Friday, June 6, 2008

June 6th Rates

High Credit Score = Low Mortgage Rate

Credit scoring was developed in the 1960s as a means to determine whether or not consumers were likely to repay their loans. The score ranges from 350 to 850 with a higher score being extremely favorable. Essentially, a high credit score translates into lower interest rates for the borrower.

There are five factors that comprise the credit score. Payment history accounts for 35% of the score; outstanding credit balances have a 30% impact; credit history makes up 15%, type of credit factors at 10%; and inquiries influence the score by 10%. This gives the lender a snapshot of an individual's sense of financial responsibility and ability to pay back loans. There are many quick tricks to improve the credit score, and I can provide borrowers with more information on this subject. If necessary, I guide them to a reliable resource for credit remediation. If a borrower has to pay a higher interest rate to close a loan, the tarnished credit rating will begin to improve once mortgage payments are made on time and in full. If that is the case, my team and I will be on the watch to alert the borrower when an opportunity arises to refinance and get a lower interest rate.










To see this file clearer please click on the following link: http://www.web2real.com/June6Rates.pdf

Where McCain, Obama Stand on Housing

The following article is from Realtor Magazine. June 5th 2008

As the race for the presidency shapes up as a contest between Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, and Sen. Barack Obama, who will claim the Democratic nomination, here are their initial positions on housing and related economic issues.
McCain:
1. Proposes to spend up to $10 billion to allow some home owners to trade high-interest, adjustable-rate mortgages for fixed-rate loans.
2. Proposes a suspension of the 18.4-cent federal gas tax and 24.4-cent diesel tax during the summer.
3. Supports a middle-class tax cut by doubling the personal tax exemption for dependents to $7,000.
4. Calls for a simpler tax system with two tax rates and a generous standard deduction.
5. Supports making permanent the 2001 and 2003 income tax cuts and proposes cutting the corporate tax rate to 25 percent from 35 percent and allowing businesses to immediately write off capital expenses.
6. Maintains that government assistance to the banking system should focus on preventing systemic risk that would endanger the financial system and the economy.
Obama:
1. Calls for greater government regulation of the U.S. financial system and proposes a new $30 billion economic stimulus plan to help home owners, including a $10 billion foreclosure prevention fund to help people keep their homes and $10 billion in relief for state and local governments hit hardest by the housing crisis.
2. Outlines six "core principles for reform" that would give the Federal Reserve supervisory authority over any financial institution to which it might make credit available and calls for reform and streamlining of financial regulatory agencies.
3. Wants to repeal a provision in the bankruptcy law so ordinary families can modify terms of home mortgages.
4. Proposes a 10 percent mortgage tax credit for middle-class Americans.