Paying points simply means making a lump sum payment up front, which will significantly lower the interest rate on your fixed rate mortgage in Newport Beach. Typically each point will cost 1% of the entire amount of the mortgage. The more points you buy, the lower your interest rate and the lower your repayments will be. So which would be best for you? Buy more points and pay a lower rate or buy fewer points and pay a higher rate?

When trying to decide consider whether you can afford to make a significant up-front payment to buy points now.  If you are able to make a significant payment up front this will save you money in the long run. Take into consideration the length of the mortgage; the longer the duration of your Newport Beach mortgage the more it will make sense to buy points now, because you will benefit from those points for a fairly long time.

You really should seek the advice of a professional Newport Beach Realtor and Morgage Broker who will be able to help you decide which is best for you. A wrong decision can leave you paying far more for your Newport Beach home than you should have. A Newport Beach Realtor with Harbor Realty will be able to advise you on mortgage types and how points work, they will also be able to help you with the mortgage application process and make the whole house purchase process much quicker and simpler.

Before you even begin your search for Newport Beach homes it is important to obtain a pre-qualification letter from your local bank or mortgage broker. Being able to provide this letter of approval when you are ready to make an offer will provide your offer with a solid foundation. When sellers know that you have been pre-qualified for a home loan matching their home value they are much more likely to accept your offer over someone who does not have pre-qualification. However, it is important to remember that a pre-qualification letter does NOT guarantee approval of a home loan once you have found the home of your dreams.

For example, Suzy Q goes to the bank to obtain a pre-qualification letter. At this time Suzy Q has little credit card debt and her car loan is almost paid off.  She obtains a pre-qualification letter for a specific amount and begins her search for Newport Beach homes. Over the next four months Suzy Q gets excited about the possibilities of owning her own Newport Beach home and begins a buying spree of new furniture to outfit her new home. Additionally, she feels that having a new car to match her new home is important. When Suzy goes to get approved on a home loan for the same amount she was previously approved for she is denied: her new found debt will not allow her to make the payments necessary on her new home with her existing salary.

After you obtain pre-approval from your bank be sure to curb your spending habits.  Now is not the time to make large credit card purchases or to buy a new car.  Depending on the amount spent you could either decrease the amount of the loan approval or lose it altogether. Keeping your spending habits to a minimum during your search for Newport Beach homes will enable you to buy a home in a higher price range.

If you dream of owning Newport Beach homes it will be important that you save at least 20% of the purchase price of your Newport Beach home. For example, if you are considering purchasing a Newport Beach condo for approx. $400,000 you should have at least $80,000 ready to use as a down payment. If you are looking at a Newport Beach home from $700,000 you should have at least $140,000 ready to use as the down payment.  And if you are looking at a one-million dollar property in Newport Beach have $200,000 saved specifically for use as a down payment.

The larger the down payment you make, the less you will need to borrow and less interest will be accrued, this means that you will pay significantly less over the long term.

The best advice is to speak to a professional Newport Beach Realtor at Harbor Realty who will be able to help you determine the right amount for your family to pay for the down payment of your Newport Beach home.

Fixed Rate Mortgage – In this type of Newport Beach home loan, the interest rate remains the same across the life of the mortgage. This is generally the safest, most common, and in most cases, the smartest type of home loan to use when purchasing Newport Beach homes. Since the interest rate does not fluctuate over the course of your mortgage life you’re less likely to find yourself in a situation where you are unable to pay your monthly mortgage payment.

Adjustable Rate Mortgage – An adjustable rate mortgage has an interest rate that will vary over time which will change the monthly payment or alter the life of the mortgage. This can be an excellent option for homebuyers that do not plan to stay in their home for an extended period. For example, if you are in the military and move often or transfer locations regularly, an adjustable rate mortgage might be the right option for you when purchasing Newport Beach homes. Talk to a Newport Beach Realtor with Harbor Realty today to find out if an adjustable rate mortgage is the way to go.

No Down Payment – This type of mortgage does not require the borrower to hold an amount of money for use as a down payment. Interest rates are often higher with this type of mortgage. Of course, these days loans are rarely, if ever, offered with no down payment. If you are serious about purchasing Newport Beach real estate it is certainly in your best interest to begin saving for a down payment.

Jumbo Loans – This is a type of loan that is valued above the general conforming loan limits. As a non-conforming mortgage, interest rates can be somewhat higher than other types of Newport Beach home loans.

Interest Only Loans – With this type of mortgage, only the interest is actually paid, at the end of the mortgage term the borrower has the option of paying the principal sum in full, or possibly starting a fresh mortgage.

Talk to a professional Newport Beach Realtor as well as a Mortgage Broker to discern which type of mortgage is right for you and your family; a wrong choice can cause severe financial problems down the road. While a Fixed Rate Mortgage is the right choice for most people purchasing Newport Beach homes, there are certainly some that should consider other types of home loans.

Property prices have continued to climb way above the national average for the last decade; the area has been steadily developed into an attractive and affluent part of the State of California. There are still bargain properties to be had, but those wishing to snap up their dream home at a low price, and thus secure a great investment would be wise to do so soon.

The local economy is running very bullish, local businesses in almost every sector are reporting a  good year during 2008, and as such this makes Newport Beach a very attractive area for those wishing to not only relocate their home, but their work as well. The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce has confirmed that employment statistics are looking extremely good, and job prospects look good for any family wishing to relocate to Newport Beach.

With the buoyancy of this area, it needs to be said that anybody  considering a move to Newport Beach needs to start moving now; within a very few years it is expected that housing demands will outstrip availability, and prices will begin to rise again. Get in now while you can, and grab a great property investment for the future.

At the outset of your Orange County home search, relax and try and enjoy the experience. You may have to view quite a few homes in Orange County communities before you find one that you like, use this opportunity to refine your requirements by taking a good look at the properties you visit and changing your own set of needs accordingly.

Have your mortgage ready and be in a position to make an offer. Obtaining pre-approval for a home loan is one of the most important things you can do prior to beginning your search for homes in Orange County.  To obtain your pre-approval letter, you can contact our lending partner, United American Mortgage.  Imagine finding the house of your dreams in Newport Beach or Costa Mesa, only to have it purchased out from under you by somebody who had their pre-approval ready? Avoid this type of situation by clearing defining your buying ability ahead of time. Obtaining pre-approval on a home loan in Orange County will also prevent you from searching for homes above your price range.

Create a simple checklist of your likes and dislikes. It can be quite confusing when you are visiting many properties to keep track of which ones were the most fitting. Keep a brief record of each property you visit with notes, so that you will not become confused over which property was which.  You may also wish to bring your digital camera when you are property viewing to help you record homes you like.

Make sure you have the time for finding your new home. Property viewing can be quite a demanding pastime, and it is important you take the time out of your daily life to give it the due care and attention it deserves. Once you’ve chosen an Orange County REALTOR® to represent you during your home search stay in contact and return their phone calls promptly. You wouldn’t want to miss out on a great deal!

So there we have it, some very simple advice on how to make the process of finding your new home in Orange County a little more painless.

Now, add up all of the costs involved in the purchase, such as professional fees, and the cost of hiring a company to move your belongings.  Deduct this figure from your total spending figure and you will have a rough estimate of the price range you are able to afford.

In reality this is a fairly blunt way to calculate buying power.  The best way to discern what your optimal price range would be is to see a professional Newport Beach REALTOR® as well as a Lender.  By using a REALTOR® in Newport Beach to help with this important consideration, you will be making sure you do not miss any hidden costs, or make incorrect assumptions about the true cost of the process of moving.
Your bank can also be helpful, by explaining to you how borrowing limits are set, and advising you on the best way to raise funding based on your current assets and income.