mortgage because they might have to sell their home in 3-5 years. Other Placer Counter residents might need a 15-30 year traditional fixed-rate mortgage because they might want to keep the home for more than five years. Therefore, try to do some background research on mortgages before asking a Rocklin real estate agent for advice purchasing a home because you can save money by avoiding wasting money on mortgage products and services that you may not need to purchase

It's easy to do this research because there are several books, websites and pamphlets that can help Placer County home buyers learn about the types of mortgages available. Ask your local Rocklin real estate agent for more details about these resources.

2) Once you've figured out which type of mortgage is right for your situation, ask a Rocklin real estate agent for a list of reputable local mortgage brokers.

It is a good idea to purchase a mortgage from a reputable local lender because you can often save money on the closing costs and up-front fees that can make obtaining a mortgage prohibitive for some Placer County residents.

Local lenders can help Placer County residents save money on most Rocklin real estate mortgages because they can help clients take advantage of local market conditions to find an affordable mortgage that features lower fees. This is possible because most local mortgage companies can afford to offer clients lower fees because their overhead costs are generally lower than what national mortgage lenders pay.

3) Make sure that you get a fair estimate of all closing costs from several local lenders to get an idea of what you should pay for a mortgage.

All Placer County mortgage brokers are required by federal law to provide clients an estimate of any closing fees that clients must pay before they buy a mortgage. As a result, be sure to get estimates from several lenders to determine which lenders offer the lowest closing costs.

4) Use these estimates to shop for mortgages which offer the lowest total costs.

Today's Placer County mortgage market is highly competitive. Therefore, people who are considering buying one of the great Rocklin homes for sale should be able to save money by shopping around for mortgages which offer the lowest total costs.

Here are some hints that can help you do this.

--Look for mortgages which offer the lowest mortgage discount "point" fees and interest rates possible.

Discount "point" fees are used to offset the costs of offering home buyers a lower mortgage rate. Many home buyers can save money by shopping for mortgages that offer the lowest possible fixed mortgage rates on conventional 15 and 30 year obligations. This is true because most mortgages deals that include lower fixed mortgage rates need fewer discount "point" fees to complete successfully.

--Try to look for a lender that offers clients free applications and free credit reports.

There are many Placer County Real Estate brokers who know of several local mortgage lenders who offer clients free mortgage applications and free credit reports. These lenders can help home buyers save money because they offer discounts on closing fee and administrative costs. As a result, try to look for a lender that will waive the application and credit report fee. It might help you save money on a Rocklin real estate mortgage.

5) Finally, try to purchase mortgages that allow you pay back the mortgage early without incurring a penalty.

Many Placer County home buyers who are considering re-financing their mortgages or selling their homes before their mortgage contract ends should consider purchasing a mortgage that allows them to pay back the loan early without a penalty because it could save them money on re-finance and closing costs. This is true because the penalty for paying off a mortgage early can be as much as 2-3% of the amount of the mortgage.

For more information, ask your local Placer County real estate agent. He can help you find the resources you might need to learn more about Rocklin's mortgage market.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Tips on Buying a House for the First Time

Has the time arrived where you are seriously weighing your options to purchase a home for the first time? If so, you can certainly embody the feeling of a sense of accomplishment. Those that are able to purchase a home for the first time will be making a great investment decision. A home can deliver an increase in equity that can significantly enhance the net worth of the buyer. And, of course, once a home is paid off you never have to worry about whether or not you will have a roof over your head. So, it is understandable that so many will look towards Placer County real estate offerings for a dream home.

While enthusiasm is a good thing, it fails to deliver positive benefits when you rush into a purchasing decision. The process of buying a home needs to be properly and deliberately engaged in. You certainly do not want to make the wrong decisions with the purchase of your first home. Thankfully, we have a great deal of human experience to examine when it comes to the process of purchasing a home. So, to make buying a home a positive experience, here are a few helpful tips regarding a first time home purchase.

Be sure that you are purchasing a home that is appropriate for your needs. You do not want to acquire a home that is either too spacious or overly lacking in space. Ultimately, you will want to examine those pieces of Auburn CA real estate which you will be happy with. You will also want the property to truly meet your needs. If not, you may find yourself looking to purchase a new home within only a few years after your initial purchase.

Deliberation can help you avoid making a poor home purchasing decision. That means you need to avoid rushing into any buying decision. Take your time and shop around for the appropriate home.

Issues of affordability also need to be taken into consideration prior to making a home purchase. Is the selling price of the home truly within your budget? Don’t assume you can make payments that are outside of your budget. This could prove disastrous! Additionally, it is best to perform a little research into the sales prices of comparable homes in your neighborhood. This simple step will certainly aid in your ability to acquire a home at the proper price. Again, a home is an investment and you want to be sure your purchasing decision is based on accurate facts and figures.

And speaking of facts and figures, you will also need to examine the monthly costs of the home. How much will it cost to heat it in the winter? What are the real estate taxes for this type of property? Are there any special ground maintenance issues that need to be considered? These are all questions that need to be asked when you look for Auburn homes for sale.

It also certainly does not hurt to discuss the current real estate climate with a broker. Prices have a tendency to rise and fall based on certain factors. A qualified real estate broker will have solid insights into what factors are currently in play. While no one can make complete, 100% accurate predictions on the rising or falling prices of real estate. However, a reliable professional can deliver the needed insight into where real estate trends are going. This, in turn, can help a first time home buyer make a more informed and effective buying decision.

Working with an established Auburn CA real estate agent is an absolute must. When the real estate agent already has long since established his or her professional credentials, it becomes a lot more likely that the person will understand your needs and what is required to ensure they are met. Just do not make the mistake of putting too much faith in any single real estate agent. You assuredly will need to perform your own homework. Leaving things completely to another person is never a great strategy to follow. Yet, working with a helpful real estate agent that understand how to meet the goals of a first time home buyer can be a very wise move.

Many of these tips for first time home buyers can be considered simpe common sense. The goal here is to acquire the best home at the best possible price to set the stage for attaining effective equity growth. Once again, following the tips presented herein can go a long way to attaining these goals.