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7 Ways for Homebuyers to Deal With Rising Interest Rates

02 Thursday Jun 2022

Posted by The Hanley Home Team in Uncategorized

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Buying a home, homes for sale in Jacksonville FL, interest rates, interest rates rising, Jacksonville FL Real Estate, Jacksonville Real Estate, Mortgage changes, mortgage rates, real estate, real estate advice, real estate information, Real Estate Team, real estate tips, rising interest rates, The best real estate agent in Jacksonville

If you’ve been considering buying a house — or if you’re actually in the process — you’ve probably heard two things quite a bit lately:

  1. Interest rates are on the rise.
  2. They’re still historically low.

Yes, they are still historically low, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re higher than if you’d just bought a house a little while ago. Kind of painful to hear, huh? 

What you’d probably rather hear is that rates and house prices will come down in the near future, so just hold on a little while and waiting will have paid off. Unfortunately, it’s looking like rates could go up even more in the near future, and house prices aren’t looking like they’ll definitely take a dramatic tumble. 

So let’s look at some ways you can deal with rising interest rates to make your payments as manageable as possible, and maybe even save some money.

  • Clean up your credit. The better your credit is, the better your rate will be. Take a look at your credit report and see if there’s anything glaringly wrong that you can have corrected. If it all looks foreign to you, ask your mortgage rep or a credit repair specialist to take a look and give you advice on anything they see that you could get corrected, pay off, or pay down in order to raise your credit score.
  • Shop around. Check with several lenders and see who offers you the best rate. Or go through a mortgage broker who has access to many lenders and can do the shopping for you. Be careful if one sounds way too good to be true; they could be quoting you a much better rate, but beware of the fees. If you have access to a credit union or a smaller local bank that knows you, make sure to check with them—they often have better rates because they lend their own money and / or have a closer relationship with their customers.
  • Buy discount points. Consider buying down your mortgage rate by paying “discount points.” These are fees you pay up front in order to get a lower mortgage rate. Buying a point will cost you 1% of your home loan and will generally buy your rate down by a quarter percent, although that can vary from lender to lender. Most will have a cap on how many points you can buy, and they also may offer you the option of buying lower increments than a full point. This is a good option if you plan on staying in the house for some time. Make sure to weigh how much it’ll cost you, and how long it’ll take to break even and then reap the benefits in terms of savings. 
  • Lock in your rate. Even though rates have already been on the rise, there’s a good chance they’ll go up even more. Rate locks are typically only offered for up to 60 days, so if you’re serious about buying soon, consider locking in at the current rate. Make sure to ask your lender how much a rate lock will cost you, if anything. Also find out if they offer a “float down” option, which will allow you to get a lower rate than you locked in at, if the rates do happen to come down before you close on your house.
  • Get an adjustable rate mortgage. Rates have been so low for so long that there wasn’t much demand for adjustable rate mortgages, since the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was so affordable. But now that people are trying to save money however they can on their rate, adjustable rate loans are making a comeback. These typically afford you a better interest rate at a fixed rate, but only for a certain number of years before they adjust (as the name suggests). They could adjust up or down, depending upon what rates are when the time comes. To be safe, plan on the worst-case scenario of the rate being higher when that day comes. The length of time you have before the rate adjusts is often 5, 7, 10, or 15 years. These are perfect if you’re not even thinking about staying in the house for a full 30 years. So, consider how long you plan on staying in your house, and opt for one that won’t adjust before you move so you won’t be affected by a rate adjustment at all. For instance, if you’re pretty sure you’ll move in the next decade, a 10-year ARM might be the way to go.
  • Pay biweekly. By paying half of your monthly mortgage payment once every two weeks, you end up making an extra payment per year. Doing this cuts years and lots of interest off of your loan. 
  • Refinance when rates go down. Keep an eye on mortgage rates. When they come down a good amount, refinance your mortgage at a lower rate.

So, even if rates aren’t as low as they were in the recent past, you still have some options and control over how much interest you have to pay. Use one, or a mix of the strategies above, and you’re bound to save money! Let’s strategize together…Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

Mortgage Interest Rates Are Rising, but You Can Still Get a Great Deal—Here’s How

21 Thursday Apr 2022

Posted by The Hanley Home Team in Uncategorized

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Buying a home, homes for sale in Jacksonville FL, Jacksonville FL Real Estate, Jacksonville Real Estate, Mortgage changes, mortgage rates, real estate, real estate advice, real estate information, Real Estate Team, real estate tips, The best real estate agent in Jacksonville

Mortgage rates are rising—and fast. According to data from Freddie Mac, the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit 4.16 percent the week ending March 17—the first time rates have exceeded 4 percent since May 2019.

But don’t panic! Rising interest rates don’t have to put your home purchase on hold; you just need the right strategies to get a good deal.

So what, exactly, are those strategies?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined strategies buyers can use to score a great deal on their home (even as mortgage interest rates rise!), including:

  • Purchase points for a lower rate. Mortgage rates may be on the rise—but you can still lock in a low rate. Points allow you to pay an upfront fee to lower the interest rate on your mortgage; generally, 1 point will lower your mortgage rate by 0.25 percent—and will cost you 1 percent of the loan. It’s an upfront cost, but it can drive significant savings over the course of the loan—so if you can purchase points to lower your rate, you’ll definitely want to consider it.
  • Target homes that come in under budget. As interest rates rise, your dollar won’t buy you as much house as it did at a lower rate. That’s why, if you want to keep your monthly mortgage payment at an affordable level, you should consider targeted homes that are under your budget.
  • Explore down payment assistance programs. As interest rates rise, you may not be able to get as competitive of a mortgage as you could have when rates were hovering near all-time lows. But you can still find ways to save money on your home purchase—including down payment assistance programs. There are a variety of assistance programs in place (for example, programs for first-time homebuyers and programs for civil servants, like firefighters or teachers)—so it’s definitely worth doing some research to see if there are any programs you qualify for.

The Takeaway:

Interest rates may be rising, but there are still great deals to be had—so if you’re thinking about buying a home, don’t let the increase in interest rates stop you! Get in touch!

Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTOR, SRES. Luxury OVER 1000 HOMES SOLD!
The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Lender

01 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by The Hanley Home Team in #HanleyHomeTeam, #HomeBuyer, #HomeBuyingTips, #HomeOwner, #housegoals, #househunting, #Jacksonville, #KellerWilliams, #Movingday, #RealEstate

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advice, Buying a home, buying your first home, Mortgage changes, real estate, tips for buying a home

two woman chatting 

Loan terms, rates, and products can vary significantly from one company to the next. When shopping around, these are a few things you should ask about.

 

General questions:

What are the most popular mortgages you offer? Why are they so popular?

Are your rates, terms, fees, and closing costs negotiable?

Do you offer discounts for inspections, home ownership classes, or automatic payment set-up?

Will I have to buy private mortgage insurance? If so, how much will it cost, and how long will it be required?

What escrow requirements do you have?

What kind of bill-pay options do you offer?

Loan-specific questions:

What would be included in my mortgage payment (homeowners insurance, property taxes, etc.)?

Which type of mortgage plan would you recommend for my situation?

Who will service this loan—your bank or another company?

How long will the rate on this loan be in a lock-in period? Will I be able to obtain a lower rate if the market rate drops during this period?

How long will the loan approval process take?

How long will it take to close the loan?

Are there any charges or penalties for prepaying this loan?

How much will I be paying total over the life of this loan?

Have any questions or are you ready to start your new home search in 2019? Give us a call today!  Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

What Should Homebuyers Know About Those Oct. 3 Changes?

15 Thursday Oct 2015

Posted by The Hanley Home Team in Uncategorized

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Buying a home, closing on a home, government changes, homes for sale in Jacksonville FL, HUD, lender changes, Mortgage changes, title, TRID

WASHINGTON – Sept. 18, 2015 – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released new online tools for its Know Before You Owe initiative yesterday to help consumers navigate mortgage process changes that occur on Oct. 3, 2015.

The Mortgage Bankers Association issued a separate consumer-friendly set of instructions last week.

“Homebuyers will ask their Realtor about the mortgage disclosure changes – what they should expect,” says Margy Grant, Florida Realtors vice president and general counsel. “And while Realtors must understand the impact on closings – such as the dates when certain documents must be submitted to close on time and changes to some Florida Realtors forms – a mortgage is still an agreement solely between a buyer and his or her lender.”

The CFPB offers help to buyers in a number of ways, including brochures, videos and infographics. In addition to explaining the new disclosures, CFPB includes a step-by-step overview of the mortgage process, a tool to help homebuyers decide how much they can afford to spend, and samples of the new Know Before You Owe mortgage forms, the Loan Estimate and the Closing Disclosure.

“Realtors play an important role in keeping consumers educated about changes in the home buying process, and that includes rules related to the Know Before You Owe initiative,” said National Association of Realtors® 2015 First Vice President-Elect Elizabeth Mendenhall, who joined CFPB Director Richard Cordray to announce the new tools.

“The journey to homeownership begins with Realtors, and CFPB’s new online tools are a great resource for agents to help clients shop for a mortgage and prepare for the changes coming their way,” Mendenhall said.

The Loan Estimate includes early estimated loan and closing costs so buyers can compare different lenders offers. The Closing Disclosure, which arrives within three days of closing, details the final transaction numbers. The three-day time period allows consumers to confirm that they’re getting what they expected, ask questions and negotiate any changes.

The Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure also mirror each other, which CFPB says will help buyers compare their initial estimates to the final loan terms.

The CFPB first launched “Owning a Home” in January but recently added new tools to help consumers navigate the mortgage experience.

© 2015 Florida Realtors®

The Hanley Home Team has your covered!  We are trained and ready to navigate through the noise.  Please call us and let us be your trusted experts when you buy and sell.  Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS, Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-422-7626 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

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