Back in the early days of ActiveRain, I published a series of articles entitled, "Adventures in 1st-Time Home Buying." It was an enjoyable, informative series that took 1st-Time Home Buyers through the entire home-buying proces, from start-to-finish. I thought it would be fun to go back and re-visit/refresh those articles, and add some corresponding videos to each article.
So here is the first installment of the series, "Tips for Choosing Your Lender."
The first crucial step in the home-buying process is identifying and committing to a good, experienced mortgage lender. While there are a number of basic qualities and characteristics that are important in choosing your lender, I want to share 3 tips that I think are important in vetting and deciding on which mortgage lender you use:
Reputable
Make sure that the mortgage lender you choose has a solid reputation in your local market, and has a proven track record for successfully closing loans. Ask your family members and friends for recommendations of lenders they've had good experience with. Check with your REALTOR to see if they have a preferred lender that they work with, that they trust and respect. Check out any online reviews to see how other Buyers have rated them.
Responsive
You deserve a lender who is easily accessible and responsive to your needs. If your lender isn't located in your time zone, it might be challenging to get ahold of them. Many times, while touring homes over the weekend, you might need an updated pre-approval letter to submit with an offer, or have a question regarding your financing. Will your lender pick up their phone over the weekend or after normal business hours? While it's obviously not realistic for most lenders to be available to their clients 24/7, the timeliness of their responses and the personal nature of their engagements will communicate that you are valued and important to them.
Relentless
You need a lender who is going to work hard for you and diligently represent your best interests. Make sure they have systems in place to ensure clear, consistent communication and accomplish key tasks throughout every stage of the home buying process.
Once you've committed to a qualified, experienced mortgage lender, they will help you determine the specific type of loan that is best suited for you, and establish a price range of homes that fits your budget.
My Preferred Mortgage Lender
In today's highly competitive market, your choice of mortgage lenders has become a critical decision, and can make the difference between getting your offer accepted or rejected!
That's why my preferred lender is Trevor Monette with Movement Mortgage. I can personally vouch for Trevor. Besides having all the knowledge and experience that comes from 15 years of mortgage lending, Trevor is a person of incredible integrity, and genuinely cares about each of his clients.
One of the unique aspects of Movement Mortgage is that before issuing you a loan pre-approval, they take all of your documentation up front, and process your file all the way through underwriting. This helps to ensure there are no issues or surprises down the road, conveys you as a solid, qualified Buyer, and gives you a competitive advantage over other buyers.
Join me for our next time in our series "Adventures in 1st-Time Home Buying" when we will discuss "Tips for Choosing Your REALTOR®"
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