Important Mortgage Do's in Baton Rouge Real Estate!

If you are thinking about buying a house or actively working to get ready to purchase a home, here is a list of items to DO as you begin to work through the mortgage process:

• Review your credit score to look for any incorrect/fraudulent credit entries. The credit bureaus can make mistakes so you need to make sure you recognize all the entries on your current credit report.

  NOTE: there are multiple types of credit pulls that different industries make (auto loans, consumer finance loans, mortgage loans, etc) so your credit score can/will vary from loan type to loan type. Don't be surprised if you mortgage loan credit score is different than your public, consumer credit score.

  
  

• Continue to make all loan related payments on-time throughout the entire loan process - including through the closing date of your new home.

  
  

• Gather copies of financial documents that your lender will need to process your initial loan application/pre-approval. This is a general list, your lender may require additional docs and/or additional years of information:

  • 2 most current months of all financial accounts (banking, savings, investment, etc)

  • 2 most recent years of all W-2's as reported to the IRS

  • 2 most recent years of your IRS tax returns with all schedules

  • 2 most recent pay stubs for your job

  • Most recent statement for all your retirement accounts

  • Copy of your drivers license or other proof of identity

  • Year-to-date profit and loss information if self employed

    
    

• If there are any large deposits showing on your most recent bank statements, be prepared to explain and document where those funds came from.

  
  

• Identify a lender that you may be comfortable working with. I nearly always suggest starting with your local bank/credit union if they offer mortgages. They already have access to much of your financial information and typically there will be a local loan officer that you can sit down and talk with. Be sure to speak with family/friends/your realtor for recommendations.

  NOTE: If you elect to go with a national bank lender such as Chase & Wells Fargo, please understand that all of your loan underwriting will take place in another state, off-site and with generally poor communication from that underwriting office. Stay local/regional with your lender if possible!

  
  

• Select a Realtor to work with (hopefully ME!). An experienced realtor can assist with this entire process so as to make it much less daunting. I've helped countless buyers successfully navigate the initial lender selection/pre-approval process and helped to alleviate much of the stress involved - call me and I'm happy to have an initial discussion with you about how this process works.

  
  

The most important 2 initial steps are to get pre-approved with a lender and to select a Realtor. These work hand in hand as the lender will help you and your Realtor understand what loan type(s) you are qualified for which helps me identify homes/areas that qualify for your loan type. Having a pre-approval in hand as well are touring homes allows us to write up an offer in a very timely manner should we find the perfect house for you!

Click on this search link to view all homes currently for sale in Settlement at Willow Grove Subdivision!

I'd love to talk with you about this subdivision and show you some of the homes for sale - reach out to me if interested! You can click on the link above and in order to view multiple pictures, you'll be required to register. Your contact information will come directly to me and I'll check-in with you to see if you want to speak now or if you wish to continue browsing through available listings. If you wish to continue browsing, please do so and reach out to me directly with questions or to schedule a showing.