At Community Lending Group, we walk you through the entire process of a mortgage loan and home purchase. For many people, the real struggle of this process doesn’t come in actually securing a mortgage – it comes in finding a great home based on the amount you were able to secure in a loan.
Do you continuously find that you’re coming up short in a seller’s market, or are you looking for some tips for entering this market for the first time? You’ve come to the right place. Here is some basic advice on how to strengthen your buying position after securing a home loan.
Quick Closing
Because we’re in a seller’s market, you need to be prepared to commit and move forward when you find a home that’s in your range and that you enjoy. You can quickly be undercut by other buyers, especially if the property is highly desirable. If you can pay cash instead of escrow for your down payment, this could speed things up. Don’t rush the process too much, of course – you need to allow the proper time for closing.
Counters
Prepare solid offers for a seller, and know that it’s often standard for you to receive a counter. Many sellers will get multiple offers, and may want to pare down realistic buyers from others. Do know that a seller won’t always consider your offer best just because you offer the most money – others might have concerns like escrow or buyer qualifications, and may prioritize these over the actual dollar amount.
Pre-Approval
Don’t confuse pre-approval with pre-qualification – the latter is a much less formal, non-binding assessment while the former is a vital and necessary task. You’ll have to provide documentation and background checks for mortgage pre-approval, and at the end of the process, you’ll have a strong picture of what you can afford. You’ll also want a strong underwritten mortgage commitment, which can help you win purchase offers over similar applicants.
For more on strengthening buying position, or to find out about any of our home loan services, speak to the pros at Community Lending Group today.
