Blog – Page 485 of 786 – Mike Pfefferman

19

Dec

Home Mortgage Tips

Mortgage 101: Understanding ‘PITI’ and What Goes in to Your Monthly Payments

Mortgage 101: Understanding 'PITI' and What Goes in to Your Monthly Payments Ask any friend or family member that owns a home and they will share that it takes a bit of management to keep all the expenses under control. Let’s explore the concept of PITI and why it is vital to have a clear picture of how much your home is costing you each month.

Just What Is PITI, Anyway?

PITI is an acronym that stands for “principal, interest, taxes and insurance,” which are the four main components that make up your housing costs.

Principal – this is the amount that you are paying against the total amount that you borrowed when you purchased the home. For example, if you used a mortgage to cover $200,000 of the home’s purchase price, the remaining balance of that $200,000 is the principal. A part of your monthly mortgage payment goes to paying down the principal.

Interest – this is the extra cost that the lender charges for the service of lending you the principal amount. For most mortgages, you will see this expressed as an “interest rate” which is a small percent charged on the loan. A portion of your monthly mortgage payment goes to paying down the interest owed.

Taxes – tax costs are not included in your monthly mortgage payment, but will be added by your lender as part of your yearly expenses when calculating your debt-to-income ratio (see below). Property taxes and other assessments will need to be paid each year.

Insurance – this is the cost of insuring your mortgage and your home. Like taxes, your mortgage lender will typically include some insurance costs in your DTI ratio calculation.

How Lenders Use PITI

Many mortgage lenders use some form of PITI calculation when determining your debt-to-income ratio. This ratio helps the lender understand your ability to manage your monthly mortgage payments without being at risk of missing one. The lower the ratio, the more likely you can afford all your monthly expenses.

Don’t Forget Your Other Monthly Expenses

Finally, don’t forget that along with PITI you will have a variety of other monthly expenses that need to be budgeted for. Leave some space for utilities, repairs and other renovations that need to be made throughout the year.

Once you have the full picture of what is coming in and going out each month, managing your expenses is easy. When you are ready to discuss or apply for a mortgage, get in touch with us. Our friendly team of mortgage professionals is happy to help.

18

Dec

By support

Mortgage Rates

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 18, 2017

Last week’s economic reporting included readings on inflation, core inflation and the Post-meeting statement of the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee. Fed Chair Janet Yellen also gave a press conference; weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released.

Inflation Rises in November

U.S. inflation rose by 0.30 percent to 0.40 percent in November; October’s reading was 0.10 percent and November’s reading met analysts’ expectations. Core Consumer Price Index readings for November posted a gain of 0.10 percent, which fell short of the expected reading and October’s reading of 0.20 percent. Core CPI readings are less volatile as they do not include volatile food and energy sectors.

FOMC Statement: Fed Raises Target Rate

The post-meeting statement of the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee cited strong economic signs in its decision to raise the target federal funds range by 0.25 percent to 1.25 percent to 1.50 percent. The Committee indicated that it expects inflation to hold steady in the near term and to stabilize closer to the Fed’s goal of two percent annually in the medium term.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen gave a press conference after the FOMC statement was released. She cited strong labor markets and low unemployment as signs of healthy economic conditions. The Fed’s dual mandate of achieving maximum employment and stable pricing has not been met due to lagging inflation. The Federal Reserve’s goal of 2 percent annual inflation fell short at 1.60 percent year-to-date. Job growth was strong with job growth expanding at a monthly average of 170,000 jobs over the past three months.

The Fed expects the inflation to achieve its 2 percent goal in 2019; unemployment is expected to remain at or near its current rate of 4.10 percent. This was good news as the expected exit of aging workers will increase in coming years as baby-boomers retire. Ms. Yellen affirmed her intention to aid in a smooth transition for the Federal Reserve as incoming Chair Jay Powell prepares to take over in February.

Mortgage Rates, Mixed, Weekly Jobless Claims

Fixed mortgage rates averaged one basis point lower last week with the rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage at 3.93 percent. The rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 3.36 percent’ the average rate for a 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages rose one basis point to 3.36 percent. Discount points averaged 0.50 percent for fixed rate mortgages and 0.30 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages. Analysts said that lenders expected the Fed to raise rates and so factored in an increase of long term loan rates over time.

New Jobless claims dropped by 11,000 last week to 225,000. Analysts had expected 235,000 new claims based on the prior week’s reading of 236,000 new claims.

15

Dec

By support

Home Buyer Tips

The Quick and Easy Guide to Finding the Right Builder to Construct Your Dream Home

The Quick and Easy Guide to Finding the Right Builder to Construct Your Dream Home Are you in the market for a new house? If so, you may be considering having a custom-home designed and built to your specifications. There is no better way to get exactly what you want in a house than to have it built from scratch.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at our quick and easy guide to finding the right builder to construct your dream home.

Have Ideas In Mind Before You Start

Try to have some ideas in mind before you contact a builder. For example, how many bedrooms do you want? Are you interested in a two-car garage? Do you want a suite in the basement or elsewhere on the property for rental purposes? What about an office, workshop, media room, home gym or other amenities? Invest a bit of time in crafting a list, and your builder can help design a home that fits.

Find A Builder Before You Buy Land

At first, meeting with and securing a home builder before having a plot of land might seem premature. After all, you still don’t even know where you want them to build your house! But, in fact, this is the best way to go. A good home builder can help you understand permit rules, city or county regulations, which utilities are available in the area and more. Once they understand precisely what you are looking for in your dream home, they will be able to make an honest assessment of any particular lot. This alone can save you a significant amount of both time and money.

Verify Licensing, References And Past Work

Once you have settled on a potential builder, it is time to start the due diligence process. Ask the builder and any sub-contractors for their license details to ensure they are certified to do the work. Try to chat with at least 1-2 past references as well so you can get an idea of what it’s like to work with them.

Get All The Details In Writing

Finally, there are few financial transactions in life that should be done on a handshake and this is no exception. Your builder is going to have a contract that they will ask you to sign. Have your attorney look this document over and have them add in any specifics that are important to you.

A new construction home can be the ultimate in comfort, convenience, and luxury. When you’re ready to learn more about financing your new home, contact us today.