Menu

Frequently Asked Questions About Mortgage and More

Whether you are preparing to submit a loan application, locking in an interest rate, or refinancing, let our Mortgage FAQs be your guide.

When should I refinance?
  • It’s generally a good time to refinance when mortgage rates are 2% lower than the current rate on your loan. It may be a viable option even if the interest rate difference is only 1% or less. Any reduction can trim your monthly mortgage payments. Example: Your payment, excluding taxes and insurance, would be about $770 on a $100,000 loan at 8.5%; if the rate were lowered to 7.5%, your payment would then be $700, now you’re saving $70 per month. Your savings depends on your income, budget, loan amount, and interest rate changes. Your trusted lender can help you calculate your options.
What are points?
  • A point is a percentage of the loan amount, or 1-point = 1% of the loan, so one point on a $100,000 loan is $1,000. Points are costs that need to be paid to a lender to get mortgage financing under specified terms. Discount points are fees used to lower the interest rate on a mortgage loan by paying some of this interest up-front. Lenders may refer to costs in terms of basic points in hundredths of a percent, 100 basis points = 1 point, or 1% of the loan amount.
Should I pay points to lower my interest rate?
  • Yes, if you plan to stay in the property for a least a few years. Paying discount points to lower the loan’s interest rate is a good way to lower your required monthly loan payment, and possibly increase the loan amount that you can afford to borrow. However, if you plan to stay in the property for only a year or two, your monthly savings may not be enough to recoup the cost of the discount points that you paid up-front.
What is an APR?
  • The annual percentage rate (APR) is an interest rate reflecting the cost of a mortgage as a yearly rate. This rate is likely to be higher than the stated note rate or advertised rate on the mortgage, because it takes into account points and other credit costs. The APR allows homebuyers to compare different types of mortgages based on the annual cost for each loan. The APR is designed to measure the “true cost of a loan.” It creates a level playing field for lenders. It prevents lenders from advertising a low rate and hiding fees. The APR does not affect your monthly payments. Your monthly payments are strictly a function of the interest rate and the length of the loan. Because APR calculations are effected by the various different fees charged by lenders, a loan with a lower APR is not necessarily a better rate. The best way to compare loans is to ask lenders to provide you with a good-faith estimate of their costs on the same type of program (e.g. 30-year fixed) at the same interest rate. You can then delete the fees that are independent of the loan such as homeowners insurance, title fees, escrow fees, attorney fees, etc. Now add up all the loan fees. The lender that has lower loan fees has a cheaper loan than the lender with higher loan fees. The following fees are generally included in the APR:
    • Points – both discount points and origination points
    • Pre-paid interest. The interest paid from the date the loan closes to the end of the month.
    • Loan-processing fee
    • Underwriting fee
    • Document-preparation fee
    • Private mortgage-insurance
    • Escrow fee
    The following fees are normally not included in the APR:
    • Title or abstract fee
    • Borrower Attorney fee
    • Home-inspection fees
    • Recording fee
    • Transfer taxes
    • Credit report
    • Appraisal fee
What does it mean to lock the interest rate?

Mortgage rates can change from the day you apply for a loan to the day you close the transaction. If interest rates rise sharply during the application process it can increase the borrower’s mortgage payment unexpectedly. Therefore, a lender can allow the borrower to “lock-in” the loan’s interest rate guaranteeing that rate for a specified time period, often 30-60 days, sometimes for a fee.

What documents do I need to prepare for my loan application?

Below is a list of documents that are required when you apply for a mortgage. However, every situation is unique and you may be required to provide additional documentation. So, if you are asked for more information, be cooperative and provide the information requested as soon as possible. It will help speed up the application process.

Your Property

  • Copy of signed sales contract including all riders
  • Verification of the deposit you placed on the home
  • Names, addresses and telephone numbers of all realtors, builders, insurance agents and attorneys involved
  • Copy of Listing Sheet and legal description if available (if the property is a condominium please provide condominium declaration, by-laws and most recent budget)

Your Income

  • Copies of your pay-stubs for the most recent 30-day period and year-to-date
  • Copies of your W-2 forms for the past two years
  • Names and addresses of all employers for the last two years
  • Letter explaining any gaps in employment in the past 2 years
  • Work visa or green card (copy front & back)

If self-employed or receive commission or bonusinterest/dividends, or rental income:

  • Provide full tax returns for the last two years PLUS year-to-date Profit and Loss statement (please provide complete tax return including attached schedules and statements. If you have filed an extension, please supply a copy of the extension.)
  • K-1’s for all partnerships and S-Corporations for the last two years (please double-check your return. Most K-1’s are not attached to the 1040.)
  • Completed and signed Federal Partnership (1065) and/or Corporate Income Tax Returns (1120) including all schedules, statements and addenda for the last two years. (Required only if your ownership position is 25% or greater.)

If you will use Alimony or Child Support to qualify:

  • Provide divorce decree/court order stating amount, as well as, proof of receipt of funds for last year

If you receive Social Security income, Disability or VA benefits:

  • Provide award letter from agency or organization

Source of Funds and Down Payment

  • Sale of your existing home – provide a copy of the signed sales contract on your current residence and statement or listing agreement if unsold (at closing, you must also provide a settlement/Closing Statement)
  • Savings, checking or money market funds – provide copies of bank statements for the last 3 months
  • Stocks and bonds – provide copies of your statement from your broker or copies of certificates
  • Gifts – If part of your cash to close, provide Gift Affidavit and proof of receipt of funds
  • Based on information appearing on your application and/or your credit report, you may be required to submit additional documentation

Debt or Obligations

  • Prepare a list of all names, addresses, account numbers, balances, and monthly payments for all current debts with copies of the last three monthly statements
  • Include all names, addresses, account numbers, balances, and monthly payments for mortgage holders and/or landlords for the last two years
  • If you are paying alimony or child support, include marital settlement/court order stating the terms of the obligation
  • Check to cover Application Fee(s)
How is my credit judged by lenders?

Credit scoring is a system creditors use to help determine whether to give you credit. Information about you and your credit experiences, such as your bill-paying history, the number and type of accounts you have, late payments, collection actions, outstanding debt, and the age of your accounts, is collected from your credit application and your credit report. Using a statistical program, creditors compare this information to the credit performance of consumers with similar profiles. A credit scoring system awards points for each factor that helps predict who is most likely to repay a debt. A total number of points — a credit score — helps predict how creditworthy you are, that is, how likely it is that you will repay a loan and make the payments when due.
The most widely use credit scores are FICO scores, which were developed by Fair Isaac Company, Inc. Your score will fall between 350 (high risk) and 850 (low risk).
Because your credit report is an important part of many credit scoring systems, it is very important to make sure it’s accurate before you submit a credit application. To get copies of your report, contact the three major credit reporting agencies:
Equifax: (800) 685-1111
Experian (formerly TRW): (888) EXPERIAN (397-3742)
Trans Union: (800) 916-8800
These agencies may charge you up to $9.00 for your credit report.
You are entitled to receive one free credit report every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This free credit report may not contain your credit score and can be requested through the following website: https://www.annualcreditreport.com

What can I do to improve my credit score?

Credit scoring models are complex and often vary among creditors and for different types of credit. If one factor changes, your score may change — but improvement generally depends on how that factor relates to other factors considered by the model. Only the creditor can explain what might improve your score under the particular model used to evaluate your credit application.
Nevertheless, scoring models generally evaluate the following types of information in your credit report:

  • Have you paid your bills on time?
    Payment history typically is a significant factor. It is likely that your score will be affected negatively if you have paid bills late, had an account referred to collections, or declared bankruptcy, if that history is reflected on your credit report.
  • What is your outstanding debt?
    Many scoring models evaluate the amount of debt you have compared to your credit limits. If the amount you owe is close to your credit limit, that is likely to have a negative effect on your score.
  • How long is your credit history? 
    Generally, models consider the length of your credit track record. An insufficient credit history may have an effect on your score, but that can be offset by other factors, such as timely payments and low balances.
  • Have you applied for new credit recently? 
    Many scoring models consider whether you have applied for credit recently by looking at “inquiries” on your credit report when you apply for credit. If you have applied for too many new accounts recently, that may negatively affect your score. However, not all inquiries are counted. Inquiries by creditors who are monitoring your account or looking at credit reports to make “prescreened” credit offers are not counted.
  • How many and what types of credit accounts do you have?
    Although it is generally good to have established credit accounts, too many credit card accounts may have a negative effect on your score. In addition, many models consider the type of credit accounts you have. For example, under some scoring models, loans from finance companies may negatively affect your credit score.

Scoring models may be based on more than just information in your credit report. For example, the model may consider information from your credit application as well: your job or occupation, length of employment, or whether you own a home.

To improve your credit score under most models, concentrate on paying your bills on time, paying down outstanding balances, and not taking on new debt. It’s likely to take some time to improve your score significantly.

What is an appraisal?

An Appraisal is an estimate of a property’s fair market value. It’s a document generally required (depending on the loan program) by a lender before loan approval to ensure that the mortgage loan amount is not more than the value of the property. The Appraisal is performed by an “Appraiser” typically a state-licensed professional who is trained to render expert opinions concerning property values, its location, amenities, and physical conditions.

What is PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance)?

On a conventional mortgage, when your down payment is less than 20% of the purchase price of the home mortgage lenders usually require you get Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) to protect them in case you default on your mortgage. Sometimes you may need to pay up to 1-year’s worth of PMI premiums at closing which can cost several hundred dollars. The best way to avoid this extra expense is to make a 20% down payment, or ask about other loan program options.

What is 80-10-10 financing?

Surprising as it may seem, some folks with hefty incomes find that it’s mighty tough for them to save enough money to make a 20% cash down payment on their dream homes. Using conventional financing, such buyers must purchase Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) which increases the cost of home ownership and, ironically, makes it even more difficult to qualify for the mortgage. However, if you’re a dues-paying member of the cash-challenged class, don’t despair. Given that your income is sufficiently high, it’s eminently possible to avoid getting stuck with PMI. That is why 80-10-10 financing was invented. It is called 80-10-10 because a savings and loan association, bank, or other institutional lender provides a traditional 80% first mortgage, you get a 10% second mortgage, and make a cash down payment equal to 10% of the home’s purchase price. By using this method, you are no longer obligated to take out PMI on your property.
The same principle applies if you can only afford to make a 5% down, 80-15-5 financing is also available. However, because a smaller cash down payment increases the lender’s risk of default, do not be surprised when you are asked to pay higher loan fees and a higher mortgage interest rate for 80-15-5 than you pay for 80-10-10.

What happens at closing ?

The property is officially transferred from the seller to you at “Closing” or “Funding”.
At closing, the ownership of the property is officially transferred from the seller to you. This may involve you, the seller, real estate agents, your attorney, the lender’s attorney, title or escrow firm representatives, clerks, secretaries, and other staff. You can have an attorney represent you if you can’t attend the closing meeting, i.e., if you’re out-of-state. Closing can take anywhere from 1-hour to several depending on contingency clauses in the purchase offer, or any escrow accounts needing to be set up.
Most paperwork in closing or settlement is done by attorneys and real estate professionals. You may or may not be involved in some of the closing activities; it depends on who you are working with.
Prior to closing you should have a final inspection, or “walk-through” to insure requested repairs were performed, and items agreed to remain with the house are there such as drapes, lighting fixtures, etc.
In most states the settlement is completed by a title or escrow firm in which you forward all materials and information plus the appropriate cashier’s checks so the firm can make the necessary disbursement. Your representative will deliver the check to the seller, and then give the keys to you.

Have a Question? Talk to Our Expert.

Unlimited Mortgage Lending is here to help. If you have any questions about your dream house loan program, never hesitate to call.

1.) ONLINE PRIVACY STATEMENT

This Privacy Statement describes the online information collection and use practices of the Website UnlimitedMortgageLending.com (“UML”) and its corporate divisions and business affiliates. This Privacy Statement does not in any way describe UML’s offline information collection and use practices, or the practices UML employs when collecting information online through means other than the above-listed Website. An example of such additional information collection practices includes but is not limited to you as a customer of Unlimited Mortgage Lending, L.L.C., or site user sending UML an email message. “We” or “us” or “our” or “UML” refers to UnlimitedMortgageLending.com and its owners and/or affiliates. UML is strongly committed to protecting the Privacy of our customers.

2.) CHILDREN’S ONLINE PRIVACY “COPPA” INFORMATION

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 is a United States federal law, located at 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506.

The the following explains our practices with respect to the online collection and use of personal information from children under the age of 13, and provides important information on your rights under federal law with respect to such information:

We do NOT knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13. We screen users who wish to provide personal information in order to prevent users under the age of 13 from providing such information. If we become aware that we have inadvertently received personally identifiable information from a user under the age of 13, we will immediately delete such information from our records. If we change our collection practices in the future, we will obtain prior, verifiable parental consent before collecting any personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13. If at any time we establish or begin providing services on any website that in anyway meets the criteria of COPPA, we will ensure that full compliance is met in every aspect of COPPA.

Due to the fact we do NOT collect any personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13 we also do NOT knowingly distribute such information to any third party.

We do NOT knowingly allow children under the age of 13 to become customers, or otherwise, distribute personally identifiable contact information.

Due to the fact we do NOT collect any personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13, we do NOT condition the participation in any online activities of a child under the age of 13 on providing personally identifiable information. However, even as outlined above we do NOT knowingly allow children under the age of 13 to access and use UnlimitedMortgageLending.com in general.

3.) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS

UML its divisions and affiliates are committed to protecting your Privacy. This Privacy Statement is current as of the updated date listed above and sets forth our current privacy practices with regard to the information we collect when you or your computer interacts with our Website (s). By accessing UnlimitedMortgageLending.com or any affiliates or divisions, you as the end-user viewing this information and/or Website acknowledge and fully understand UML’s Privacy Statement and freely consent to the information collection and use practices described in this Privacy Statement. By submitting information to UML through this Website or otherwise, you are making an inquiry as to lending programs and services offered by UML and give UML permission to contact you through Email, fax, or telephone, or any means, even if your phone number is on a “Do Not Call” list.

If UML makes any substantive changes to this Privacy Statement we will announce it on our Website (s) and revise the current date listed. If you have provided us with the contact information, we will send you a notice to the email address we have on file for you. UML will not be responsible for inaccurate or outdated email addresses when supplying Privacy Statement updates. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, contact us at legal@unlimitedmortgagelending.biz. Once the changes have been made, your continued use and/or access of the Website will constitute your acceptance and consent to the information collection and use practices described in the revised Privacy Statement.

4.) PARTICIPATING ADVERTISER AND MERCHANT POLICIES

UnlimitedMortgageLending.com may contain links to websites owned and operated by unaffiliated third parties. These links are provided as a service to you as a customer and/or user and do not constitute UML’s endorsement or support of the third-party websites or the information or content contained within the third-party web sites. Related services and offerings with links from this Website have their own privacy statements that can be viewed by clicking on the corresponding links within each respective Website. Unaffiliated third parties who provide information and links through UML are encouraged to participate in industry privacy initiatives and to take a responsible attitude towards Privacy. However, since we do not have direct control over the policies or practices of participating merchants and other third parties, we are not responsible for and do not endorse the privacy practices or content of those sites. We recommend and encourage that you always review the privacy policies of any third parties before you provide any personal information or complete any transaction with such parties. Please contact each third party provider directly if you have any questions about their privacy policies or the information they require for you to complete any transaction.

5.) INFORMATION WE COLLECT AND HOW WE USE IT

UML collects certain information from and about its customers and users, subject to the provisions as outlined in Section 2 above, in the following ways which include but are not limited to: directly from our web server logs and from cookies. UnlimitedMortgageLending.com also collects information volunteered by you in several areas, including loan applications, mortgage information requests, account pages, logins, site registrations, and surveys. Certain information we request for you to participate in certain features within the website(s) may include but not be limited to personally identifiable information such as name, address, telephone and fax numbers, email address, and billing information. We will at all times inform you at the time we collect information, whether the information requested, is necessary for you to participate in a particular feature or access a particular product on the website(s).

We will not disclose personally identifiable information we collect from you to third parties without your permission except to the extent necessary including but not limited to, the following:

To fulfill your service requests for loan processing, services or funding authorizations

To respond to legal process including a court order or comply with federal, state or local law

In connection with a merger, acquisition, or liquidation of UML or its affiliates and business divisions

The information collected may also be used to respond to specific requests by you including sending you periodic information and special offers from UML or its affiliates and our sponsors and/or advertisers, to provide you with updates on offerings and features, to provide you with product information from affiliates in UnlimitedMortgageLending.com database, to provide notice of changes to Terms of Use and Privacy Statement. The information provided by you may also be used to better understand customers’ interests and usage behavior, and maybe collected and/or combined with information from affiliates of UML online or offline sources.

We may also supply the information you provide, on a strictly confidential basis, to service providers, such as title companies, appraisers, credit reporting services, etc., who assist us in qualifying, processing, closing and servicing your loan.

Credit Report Data: By submitting a loan application or a request to be pre-qualified to us, you authorize us to share your credit report with our affiliates only to process your loan application.

Newsletter Request: We may provide you with the opportunity to subscribe to E-newsletters and other Email based communications. You may unsubscribe by following the instructions provided in each Email newsletter. UML follows all CAN-SPAM Act 2003 regulations.

  • Use of Cookies, Web Server Logs and other electronic information collection mechanisms.

When you visit our Website (s), we may track information to administer the Site and analyze its usage. Examples of information we may track include:

  • Your computer’s Internet protocol address or I.P. address.
  • The kind of web browser or the computer you use.
  • Number and type of links you click within the Site.
  • Locality including the state or country from which you accessed the Site.
  • Date and time of your visit(s).
  • Name of your Internet service provider.
  • Pages you viewed on the Site.

I.P. addresses are collected for system administration purposes and for use in studying how people use our Site (s) and how UML can improve the use of the Site. UML may use cookies to personalize or enhance your user experience. A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your hard disk by a Web page server. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. Cookies are uniquely assigned to you, and can only be read by a Web Server in the domain that issued the cookie to you.

One of the primary purposes of cookies is to provide a convenience feature to save you time. For example, if you personalize a web page or account or navigate within the Site, a cookie helps the site to recall your specific information on subsequent visits. Hence, this simplifies the process of delivering relevant content and eases site navigation by providing and saving your preferences and login information as well as providing personalized functionality.

UML may use cookies to identify customers and to automatically give them access to previously stored information. UML may also use cookies to estimate our audience size and usage patterns and to track the aggregate number of customer returns at our web site(s). UML may also use cookies to simplify certain processes on the Website (s), including but not limited to the filing out of certain forms.

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies by changing certain settings of your web browser. If you reject cookies by changing your browser settings, then be aware that this may disable some of the functionality on our Website.

You agree to receive automated educational/promotional/informational messages. This agreement is not a condition of purchase. Receive up to 8 messages per month. Reply STOP to opt-out or HELP for help. Message & data rates apply. 

Unlimited Mortgage Lending, LLC, respects your rights to privacy. We treat you the way we want to be treated. Please be advised that we have strict rules that forbid us from providing any of your information to any third party. We are governed by Regulation P, which states that no NON-PUBLIC information is to be provided to any persons/entities that are NOT involved in procuring a mortgage on your behalf.

                                  ******************************

The information that you provide to Unlimited Mortgage Lending, LLC either via the website, email, phone, SMS, and or any other digital means will not be shared.

                                 *******************************

As a standard practice, we do not provide any of your information to anybody who is not engaged by Unlimited Mortgage Lending, LLC in securing a residential loan on your behalf. We do not sell any information to any third parties. Unlimited Mortgage Lending, LLC has no affiliates and is a privately held company. For more information about our privacy policy please Go to https://www.unlimitedmortgagelending.com/privacy-policy/