Realtorsmortgage

Most of us have been there before, looking to buy a new home. Can you picture the situation now? You see a photo in the estate agents window, and you nip in for a schedule. As soon as the agents know youre looking to buy a property, they will offer to set up a meeting with their mortgage advisor.

You feel like you are being railroaded into using their services, you now believe that these mortgage advisors are the best in the business. The mortgage deals elsewhere arent worth the paper that they have been written on and if you go anywhere else for your mortgage then you will be filing for bankruptcy within 3 months. Does it seem familiar?

While it can be an excellent idea to take on the services of a mortgage advisor, its by no means compulsory. Advisors will either charge a fee in which case they should be offering you totally impartial advice or they will be on commission. This does mean they are likely to try and steer you towards certain products in the interest of earning a bonus.

A broker is an intermediary who will help you to find the best mortgage deal for your needs and circumstances. Those who subscribe to the Mortgage Code are bound to disclose information about the services they are providing, including:

Whether they are independent, or tied to a particular organisation
What commissions, if any, they will receive
What level of service and advice they can provide

You can request a list of local independent mortgage brokers from The Mortgage Code Register of Intermediaries check www.cml.org.uk for details. Independent Financial Advisors can also act as intermediaries some specialise in mortgages. Make sure to find out whether your broker charges a fee before you agree to use them, and how much it will cost. Normally they should only charge you once you have found a mortgage and had your application accepted.

Using a broker can make the process of finding and choosing a mortgage much easier you give them information about what you are looking for and your finances, and they can do the hard work. Because brokers have experience of the field and a good awareness of current market trends, they can often give good advice to borrowers. They also will have access to a vast range of products that you may struggle to find yourself mortgages from the smaller providers, for example, may not be prominently advertised.

Independent brokers earn money by selling you products they may suggest additional insurance policies for example. You are not required to take up these offers, and be aware that the broker is receiving commissions for selling you policies. However, if you are looking for extra insurance for example repayment protection to cover your mortgage payments it may be easiest to let the broker find you a policy at the same time as your mortgage.

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According to the NAMB (National Association of Mortgage Brokers), two out of three Americans work with a mortgage broker to purchase a home because of the brokers expertise and wide selection of loan products and lenders. However, with so many so called experts out there, how does one separate the wheat from the chaff? How do you know if a broker is honest? And how do you know they’re an expert or not?

The NAMB says that over 70 percent of brokers are legitimate, that is they have safeguards and policies in place to make sure that they stay on the straight and narrow. So what about the other 30 percent? Well, the whole 30 percent isnt bad, but just as in any classroom, youre going to have those at the top, some in the middle, a few at the bottom, and others who simply dont show for class. Obviously, those at the bottom and the no shows would not be your first choice if you were going into surgery and they were holding the scapel, nor should they be handling your loan when you purchase a home or refinance.

Because of the surge in numbers of mortgage brokers in the past few years, there are plenty of incompetent and dishonest brokers out there. In order to avoid the 30 percentile, I offer the following tips to help you find a mortgage broker that is not only an expert but honest and reputable as well:

1.Dont believe everything you hear. Asking friends or family to recommend a mortgage professional is usually the first place people start. However, how do they know the broker is reputable and trustworthy? Check with your state regulatory offices and licensing bureau once you have some referrals. Better to be safe than sorry.

2.Use an NAMB certified mortgage broker. Brokers certified by the NAMB practice the highest ethical and professional standards in the industry. There is a Find a Broker link on the NAMBs website at www.namb.org.

3.Use an Upfront Mortgage Broker (UMB). These brokers disclose their fees to customers in writing in advance at the customers request. They also disclose the wholesale prices they receive from lenders. For a list of UMBs visit www.mtgprofessor.com.

4.Honesty is the best policy. If a mortgage broker suggests that you lie on your loan application in any way, he/she is most likely in the 30 percentile. Walk away.

5.They need to show you the money. If a mortgage broker doesnt disclose your closing costs in three business days, its probably best to take your business elsewhere.

6.If youre not bleeding, they shouldnt be applying pressure. A mortgage broker who pressures you into anything you are not comfortable with probably failed ethics. No reputable broker will pressure you into anything you dont feel comfortable with.

7.There are no stupid questions. Does the mortgage broker answer all your questions to your satisfaction? Are his/her answers straightforward, honest, and respectful?

8.Do you have a reservation? If you feel comfortable with whom youre working with and feel like they have answered all your questions and put all your reservations to ease, youve probably found a good mortgage broker.