Midterm 4 Part 3 Flashcards
Should you shop for houses or for neighborhoods first?
Neighborhoods. The perfect home in a bad neighborhood will not make you happy.
What factors should you consider when purchasing a home?
How busy the road is
Closeness to school, work, shopping
Quality of schools
Train tracks
Scary dogs
etc. Anything that’s important to YOU
True or False: When you find a good neighborhood you should drive around it several times at different times of the day
True
FSBO
For sale by owner
Why are FSBO homes usually bought/sold on a discount?
Because you don’t have to pay realtor fees.
True or False: If you do your research and read a lot of books, you can sell your own house
TRUE
You’ll have as much knowledge as the realtors
Examples of websites that will bring you up to speed on the location’s market
Realtor.com and forsalebyowner.com
Buyer’s remorse
Regretting a purchase that was made hastily
Why would a seller be more likely to negotiate if you’re patient?
Because they know you might not be that interested, and might cancel the deal.
The seller WANTS to sell the house, so they’ll be willing to go lower
True or False: You should almost always offer a price that is lower than the asking price first
True
What is Brau’s advice on how long of a mortgage you should expect?
15 years
If it would take more than 15 years to pay the house back, then it’s too much
What are three reasons why it’s a bad idea to take a 30 year mortgage for more “flexibility?”
- With a 15 year mortgage, you’re more likely to buy a house you can actually afford
- You’re paying WAYYY more interest when you go for 30 years
- You get a lower rate when buying for 15 years (because longer loans are more risky)
Once you sign a contract with the negotiated price, what are you supposed to do?
Call a couple mortgage brokers and get quotes on mortgages. Compare apples to apples, and look for other listings that are very similar to yours
Good faith estimate
An estimate of the closing costs that will be required
What is the most important thing you should ask when negotiating?
Is that the best you can do?
What is a prequal?
It is a letter from the bank indicating that you are credit worthy of a loan up to some $$ limit
True or False: A prequal means that you have been vetted and verified as a buyer
False
They have not vetted your credit score yet
Is it easier to get a prequal or a preapproval letter from the bank?
Prequal
Why is a preapproval letter better?
Because it indicates that the bank has done their research on you and is ready to write you a check immediately up to some $$ amount
What technique helps you save in closing costs?
No cost streamline mortgage
What are the two assumptions you’re making when using the no cost streamline technique?
- You will move within a few years
OR - Interest rates will drop enough that you can refinance
What happens if neither of your assumptions happens when using the no cost streamline mortgage technique?
You end up losing a lot of money
True or False: Refinancing a mortgage can lengthen your mortgage as a whole
True
What does it mean to use a no-cost streamline mortgage?
You (the buyer) are willing to pay a higher interest rate, but you are NOT willing to pay any closing costs whatsoever and you are not allowing the principal to be any higher
True or False: When you approach your bank or mortgage dealer about using the no-cost streamline mortgage technique, they will understand what you mean
False
Not all of them. If you have to explain it, it’s a bad sign
True or False: If the lender says they will accept the NCSM technique by adding all the closing costs into the loan, you should accept
FALSE
This puts you more in debt. You want them to increase your mortgage RATE to pay for the costs of closing
How much more does your mortgage rate usually have to be to pay for closing costs using the NCSM?
0.75 - 1% more
What are the HUD documents?
They are the settlement statements when buying a house that list all charges and payments between the buyer and seller. It’s like the bill of sale
True or False: when using the NCSM technique you should double check your HUD documents
TRUE
When using the NCSM technique, what should you do after closing if the interest rates fall?
Go back to step one and refinance again.
What are origination points?
Fees paid to the lender to write the mortgage (or to refinance)
What is an escrow?
A third party that holds the money until an agreement has been met.
What are discount points?
Fees paid to decrease the mortgage rate
True or False: You can request the bank use your own title firm / specific contact for managing the title and paperwork
True
What is title insurance and why should you get it?
Title insurances protects you from other people that may make a claim to your property in the future.
If you don’t have it, somebody could make a case that the land you’re on is actually theirs, and kick you off. You get NOTHING.
True or False: For most investors, it’s best to have a risky part of the portfolio and a non-risky part
True
True or False: Paying off debt is considered the non-risky part of your investment portfolio
TRUE
Which debts do you want to pay off first and why?
The ones that are most expensive with the highest interest rates. You want to pay these off first to spend less money in the long run. The sooner you pay these off, the less you’ll pay in interest
What formula do you use if your debt is tax deductible?
After tax cost of debt
True or False: If you pay off your credit card debt, you are guaranteed zero risk
TRUE
Because by paying off the debt, you don’t owe any interest to the credit company. You can turn an 11% rate into a 0% rate just by getting rid of your debt.