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FICO Scores and Your Mortgage Three years ago, credit scoring had little to do with mortgage lending. When reviewing the credit worthiness of a borrower, an underwriter would make a subjective decision based on past payment history.
Then things changed.
Lenders studied the relationship between credit scores and mortgage delinquencies. There was a definite relationship. Almost half of those borrowers with FICO scores below 550 became ninety days delinquent at least once during their mortgage. On the other hand, only two out of every 10,000 borrowers with FICO scores above eight hundred became delinquent.
So lenders began to take a closer look at FICO scores and this is what they found out. The chart below shows the likelihood of a ninety day delinquency for specific FICO scores.
FICO Score Odds of a Delinquent Account
============ ============================
595 2 to 1
600 4 to 1
615 9 to 1
630 18 to 1
645 36 to 1
660 72 to 1
680 144 to 1
780 576 to 1
If you were lending a couple hundred thousand dollars, who would you want to lend it to?
FICO Scores, What Affects Them, How Lenders Look At Them
Imagine a busy lending office and a loan officer has just ordered a credit report. He hears the whir of the laser printer and he knows the pages of the credit report are going to start spitting out in just a second. There is a moment of tension in the air. He watches the pages stack up in the collection tray, but he waits to pick them up until all of the pages are finished printing. He waits because FICO scores are located at the end of the report. Previously, he would have probably picked them up as they came off. A FICO above 700 will evoke a smile, then a grin, perhaps a shout and a "victory" style arm pump in the air. A score below 600 will definitely result in a frown, a furrowed brow, and concern.
FICO stands for Fair Isaac & Company, and credit scores are reported by each of the three major credit bureaus: TRW (Experian), Equifax, and Trans-Union. The score does not come up exactly the same on each bureau because each bureau places a slightly different emphasis on different items. Scores range from 365 to 840.
Some of the things that affect your FICO scores:
- Delinquencies
- Too many accounts opened within the last twelve months
- Short credit history
- Balances on revolving credit are near the maximum limits
- Public records, such as tax liens, judgments, or bankruptcies
- No recent credit card balances
- Too many recent credit inquiries
- Too few revolving accounts
- Too many revolving accounts
Sounds confusing, doesn't it?
The credit score is actually calculated using a "scorecard" where you receive points for certain things. Creditors and lenders who view your credit report do not get to see the scorecard, so they do not know exactly how your score was calculated. They just see the final scores.
Basic guidelines on how to view the FICO scores vary a little from lender to lender. Usually, a score above 680 will require a very basic review of the entire loan package. Scores between 640 and 680 require more thorough underwriting. Once a score gets below 640, an underwriter will look at a loan application with a more cautious approach. Many lenders will not even consider a loan with a FICO score below 600, some as high as 620.
FICO Scores and Interest Rates
Credit scores can affect more than whether your loan gets approved or not. They can also affect how much you pay for your loan, too. Some lenders establish a "base price" and will reduce the points on a loan if the credit score is above a certain level. For example, one major national lender reduces the cost of a loan by a quarter point if the FICO score is greater than 725. If it is between 700 and 724, they will reduce the cost by one-eighth of a point. A point is equal to one percent of the loan amount.
There are other lenders who do it in reverse. They establish their base price, but instead of reducing the cost for good FICO scores, they "add on" costs for lower FICO scores. The results from either method would work out to be approximately the same interest rate. It is just that the second way "looks" better when you are quoting interest rates on a rate sheet or in an advertisement.
--FICO Scores and Mortgage Underwriting Decisions --
FICO Scores as Guidelines
FICO scores are only "guidelines" and factors other than FICO scores affect underwriting decisions. Some examples of compensating factors that will make an underwriter more lenient toward lower FICO scores can be a larger down payment, low debt-to-income ratios, an excellent history of saving money, and others. There also may be a reasonable explanation for items on the credit history which negatively impact your credit score.
They Don't Always Make Sense
Even so, sometimes credit scores do not seem to make any sense at all. One borrower with a completely flawless credit history had a FICO score below 600. One borrower with a foreclosure on her credit report had a FICO above 780.
Portfolio & Sub-Prime Lenders
Finally, there are a few "portfolio" lenders who do not even look at credit scoring, at least on their portfolio loans. A portfolio lender is usually a savings & loan institution who originates some adjustable rate mortgages that they intend to keep in their own portfolio instead of selling them in the secondary mortgage market. They may look at home loans differently. Some concentrate on the value of the home. Some may concentrate more on the savings history of the borrower. There are also "sub-prime" lenders, or "B & C paper" lenders, who will provide a home loan, but at a higher interest rate and cost.
Running Credit Reports
One thing to remember when you are shopping for a home loan is that you should not let numerous mortgage lenders run credit reports on you. Wait until you have a reasonable expectation that they are the lender you are going to use to obtain your home loan. Not only will you have to explain any credit inquiries in the last ninety days, but numerous inquiries will lower your FICO score by a small amount. This may not matter if your FICO is 780, but it would matter to you if it is 642.
Don't Buy A Car Just Before Looking for a Home!
In conclusion, a word of advice not directly related to FICO scores. When people begin to think about the possibility of buying a home, they often think about buying other big ticket items, such as cars. Quite often when someone asks a lender to pre-qualify them for a home loan there is a brand new car payment on the credit report. Often, they would have qualified in their anticipated price range except that the new car payment has raised their debt-to-income ratio, lowering their maximum purchase price. Sometimes they have bought the car so recently that the new loan doesn't even show up on the credit report yet, but with six to eight credit inquiries from car dealers and automobile finance companies it is kind of obvious. Almost every time you sit down in a car dealership, it generates two inquiries into your credit.
Credit History is Important
Nowadays, credit scores are important if you want to get the best interest rate available. Protect your FICO score. Do not open new revolving accounts needlessly. Do not fill out credit applications needlessly. Do not keep your credit cards nearly maxed out. Make sure you do use your credit occasionally. Always make sure every creditor has their payment in their office no later than 29 days past due.
And never ever be more than thirty days late on your mortgage. Ever.
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Real Estate, Houses , Homes, Cottages, Lake Huron Waterfront Property, Waterfront Property on Inland Lakes,Land, Tawas, East Tawas, Tawas City, AuGres, Oscoda Michigan
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WELCOME TO NORTHEASTERN LOWER MICHIGAN!
Best Choice Realty, Inc. means this sincerely and knows that once you visit NORTHEASTERN LOWER MICHIGAN you, too, will feel the same way we do about the abundance of nature and beauty to be found in NORTHEASTERN LOWER MICHIGAN!
Iosco County, Arenac County and Ogemaw County are just an hours drive north of Saginaw, but offer a full range of recreational activities for those seeking an escape from city life. The Huron National Forest offers excellent hunting and the AuSable River has great fishing. Near Hale, Sand Lake Heights and the surrounding areas there are hiking, snowmobile and cross country ski trails and many all sports lakes for swimming, water skiing and fishing. And, of course, Au Gres is on the shore of Saginaw Bay and Tawas, East Tawas and Oscoda are on the shores of Lake Huron. So come up to Iosco County, Arenac County and Ogemaw County, check out the real estate available here and enjoy life!
Best Choice Realty, Inc. maintains an outstanding reputation in the real estate profession and we can assure you that YOU and YOUR needs are our #1 priority. Our real estate office and associates are members of real estate multi-list services (RMLS) covering Iosco County, Arenac County, Ogemaw County and Alcona County.
Our high quality staff of professional Real Estate Consultants have been trained to make your real estate move go as smoothly as possible. Each real estate associate is kept up to date with the real estate market and the changes in the real estate industry by ongoing real estate training and informational meetings. We're proud to have real estate agents that go the " extra mile " to provide you with the utmost in professional real estate service. We are locally owned and staffed by individual real estate agents who have spent years living and working in this area. We know the area and we know the real estate market.
We are a full service real estate company offering sellers agency, buyers agency, broker price opinions and real estate consulting. We have residential, commercial, resort, lakefront, acreage, hunting land and recreational properties available. If you are considering a move, or just have a question concerning real estate, don't hesitate to contact us. We personally guarantee the highest level of professional service...
Sincerely,
Michael D. Fournier
President/Associate Broker
BUYERS: "LOYALTY PAYS OFF"
Some buyers like to leave their name with three or four sales people. Although it may seem to be to the buyer's advantage to have a number of real estate agents to work with, it is usually a very ineffective approach. The assumption is that many real estate agents will produce more results than working exclusively with one. THIS IS NOT TRUE! YOU NEED THE TOTAL COMMITMENT OF ONE REAL ESTATE AGENT. My advice to you is to find a Realtor whom you feel will get the results you need. Tell this real estate agent that you will work exclusively with him or her ( SIGNING A BUYERS AGENCY CONTRACT IS RECOMMENDED ) as long as you see the effort required to get the job done. In this way, you will have a dedicated real estate agent who will take on the personal responsibility of handling all the details of your home purchase.
REAL ESTATE AGENTS are paid on a straight commission basis. They don't receive a salary. They are not on an expense account. They don't get paid unless they SELL YOU SOMETHING. This is why working with more than one agent is not a good idea. None of the real estate agents know if their efforts will result in any income. If a agent knows that you will be loyal to them that is all the motivation needed to provide, a real estate agent, dedicated to getting the job done right.
PRICING YOUR HOME TO SELL
Get a comparative market analysis.
EXPIRED
Out of range. Up to 35% of all homes put on the market never sell. The prices at which these homes expired represent the overpriced range. IF YOU PRICE HERE, THEN YOUR LISTING WILL ALSO EXPIRE!
CURRENTLY FOR SALE
Represents the upper end of the market. These are asking prices only. They have not been attained in the real estate market. Examine the number of days on the market and if it has been a long time, the homes(s) is/are priced to high.
SOLDS: - TRUE MARKET VALUE.
NEVER SELECT A REAL ESTATE AGENT BASED ON THE PRICE THAT THEY TELL YOU!
A real estate agent has no control over the price the market will allow. SELECT YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT FIRST based on competence of the real estate agent, company and services provided. Don't encourage or allow the real estate agents to " bid the price up", by telling you what they think you want to hear, to get the listing. True professional real estate agents will give you candid feed back and factual information, based on "SOLD PROPERTIES", so you can price within the "MARKET".
BENEFITS TO PROPER PRICING
1. FASTER SALE
2. LESS INCONVENIENCE
3. EXPOSURE TO MORE PROSPECTS
4. BETTER RESPONSE FROM ADVERTISING AND DRIVE BY CALLS
5. INCREASED SALESPERSON RESPONSE
6. ATTRACTS HIGHER OFFERS
7. MEANS MORE MONEY TO SELLERS
REASONS SELLERS USE WHEN OVERPRICING
1. WE'VE MADE IMPROVEMENTS: Improvements should be made for enjoyment, not for sale. You cannot add an item to a home, select it to your style, use it, then expect a buyer to pay the original cost.
2. WE NEED THE MONEY: An owners need for money does not increase the value of the home.
3. BUYING IN A HIGHER REAL ESTATE MARKET: Real estate values are location specific. High real estate values in the destination market/home do not increase the value of your existing home.
4. WE PAID THIS MUCH: Chances are you paid market value. It's not that the price was too high, but sometimes the market experiences subsequent changes. The real estate market is effected by interest rates, the economy and supply and demand.
PRINCIPLES OF VALUATION
1. COST - The amount actually paid for a property plus any capital improvements made since the purchase.... 2. PRICE - The stated amount an owner is willing to accept for a property.... 3. VALUE - The amount a single buyer is willing to pay given a certain set of circumstances.... 4. MARKET VALUE - The amount many buyers would pay a reasonable, willing, seller. It is based on the history of similar real estate recently sold in the area.
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Tawas Michigan Real Estate, Tawas City Michigan Real Estate, East Tawas Michigan Real Estate, Oscoda Michigan Real Estate, Au Gres Michigan Real Estate, AuGres Michigan Real Estate, Hale Michigan Real Estate, Iosco County Michigan Real Estate, Arenac County Michigan Real Estate, Alcona County Michigan Real Estate, Ogemaw County Michigan Real Estate, National City Michigan Real Estate, Sand Lake Heights Michigan Real Estate, Hale Michigan Real Estate, Lake Huron Michigan Real Estate, Northern Michigan Real Estate, Northeastern Michigan Real Estate. Providing a superior level of informed, professional real estate services, CMA'S, BPO's, Consulting, to buyers and sellers in the greater Northern Michigan Real Estate Market, Tawas City, East Tawas, Sand Lake Heights, National City, Oscoda, Au Gres, Hale, Greenbush, Tawas, Iosco County, Arenac County, Alcona County and Ogemaw County, Michigan.
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