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Refinancing in Hammonton NJ: Credit Tips That Will Score Lower Interest Rates

Refinancing in Hammonton NJ:

Credit Tips That Will Score Lower Interest Rates

A good credit score translates into lower interest rates for refinance-shopping borrowers. In a mortgage lender's eyes, the higher your score is, the less risk you are, and the more likely it is you will pay off your debt. For this reason, borrowers with lower scores usually end up paying higher interest rates on their loans.

If this is you, don't panic. There are a number of things you can do to adjust your credit score to receive a favorable review from the underwriter. Here are a few suggestions:

Should I pay off all my past due balances and charge-offs?

This is usually a good idea, but you only need to worry about the past due balances and charge-offs that have occurred in the last two years. Items more than two years old have little effect on your current credit score. In fact, if you pay off delinquent items over two years old, it can actually bring your credit score down - something you don't want to do. Bringing that score up means you'll get a better interest rate on your loan.

Should I close existing credit card accounts that I don't use?

No. Part of your credit score is based upon credit history. If you have old credit cards that you don't use very much, you still have the benefit of the credit history they represent.

Rather than trying to pay off all your credit cards, you can move part of the debt from one card to another to even out the distribution of debt. Try to keep balances as close to zero as possible, and definitely below 30% of the available credit limit when trying to purchase a home. Also, if your credit provider will increase your line of credit, the ratio of debt to available credit is automatically reduced.

When married couples have separate credit card accounts, the debt can be transferred from one spouse to another to clear up credit issues for the other spouse. That spouse with clean credit can be designated as the sole borrower on the loan, but ownership of the home can still go in both names.

What about errors on my credit report?

If you have items that are showing up on your credit report that you know you have already paid, request that these items be removed by the credit bureau. They are obligated to rectify this within 30 days.

If there are items on your credit report that are less than two years old, send in your payment if possible and mark the back of the check with the following notation: "Accepting this check is evidence that the transaction is complete and this charge will be deleted from my credit record." If necessary, the cancelled check will be proof that this should be promptly removed from your credit report if it interferes with the closing of your loan.

Karl Peidl
Lincoln Mortgage Company
251 Bellevue Avenue, Suite 102
Hammonton, NJ 08037

609-878-7013

kpeidl@supmort.com

http://karltalksmortgages.com/

Pennsylvania: Licensed by the PA Department of Banking as a First Mortgage Banker and licensed pursuant to the PA Secondary Mortgage Loan Act. New Jersey: Licensed by the N. J. Department of Banking and Insurance Maryland: Authorized Mortgage Lender by the State of Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation. Florida: Licensed Mortgage Lender by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. Delaware: Licensed Lender by the Delaware Office of the State Bank Commissioner.

Karl Peidl
Lincoln Mortgage Company
251 Bellevue Avenue, Suite 102
Hammonton, NJ 08037

© Copyright 2009. All About News, Inc

2 comments • Karl Peidl - Accredited Loan Consultant • August 31 2009 09:36AM

Score: What is it Good For?

The Elements of a Credit Score

A credit score is an extremely important financial tool. It provides access to the financing you need in order to buy a car, a home, or pay for college tuition, among other things. Since higher scores equate to lower costs and vice versa, it's vital to understand the factors involved in calculating your score. Here are the five elements that make up a credit score, in order of importance:

Payment History: 35% impact. Paying debt on time has a positive impact. Late payments, judgments, and charge-offs have a negative impact. Delinquencies that have occurred in the last two years carry more weight than older items.

When applying for a mortgage, every point in your credit score can make a big difference. So don't make any major financial or credit decisions - even paying off an old debt or delinquency - without first discussing it with your mortgage professional.

Outstanding Credit Balances: 30% impact. This factor marks the ratio between the outstanding balance and available credit. Ideally, consumers should make an effort to keep balances as close to zero as possible, and definitely below 30% of the available credit limit when planning to enter into a loan transaction within 3-6 months.

Credit History: 15% impact. This marks the length of time since a particular credit line was established. A seasoned borrower is stronger in this area.

Type of Credit: 10% impact. A mix of auto loans, credit cards, and mortgages is more positive than a concentration of debt from credit cards alone.

Inquiries: 10% impact. This quantifies the number of inquiries (or requests for credit) that have been made on a consumer's credit history within a 6-12 month period. Each individual inquiry - up to 10 - can hurt your credit score by as much as 5 to 30 points. Any additional inquiries thereafter will not affect your credit score.

In other words, don't start the loan process until you're ready to act. Otherwise each individual credit inquiry could cost you. However, scoring models have now been adjusted to count multiple "hard" inquiries within a 45-day period as a single request. So, when you're ready, your credit will be too.

If you or anyone you know has any questions about credit scores or what can be done to repair them, please don't hesitate to call.

Superior Home Mortgage Corp. licensed in DE, FL, GA: Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee #14511, MD, MI, NY: Licensed Mortgage Banker - NY State Banking Department, NC, PA, SC, VA: Virginia State Corporation Commission License # MLB-566, & DC. Superior Mortgage Corp. licensed in CT, MA: Mortgage Lender License # MC3208, NJ: Licensed Mortgage Banker - NJ Department of Banking, RI: Rhode Island Licensed Lender & Broker, & TN. SHM Mortgage Licensed by the New Hampshire Banking Department

Karl Peidl
Superior Mortgage Corp
Augusta Professional Center 854 S White Horse Pike
Hammonton, NJ 08037

800-706-6671

kpeidl@supmort.com

www.karlpeidlsmc.com

www.facebook.com/newjerseymortgages

0 comments • Karl Peidl - Accredited Loan Consultant • July 22 2009 11:31AM

Credit Scores: Why Should I Care?

It's not just banks and lenders that rely on credit scores to help make important credit decisions. Landlords, employers, insurance companies, and even cell phone and other utility companies all reportedly utilize credit scores to help determine their business and credit relationships with consumers. This means that your credit is the most important component of your entire financial portfolio. Because of this, monitoring and managing your FICO score is vital, especially if you're looking to buy or refinance a home anytime in the near future.

The FICO scoring system was created in the 1960s by Fair Isaac Corporation and has been the standard for lenders since the 1980s. FICO credit scores typically range between a low score of 300 and a high score of 850. Under the FICO system, securing credit becomes less expensive for borrowers with higher scores (those who represent the least risk) and more expensive for borrowers with lower scores (those who represent the most risk). In fact, when it comes to a mortgage, a lower credit score could easily cost a consumer hundreds of thousands of dollars more in interest throughout the life of the loan, compared to the same loan with a higher score.

FICO Scores	APR	Monthly Payment
760-850	5.751%	$1,751
700-759	5.973%	$1,793
660-699	6.257%	$1,849
620-659	7.067%	$2,009
580-619	9.165%	$2,449
500-579	10.194%	$2,676

Source: Myfico.com (30 year fixed-rate mortgage on $300,000)

The above chart from MyFico.com clearly reveals the relationship between higher FICO scores and lower interest rates and monthly mortgage payments. According to Experian®, one of the three main credit bureaus in the US, FICO scores also accurately reflect "the likelihood of a borrower becoming delinquent on a loan or credit obligation in the future." In other words, the FICO scoring model looks to the past to "predict" the future risk a borrower represents to a bank or lender, and then prices the loan accordingly.

Not long ago, a FICO score of 680 was pretty good. In a tough credit market like today's, however, a 680 could be devastating to the bottom line of consumers looking to buy or refinance a home. In fact, thanks to Loan Level Price Adjustments (LLPA) from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, having less than a 720 in today's credit environment will cost you big: up to 2% in points or up to a 1% increase in your interest rate!

LLPAs are mandatory surcharges based strictly on credit scores. They are additional fees paid to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, not your mortgage professional. Analysts suggest that imposing these "penalties" is a blatant effort to recoup - and to help lessen further losses - on foreclosures. The surcharge could mean thousands of dollars for borrowers who do not monitor and maintain a good credit rating.

If you're thinking about buying, selling, or refinancing a home, you have to be credit ready. Give us a call today for a free credit consultation. We'll pull your credit and see where you stand. Remember, effective credit repair, if necessary, could take up to 3-6 months, so act now and be credit ready in no time.

Karl Peidl
Superior Mortgage Corp
Augusta Professional Center 854 S White Horse Pike
Hammonton, NJ 08037

800-706-6671 ext 4349

kpeidl@supmort.com

www.karlpeidlsmc.com

www.facebook.com/newjerseymortgages