The process of getting a mortgage is daunting for many people, especially if they are first-time home buyers. But you do not have to go through all the steps of this process alone. You can use the advice of an experienced and specialized mortgage broker. But familiarity with the steps of getting a mortgage can help you clear any ambiguities in this direction. Studying the steps mentioned in this section will answer your questions and make the decision easier for you.
1. Estimate your budget
Before starting the mortgage application process, it is necessary to take some steps. The most important thing to do is estimate your budget for buying a home and see how much you can afford to buy a home. This will create realistic expectations for you when choosing a property.
In other words, applicants should search for property prices based on their affordability to repay monthly mortgage instalments. For this reason, in the first stage, it is better to carefully determine the amount of your monthly payment for mortgage instalments, and in the next step, by considering the mortgage interest rate, you can determine the maximum purchasing power of your home.
This means that the interest rate on the mortgage is a critical factor in estimating the approximate value of the property you can purchase. Other factors such as taxes, administrative fees, premiums, and other mortgage-related expenses also affect the issue. So by considering all the factors that affect your affordability, you can focus on your maximum monthly payment capacity. In this case, you can be sure that your budget will cover all the current costs of the mortgage plus interest. You should also specify the amount of your savings to accurately assess your ability to pay in advance and other mortgage costs.
2. Getting in advance confirmation
After estimating your home purchase budget, it is recommended that you obtain a letter of approval from the lender. This letter shows how much you can get a mortgage based on your savings, credit, and income. It is recommended that you do this before submitting your application formally. Providing this document to the home seller indicates that you are eligible for a mortgage. Also, some lenders issue pre-qualification letters to some applicants with this letter.
3. Search and select a home
At this stage, you can search for the property you want and choose the property that best suits your needs.
4. Choose a suitable lender
Depending on the range of products available in the market, different rates and conditions are announced by lenders. So you may be wondering what kind of mortgages you qualify for? Meanwhile, the mortgage terms and conditions must be commensurate with your affordability. Therefore, it is recommended that you pay close attention to the terms and conditions of the mortgages offered by the lenders and always keep in mind that much better deals may be waiting for you. But keep in mind that comparing offers from lenders is a complex and challenging task.
5. Complete the mortgage application form
After selecting a lender and according to the rates and conditions announced by the lender, you should start receiving your mortgage by completing the mortgage application form. But, some of the steps related to this step have been done in the previous steps. But at this stage, you have to complete some other documents through underwriting. For example, at this stage, the lender may also ask you to document your income and financial statements and place a contract in front of you that includes the rates, terms, and costs associated with the mortgage.
6. Underwriting and request processing
After submitting the mortgage application, the processing step begins. The actions taken by the lender at this stage are:
- An independent estimate is made of the value of the property that the borrower buys.
- Prepares your documents for underwriting
- Prepares the necessary credit reports and required tax returns
- Review and evaluate the terms of the home insurance that will be purchased
At this stage, lenders mainly focus on the three factors of mortgage underwriting
- Capacity – Do you have enough cash to repay your monthly mortgage instalments?
- Credit – Your credit history shows that you have paid your debts on time
- Collateral – Is the value of the property you are buying enough to get a mortgage?
During the underwriting process, lenders may ask you some other questions and need to know more about your income, affordability, or financial circumstances, which you should answer quickly to avoid wasting time.
7. The final step
After completing all the steps mentioned above, you are now ready to meet and sign the contract forms and get your mortgage. Now you are the owner of the property! AWS Mortgages expert advisors are ready to assist borrowers in all stages of getting a mortgage. They can help you prepare the documents needed by lenders and provide the necessary credit reports.
In this way, they can complete the underwriting process in the shortest possible time. On the other hand, with years of experience in advising first-time homebuyers, they can help find the best options for borrowers by searching extensively for products on the market. In this way, the needs and goals of first-time buyers are met, if possible.