Mortgage & Refinancing Information


Sell Your Home and Invest at the Same Time


I continue to see the same For Sale signs in my neighborhood. The houses just aren't selling. If you are considering selling or have a home on the market that is not moving, it's time to think about financing the sale yourself. A good friend of mine bought a new home three months ago, and he has watched his old house sit unsold, while he's struggled paying two mortgages. I finally convinced him to get past his fears and finance the sale of his old home.

He's thrilled that he won't have to make two house payments any longer, and he doesn't have to worry about that empty house. Here are a few basic tips I gave him that helped make the transaction a whole lot smoother. Be sure you have a well-written land contract that spells out every detail of the transaction. This is, in essence, your purchase agreement.

Get yourself a title company and have your title agent file the land contract with the county. This makes it all legal. Be sure to get a good down payment. Five percent would be great, but if the buyer can't afford this, be sure to get a few thousand dollars. This will give the buyer a little equity and make the move to a conventional refinance loan much easier. Be sure the terms are very specific.

Just like any mortgage, there should be an interest rate on the loan, a 30-year term, with a balloon payment. This means the payment is spread over 30 years, which makes it easier for the buyer, but you will get all of your money in a specified time, say 2-7 years. It's always a good idea to talk to your buyer about credit worthiness. You are extending credit, with the understanding that the buyer will go to a bank for a conventional loan to pay you off. That bank will want a decent borrower.

So, it will help your buyer and you to educate him a bit on putting himself in better position to get the loan. Make sure he pays you with a check, so the bank can trace payments. Discuss credit cards and other monthly debt and be sure he knows to pay everything on time.

Finally, explain that a couple of months worth of payments in savings (cash reserves) will be required to secure his loan, so he should plan ahead and start putting away each month. Other assets are also acceptable, such as retirement benefits, stocks, and forms of money that are easily accessible. Finally, instruct your buyer to do everything possible to maintain the house and even to improve it, as this will help with increasing the home's value, which will be a vital part of refinancing into a conventional loan.

These are just a few of the important steps to seller financing.

Mark Barnes is the author of the new novel, The League, the first work of fiction, based on fantasy football. He is also an investment real estate and home loan finance expert. Learn more about this suspense thriller at http://www.sportsnovels.com. Get his free mortgage finance course at http://www.winningthemortgagegame.com


MORE RESOURCES:

USA TODAY

Pros and Cons of a Mortgage Refinance
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Many homeowners are jumping on the opportunity to save money with a mortgage refinance at the current low mortgage rates. With mortgage rates at historically low levels, some homeowners have refinanced more than once in the past several years which is ...
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Mortgage-refinance bill a dangerous deal
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by Robert Robb, columnist - Feb. 10, 2012 12:00 AM State Sen. Michele Reagan wants to help out underwater homeowners in the worst way. And she has succeeded with SB 1451 -- it's hard to imagine a worse bill. Reagan proposes to establish a state agency ...

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MonitorBankRates.com

Mortgage Refinance Rates: 15 Year Refinance Mortgage Rates at 3.29%
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Mortgage refinance rates on 30 year conforming home loans are averaging 3.98%, unchanged from yesterday's average 30 year mortgage refinance rate. Mortgage refinance rates today on 15 year home mortgage loans are averaging 3.29%, down from yesterday's ...

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Harney: Reviewing Obama's mortgage refinance plan
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Though it was pronounced dead-before-arrival by opponents on Capitol Hill, President Obama's new mortgage-refinancing package contained... By Kenneth R. Harney Mortgage refinancing is an outstanding plan particularly as the home mortgage rates are.

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Fox News

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By NICK TIMIRAOS President Barack Obama called on Congress during Tuesday's State of the Union address to approve new legislation that would give all homeowners who are current on their mortgages the opportunity to refinance at record low mortgage ...
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International Business Times

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CBS Local

Six Questions on Obama's Mortgage Refinance Proposal
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By Nick Timiraos President Barack Obama said Tuesday night in his State of the Union address that he would send a plan to Congress to allow all homeowners who are current on their mortgages to refinance. Here's a quick look at the proposal: How is this ...
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Bloomberg

HARP Refi May Delay PMI Cancellation
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The federal HARP mortgage refinance program can be a huge boon for underwater homeowners. But if you have PMI, there's a little hitch you should know about. While refinancing a mortgage through HARP can cut your interest rate and save you money, ...
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