HOMEBUYER HELP CENTER
Home.
It’s a term that carries deeper meaning with each passing day. Home is where you live, where you work, where you play. That sense of belonging motivates many to invest in the future by purchasing their first home. It may feel like an overwhelming goal, but as with any complicated journey, it’s reassuring to have an experienced navigator to help guide your steps.
We want to be your lender. Let us put decades of local mortgage experience to work for you in each step of the process from homebuyer to homeowner. We’ve created a roadmap and educational information to help illustrate the process and best practices for buying your first house. If you’d prefer to speak to an experienced lender, our mortgage loan officers stand ready to assist.
Get Started
If the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, the journey to become a first-time homeowner starts with research and education. Use these helpful articles, checklists and financial calculators to launch your homebuying adventure.
Home Buying 101
When the time is right to buy your first home, you’ll have lots of questions about the process of obtaining and maintaining a mortgage. We’re here to help with answers and information. Any remaining questions you may have can be directed to our helpful and experienced loan officers who stand ready to assist you turn the dream of homeownership into reality.
Read More
Choosing a Lender
First-time homebuyers should choose a qualified home lender, avoiding predatory lenders who pressure customers into unsuitable mortgages.
Read More
An experienced mortgage lender follows trends in the local and national mortgage industry that may affect first-time homebuyers. Give our loan officers a call for a personalized assessment of how market forces may affect first-time homebuyers.
Get Serious
You’ve read the articles and watched the how-to videos. It’s time to move from theory to practice, assessing your personal financial position and discovering the products, services and programs that are available to first-time buyers in your position.
What Is a Mortgage Lien?
This article will help you understand the difference between voluntary and involuntary liens and how they affect mortgage financing.
Read More
Private Mortgage Insurance, Explained
Borrowers who put up less than twenty percent of the purchase price as a down payment on a conventional mortgage are required by the lender to purchase a private mortgage insurance policy. So, what exactly is PMI?
Read More
Boost your credit score
Credit scores make a significant impact on the type of mortgage loan offered to a first-time homebuyer. Discover several strategies commonly used to boost low scores and secure better home loan bids.
Read More
With decades of experience, our helpful loan officers are knowledgeable about the complex terms and conditions of programs designed for first-time homebuyers. They can also help advise you on ways to improve your finances to obtain the best possible mortgage offer.
Get Answers
It’s time to assemble your personal team of real estate experts, get prequalified and start house hunting. From your real estate agent to your mortgage lender, the importance of working with individuals and organizations that are reputable with a track record of success cannot be overemphasized.
Self-Employed Homebuyers
We take pride in helping self-employed entrepreneurs become first-time homebuyers. Read below for our home loan tips and suggestions for business owners.
Read More
Debt-to-Income
The debt-to-income ratio is a calculation of the amount of your monthly income that goes to make debt payments, usually expressed as a percentage. Home lenders use it to determine an applicant’s ability to manage and pay monthly credit bills.
Read More
Loan-to-Value
The loan-to-value calculation or LTV is critical to determine the interest rate for which homebuyers qualify and whether or not additional insurance is required.
Read More
Let’s talk dollars and sense. When it comes to your mortgage, having the right lender can mean the difference between “SOLD” and “sorry.”
Get Home
It’s exciting to be so close to the finish line as a first-time homebuyer, but don’t let the last few hurdles trip you up. The experience of your mortgage loan officer is at your disposal. Ask questions. Voice any concerns you may have. They stand ready to offer insight, reassurance and confidence as you realize the dream of homeownership.
What are closing costs?
Understanding closing costs, both what are included in them and how they are calculated, can better prepare you for a smooth loan closing.
Read More
Home Inspections
A home inspection is a formal process where an independent, licensed professional conducts an onsite examination to determine the condition of a property.
Read More
Home Appraisals
In a home appraisal, a licensed appraiser provides an opinion of the value of the home based on a variety of factors, including the condition of the house, the neighborhood around it and recent sale prices of comparable properties.
Read More
This is it. The place you’ll call home. You’re so close to your goal, but there are still hurdles to clear before you place the “SOLD” sign in your new yard. Learn about the closing process and the expenses that often sneak up on first-time home buyers.
Reach Out
Stay in touch with your mortgage loan officer. The deal may be done but we are invested in your long-term satisfaction as a new homeowner. Concerns about paying off your mortgage? Give us a call. Thinking about acquiring a second home? Give us a call.
We stand ready. Always.