What Condo Fee Should I Input Into The Calculator
If you aren’t purchasing a condo, then leave this at zero.
If you will be purchasing a condo, then you could give an estimate based on the type of property you are interest in buying…
Townhouse Style Condo: I would use $150 to $200 per month as an estimate for this type of property
Apartment Style Condo: I would use $300 to $400 per month as an estimate for this type of property.
These are just estimates, until and unless you have narrowed down your search, these numbers will work for now.
What Should I Input For The Total Monthly Loan & Lease Pmts Of The Calculator
For this section you should include the monthly payments that you make for any personal loans or vehicle loans or leases.
If you have a car lease that is $325 per month, then input “325”.
If you have a personal loan with a payment of $275/month and a car loan with a payment of 325/month, then add these two numbers together. $325 plus $275 equals $600, then input 600.
Sometimes you have loan or lease payments that are paid every 2 weeks, called bi-weekly. If you debt payment is bi-weekly, then you have to convert that payment to monthly.
To convert a bi-weekly payment to monthly you must multiply the bi-weekly payment by 26 and divide by 12.
Here is an example, you have a bi-weekly payment of $230. To convert this payment to monthly multiply by 26 and divide by 12. Therefore, $230 multiplied by 26 and divided by 12 equals $498.33. You could type in 498 or round up to 500.
Notice that a bi-weekly payment of $230 is not $460 per month. You can type in 460 if you wish, then look at the result. Then type in 500 and look at the result. Is it different?
Sometimes the payments will affect how much mortgage you can qualify for and sometimes they don’t. This difference really depends on your income and the total amount of the payments that you must make each month.
Why Calculate Mortgage Affordability
When you’re looking to buy a home, it’s handy to know how much you can afford. Being able to calculate an estimate of how much you’re able to borrow is an important part of setting your budget.
You also need to determine if you have enough cash resources to purchase a home. The cash required is derived from the down payment put towards the purchase price, as well as the closing costs that must be incurred to complete the purchase. We can help you estimate these closing costs with the first tab under the mortgage affordability calculator above.
Taken together, understanding how large a mortgage you can afford to borrow and the cash requirements involved will help you determine what kind of home you should be on the look out for. To learn more about mortgage affordability, and how our calculator works, have a read of the information below.
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How Long Does It Take To Get Pre
As long as you have all your documents ready, you should be able to get a mortgage pre-approval on the same day you visit your lender.
However, lots of debt, a history of previous foreclosures, and a low credit score can slow down the process. If any of these apply to you, the pre-approval process can be much longeranywhere from a few days to several monthsdepending on the complexity of your finances.
The only way to speed up the process is to give your lender all the documents listed above. Dont forget anything!
Limit Your Debt And Stay Current On Your Bills
Your pre-approval is dependent on several factors, such as your:
- Before getting pre-approved, keep your healthy by making all of your payments on time and keeping your credit card and loan balances low. Keep up these habits throughout the mortgage process.
- Debt: You may also want to pay off debts, if possible, to lower your debt-to-income ratio. A high DTI ratio reduces how much you can borrow on a mortgage, which influences your pre-approval letter.
- Income: Lenders also check your income by looking over your pay stubs, tax returns, and W-2 forms. Try not to change employers or alter your income before getting a pre-approval and during the mortgage process.
- Down payment: If you can afford to put down a large down payment, it shrinks the amount you need to borrow and reduces risk for the lender. This may improve your chances of qualifying for a mortgage and getting good loan terms.
- Employment history: Lenders might not check your employment history during the pre-approval process. Just keep in mind they will eventually call your employer to ask about your employment history and inquire about the likelihood of continued employment.
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What To Bring To Your In
We want you to be ready for the pre-approval process and being prepared will help. For your meeting, you should plan to bring the following:
- Current address
- Previous address
- Current employment information
- Previous employment information
- If self-employed, the last 2 years Notice of Assessments from your Income Tax return
- Value of properties, automobiles, investments, and savings
- Most recent statements for mortgages, loans and lines of credit
- Most recent credit card statements
- Estimated value of your home
- Housing expenses
- Financial information for your co-borrower, if applicable
- Social Insurance Number
Shop Around For A Great Pre
Just as youâll see several homes before settling on âthe oneâ, you should shop around for the best mortgage rate. Donât just go to your local bank branch and expect to receive a great deal. Do your research and compare mortgage rates, or use a mortgage broker who will negotiate on your behalf.
Even half a percentage point can make a huge difference in your regular payments and the amount of interest youâll pay over time. To see what we mean, plug in your numbers into our mortgage payment calculator, then change the interest rate in small steps. Youâll very quickly see what we mean!
What happens after your mortgage pre-approval? Generally, youâll have a 90 to 120 day period where your offered rate will be held for you. This is when you should start house hunting!
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How We Make Money
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
Selecting A Mortgage Lender
A first-time home buyer understandably might assume that all mortgage lenders offer the same thing: money to purchase a house. After all, mortgage lending is a competitive industry in which individual lendersespecially on the local levelrarely differentiate themselves in a publicly visible way.
Now that several large, national mortgage lenders have shifted the preapproval process online, buyers may feel tempted to proceed with the fastest or least-invasive option. Yet, small differences in mortgage lenders can help to avoid regrettable decisions and even secure meaningful savings over the long term.
A good mortgage lenders preapproval letter should carry significant weight with the real estate agent responsible for the property that the buyer most desires. The lender essentially builds this credibility through strong customer service. In this context, that means asking questions about why youre interested in homes at a particular price point, what monthly payment your budget can absorb and what else you may need your savings for.
Any lender can quickly preapprove a buyer for the maximum amount that their company permits based on certain variables. A listing agent will have learned over time, though, that these lenders customers are more likely to encounter issues before closing. This is one reason why real estate agents are a good source for finding a lender.
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How To Estimate Affordability
There is a rule of thumb about how much you can afford, based on the calculations your mortgage provider will make. The rule of thumb is you can afford a mortgage where your monthly housing costs are no more than 32% of your gross household income, and where your total debt load is no more than 40% of your gross houshold income. This rule is based on your debt service ratios.
Lenders look at two ratios when determining the mortgage amount you qualify for, which generally indicate how much you can afford. These ratios are called the Gross Debt Service ratio and Total Debt Service ratio. They take into account your income, monthly housing costs, and overall debt load.
The first affordability guideline, as set out by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation , is that your monthly housing costs â mortgage principal and interest, taxes, and heating expenses – should not exceed 32% of your gross household monthly income. For condominiums, P.I.T.H. also includes half of your monthly condominium fees. The sum of these housing costs as a percentage of your gross monthly income is your GDS ratio.
Gross Debt Service Ratio
What To Do If A Lender Refuses Your Mortgage Application
A lender could refuse you for a mortgage even if youve been preapproved.
Before a lender approves your loan, theyll verify that the property you want meets certain standards. These standards will vary from lender to lender.
Each lender sets their own lending guidelines and policies. A lender may refuse to grant you a mortgage if you have a poor credit history. There may be other reasons. If you dont get a mortgage, ask your lender about other options available to you.
Other options may include:
- approving you for a lower mortgage amount
- charging you a higher interest rate on the mortgage
- requiring that you provide a larger down payment
- requiring that someone co-sign with you on the mortgage
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What Does This Possibly Mean For Me
Based on your income, expenses, and the loan you selected, the amount above represents the most you will likely be comfortably able to pay for a home. This assumes that your total costs for your loan payments , taxes, and insurance should not be higher than 45% of your monthly income. Also, remember that you’ll have additional homeownership costs that you may need to factor into your monthly budget, including insurance, association fees, and maintenance expenses.Mortgage insurance expenseswhich you may have to pay if your down payment is less than 20%are not included in this calculation. We suggest that all buyers get pre-qualified or pre-approved prior to starting their new home search.
You selected an adjustable rate mortgage or ARM. Based on your income, expenses, and the loan you selected, the amount above represents the most you can comfortably afford to pay for a home*. This assumes that your total costs for your loan payments , taxes, and insurance should not be higher than 45%. Also, remember that you’ll have additional homeownership costs that you may need to factor into your monthly budget, including insurance, association fees, and maintenance expenses. Mortgage insurance expenseswhich you may have to pay if your downpayment is less than 20%are not included in this calculation. We suggest that for all buyers to get pre-qualified prior to starting their new home search.
Get Quotes From Different Mortgage Lenders
Just as you want to get the best deal on the house you buy, you also want to get the best deal on your home loan.
Every lender has different guidelines and interest rate options, which can have a big effect on your monthly payments. If you only get preapproved with one lender, youre stuck with what it has to offer. When you get preapproved with multiple lenders, you can choose the offer thats best for you. Many lenders offer the ability to apply for preapproval, including Bank of America,Better Mortgage and Rocket Mortgage.
Its important to do your homework before choosing potential lenders. You should research each lender and even the loan officer who would be handling your mortgage there can be a big difference in knowledge and experience depending on who processes your application.
After you choose some lenders, youll provide the information needed to complete the preapproval application process. An underwriter may examine your preapproval application to determine how much you can borrow. If an underwriter hasnt reviewed your application, you havent been fully preapproved so be sure to ask about the status of your application during the process.
Once the lender has all the documents it needs, it typically only takes a few days for the lender to let you know whether youre preapproved and how much youve been approved for. But the preapproval process can take longer if you have a past foreclosure, bankruptcy, IRS lien or poor credit.
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What Is Mortgage Prequalification
Prequalification is an early step in your homebuying journey. When you prequalify for a home loan, youre getting an estimate of what you might be able to borrow, based on information you provide about your finances, as well as a credit check.
Prequalification is also an opportunity to learn about different mortgage options and work with your lender to identify the right fit for your needs and goals.
Should I Negotiate The Final Mortgage Rate
If a lender agrees to loan you a mortgage, you are allowed to negotiate the terms and conditions which include the interest rate along with the amount and the term. You are more likely to be able to negotiate the rate if you have an excellent application that consists of a great credit score, a biggerdown-payment, lower monthly debt, or other things that may appeal to the lender. Many mortgage brokers are willing to buy-down the rate that they get from their lenders, giving you a discount on your interest rate. We suggest that you take the time to shop for rates offered by different lenders and decide what is best for you. Remember, the interest rate isn’t everything the other terms and conditions in a mortgage can make a big difference as well.
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Mortgage Preapproval In Hindsight
Katerina Matsa ultimately closed on her first home purchase in late 2018. Looking back, she only now appreciates the critical financial role that her lender played in the home buying process.
If I could go through the preapproval process again, I would have more thorough conversations with the lender about our mortgage options. I would ask more questions and make sure I fully understand various details. Everything happened so fast. That was the downside of starting the process so late.
Common Mistakes During The Preapproval Process
Any changes to your mortgage application after getting preapproved could affect your eligibility, interest rate, or home buying budget.
After getting preapproved for a mortgage, try to maintain the status quo until you close on the home. For example:
- Keep the same job
- Delay major purchases that could impact your credit or debttoincome ratio
- Protect your savings account
- Gather documentation for any large deposits into your bank accounts
If you do have any major changes in any of these areas, be sure to contact your lender as soon as possible.
Otherwise, by holding steady, you should be able to keep your mortgage preapproval intact and your home offer secure.
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How Can I Determine My Mortgage Payment
The Mortgage Payment Calculator helps you generate mortgage payment scenarios to see how different homes impact your budget. Before estimating your affordability, compare mortgage rates and see how they affect your payment. Just remember, lenders, base your debt ratios on a stress-tested payment. That means they simulate a higher payment based on rates that are at least two percentage points above typical rates. They do this to ensure you can afford higher rates in the future. This simulated payment is then used as a key input in lenders debt-ratio formulas.
Check out our Mortgage Guide for more information on how to apply for a mortgage.
Automatically Signing A Mortgage With The Lender That Pre
Getting a pre-approval letter does not obligate you to sign a mortgage with the lender that issues it. It may be the case that a different lender can offer you a better interest rate or terms on a mortgage, so don’t hesitate to shop around even if you have a pre-approval letter in hand. Doing so could result in big long-term savings.
Obtaining a pre-approval letter could give you a leg up in the course of searching for a home. Just be sure to avoid these traps after receiving one.
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What Affects Your Home Loan Preapproval
Your income and saving are two key factors that lenders will consider during the mortgage process. However, other factors can affect how long preapproval will take and whether or not youll be preapproved at all.
Employment Status
Self-employed individuals almost always have a more challenging time getting preapproved. In addition to meeting standard loan requirements, they are asked to prove their line of work and/or the ownership of their business.
Only borrowers who have an ownership interest of 25% or more in a business and are not W-2 employees are considered self-employed. However, there is an exception if the borrower can show a two-year history in a similar line of work, which includes having documentation that proves an equal or higher income in the new role compared to the W2 position.
Debt-to-Income Ratio
The debt-to-income ratio is the percentage of your monthly gross income that goes toward paying debts. There are two types of DTI that lenders will consider during the mortgage process: front-end and back-end. The first consists only of your housing-related expenses, whereas the latter also includes all your minimum required monthly debts.
The lower your DTI, the better your chances of securing a home loan. Anything over 50% is considered unacceptable by lenders, but keep in mind that the specific DTI requirements will vary depending on the type of loan you’re getting.
Loan-to-Value Ratio
