Thursday, December 20, 2018

Mortgages for Self-Employed People: Approval is Easier Than Many Think

Usually, the hassle involved in getting mortgages for self-employed people is believed to be substantial. But, in fact, business owners can get the funds necessary to buy their own homes quickly and easily.

It is generally believed that self-employed loan applicants have a more difficult time getting approval than employees. This makes sense, as the self-employed have little in the way of job security. But with a range of mortgages for self-employed people available, the chances of getting approval on a mortgage application is much higher than many would think.

There are some differences to the mortgage application for self-employed applicants. Usually, getting mortgage approval depends on factors like monthly income and job security, but these are aspects that the self-employed can rarely produce concrete documentation on. Businesses fail all the time, and in the current economic climate, this is a real possibility.

But as long as all of the relevant information is in order, and the documentation proving so provided, a lender has very little reason to reject a mortgage loan application. This means that by taking some simple preparatory steps, the chances of securing the mortgage desired is very real indeed.


Identify the Potential Problems

The first step towards improving your approval chances is to identify the problems that exist with mortgages for self-employed people. Once that is done, then a strategy can be formulated. The core problem, of course, is convincing lenders that current income levels can be at least maintained over the lifetime of the loan.

A fluctuating salary means there is little certainty that repayments can be made in the future, therefore getting mortgage approval is going to be more difficult. The good news is that lenders are keenly aware of this situation, so they compromise by looking instead at how finances have been managed by the applicant.

What this means is that if your house in in order (so to speak), then a lender can feel more comfortable about your ability to meet repayments. It is important then to ensure that finances ship-shape before applying for a mortgage loan.


Key Documentation Required 

There are some essential documents required for mortgages for self employed people that are not needed for normal mortgages. These relate to business certificates and licenses, and proof that the income and turnover figures provided are up to date and accurate, not works of fiction.

A business license is necessary to prove that the self-employed person is actually self-employed, and that their business does exist. Tax returns are necessary to show that the business is operating, but more importantly to show what profits are being made. Getting mortgage approval depends heavily on the likelihood of a sustained income, and a profitable business is the best indication of that.

Also, a Notice Of Assessment (NOA) is needed to show that everything is up to date, and your business is not behind on its taxes. If behind, this is a major debt that affects your loan-to-value ratio (LVT). And the LVT determines how large a mortgage loan is needed - 85% of the purchase price, perhaps.


Improving the Chances of Approval 

There are other steps that can be taken to improve the chances of getting approval too. For example, getting your finances in order really means clearing as much existing debt as possible so as to reduce the monthly outgoings. As with any mortgage, mortgages for self employed people depend on sufficient income being free to cover the repayments, and lower outgoings means more income to commit to the mortgage.

Also, getting mortgage approval is greatly helped by offering a large down payment. This lowers the size or the mortgage required, or the LTV as mentioned above. So if 20% of a home worth $200,000 is provided, then the mortgage loan minimum is $160,000.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Lara Sawyer is the author of this article. She works successfully as a financial advisor with years of expertise on Bad Credit Loans Guaranteed Approval. She publishes informative articles about Guaranteed Bad Credit Loans, home loans, credit cards, auto loans, business loans and others at http://www.fastguaranteedloans.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Balloon Mortgages Offer A Manageable Repayment Structure

In the current financial climate, more and more people are opting for balloon mortgages. That is understandable given the advantages that they offer, not least their ability to make life easier.

These difficult financial times have made it necessary to juggle the demands of modern living. When it comes to buying a home, the biggest challenge is to make sure the monthly repayments are met. Thanks to balloon mortgages, that challenge is being met more easily by a growing number of home owners.

The whole concept of these mortgages is to make repayments more manageable. With normal mortgages, the lender will have set out a strict schedule of repayments where interest and a percentage of the principal sum borrowed will have to be repaid. But the monthly payments are significantly lower because the percentage of the principal is greatly reduced.

Of course, this does not mean that the principal sum is ignored. Unfortunately, a large lump sum must be paid at the end, in effect leaving one balloon payment, so to speak, at the end of the mortgage term. Thus, the name. However, despite this fact, repaying balloon mortgages brings with it advantages that are too good to pass up.

Advantages

The main advantage of course, is the most obvious one. The monthly payments are much lower compared to those of a regular mortgage agreement. Since balloon mortgages leave a large portion of the principal to be paid at the end of the term, it means that the interest and a small percentage of the loaned sum is due.

For example, where a regular mortgage may demand repayments of USD5,000, including interest of USD125, the terms for repaying balloon mortgages could see the total fall to USD4,000. The USD1,000 difference is deferred, allowing the borrower to use the extra money to manage other aspects of living.

The second advantage is flexibility, which is central to the mortgage concept. It means that the borrower is in much more control of their payments than with alternative agreements. The reason for this is that there is only a minimal amount strictly due each month, and after that more can be paid to aid in the reduction of the overall sum.

So, if a home owner happens to enjoy a sudden boost in monthly income, then he or she can add a large additional sum to that monthly payment. An inheritance, for example, of just a few thousand dollars will help to reduce the size of the lump sum at the end of the mortgage term.

What is more, lenders of balloon mortgages are more open to restructure payments than with other mortgages.

Disadvantages

But with every blessing comes responsibility, so there are some negative aspects that must be considered. The biggest disadvantage to balloon mortgages is that the borrower faces a large final payment at the end of the term. This means that, if the home owner is not putting some money away over the course of the mortgage, then they will find themselves in a difficult financial situation.

The answer is to regularly save so as to balance off the monthly payments, which raises the argument that the savings made each month are not as significant as first thought. In all likelihood, a second loan will be needed to repay the final sum, effectively creating another debt.

Nevertheless, repaying balloon mortgages is easier for borrowers, and allows a quality of life to be enjoyed. And that is a highly attractive prospect for everyone.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Sarah Dinkins is a financial advisor who has been associated with Guaranteed Bad Credit Loans since long ago. To find Personal Loans, Guaranteed Unsecured Credit Card, and others visit http://www.badcreditfinancialexperts.com