Compare Mortgages

A brokerage, in financial terms, is a company that processes – or brokers – the transaction between an equities trader and a major equities exchange. A broker is also the party that mediates between a buyer and a seller, acting as a principal party in the deal.

In the past, banks and other lending institutions handled their own loans. But as the mortgage market has grown in size and competitiveness, mortgage brokers have become more common. In fact, in most markets, mortgage brokers are now the largest distributors of mortgage products for lenders. In order to ensure consumer protection, most mortgage brokers are regulated. The extent of the regulation depends on the jurisdiction.

The broker is responsible for providing advice that is appropriate for the borrower’s circumstances, and they’ll be held liable if their advice is unethical or damaging to the client. In some jurisdictions, a broker’s responsibility is limited to pointing the borrower in the direction of an appropriate lender, and they don’t otherwise advise the clients.

Tasks of a Houston mortgage broker:

1. It is the responsibility of a mortgage broker to conduct marketing strategies in order to attract clients.

2. It is the mortgage broker’s responsibility to properly assess the borrower’s circumstances, including credit history and the ability of the borrower to pay off debt.

3. Searching the market to find the right mortgage product for the client.

4. Applying for a lender’s agreement in principle (pre-approval)

5. Gathering all necessary documents.

6. Completing the lender application form.

7. Explaining the legal disclosures.

8. Submitting all material to the lender.

A Houston mortgage broker will usually work with several lenders to find the best financing for a borrower, whether they have perfect credit or bad credit. A mortgage broker will always search for the lowest mortgage rate at several institutions, unlike the loan officer at a neighborhood bank. Brokers are paid by adding on fees, or “points,” so it pays to shop around for a mortgage broker.

And to help you search for the top chosen Houston mortgage brokers you may try browsing on the internet since most of the reputable mortgage brokers are found online. A reputable online mortgage broker is ideal for mortgage lenders since they are able to save time and effort since all the information that they need is consolidated into one site.

Moreover, it also easier for borrowers to get quotes from online mortgage brokers and allows borrowers to conduct mass canvassing. The mortgage rate is usually based on current interest rates, the property’s location, the borrower’s credit score and employment history so it vital for a borrower to provide the mentioned information in order to receive a rate quote.

A mortgage broker is a well-trained professional representing those who seek home mortgages and provides them an ideal solution. He is thorough with the entire mortgage processes. Hence, he will give the clients the best mortgage solution. A mortgage broker is considered as financial matchmaker between the borrower and the lender. Mortgage brokers are very knowledgeable professionals, as they have contacts with many lenders. They find the best interest rate for the borrowers to suit their needs by taking quotes from various lenders and picking the right one for their clients. Federal laws, state laws and licensing boards, regulate all most all the mortgage brokers. The mortgage brokers charge a nominal fee for the services he renders to the customers. Even though the borrower spends money on a mortgage broker, he still saves a lot of money due to the advice got from the mortgage broker. Mortgage brokers have access to lot of mortgage services and products at wholesale prices and they in turn market these services and products to their customers.

Need for using a commercial mortgage broker:

By engaging a mortgage broker, the customer gets his value for money spent on him. They provide the customers with excellent financing options according to their needs and objectives.

Locating a mortgage lender is not an easy task. By engaging a mortgage broker, this process is simplified as he has contacts with many lenders offering various financial options to the home loan seekers. With the help of a mortgage broker, the customer has all chances of getting loan options for an unbelievable amount.

When working along with a mortgage broker, the borrower’s loan application has the possibility of being submitted to various lenders, this in turn increases the chances of the loan getting funded and also gives the mortgage broker the power to bargain in getting the best deal.

Since each and every kind of property has its own advantages and disadvantages, hiring a mortgage broker who is specialized in that particular loan type, will definitely be an advantage to the borrower. Also it saves a lot of time to the borrower in locating the right kind of the lender offering the best deal.

Advantages of hiring a mortgage broker:

The mortgage brokers have extensive knowledge about the mortgage market. They can find the borrower the best financial solution from the available options. They have access to more number of lenders and sometimes might even help the borrower to get mortgage from a mainstream bank itself. Since, mortgage involves lot of paperwork; it is taken care by the mortgage brokers. They reduce the time spent on searching for options by the borrower. They also can negotiate well with the lender and get the best possible interest rate to the borrower.

Disadvantages of hiring mortgage brokers:

Some kind of unscrupulous brokers might be there who show bias towards the lenders and make the borrower pay higher fees and commissions instead of providing an appropriate product or service to him. Some brokers may be void of training and knowledge about the mortgage industry but may make the customers believe that they are good knowledgeable people. Not all the brokers may have good contacts with the lenders. Some mortgage brokers might also charge heavy fees to their customers.

Honesty is the most important aspect of dealing with mortgage brokers. Unfortunately not all brokers are forth coming with certain information that would allow you to trust them and make an informed decision about the deal they recommend. Don’t get me wrong not all mortgage brokers are bad. Just don’t underestimate the influence that commission has on their recommendations. And, as always there are bad eggs in every industry.

Being aware of the following broker sins will help you pick a trustworthy broker and make sure they get the best deal for you. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Sin 1: Favouring their loan product.
You need to be aware if the mortgage broker is also a lender, i.e. do they have their own loan products? If they do, and they offer there own product, there needs to be a clear, understandable reason why their product is the best choice for your situation.

Sin 2: Being influenced by commission.
Brokers get commission from the lender you end up borrowing from. You need to ask if the broker has special incentives for referring you to a specific lender i.e., do some lenders pay more commission? If so, this may lead them to be biased about which lender they recommend to you. They may be inclined to recommend you to the lender that pays the most; regardless of whether this is the best choice for you.

So again you need to be given a clear and understandable reason why the product and lender is the best choice for your situation. You also need to find out how big a range of lenders the broker deals with. They can’t claim to find you the best loan product on the market for your needs if they only deal with 20% of lenders on the market.

Sin 3: Hiding the real cost of the mortgage.
Make sure the broker provides you with the comparison interest rate, when looking at or comparing any home loan products. The comparison rate shows you the real cost of a home loan by taking into consideration all the foreseeable fees and charges associated with the loan. This is so you can easily compare home loan products.

Sin 4: Withholding information.
Know the whole deal. You need to know the whole service provided by the broker. Do they provide ongoing service and assistance after you secure your loan? If so, find out for how long. Also, what are the fees involved? Theirs and the lenders. All this needs to be made clear before any papers are signed.

Sin 5: Allowing client ignorance.
Make sure you understand what the benefits and the drawbacks are for you. You need to have it explained to you in a clear way so you can understand it. This is so you can weigh it up and decided for yourself if refinancing is actually in your best interest. There is a bad practise in the mortgage broker industry called churning. Churning is the act of refinancing for the sake of commission even though there are no benefits for the mortgage owner. Making sure you understand the benefits and drawbacks of the refinancing deal yourself will make it impossible for you to fall victim to this practice.

Sin 6: Being Uninsured
Do the brokers have their own professional indemnity insurance? This protects professionals against liability claims resulting from negligent work. All lenders will have it. However the brokers should not assume they are covered by the insurance of an umbrella organization. The broker needs to know for sure if they are or are not protected.

Sin 7: Being Unqualified.
Is the broker qualified to give you lending advice? In every country there are reputable authority organizations that provide mortgage brokers with credentials, provided they undertake certain courses. Find out who these organizations are and make sure the broker you’re dealing with is a member or has been given credentials.

When applying for a home loan, it can be difficult to ascertain your options and the best deal out there. Mortgage brokers can help you shop for the best loan for your situation.

Mortgage Brokers

A mortgage broker is an independent professional assisting homebuyers with their mortgage needs. Instead of a loan officer for a bank, a mortgage broker typically works with tens or even hundreds of lenders. This independence lets mortgage brokers hunt for loans that fit the credit history and particular lending needs of a person.

Let’s assume you have less than stellar credit when you apply for a loan at ABC Lender. The lender pulls your credit report and determines you don’t qualify for any of the loans offered by the lender. The lender is going to drop you like a rock and move onto the next potential borrower.

Now, let’s make the same assumption regarding your credit score, but put a mortgage broker in the place of a lender. The mortgage broker is going to look at your credit score, income and overall borrowing circumstance. The broker is then going to give you options and a recommendation regarding the best loan for you. Instead of hoping to get financing, you are now in a situation where you are evaluating the best financing options.

Mortgage brokers can help anyone, but are particularly valuable in two circumstances. The two circumstances are bad credit and document overload.

If you have bad credit, even horrible credit, a mortgage broker is going to be able to hunt down loan options. Many people make the mistake of believing bad credit precludes them from getting a loan. It doesn’t. The loan terms may require more points or a higher interest rate, but bad credit doesn’t preclude home ownership.

For some borrowers, the monstrous amount of paperwork required in the loan process can be overwhelming. When you use a mortgage broker, the documentation is all taken over by the broker and his staff. In fact, mortgage brokers have people known as processors on their staff who do nothing but compile, organize and process all the documentation needed for loans. The do this everyday and are masters of the process.

The decision to use a mortgage broker is often a good one. A good broker is going to help you get the best loan while making the actual loan process a lot easier than going it alone.

According to the NAMB (National Association of Mortgage Brokers), two out of three Americans work with a mortgage broker to purchase a home because of the broker’s expertise and wide selection of loan products and lenders. However, with so many so called “experts” out there, how does one separate the wheat from the chaff? How do you know if a broker is honest? And how do you know they’re an “expert” or not?

The NAMB says that over 70 percent of brokers are legitimate, that is they have safeguards and policies in place to make sure that they stay on the straight and narrow. So what about the other 30 percent? Well, the whole 30 percent isn’t bad, but just as in any classroom, you’re going to have those at the top, some in the middle, a few at the bottom, and others who simply don’t show for class. Obviously, those at the bottom and the no shows would not be your first choice if you were going into surgery and they were holding the scapel, nor should they be handling your loan when you purchase a home or refinance.

Because of the surge in numbers of mortgage brokers in the past few years, there are plenty of incompetent and dishonest brokers out there. In order to avoid the 30 percentile, I offer the following tips to help you find a mortgage broker that is not only an expert but honest and reputable as well:

1.    Don’t believe everything you hear. Asking friends or family to recommend a mortgage professional is usually the first place people start. However, how do they know the broker is reputable and trustworthy? Check with your state regulatory offices and licensing bureau once you have some referrals. Better to be safe than sorry.

2.    Use an NAMB certified mortgage broker. Brokers certified by the NAMB practice the highest ethical and professional standards in the industry. There is a “Find a Broker” link on the NAMB’s website at www.namb.org.

3.    Use an Upfront Mortgage Broker (UMB). These brokers disclose their fees to customers in writing in advance at the customer’s request. They also disclose the wholesale prices they receive from lenders. For a list of UMBs visit www.mtgprofessor.com.

4.    Honesty is the best policy. If a mortgage broker suggests that you lie on your loan application in any way, heshe is most likely in the 30 percentile. Walk away.

5.    They need to show you the money. If a mortgage broker doesn’t disclose your closing costs in three business days, it’s probably best to take your business elsewhere.

6.    If you’re not bleeding, they shouldn’t be applying pressure. A mortgage broker who pressures you into anything you are not comfortable with probably failed ethics. No reputable broker will pressure you into anything you don’t feel comfortable with.

7.    There are no stupid questions. Does the mortgage broker answer all your questions to your satisfaction? Are hisher answers straightforward, honest, and respectful?

8.    Do you have a reservation? If you feel comfortable with whom you’re working with and feel like they have answered all your questions and put all your reservations to ease, you’ve probably found a good mortgage broker.