Home Mortgage Refinancing - What's in Your Contract?Are you one of the millions of Americans who will be refinancing their home mortgage loan this year? When you sign your contract and the other papers for your refinance, will you know what your signing? Your Contract: This one is simple, but I would guess very few people do it. READ THE ENTIRE CONTRACT. It seems that usually the home mortgage refinancing contract is written with the preparer pointing out the obvious terms, i.e. sales price, earnest deposit, closing date, inspections, etc., but all of the language in the contract is binding; not just the part that your read and/or understand. Read it and if you don't understand it, seek legal counsel. This is the agreement for every part of the transaction. How taxes will be prorated, who pays for what, when do you agree to close the transaction and when will you be allowed to take possession of the property are all in your home mortgage refinancing contract. If your purchase is new construction there are often many specific clauses to your sale. Remember the builder probably sells many more houses than you buy and knows what language to include in his contract to protect and benefit him. Make sure this language is something you are willing to abide by. There should be specific language in all contracts as to what amount will be used to prorate items, in particular property taxes. It is particularly important in new construction or areas that are being reappraised to understand how taxes will be prorated. If it states that the last available tax amount will be used you need to find out, before agreeing to it, that this amount was not based on a lesser value. In new construction the property was probably taxed on land value only or a partial value of the improvement. The tax bill that you will be responsible for will probably be based on a higher amount. If the Seller is giving you a credit for their part of the year that they owned the property before an actual tax amount can be ascertained, make sure that the best available information is being used to estimate the taxes. You also need to be aware that if you have an escrow account with your lender that they may set your monthly tax payment up on a lower amount than when your property is fully assessed. Be prepared to have your monthly payment increase when the higher tax bill is paid and your escrow account is analyzed. You many have a shortage that you'll want to pay all at once rather than have it included in your payment increase. If your escrow account is already short from a previous tax payment there will not only be an increase for the next year's tax bill, but an additional increase to cover the already existing shortage. Paying the shortage in one lump payment would eliminate this double increase. Your payment will still increase to the amount required to pay the next year's bill, but you won't also be making up for last year's shortage. This can be confusing so ask your home mortgage refinancing closer or loan servicing department of your lender to explain your options. If you're buying a property that was split at the time of your sale (duplex, large parcel split into smaller ones, or some types of new construction) make sure that your property is assigned it's own tax identification number before a tax bill is issued. You don't want to receive a tax bill that includes other property other than the one that you own. When you review your preliminary title commitment tax information should be included in the search. You can find out if the tax identification number included other property. This number is also what you will use if you need to contact the County for any other information regarding taxes. Before you sign, if there is something that is not clear to you or you don't understand, ask. Most mortgage refinance contracts are standard forms and your loan officer or mortgage loan closer can usually clear up any confusion you may have. Remember that the papers you sign are legal documents and you are agreeing to the terms stated in the contract. If you're not absolutely certain that you understand your contract, seek legal counsel. About the author: J. Stewart offers more timely refinance and mortgage information for those wanting to refinance at http://www.2applyforloan.com
MORE RESOURCES updated Sat. December / 21 / 2024 Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 20, 2024: Rates are higher than last December Yahoo Finance Today's Mortgage Rates | Rates Jumped Following This Week's Fed Cut Business Insider Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 18, 2024 Investopedia Mortgage servicers pressure homeowners to refinance after divorce, loss – CFPB Mortgage Professional Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 20, 2024 Investopedia Is now a good time to refinance your mortgage? Yahoo Finance 5 strategies to get the lowest mortgage rates in 2025 Yahoo Finance Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 13, 2024: 30-year rate drops 18 basis points in a month Yahoo Finance Best mortgage refinance lenders of January 2025 Yahoo Finance Mortgage Rate History: 1970s To 2024 Bankrate.com Mortgage Refinance Rates Today: December 17, 2024 Update Norada Real Estate Investments 15-Year Mortgage Refinance Rates: Compare Current Rates Business Insider Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 15, 2024: Month-over-month rates decrease Yahoo Finance Best cash-out refinance mortgage lenders of January 2025 Yahoo Finance Today's Mortgage Rates | Rates Steady Ahead of Fed Announcement Business Insider Refinance Rates Today: Compare Mortgage Refinance Offers Business Insider Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders of December 2024 Business Insider Today’s Mortgage Rates Rise to 6.7% – December 20, 2024 Update Norada Real Estate Investments Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 14, 2024: Economic factors drive rates back up Yahoo Finance CFPB Report Finds Significant Drop in Annual Mortgage Applications and Originations in 2023 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Today's Mortgage Rates | Rates Remain in the Mid-6% Range Business Insider Current Mortgage Trends: Are Mortgage Rates Going Down? Business Insider Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 11, 2024: Rates up in anticipation of CPI Yahoo Finance Current Mortgage Rates: See How Today's Rates Compare Business Insider MBA: Mortgage Applications Decreased in Weekly Survey Calculated Risk Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 12, 2024: 30-year rates drop for 3rd consecutive week Yahoo Finance Mortgage refinance demand surges 27%, as interest rates drop for the third straight week. NBC New York How to get the best refinance rate on your mortgage Bankrate.com Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 13, 2024 Investopedia Today's Mortgage Rates | Rates Rise as Investors Gear Up for Fed Cut Business Insider Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 9, 2024 Investopedia Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 10, 2024 Investopedia How to Decide If a Mortgage Refinance Is Right for You U.S News & World Report Money Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders of October 2024 The Motley Fool Mortgage Refinance Rates Drop Back - Sep 24, 2024 Investopedia Will Mortgage Rates Go Down In December? Bankrate.com Mortgage Refinance Rates Drop for a Third Day Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Are Down, But Should You Refi to a 30-Year, 20-Year, or 15-Year Mortgage? Investopedia Today's Refinance Rates by State – Oct. 7, 2024 Investopedia Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 6, 2024 Investopedia Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 5, 2024 Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Drop Again Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Dip Lower - Sep 30, 2024 Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Climb to Two-Month High Investopedia Today’s Mortgage Rates Rise After Fed Meeting – December 19, 2024 Norada Real Estate Investments Mortgage Refinance Rates Climb to New 2-Month High Investopedia
|