Category Archives: Home Buyer Tips

A GIFT to Homebuyers! Guild’s Payment Advantage program lowers the buyer’s rate by 1% for their first year on us!

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Payment Advantage is a Conventional loan for homebuyers wanting to save on their payments now as rates continue to rise. For eligible homebuyers, Payment Advantage will lower your payment for the first year by paying 1% of your interest rate for year one of your mortgage.
 
BONUS – Loans locked on or before 3.31.2023 can be paired with Guild’s Payment Protection Program to be able to refinance once rates drop in the future with no lender fees.

The emotional security of owning your own home immense! With home values coming down, and sellers more apt to provide incentives, now you can add peace of mind with Guild’s new programs. Let’s Talk! Text, call, or email me for more details @ 916-257-1470 @ dtharp@guildmortgage.net

Download Flyer Here!

The above information is for educational purposes only. All information, loan programs, and interest rates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to underwriter approval. Terms and conditions apply. Always consult an accountant or tax advisor for full eligibility requirements on tax deductions.

*For Payment Protection Programs full terms and conditions, visit www.guildmortgage.com/homebuyer-protection

NEW!!! Help your Sellers sell their home FASTER by locking in the rate for your potential buyer.

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Rates are rising—let’s get your listing sold now! Our LockNow and Sell program takes the uncertainty out of homebuying.

Guild Mortgage’s LockNow and Sell program guarantees the interest rate for your listing even if rates continue to rise.

By the seller locking in a rate,* buyers can feel sure about their purchase—there’s no need to wait for rates to drop as their rate will not increase at the time of purchase. And if rates go down, the homebuyer can utilize a float-down option.
 
Here are the details:

check iconSecure today’s rate on your seller’s property for 60 days*
check iconConventional, FHA, VA, or USDA financing is available, so the homebuyer can choose the financing that’s right for them**
check iconThe seller must commit to providing a 2% seller incentive to buydown the homebuyer’s interest rate

*$1,500 non-refundable upfront lock-in fee applies to secure the interest rate for the future of the homebuyer for 60 days. **Additional loan level price adjustments may apply based on credit score, occupancy, loan term, loan-to-value, or guideline requirements. A seller incentive of 2% of the final sales price is required to pay for the buydown costs or closing costs, whichever the homebuyer selects. For use by Real Estate Professionals only. Not intended for public use or distribution.

You get exclusive access to this program now. Text, call, or email me for more details @ 916-257-1470 @ dtharp@guildmortgage.net

LockNow and Sell Faster
Sell your listing FASTER and stand out from the crowd by offering a locked rate with your listing!
Download Flyer Here!

The above information is for educational purposes only. All information, loan programs, and interest rates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to underwriter approval. Terms and conditions apply. Always consult an accountant or tax advisor for full eligibility requirements on tax deductions. Consult the LockNow and Sell Program Guidelines for eligibility information and LockNow and Sell Agreement for full program terms. Subject to change without notice. A seller incentive of 2% of the final sales price is required to pay for the buydown costs or closing costs, whichever the homebuyer selects. For J.D. Power 2021 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards.

THE BEST TIME TO SELL YOUR HOME IS COMING SOON!

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If you are like many buyers and sellers, when you are in the moment of looking to purchase or thinking of selling your home, you all ask the same questions; Is now the right time to sell your home? Likewise, is this the right time to buy a home? My simple answer is, “the best time depends on your priorities, goals, and situation.”

When I started in this business almost 20 years ago, my ego sometimes got the best of me; I thought I knew it all and could foresee when rates would go up or down and how these changes would affect the housing market. I learned very quickly that I do not possess this superpower. I promptly changed my tune – my job is to guide my clients with the safest and most secure loan choices possible and let the historical data help build some consensus to formulate a plan or strategy to buy or sell.

With that said, it’s interesting to see what market professionals are saying is the best time to sell your home. If you have been on the fence waiting for the right time to sell, you might want to look at the data. According to Realtor. com®’s fourth annual Best Time To Sell report, the ideal time to list your home in Sacramento is the week of April 17. Because it possibly has the perfect balance of housing market conditions that favor home sellers, more so than any other week in the year.

Also, Money.com listed Elk Grove #4 on their list of best places in the country to sell a home in 2022. According to Realtor.com’s chief economist Danielle Hale, “Sellers listing in mid-April can expect to find relatively high buyer interest, coupled with limited competition from other sellers, that equates to fast-selling homes at top dollar,” she said in a recent news release. But, of course, market conditions are variable and not always the same for everyone, and the best time to list your home can change quickly.

If you think it’s time, here are three things you should do first:

#1) Find an experienced lender to secure financing to know your options and what you qualify for if you are thinking of buying a new home after you sell. It’s not just about getting a great interest rate; it’s also about working with a lender who will take the time to be sure you are in the right loan for your situation.

#2) Find a great Realtor to work with to list your home and possibly help you find another. I know some of the best in the business and would love to introduce you to one or two that work in your area.

#3) Layout your Game Plan with your agent and your lender. Once you have settled on your agent and lender, it is best to be open with your budget, dream neighborhood, and comfort level regarding the monthly payment and cash needed to close. This will help your team implement a strategy that will put you in the best position to win.

The above information is for educational purposes only. Guild Mortgage Company offers home financing only. All loans are subject to underwriter approval. Terms, conditions, and eligibility requirements apply.

Buy a Home for Your Parents With This Special Loan Program

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As a long-time Mortgage lender in Sacramento, I have used this relatively unknown loan program to help my clients purchase new homes for their parents while avoiding the more stringent rules and higher rates that come with buying an investment property.

It is not uncommon that I get that call from a concerned client, trying to figure out how to help their parents move closer to them, so they can spend more time with the grandkids, or worse case they need emergency help. The challenge of long-distance caregiving can be a significant drain on the family, and this program may be the answer.

Unfortunately, purchasing a second home or investment property often means you need to put up a much larger down payment than you would for a primary residence, and the interest rate might be higher. The benefit of this Family Opportunity Mortgage is that even if you currently own a primary residence, the new loan is subject to the same guidelines and rates as an owner-occupied home! If your parents don’t have sufficient income or cannot work and wouldn’t qualify for a mortgage on their own, this could be the program you could use to help them.

This unique mortgage offers several benefits over traditional second home mortgages. First, no occupancy requirements – For second homes, typical rules require the borrower to occupy the home for some part of the year. There is no such requirement for this type of mortgage however, the parents must live in the property as their primary residence.

Secondly, there are no distance requirements – Some underwriters may require that a second home not be located near your primary residence. This rule has softened, but the underwriter would ask for a strong case of why this home should be considered a 2nd home under standard underwriting guidelines. But thankfully, with this program, there are no distance requirements! The home could be located right next to yours or in a different town; it’s still priced and underwritten as a primary residence, allowing you to secure a home for your parents at a lower cost.

Not all lenders offer this program, so be sure to ask your lender if this is available or give me a call anytime. We can cover this in more detail to see if you are eligible for this unique program.

The above information is for educational purposes only. All data, loan programs, and interest rates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to underwriter approval. Terms, conditions, and eligibility requirements apply. Always consult an accountant or tax advisor for complete eligibility requirements on tax deduction.

Home values are up. Can you still afford to buy?

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Home prices in California are going up and will probably continue to do so. Does that mean they are less affordable?

The news can be misleading and confusing as it recently touted the significant move higher in the median home price, currently up 15% nationally versus last year. And 14.3% in Sacramento County, says the Sacramento Association of Realtors. 15% sounds awfully high. But the median home price does not measure appreciation. Instead, it marks the middle price point of recent home sales. 

With a substantial lack of inventory for lower-priced homes, more transactions occur for higher-priced homes, which pushes the median home price higher.

The actual Sacramento home price appreciation rate was about 1.25% for the last quarter, or 5% annualized. And it is forecasted to increase by a similar margin next year. So have you been priced out of the market?

The short answer is no, or at least not yet. California’s affordability factor has improved year over year because mortgage rates are down by almost a full percent, and incomes have gone up (Avg. weekly net pay is up 5.7% year over year nationally). Also, remember, only a portion of your income goes towards paying your mortgage. A 5% rise in income can offset a much more significant percentage rise in housing expense.

Let’s assume your monthly earnings did not improve from last year. Consider a buyer’s max purchase price of a new home, based on his/her income and debt was $450,000 last year. Maybe this buyer decided to wait because they were nervous about the market. Now, that home is worth about $472,500.

As a mortgage professional, if I were to use the same income and debt structure I used last year, this buyer would now afford a home for $490,000. This tells us that homes are actually more affordable, even though they have appreciated.

Granted, I am using very simple math here, and this does not get into down payment or cash required to purchase this home but is purely to show you the media doesn’t’ always get it right. Take the time to work through these numbers with a mortgage professional you trust, and don’t give up your dream of homeownership!