Ask the "Mortgage Man": Free Credit Seminar December 5th 9:30-10:30AM at B...

Ask the "Mortgage Man": Free Credit Seminar December 5th 9:30-10:30AM at B...: This seminar is a free event where you will learn more useful tips for improving your credit in 1 hour! Dave Wheeler from Credit Plus wil...

FREE Mobile App for your I Phone or Droid

This FREE App offers you the ability to calculate total mortgage payments, and offers industry news and current interest rates.  It is all free and offered to you.  All you have to do is download the following:
 Here's a link to Andy Williams's mobile tool kit for mortgages: http://andyw.mortgagemapp.com/mobile.

Contact me with any questions or difficulties loading the app.

Andy Williams
President
Abacus Regional Mortgage
484 695 5972
www.abacusmortgage.com
NMLS # 118317

Does Fraudulent Activity Still Occur in the Mortgage Business?

A woman thought she had one over on me this week.  She didn't qualify on her own so I suggested she find a suitable cosigner to help her purchase a  home.  She suggested her ex-husband as a viable and willing candidate to go on the mortgage with her.  She had all of his information including his social security number, bank accounts and income figures, so I processed the application and ordered the appraisal for the subject property.  Since neither she nor her ex-husband live locally, I sent all of the papers by way of Federal Express to her home address.  As part of the normal requirements, I requested copies of financial information on both parties as well as drivers licenses for each borrower.  The entire package came back via the mail but her ex's drivers license was missing.  I requested it again and still she didn't send it back.  After much ado, I found that he never agreed to cosign the loan, and she was using his identification to help her get the mortgage. WRONG!  http://www.ssa.gov/employer/ssnv.htmIt is amazing to see just how far people will go to try and fool you.

Andy Williams
President
Abacus Regional Mortgage
484 695 5972
andrew.williams@abacusmort.com
NMLS # 118317

Lexington Law

Is there a reputable company to rehab people's credit who doesn't just take consumer's money? I don't know where this company came from or how long they've been in business, but I've heard their name mentioned many times in the past few months.  For years, potential home buyers have asked me for recommendations on whom they can go to for credit disputes and resolutions.  Until now, I wasn't recommending anyone because all the companies appeared to do the same thing.  They take your hard earned money and don't improve your credit score at all. I told my customers the same thing.  " Until I find a company that actually improves credit scores and actually earns their money, I don't recommend anyone as being reputable".

Lexington Law has been a company whom I've heard many wonderful stories from adding 100 points to a borrower's credit score within a few months, to removing old collection accounts that were in dispute within 30 days.  I will highly recommend them to anyone who asks for a reputable company that actually does what they say they are going to do for a consumer.

Andy Williams
President
Abacus Regional Mortgage
484 695 5972
NMLS # 118317

Can this be the turning point in this Real Estate Market?

      There has been a definite up tick in the level of volume not seen for many years.  Starting in mid-October, the level of new phone calls, pre-approvals, mortgage applications, and closings has increased, for me.  All of the real estate offices I visit weekly have seen a dramatic increase in the number of sales and closings within this same time-frame.  Since the vast majority of my business comes from realtor referrals, I have been the recipient of this influx of new business.  From time to time, throughout the past several years, there are short bursts of activity, only to wane and have home buyers go back into hibernation.  But this time, there is a certain sustenance to this market, the likes of which appear to be just like old times. 
      Each of the past six months, I have seen my personal loan volume increase dramatically from last year, but in most cases, I haven't had this kind of volume in many years.  This reminds me of the mid-90's when we were coming off of a bad market, and things were starting to turn around ever so slightly.  Hopefully this is the bottom of the market.  Although foreclosures and short sales continue to dominate the market, it appears that many other homes are selling too, with multiple offers occurring on some properties.  Perhaps we are over the worst of this.  Better days are yet to come!

Andy Williams NMLS # 118317
President
Abacus Regional Mortgage NMLS # 113984
484 695 5972

CAN YOU REFINANCE EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY EQUITY?

The answer is YES!  The government just rolled out the new HARP loan.  This program allows people with Good Credit, but no equity in their home, a chance to refinance and take advantage of these low rates! 

Here's how it works: Any homeowner can take advantage of this program if they:

1. Have purchased and settled on a home before June, 2009,
2. Have a Fannie Mae (FNMA) or Freddie Mac (FHLMC) held mortgage,
3. Don't owe more than 105% of the home's value (If home is a Row or a Twin),
4. Don't owe more than 150% of the home's value if the subject property is a (Single),
5. Have not been 30 days late on any mortgage payments,
6. Have a minimum of a 660 credit score.

If you or anyone you know meets all of the above criteria, you or they can take advantage of this program.
The interest rates for this program are slightly higher than normal rates, so you need to make sure that this program will work for you.

If your loan has PMI insurance included in the monthly payment, we need to determine who the PMI insurance company is just to make sure that they are participants in this program.  Participating PMI companies have special rates for these loans where their premiums won't increase over what you are currently paying on your existing mortgage.

Many of the loans acquired during the years of the peak housing prices are combination loans such as: 80/20s, 80/10/10s or 80/15/5s.  As many of you know, this meant that you were given a 1st mortgage, as well as a home equity loan, in order to avoid having to pay PMI insurance.  This refinance WILL NOT include the payoff of any junior liens ( Home Equity loans, Lines of Credit or 2nd Mortgages ).  These secondary lenders will have to agree to Subordinate their liens.  This means that they will have to allow the current 1st mortgage to get paid off with the refinance.  They will have to step back into a 2nd lien position on the property, once again.  Most lenders are willing to do this given the circumstances surrounding the current state of the housing market. 

This loan offers a chance for someone, who were told they can't take advantage of these low rates, to refinance their mortgage and either reduce their monthly payment, or reduce the remaining term of their loan.   You can't borrow any additional money to do any repairs or consolidate bills.  This program is only for those looking to get a better interest rate.  Closing costs can be rolled in to the mortgage to a maximum of 4% of the total loan amount.  This should cover most if not all of the closing costs. 

Please contact me for more details regarding the specifics of this program.

Andy Williams NMLS # 118317
President
Abacus Regional Mortgage NMLS # 113984
484 695 5972

Why don't more people listen to me?

I have told you before that you can't believe what you read, unless it comes from what I write, of course.  The word has been going around that FHA would be lowering the amount the seller can pay toward the buyer's closing costs.  Doing this would have a http://blog.american.com/2012/01/five-reasons-president-obamas-mass-refinance-plan-deserves-to-be-a-non-starter-and-two-modest-alternatives/catastraphic effect on the entire housing market.  With the government doing everything they can do to jump-start the housing market, they realize that a change like this could be detrimental to an improving economy.  They aren't stupid!  Just last year there was talk that the President was proposing changes to the conventional mortgages where they would finance only 70% of a home purchase price.  In other words, they were going to require a 30% down payment.  I read this too, but I have been in the business long enough   (4 decades ), that I knew that this would never come to fruition.  This too has little chance of happening.  Rest easy, better days are here, and they will continue to improve.

Andy Williams NMLS # 118317
President
Abacus Regional Mortgage NMLS # 113984
484 695 5972

Ask the "Mortgage Man": USDA Announces changes to PMI insurance

Ask the "Mortgage Man": USDA Announces changes to PMI insurance: Effective today, October 1st, the USDA has announced the changes to their up front Funding Fee. The amount of up front insurance premium th...