Frequently Asked Mortgage Questions

There is no charge to you for the credit information we’ll access with your permission to evaluate your application online. You will only be charged for a credit report if you decide to complete the application process after your loan is approved.

Yes, you can borrow funds to use as your down payment! However, any loans that you take out must be secured by an asset that you own. If you own something of value that you could borrow funds against such as a car or another home, it’s a perfectly acceptable source of funds. If you are planning on obtaining a loan, make sure to include the details of this loan in the Expenses section of the application.

We take full advantage of an automated underwriting system that allows us to request as little information as possible to verify the data you provided during your loan application. Gone are the days when it was necessary to verify every piece of data collected during the application. The automated underwriting system compares your financial situation with statistical data from millions of other homeowners and uses that comparison to determine the level of verification needed. In many cases, a single W-2 or pay stub can be used to verify your income or a single bank statement can be used to verify the assets needed to close your loan.

The income of self-employed borrowers is verified by obtaining copies of personal and business federal tax returns for the most recent two-year period.

We’ll review the net income from self-employment that’s reported on your tax returns to determine the income that can be used to qualify. We won’t be able to consider any income that hasn’t been reported on your tax returns.

In order for bonus, overtime, or commission income to be considered, you must have a history of receiving it and it must be likely to continue. We need to obtain copies of W-2 statements for the previous two years and a recent pay stub to verify this type of income.  We’ll review to determine the consistency and stability of the income to determine what can be used as qualifying income.

If you haven’t been receiving bonus, overtime, or commission income for at least two years, it probably can’t be used for qualification but may be considered as a compensating factor.

Generally, two years personal tax returns are required to verify the amount of your dividend and/or interest income so that an average of the amounts you receive can be calculated. In addition, we will need to verify your ownership of the assets that generate the income using copies of statements from your financial institution, brokerage statements, stock certificates or Promissory Notes.

Typically, income from dividends and/or interest must be expected to continue for at least three years to be considered for repayment.

Information about child support, alimony, or separate maintenance income does not need to be provided unless you wish to have it considered for repaying this mortgage loan.

Typically, income from a second job will be considered if a two-year history of secondary employment can be verified.

If you were in school before your current job, enter the name of the school you attended and the length of time you were in school in the “length of employment” fields. You can enter a position of “student” and income of “0.”

Unfortunately, if you are purchasing a home, we’ll have to use the lower of the appraised value or the sales price to determine your down payment requirement.

It’s still a great benefit for your financial situation if you are able to purchase a home for less than the appraised value, but our investors don’t allow us to use this “instant equity” when making our loan decision.

Gifts are an acceptable source of down payment if the gift giver is related to you or your co-borrower. We’ll ask you for the name, address, and phone number of the gift giver, as well as the donor’s relationship to you.  Donor ability may also need to be verified.  Depending on your loan program, you may need to verify you have some of your own funds in the transaction.  Gifts are not allowed for investment properties.

Prior to closing, we’ll verify that the gift funds have been transferred to you by obtaining a copy of your bank receipt or deposit slip to verify that you have deposited the gift funds into your account.

If you’re selling your current home to purchase your new home, we’ll ask you to provide a copy of the settlement or closing statement you’ll receive at the closing to verify that your current mortgage has been paid in full and that you’ll have sufficient funds for our closing. Often the closing of your current home is scheduled for the same day as the closing of your new home. We will need the executed purchase contract so we can estimate net proceeds, with settlement of closing statement prior to funding.

Congratulations on your new job! If you will be working for the same employer, complete the application as such but enter the income you anticipate you’ll be receiving at your new location.

If your employment is with a new employer, complete the application as if this were your current employer and indicate that you have been there for one month. The information about the employment you’ll be leaving should be entered as a previous employer. We’ll sort out the details after you submit your loan for approval.

Generally, a co-signed debt is considered when determining your qualifications for a mortgage. If the co-signed debt doesn’t affect your ability to obtain a new mortgage we’ll leave it at that. However, if it does make a difference, we may be able to exclude the monthly payment of the co-signed debt if you can provide verification that the other person responsible for the debt has made the required payments, by obtaining copies of their cancelled checks for the last twelve months with no late payments.

Any student loan that will go into repayment within the next six months should be included in the application. If you are not sure exactly what the monthly payment will be at this time, enter an estimated amount.

If other student loans are reflected on your final credit report, which will not go into repayment in the next six months, we may need to ask you for verification that repayment will not be required during this time period.

If you’ve had a bankruptcy or foreclosure in the past, it may affect your ability to get a new mortgage. Unless the bankruptcy or foreclosure was caused by situations beyond your control, we will generally require that two to four years have passed since the bankruptcy or foreclosure. It is also important that you’ve re-established an acceptable credit history with new loans or credit cards.

An installment debt is a loan that you make payments on, such as an auto loan, a student loan or a debt consolidation loan. Do not include payments on other living expenses, such as insurance costs or medical bill payments. We’ll include any installment debts that have more than 10 months remaining when determining your qualifications for this mortgage.

The closing will take place at the office of a title company or attorney in your area who will act as our agent. If you are purchasing a new home, the seller may also be at the closing to transfer ownership to you.

You will be receiving a preliminary copy of your Closing Disclosure (CD) at least 3 business days before consummation which sums up the terms of your loan and what you pay at closing. If you have any questions regarding these documents, you may speak with your TEG Closer, you Mortgage Officer or your attorney.

During the closing you will be reviewing and signing your loan documents.
The most important documents you will be signing at the closing include:

Note
This is the document you sign to agree to repay your mortgage. The note will provide you with all of the details of your loan including the interest rate and length of time to repay the loan. It also explains the penalties that you may incur if you fall behind in making your payments.

Mortgage / Deed of Trust
This document pledges a property to the lender as security for repayment of a debt. Essentially this means that you will give your property up to the lender in the event that you cannot make the mortgage payments. The Mortgage restates the basic information contained in the note, as well as details the responsibilities of the borrower. In some states, the document is called a Deed of Trust instead of a Mortgage.

If your loan is a refinance, Federal Law requires that you have three days to decide positively that you want a new mortgage after you sign the documents. This means that the loan funds won’t be disbursed until three business days have passed. The closing agent will provide more details at the closing.

In some areas of the country it is very customary, and sometimes required by law, to have an attorney represent you at the closing. In other areas, attorneys are not as common at a real estate closing. Please contact the closing agent if you have questions about attorney representation. By all means, we recommend that you have an attorney at the closing if it would make you more comfortable. If your attorney has any questions about your new mortgage, please refer them to your Loan Officer. We’d be happy to provide any information necessary.

The most important documents you will sign at closing are the note and mortgage, sometimes called the deed of trust. Unless there are special circumstances, these documents are usually prepared one to two days before your closing. Other documents are prepared by the closing agent the day before or the day of your closing. If you would like copies of the completed documents to be sent to you after they are prepared, please contact your Loan Officer.

The closing agent acts as our agent and will represent us at the closing. However, your personal Loan Officer will contact you prior to closing to talk about your final documents and to provide a final breakdown of your closing fees. If you have any questions that the closing agent can’t answer during the closing, ask them to contact your Loan Officer by phone and we’ll get you the answers you need – before the closing is over!

If you won’t be able to attend the loan closing, contact your Mortgage Officer to discuss other options. We’re sure to have a solution that will work in your circumstances.

Automated monthly payments are available.

Contact your mortgage officer.

A credit score is one of the pieces of information that we’ll use to evaluate your application. Financial institutions have been using credit scores to evaluate credit card and auto applications for many years, but only recently have mortgage lenders begun to use credit scoring to assist with their loan decisions.

Credit scores are based on information collected by credit bureaus and information reported each month by your creditors about the balances you owe and the timing of your payments. A credit score is a compilation of all this information converted into a number that helps a lender to determine the likelihood that you will repay the loan on schedule. The credit score is calculated by the credit bureau, not by the lender. Credit scores are calculated by comparing your credit history with millions of other consumers. They have proven to be a very effective way of determining credit worthiness.

Some of the things that affect your credit score include your payment history, your outstanding obligations, the length of time you have had outstanding credit, the types of credit you use, and the number of inquiries that have been made about your credit history in the recent past.

Credit scores used for mortgage loan decisions range from approximately 300 to 900. Generally, the higher your credit score, the lower the risk that your payments won’t be paid as agreed.

Using credit scores to evaluate your credit history allows us to quickly and objectively evaluate your credit history when reviewing your loan application. However, there are many other factors when making a loan decision and we never evaluate an application without looking at the total financial picture of a customer.

An abundance of credit inquiries can sometimes affect your credit scores since it may indicate that your use of credit is increasing.

But don’t overreact! The data used to calculate your credit score doesn’t include any mortgage or auto loan credit inquiries that are made within the 30 days prior to the score being calculated. In addition, all mortgage inquiries made in any 14-day period are always considered one inquiry. Don’t limit your mortgage shopping for fear of the effect on your credit score.

TEG Federal Credit Union offers programs for consumers whose credit has been impaired in the past. Generally a couple of late consumer credit items are not going to impact applicants from getting approved. The most serious credit issues can be resolved within 24 months of ensuring payments are made on time. The most serious credit issues include mortgage payments more than 30 days past due, foreclosures and bankruptcies. If you have a history of bankruptcy, late payments or other credit problems, we are here to help you determine possible financing options.

Interest rates fluctuate based on a variety of factors, including inflation, the pace of economic growth, and Federal Reserve policy. Over time, inflation has the largest influence on the level of interest rates. A modest rate of inflation will almost always lead to low interest rates, while concerns about rising inflation normally cause interest rates to increase. Our nation’s central bank, the Federal Reserve, implements policies designed to keep inflation and interest rates relatively low and stable.

An adjustable rate mortgage, or an “ARM” as they are commonly called, is a loan type that offers a lower initial interest rate than most fixed rate loans. The tradeoff is that the interest rate can change periodically, usually in relation to an index, and the monthly payment will go up or down accordingly. Against the advantage of the lower payment at the beginning of the loan, you should weigh the risk that an increase in interest rates would lead to higher monthly payments in the future. It’s a trade-off. You get a lower rate with an ARM in exchange for assuming more risk. For many people in a variety of situations, an ARM is the right mortgage choice, particularly if your income is likely to increase in the future or if you only plan on being in the home for three to five years.

Here’s some detailed information explaining how ARM’s work:

Adjustment Period

With most ARMs, the interest rate and monthly payment are fixed for an initial time period such as one year, three years, five years, or seven years. After the initial fixed period, the interest rate can change every year. For example, one of our most popular adjustable rate mortgages is a five-year ARM. The interest rate will not change for the first five years (the initial adjustment period) but can change every year after the first five years.

Index

Our ARM interest rate changes are tied to changes in an index rate. Using an index to determine future rate adjustments provides you with assurance that rate adjustments will be based on actual market conditions at the time of the adjustment. The current value of most indices is published weekly in the Wall Street Journal. If the index rate moves up so does your mortgage interest rate, and you will probably have to make a higher monthly payment. On the other hand, if the index rate goes down your monthly payment may decrease.

Margin

To determine the interest rate on an ARM, we’ll add a pre-disclosed amount to the index called the “margin.” If you’re still shopping, comparing one lender’s margin to another’s can be more important than comparing the initial interest rate, since it will be used to calculate the interest rate you will pay in the future.

Interest-Rate Caps

An interest-rate cap places a limit on the amount your interest rate can increase or decrease.

There are two types of caps:

1. Periodic or adjustment caps, which limit the interest rate increase or decrease from one adjustment period to the next.
2. Overall or lifetime caps, which limit the interest rate increase over the life of the loan.

As you can imagine, interest rate caps are very important since no one knows what can happen in the future. All of the ARMs we offer have both adjustment and lifetime caps. Please see each product description for full details.

Negative Amortization

“Negative Amortization” occurs when your monthly payment changes to an amount less than the amount required to pay interest due. If a loan has negative amortization, you might end up owing more than you originally borrowed. None of the ARMs we offer allow for negative amortization. Prepayment Penalties Some lenders may require you to pay special fees or penalties if you pay off the ARM early. We never charge a penalty for prepayment. Contact a Loan Officer Selecting a mortgage may be the most important financial decision you will make and you are entitled to all the information you need to make the right decision. Don’t hesitate to contact a Loan Officer if you have questions about the features of our adjustable rate mortgages.

Discount points are considered a form of interest. Each point is equal to one percent of the loan amount. You pay them, up front, at your loan closing in exchange for a lower interest rate over the life of your loan. This means more money will be required at closing, however, you will have lower monthly payments over the term of your loan. To determine whether it makes sense for you to pay discount points, you should compare the cost of the discount points to the monthly payments savings created by the lower interest rate. Divide the total cost of the discount points by the savings in each monthly payment. This calculation provides the number of payments you’ll make before you actually begin to save money by paying discount points. If the number of months it will take to recoup the discount points is longer than you plan on having this mortgage, you should consider the loan program option that doesn’t require discount points to be paid. If you’d prefer not to make this calculation the “old-fashioned way,” we have a discount points calculator!

The Federal Truth in Lending law requires that all financial institutions disclose the APR when they advertise a rate. The APR is designed to present the actual cost of obtaining financing, by requiring that some, but not all, closing fees are included in the APR calculation. These fees in addition to the interest rate determine the estimated cost of financing over the full term of the loan. Since most people do not keep the mortgage for the entire loan term, it may be misleading to spread the effect of some of these up front costs over the entire loan term. Also, unfortunately, the APR doesn’t include all the closing fees and lenders are allowed to interpret which fees they include. Fees for things like appraisals, title work, and document preparation are not included even though you’ll probably have to pay them. For adjustable rate mortgages, the APR can be even more confusing. Since no one knows exactly what market conditions will be in the future, assumptions must be made regarding future rate adjustments. You can use the APR as a guideline to shop for loans but you should not depend solely on the APR in choosing the loan program that’s best for you. Look at total fees, possible rate adjustments in the future if you’re comparing adjustable rate mortgages, and consider the length of time that you plan on having the mortgage. Don’t forget that the APR is an effective interest rate–not the actual interest rate. Your monthly payments will be based on the actual interest rate, the amount you borrow, and the term of your loan.

Mortgage interest rate movements are as hard to predict as the stock market and no one can really know for certain whether they’ll go up or down. If you have a hunch that rates are on an upward trend then you’ll want to consider locking the rate as soon as you are able. Before you decide to lock, make sure that your loan can close within the lock-in period. It won’t do any good to lock your rate if you can’t close during the rate lock period. If you’re purchasing a home, review your contract for the estimated closing date to help you choose the right rate lock period. If you are refinancing, in most cases, your loan could close within 30 days. However, if you have any secondary financing on the home that won’t be paid off, allow some extra time since we’ll need to contact that lender to get their permission. If you think rates might drop while your loan is being processed, take a risk and let your rate “float” instead of locking. After you apply, you can lock in by contacting your Loan Officer by telephone.

A 15-year fixed rate mortgage gives you the ability to own your home free and clear in 15 years. And, while the monthly payments are somewhat higher than a 30-year loan, the interest rate on the 15-year mortgage is usually a little lower, and more important – you’ll pay less than half the total interest cost of the traditional 30-year mortgage. However, if you can’t afford the higher monthly payment of a 15-year mortgage don’t feel alone. Many borrowers find the higher payment out of reach and choose a 30-year mortgage. It still makes sense to use a 30-year mortgage for most people.

The 15-year fixed rate mortgage is most popular among younger homebuyers with sufficient income to meet the higher monthly payments to pay off the house before their children start college. They own more of their home faster with this kind of mortgage, and can then begin to consider the cost of higher education for their children without having a mortgage payment to make as well. Other homebuyers, who are more established in their careers, have higher incomes and whose desire is to own their homes before they retire, may also prefer this mortgage.

The 15-year fixed rate mortgage offers two big advantages for most borrowers: You own your home in half the time it would take with a traditional 30-year mortgage. You save more than half the amount of interest of a 30-year mortgage. Lenders usually offer this mortgage at a slightly lower interest rate than with 30-year loans – typically up to .5% lower. It is this lower interest rate added to the shorter loan life that creates real savings for 15-year fixed rate borrowers. The possible disadvantages associated with a 15-year fixed rate mortgage are: The monthly payments for this type of loan are roughly 10 percent to 15 percent higher per month than the payment for a 30-year. Because you’ll pay less total interest on the 15-year fixed rate mortgage, you won’t have the maximum mortgage interest tax deduction possible.

Use the “How much can I save with a 15 year mortgage?” calculator in our Resource Center to help decide which loan term is best for you. [Back to top] Are there any prepayment penalties charged for these loan programs? None of the loan programs we offer have penalties for prepayment. You can pay off your mortgage any time with no additional charges.

The interest rate market is subject to movements without advance notice. Locking in a rate protects you from the time that your lock is confirmed to the day that your lock period expires.  A lock is an agreement by the borrower and the lender and specifies the number of days for which a loan’s interest rate and discount points are guaranteed. Should interest rates rise during that period, we are obligated to honor the committed rate. Should interest rates fall during that period, the borrower must honor the lock. Your loan officer will advise you when your loan is eligible to lock. We do not charge a fee for locking in your interest rate up to 60 days. Once we accept your lock, your loan is committed into a secondary market transaction. Therefore, we are not able to renegotiate lock commitments. In additional to traditional locks, TEG offers long term lock options for up to 9 months on conventional loans with a free float down option within 60 days of expiration.  A lock deposit equal to .5% of your loan amount is required, which will be refunded at closing.  Not all loan programs are eligible for long term locks.  Contact your Mortgage Loan Officer for details.

A home loan often involves many fees, such as the appraisal fee, title charges, closing fees, and state or local taxes. These fees vary from state to state and also from lender to lender. Any lender or broker should be able to give you an estimate of their fees, but it is more difficult to tell which lenders have done their homework and are providing a complete and accurate estimate. We take quotes very seriously. We’ve completed the research necessary to make sure that our fee quotes are accurate to the city level – and that is no easy task!

To assist you in evaluating our fees, we’ve grouped them as follows: Third Party Fees Fees that we consider third party fees include the appraisal fee, the credit report fee, the settlement or closing fee, the survey fee, tax service fees, title insurance fees, flood certification fees, and courier/mailing fees.

Third party fees

Taxes and other unavoidables 

Lender Fees

Required Advances 

If you’ve ever purchased a home before, you may already be familiar with the benefits and terms of title insurance. But if this is your first home loan or you are refinancing, you may be wondering why you need another insurance policy. The answer is simple: The purchase of a home is most likely one of the most expensive and important purchases you will ever make. You, and especially your mortgage lender, want to make sure the property is indeed yours: That no individual or government entity has any right, lien, claim, or encumbrance on your property. The function of a title insurance company is to make sure your rights and interests to the property are clear, that transfer of title takes place efficiently and correctly, and that your interests as a homebuyer are fully protected. Title insurance companies provide services to buyers, sellers, real estate developers, builders, mortgage lenders, and others who have an interest in real estate transfer.

Title companies typically issue two types of title policies:
1) Owner’s Policy. This policy covers you, the homebuyer.
2) Lender’s Policy. This policy covers the lending institution over the life of the loan.

Both types of policies are issued at the time of closing for a one-time premium, if the loan is a purchase. If you are refinancing your home, you probably already have an owner’s policy that was issued when you purchased the property, so we’ll only require that a lender’s policy be issued. Before issuing a policy, the title company performs an in-depth search of the public records to determine if anyone other than you has an interest in the property. The search may be performed by title company personnel using either public records or, more likely, the information contained in the company’s own title plant. After a thorough examination of the records, any title problems are usually found and can be cleared up prior to your purchase of the property. Once a title policy is issued, if any claim covered under your policy is ever filed against your property, the title company will pay the legal fees involved in the defense of your rights. They are also responsible to cover losses arising from a valid claim. This protection remains in effect as long as you or your heirs own the property. The fact that title companies try to eliminate risks before they develop makes title insurance significantly different from other types of insurance. Most forms of insurance assume risks by providing financial protection through a pooling of risks for losses arising from an unforeseen future event, say a fire, accident or theft.

On the other hand, the purpose of title insurance is to eliminate risks and prevent losses caused by defects in title that may have happened in the past. This risk elimination has benefits to both the homebuyer and the title company. It minimizes the chances that adverse claims might be raised, thereby reducing the number of claims that have to be defended or satisfied. This keeps costs down for the title company and the premiums low for the homebuyer. Buying a home is a big step emotionally and financially. With title insurance you are assured that any valid claim against your property will be borne by the title company, and that the odds of a claim being filed are slim indeed.

First of all, let’s make sure that we mean the same thing when we discuss “mortgage insurance.” Mortgage insurance should not be confused with mortgage life insurance, which is designed to pay off a mortgage in the event of a borrower’s death. Mortgage insurance makes it possible for you to buy a home with less than a 20% down payment by protecting the lender against the additional risk associated with low down payment lending. Low down payment mortgages are becoming more and more popular, and by purchasing mortgage insurance, lenders are comfortable with down payments as low as 3 – 5% of the home’s value. It also provides you with the ability to buy a more expensive home than might be possible if a 20% down payment were required. The mortgage insurance premium is based on loan to value ratio, type of loan, and amount of coverage required by the lender. Usually, the premium is included in your monthly payment and one to two months of the premium is collected as a required advance at closing. It may be possible to cancel private mortgage insurance at some point, such as when your loan balance is reduced to a certain amount – below 75% to 80% of the property value. Recent Federal Legislation requires automatic termination of mortgage insurance for many borrowers when their loan balance has been amortized down to 78% of the original property value. If you have any questions about when your mortgage insurance could be cancelled, please contact your Loan Officer.

Contact your loan officer.

The maximum percentage of your home’s value depends on the purpose of your loan, how you use the property, and the loan type you choose, so the best way to determine what loan amount we can offer is to complete our online application!

This is what our personal service is all about… helping you make the best loan choice for your specific needs. Our mortgage officers are experienced professionals with knowledge covering a wide range of home loan programs. Each consultant is able to explain the advantages of appropriate loan programs, considering the specific financial goals of the member. Generally picking the right home loan is about selecting the length of time the applicant believes they will stay in the home, coupled with their ability to support larger payments in years to come.

Equity is the difference between the amount for which a home can be sold and the amount still owed on the mortgage. This important difference represents the homeowner’s financial interest in the property. A homeowner can borrow against the equity in his/her home with a home loan and use the funds for virtually any purpose… from debt consolidation to major purchases to home improvements. Because the loan is mortgage-based, interest on the home loan may also be tax deductible. Consult your tax advisor to see whether this advantage applies to you.

A fixed rate mortgage provides a rate of interest that remains the same for the life of the loan. An adjustable (or variable) rate mortgage has an interest rate that adjusts periodically on the basis of change in a specified financial index. Typically, adjustable rate mortgages start out at somewhat lower rates than fixed rate mortgages. They can fluctuate up, raising the monthly payment, or down, lowering the monthly payment, depending on the activity of the index to which they are tied. Our mortgage officers can discuss the advantages of both types of mortgages to help[ you decide which product is best for you.

It might be a good time to refinance if you recently obtained a mortgage. Given today’s favorable interest rates, a rate lower than the one on your current mortgage may be available and can result in savings every month. Consolidating your existing first and second mortgages, as well as outstanding credit card balances and other debt, into a signel home loan payment might save you a considerable amount monthly. You will also benefit from the convenience of one single monthly payment by consolidation of your debts. Our mortgages officers can help you determine if this option works to your best advantage!

How much can you afford depends entirely on your specific personal financial situation? Our mortgage officers can help you find out exactly what that amount may be. Generally, a homeowner should plan that 28-36% of their gross income can be used for housing payments. In some circumstances, up to 41% or more can be approved. For a quick estimate, use our loan calculator.

These three letters stand for Annual Percentage Rate, that is the total yearly cost in interest, as a percentage of the loan amount. The figure includes such items as the base interest rate and the primary mortgage insurance. TEG Federal Credit Union does not charge a loan origination fee (points). For more information, please see our APR Information page.

It couldn’t be easier! Just give us a call, or submit the form shown in the Apply Now section of our website. Plan to have your most current paystubs and bank statements available for quick reference.

Since the value and marketability of condominium properties is dependent on items that don’t apply to single-family homes, there are some additional steps that must be taken to determine if condominiums meet our guidelines. One of the most important factors is determining if the project that the condominium is located in is complete. In many cases, it will be necessary for the project, or at least the phase that your unit is located in, to be complete before we can provide financing. The main reason for this is, until the project is complete, we can’t be certain that the remaining units will be of the same quality as the existing units. This could affect the marketability of your home. In addition, we’ll consider the ratio of non-owner occupied units to owner-occupied units. This could also affect future marketability since many people would prefer to live in a project that is occupied by owners rather than renters. We’ll also carefully review the appraisal to insure that it includes comparable sales of properties within the project, as well as some from outside the project. Our experience has found that using comparable sales from both the same project as well as other projects gives us a better idea of the condominium project’s marketability. Depending on the percentage of the property’s value you’d like to finance, other items may also need to be reviewed.

Federal Law requires all lenders to investigate whether or not each home they finance is in a special flood hazard area as defined by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The law can’t stop floods. Floods happen anytime, anywhere. But the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 help to ensure that you will be protected from financial losses caused by flooding. We use a third party company who specializes in the reviewing of flood maps prepared by FEMA to determine if your home is located in a flood area. If it is, then flood insurance coverage will be required, since standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t protect you against damages from flooding.

To determine the value of the property you are purchasing or refinancing, an appraisal will be required. An appraisal report is a written description and estimate of the value of the property. National standards govern not only the format for the appraisal; they also specify the appraiser’s qualifications and credentials. In addition, most states now have licensing requirements for appraisers evaluating properties located within their states. The appraiser will create a written report for us and we will promptly give you a copy, even if your loan does not close. If you’d like to review it earlier, your Loan Officer would be happy to provide it to you. Usually the appraiser will inspect both the interior and exterior of the home. However, in some cases, only an exterior inspection will be necessary based on your financial strength and the location of the home. Exterior-only inspections usually save time and money, but if you’re purchasing a new home, your Loan Officer will contact you to determine if you’d be more comfortable with a full inspection. After the appraiser inspects the property, they will compare the qualities of your home with other homes that have sold recently in the same neighborhood. These homes are called “comparables” and play a significant role in the appraisal process. Using industry guidelines, the appraiser will try to weigh the major components of these properties (i.e., design, square footage, number of rooms, lot size, age, etc.) to the components of your home to come up with an estimated value of your home. The appraiser adjusts the price of each comparable sale (up or down) depending on how it compares (better or worse) with your property. As an additional check on the value of the property, the appraiser also estimates the replacement cost for the property. Replacement cost is determined by valuing an empty lot and estimating the cost to build a house of similar size and construction. Finally, the appraiser reduces this cost by an age factor to compensate for depreciation and deterioration. If your home is for investment purposes, or is a multi-unit home, the appraiser will also consider the rental income that will be generated by the property to help determine the value. Using these three different methods, an appraiser will frequently come up with slightly different values for the property. The appraiser uses judgment and experience to reconcile these differences and then assigns a final appraised value. The comparable sales approach is the most important valuation method in the appraisal because a property is worth only what a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept. It is not uncommon for the appraised value of a property to be exactly the same as the amount stated on your sales contract. This is not a coincidence, nor does it question the competence of the appraiser. Your purchase contract is the most valid sales transaction there is. It represents what a buyer is willing to offer for the property and what the seller is willing to accept. Only when the comparable sales differ greatly from your sales contract will the appraised value be very different.

In addition to verifying that your home’s value supports your loan request, we’ll also verify that your home is as marketable as others in the area. We’ll want to be confident that if you decide to sell your home, it will be as easy to market as other homes in the area. We certainly don’t expect that you’ll default under the terms of your loan and that a forced sale will be necessary, but as the lender, we’ll need to make sure that if a sale is necessary, it won’t be difficult to find another buyer. We’ll review the features of your home and compare them to the features of other homes in the neighborhood. For example, if your home is on a 20-acre lot, or has a large accessory building, we’ll want to make sure that there are other homes in the area on similar size lots or with similar outbuildings. It is hard to place a value on such unique features if we can’t see what other buyers are willing to pay for them. In some areas, additional acreage or outbuildings could actually be a detriment to a future sale. Finding comparable properties can be more challenging in rural areas where it is more difficult to find homes that have similar features. We’ll also make sure that the value of your home is in the same range as other homes in the area. If the value of your home is substantially more than other homes in the neighborhood, it could affect the market acceptance of the home if you decide to sell. We’ll also review the market statistics about your neighborhood. We’ll look at the time on the market for homes that have sold recently and verify that values are steady or increasing.

As soon as we receive your appraisal, we’ll update your loan with the estimated value of the home. We will promptly give you a copy of any appraisal, even if your loan does not close.

Both a home inspection and an appraisal are designed to protect you against potential issues with your new home. Although they have totally different purposes, it makes the most sense to rely on each to help confirm that you’ve found the perfect home. The appraiser will make note of obvious construction problems such as termite damage, dry rot or leaking roofs or basements. Other obvious interior or exterior damage that could affect the salability of the property will also be reported. However, appraisers are not construction experts and won’t find or report items that are not obvious. They won’t turn on every light switch, run every faucet or inspect the attic or mechanicals. That’s where the home inspector comes in. They generally perform a detailed inspection and can educate you about possible concerns or defects with the home. Accompany the inspector during the home inspection. This is your opportunity to gain knowledge of major systems, appliances and fixtures, learn maintenance schedules and tips, and to ask questions about the condition of the home.

Licensed appraisers who are familiar with home values in your area perform appraisals. We order the appraisal as soon as the application deposit is paid. Generally, it takes 10-14 days before the written report is sent to us. We follow up with the appraiser to insure that it is completed as soon as possible. If you are refinancing, and an interior inspection of the home is necessary, the appraiser should contact you to schedule a viewing appointment. If you don’t hear from the appraiser within seven days of the order date, please inform your Loan Officer. If you are purchasing a new home, the appraiser will contact the real estate agent, if you are using one, or the seller to schedule an appointment to view the home. We will promptly give you a copy of any appraisal, even if your loan does not close.

TEG Federal Credit Union has a wide range of loan programs that are competitively priced. Using the latest technology, we have made the borrowing process simple and convenient. As a direct lender, we can offer you a competitive rate and eliminate fees associated with a loan arranged through a broker. Our commitment is to provide top quality service.

Whether you’re purchasing or refinancing, we’re certain you’ll find our service amazing!

If you’ll be purchasing but haven’t found the perfect home yet, complete our application and we’ll issue an approval for a mortgage loan now with no obligation!

Our commitment is to provide top quality service. Our Mortgage Officers have a full range of loan programs to offer, and the very latest technology to expedite the loan process. They will listen to your needs, and make sure they understand you completely, before discussing your options and making sure you thoroughly understand them. From application through funding, we make the loan process simple and convenient for you!

Security is a top priority for TEG Federal Credit Union. We ensure that all personal and confidential information is transmitted and stored through an encrypted process.

Please e-mail mortgages@tegfcu.com with all of your questions or call us at 845-452-7323 and a representative will follow up with you.