What Is A Good Faith Estimate?
A Good Faith Estimate is an important document used when purchasing a home. Obtained from the lender, this document gives homebuyers a detailed look at the finical obligation they are taking on by accepting the mortgage loan. It outlines all costs and payments that the buyer will be subject to post closing, including: loan fees, advance fees, reserves/escrow charges, title charges, government charges, and all other charges associated with the mortgage loan. The Good Faith Estimate is a valuable tool in the home buying process: it makes it easier to compare and contrast lenders when shopping around for a mortgage. Homebuyers should leverage this tool by requesting a GFE from at least a few different lenders in an effort to find a loan that suits their finances best.
It's Easy To Have Faith
Receiving a GFE estimate is simple and easy. Lenders are required by law to either mail or hand deliver a GFE estimate to a homebuyer by the end of the third business day after a loan application is submitted. The GFE outlines a series of costs that are associated with closing.
Here Is A Breakdown of Some of Those Costs:
Application Fee: Cost to apply for a loan. In some cases, this includes costs associated with a credit check and verification.
Appraisal: Cost to get home appraised to confirm the fair market value and is close to the listing price.
Attorney Fee: All associated attorney’s fees to review legal documents and agreements in the transaction.
Credit Report: A Tri-merge credit report is pulled to get your credit history and score, which plays a major role in determining the interest rate you’ll get on your loan.
Loan Discount Points: “Points” are prepaid interest. One point is one percent of your loan amount. This is a lump sum payment that lowers your monthly payment for the life of your loan.
Origination Fee: This covers the lender’s administrative costs. It’s usually about one percent of the total loan, but you can sometimes find mortgages with no origination fee.
Escrow Deposit: Lender’s often require homebuyers to pay two months of property tax and mortgage insurance payments at closing. This is deposited into an escrow account.
Flood Determination: Cost to determine whether the home you are buying is in a flood zone. If the home is in a flood zone, you’ll have to pay flood insurance.
Prepaid Interest: Most lenders will ask you to prepay any interest that will accrue between closing and the date of your first mortgage payment.
Survey Fee: This fee goes to a survey company to verify all property lines and things like shared fences on the property. This is not required in all states.
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Posted by PreReal™ Prendamano Real Estate on
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