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Increasing Mortgage Rates are Only Part of the Problem

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By Stephanie Mojica

Future and current homeowners have been mesmerized by countless media reports about increasing mortgage rates and decreasing home sales prices. However, the 20-year high in mortgage rates is not the biggest problem facing the real estate market, according to REALTOR.com.

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Many residential properties are staying on the market significantly longer because the combination of increased mortgage rates and home prices is too much for the average buyer to bear. As a result, a number of potential buyers are waiting for housing prices to drop, per FOX Business.

As of October 27, 2022, the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage was 7.08%. The average at the same time last year was 3.14%. The current rate for a 15-year fixed mortgage is 6.36%, compared to 2.37% in 2021.

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Some real estate investors are panicking over these changes in market conditions, Fortune.com noted. This may be justified, as home prices fell 27% between 2006 and 2012 — and experts expect even more significant reductions in the years to come. Prices have plunged 8.2% in San Francisco, for example.

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How To Become A Mortgage Loan Officer

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Submitted by Stratton Equities

One of the best jobs you can go for these days if you want to work hard, make a lot of money, and change the world around you is to become a mortgage loan officer. There are so many opportunities out there in the real estate world to make a living, but one of the most fulfilling and lucrative is to become a mortgage loan officer for a private money lending firm.

But what are the steps you will have to take to even become a loan officer?

Like most careers that deal with highly valuable assets and specified levels of management and service, to become a loan officer, you need to get your license. The NMLS, or Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System, offers a variety of mortgage licenses but the one in particular that applies to loan officers most is the Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) license.

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How to get licensed as a Mortgage Loan Officer/Originator

Getting an NMLS license will certify that as a loan officer, you are now able to legally serve as a mortgage loan originator. Additionally, it informs your prospective clients and employers, that you are knowledgeable of all the laws and regulations that come with mortgage lending.

More specifically, obtaining an NMLS license means that you have completed a class that teaches you all the requirements for serving as a mortgage loan officer, and that you have passed the SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test.

You must complete both tasks to be properly qualified to apply for the NMLS license. Once you have your NMLS license, you can easily apply for most private lending and conventional mortgage lender positions.

Although the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) License covers across the country, you will still need to apply for an individual license per state you are looking to lend in.

Applying to Become a Mortgage Loan Officer with a Private Lender

Believe it or not, the next step in becoming a mortgage loan officer is finding a position at a private lending firm that suits your needs and interests. The NMLS license qualifies loan officers for all private lending and conventional lending mortgage companies. This will allow you to apply for all loan officer positions, however, you will still need the individual license per state.

After applying at your desired location, the interview process shouldn’t be too surprising or different from any other high-level interview process as they will mainly ask you questions and test you on your skillset, knowledge, and ambitions.

Once you’ve secured the position, the best private lending firms will provide thorough training, management, and support.

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Working at a Private Lending Mortgage Company

Through training new loan officers, a private lender prepares their sales team to help guide them to mastering some of the nuances required as a loan officer, that cannot be taught purely through an academic mindset.

You must be ready and focused as a loan officer and this level of training throughout the first few months of the job will help get you to that point.

As important as it is to get certified by the NMLS, there is only so much you can learn by studying laws, memorizing loan options, and practicing unique scenarios. The real test of grit is to see how well you work in a real-world setting.

To be successful as a loan officer you need to be sharp-minded at all hours, diligent in the details, dedicated to working hard, and affirmative in your tone, actions, and decisions. Furthermore, be intuitive enough to understand what is a good deal and how to thread the needle if plans don’t go as expected.

The work will be hard but the rewards are great. On average a mortgage loan officer at a private lending mortgage company can make an average of $150,000-$250,000 a year.

Securing Your Position as a Mortgage Loan Officer

To secure your career as a successful loan officer at a private lending institution, there are a couple more things you can do to ensure your success.

Firstly, there is the option to get certified by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and/or the American Bankers Association (ABA). This step is optional and not required for the position of loan officer, but getting this certificate can help boost your credentials, entice more clients to come your way, acquire yourself more deals and negotiations from borrowers, and specialize your skill set such that you are even more knowledgeable and prepared as a loan officer.

Lastly, you must renew your NMLS license every year. This is to ensure that whoever is still practicing they are aware of certain changes in the law, whether it be on the nationwide level or statewide. Additionally, renewing your license frequently keeps you fresh and sharp-minded as you are regularly checked on how well and how prepared you are at the job.

These are all the principal steps one takes when seeking to become a loan officer. The process is fairly intuitive for this type of position while also being thoroughly detailed in ensuring that only the best and most prepared are the ones handling multi-million dollar real estate investment deals.

Become a Mortgage Loan Officer/Originator with Stratton Equities! We’re Hiring!

If you are a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator that is new to the industry and is having a difficult time finding business, we have the solution.

Stratton Equities provides our loan officers with daily direct organic leads, that are from people that call into or apply to our offices looking for a mortgage. Not the other way around. We have a time-tested model that includes a state-of-the-art CRM and lead generation, amazing hands-on training, and the widest range of mortgage loan programs in the industry.

We have niche products that specialize in different types of loans such as Hard Money, No-DOC Loans, Soft Money Loan Programs, Non-QM Loans, Conventional, Fix & Flip, Commercial and more.

Benefits of working with Stratton Equities:

Direct Organic Leads
Hands-on Training & Support
Largest library of niche loan products – say “YES!” more!

Pay: $158,086.00 – $294,677.00 per year
Benefits: 401(k), Dental insurance, Health insurance, Vision insurance

For more information on how to get started as a loan officer, visit Stratton Equities today. We offer the largest variety of loan options that can all be directly accessed by our borrowers. Our starting interest rate is the lowest out of any private money lender, and you can get your loan approved in as little as 24-48 hours.

Additionally, our average time frame in closing loans for our new loan officers is 4-6 weeks after training.

Apply Now at https://www.loanofficerscareers.com and email us at [email protected]

Trust Deeds vs Mortgages: What’s the Big Difference?

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Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

If you are planning to invest in turnkey real estate development collateralized by real property, one of the top items on your due diligence check list should be to determine which mortgage theory the state follows per the location of the subject property. This understanding can be detrimental to your recovery strategy if your borrower is unable to uphold their end of the deal and defaults on the loan. Each state adheres to either title theory or lien theory, though there are a few states that follow both. In title theory states, Deeds of Trust are the binding agreements utilized between lenders and borrowers, and Mortgages are the agreements utilized in lien theory states. Both documents serve the same purpose in a real estate deal between a lender and borrower, but how they affect the relationship between the parties involved and the subject property is what makes the big difference.

What are some similarities between Trust Deeds and Mortgages?

Mortgages and Trust Deeds both secure repayment of the loan by placing a lien on the property, and are considered, by law, evidence of the debt as they are generally recorded in the county where the property is located. If the borrower defaults on the loan and the lien is in first position, the lien gives the lender the right to take the property back through foreclosure and sell it. In other words, both Mortgage and Trust Deed documents are used as leverage to ensure the borrower pays back the loan in full. The ability to sell the property gives real estate investors and lenders the potential to recoup the original principle lent on the loan. Depending on the value of the property, there is the potential for the recovery of back due interest, late fees, and even capital gain.

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

What are the main differences between Trust Deeds and Mortgages?

Number of Parties

A Mortgage involves two parties: a borrower (the Mortgagor) and a lender or investor (the Mortgagee). A Trust Deed involves three parties: a borrower (the Trustor), a lender or investor (the Beneficiary), and the title company or escrow company (the Trustee). The Trustees main functions are to hold the title to the lien for the benefit of the Beneficiary and to initiate and complete the foreclosure process for the Beneficiary in the case of default by the Trustor.

Property Title & Foreclosure Processes

The main difference between Trust Deed and Mortgages is who holds the title to the property encumbered by the loan for the duration of the loan term. In a Mortgage State, the borrower holds the title of the property. Therefore, if the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender must go through the courts to take back the property through foreclosure. This is known as judicial foreclosure and this process involves the lender filing a lawsuit against the borrower. This can be a costly and time-consuming process for both parties involved.

In a Trust Deed State, court can be bypassed because the Trustee holds the title to the property. You would follow the non-judicial foreclosure process, which almost always results in faster execution and resolution for all parties involved, especially for the lender. The speed of foreclosure can be detrimental to minimizing carrying costs and getting the property on the market quickly to sell in what may be a more promising market than one met at a later date.

What are First Trust Deeds?

Image by an_photos from Pixabay

A First Trust Deed is as it implies, is recorded first before any other financial liens on the subject property, whether they be secondary mortgages, trust deeds or even mechanics liens placed by subcontractors. This means the First Trust Deed holds a priority or “senior” position, making all other liens encumbered by the loan subordinate or “junior” to the senior loan. Obtaining first position is important because in a foreclosure scenario, all outstanding subordinate liens are eliminated. This makes it so the lender does not have to worry about reconciling those other debts on top of their own.

Why invest in First Trust Deeds?

Hard money lenders like Ignite Funding, tend to operate more in Trust Deed states. First Trust Deed investments offer an attractive yield with relatively low risk to Ignite Funding investors due to their senior lien position on the property and the foreclosure process that is more conducive to the investors who are the Beneficiaries on the loan. This allows investors to earn double digit annualized returns paid as a monthly fixed income with REAL property as their collateral.

If you are interested in becoming a Trust Deed investor or want to learn more, you can schedule a FREE consultation with an Investment Representative, please click here.

Ignite Funding, LLC | 2140 E. Pebble Road, Suite 160, Las Vegas, NV 89123 | P 702.739.9053 | T 877.739.9094 | F 702.922.6700 | NVMBL #311 | AZ CMB-0932150 | Money invested through a mortgage broker is not guaranteed to earn any interest and is not insured. Prior to investing, investors must be provided applicable disclosure documents.

How Deferment of Mortgage Payments May Affect Borrowers in the Long Run

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By Edward Brown

When Congress passed Section 4021 of the CARES Act in response to the effects of COVID-19, their intent was to help borrowers who were having problems making their mortgage payments. Little did Congress realize that they were potentially setting up borrowers for trouble in the future when it comes to credit worthiness as assessed by the lending community.

According to Mark Hanf, president of Pacific Private Money, “Section 4021 of the CARES Act contained a regulation that loan servicers “shall report the credit obligation or account for those participating in forbearance as current”. In other words, those participating in a forbearance program should not see their credit scores drop. However, there is a loophole that allows lenders to discover whether or not a borrower is actually making payments. It is the “comments” section of a credit report. The CARES Act does not mention the comments section of credit reports, and that’s where forbearance notations are going.” What borrowers are not being told is that any reference in a credit report to forbearance can be a Scarlet Letter for an applicant seeking a new mortgage, according to Kathleen Howley in an article she wrote in early May 2020.

According to Hanf, within a week of Howley’s article, his company received a loan request from a home buyer who was denied credit from a major bank for just this very situation. Although the bank sees the existing mortgage as “current” the forbearance has let the world know via the comment section that this borrower has requested a deferment. The major bank involved would most likely not deny the loan on its face due to the deferment, as this would violate the law; however, banks are notorious for coming up with a myriad of reasons for denying a loan and still stay within the guidelines set out for them.

Conventional lenders desire to have plain vanilla borrowers who pay back loans in a timely manner. When a borrower changes terms of the loan by requesting principal forgiveness or other aspects of the loan, the lenders generally do not usually extend credit again to these borrowers and can negatively affect the borrower’s ability to borrow again from unrelated lenders. Such is the case back during the Great Recession wherein some borrowers took advantage of the economic climate by asking their lender to reduce the principal of their loan [total forgiveness rather than just a deferment]. The borrowers may have gotten a reprieve, but the long-term effects may have been more drastic. Similarly, to when a borrower files bankruptcy. The borrower may get out of paying creditors, but their ability to borrow in the future is usually severely hampered.

In one case, back in 2009, during the heart of the Great Recession, one banker tells a story of how a wealthy borrower first asked for a principal loan reduction of $500,000 because his collateralized real estate had decreased and his request was granted. But, when this borrower was faced with the prospects of having this reduction reported on his credit report or the fact that he would have to inform any new lender that he requested a principal reduction [as this question is usually on bank applications], he voluntarily requested that the $500,000 abatement be reinstated. He decided his ability to borrow in the future was worth more than the $500,000 principal reduction.

Borrowers will have to decide if requesting deferments is worth the risk of potential future lending restrictions based upon the lender desire to lend to borrowers who choose to defer mortgage payments when the opportunity arises. Whoever said, “there’s no free lunch” must have been talking about these very situations.

Edward Brown

Edward Brown currently hosts two radio shows, The Best of Investing and Sports Econ 101. He is also in the Investor Relations department for Pacific Private Money, a private real estate lending company. Edward has published many articles in various financial magazines as well as been an expert on CNN, in addition to appearing as an expert witness and consultant in cases involving investments and analysis of financial statements and tax returns.

The Future of Mortgage Defaults – The Experts Weigh In

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By Stephanie Mojica

With an unprecedented national and global economic crisis, real estate industry experts have varying opinions on how the situation will affect mortgage defaults.

“The pandemic-induced closure of non-essential businesses caused the April unemployment rate to spike to its highest level in 80 years and will lead to a rise in delinquency and foreclosure,” Frank Nothaft, chief economist at CoreLogic in Orange County, Calif., said in a press release.

“By the second half of 2021, we estimate a fourfold increase in the serious delinquency rate, barring additional policy efforts to assist borrowers in financial distress.”

Paul Cooper is manager of the Kansas-based Totes of Notes. The company buys and sells distressed real estate debt throughout the United States. In a recent email interview with Realty411, Cooper said mortgage defaults have significantly increased.

“In fact, April 2020 had the highest rate of mortgage defaults for any given month on record,” Cooper said. “It took the last recession a long time to hit its peak, which was lower than this April.”

Cooper added that many of his real estate notes have not been paying regularly for the last few months.

“It’s going to get much, much worse before it gets better,” Cooper said.

However, Jay Tenenbaum, founder and president of the Arizona-based Capital Development of Scottsdale Rei, LLC said in a recent email interview that mortgage defaults are not on the rise. His company is a private equity real estate investment firm that specializes in acquiring assets nationwide.

“Based upon information and articles I have read, mortgage defaults are not on the rise — at least not yet,” Tenenbaum said. “The multitude of mortgage forbearance relief, has, at least for now, prevented the dramatic increase in defaults that we saw in 2008.”

While Tenenbaum emphasized that he does not wish to downplay the economic and social impacts COVID-19 has had on the country, he said there are people taking advantage of government programs to the detriment of real estate investors.

“The local, state and federal programs are/were necessary,” Tenenbaum added. “Having said that, these programs, etc. allowed many others to take advantage. We have all heard stories of furloughed employees who’d rather collect unemployment than go back to work.

“With regard to the issue of mortgage defaults, the federal/state forbearance programs were intended to minimize the risk of foreclosure, i.e. avoid a repeat of 2008, etc.

“Yet, a recent article stated that only 5% of those receiving mortgage forbearance relief did not have sufficient income to make their mortgage payments. Conversely, 95% of homeowners who were approved for forbearance relief can make their mortgage payments.”

Fuquan Bilal, CEO and founder of NNG Capital Fund of New Jersey, echoed similar sentiments.

“A lot of people, even if they didn’t suffer from COVID, still took advantage of not paying the mortgage or going into some type of deferral program,” Bilal said. “And then there were people who were genuinely affected by it. So, you have a mixture of that.

“Plus, people who are not working — even though they’re collecting unemployment, some people are still going to try to opt to see what programs the banks have and/or push the banks to see what they can get out of them.

“We saw the same thing happen with loan mods. When the market crashed, a lot of people strategically defaulted. So, you have a lot of strategic defaults that are happening.”

What does all this economic chaos, whether intentional or unintentional on the part of borrowers, mean for real estate investors?

“If you’re looking to buy distressed real estate notes, then all this is music to your ears,” Cooper said. “Because this means there will be plenty of inventory for non-performing note investors.

“You could also look at offering loans to people that are out of work. This would be riskier, but you could charge higher interest rates.”

According to Cooper, opportunities will also increase in the coming months and years for tax lien/deed/certificate investors as well as those interested in short sales and foreclosure deals.

However, Cooper emphasized caution — especially during a global economic crisis.

“If you’re looking to invest, then I’d sit on cash until really good deals come around.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, then I’d spend a lot of time trying to find somebody you can trust that you can invest with and learn from. More fortunes are made during bear markets than bull markets. You need to know how to protect yourself and take advantage of the situation.

“Be careful shelling out big dollars for an investing or real estate education. There are all kinds of con men coming out of the woodwork who have only done a handful of deals and only know how to sell you a course.

“Most successful investors are happy to teach you the game if you get in a deal or partner with them. It’s a good way to earn and learn. This way if you don’t understand the investment or like it, then you have a professional to handle it for you.”

Tenenbaum noted that when mortgages default, it creates a buyer’s market because of the increased supply of available inventory.

“Investors are nimbler and more equipped to obtain access to distressed homeowners and seek to acquire such properties. Also, in a distressed market, acquisition price is at a greater discount, thereby allowing investors to achieve greater profits.

“Last, banks and hedge funds are motivated to sell their assets as maintaining non-performing assets on their books puts their balance sheet and lending capabilities at increased risk.”

According to Bilal, unemployment is the number one indicator of an abundance of opportunity for note investors. However, he believes opportunities are scarcer now than they will be in the coming months.

“I believe that the banks really don’t want to take a position of foreclosing on people,” Bilal explained. “So, they are going to try to work it out; they are going to try to come up with modification programs.

“We’re seeing some of the defaults now, but I believe we’ll start to see some of the foreclosure activity maybe nine months to a year from now. They (the lenders) will probably run them (the borrowers) through a process to try to work it out, and if they’re not able to work it out they’ll start the foreclosure process.”

Cooper echoed similar sentiments about long-term plans paying off better for investors.

“The next 6 to 12 months could be rough as far as seeing good returns,” Cooper said. “However, there are good deals that are currently available that will pay off within a year or so. So, make sure to get a good price when you buy and patiently work through the investment.

“If you need money within the next 90 days, then you need a job not an investment.”

VA and FHA Mortgages & the Housing Boom (Part 2)

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Military Experience Eligibility for VA Loans

How does a retired or active military personnel member qualify for a VA loan based upon their military experience?

* An earlier discharge date for a service-connected disability may still qualify you.
** Officers who separated from service after 10/16/81 may be eligible.

For more details, please visit The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ website to learn about VA mortgage loan eligibility benefits:
https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/eligibility/

Once an active or retired military person meets the minimum qualifying guidelines, he or she will be given a Certificate of Eligibility that’s issued by the Department of Veteran Affairs. The VA mortgage loan applicant will then send a copy of the VA Certificate of Eligibility (VA Form 26-1880) to their mortgage broker or banker. For VA loan applicants who do not have a copy, they may complete a form entitled Request for a Certificate of Eligibility (Fillable) that’s linked here:
https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-26-1880-ARE.pdf

The Evolution of VA and FHA Loans

Near the end of World War II, the VA home loan program was created in 1944 as part of the original Servicemen’s Readjustment Act that’s also referred to as the GI Bill of Rights. The VA loan benefits were signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A portion of each funded VA mortgage loan was guaranteed by the federal government in the event that the VA borrower later defaulted on the loan and lost the home in foreclosure. This way, each bank that funded the 100% loan for qualifying VA borrowers had much less financial risk.

Specifically, there were two types of government-backed or insured mortgage loans that stimulated the housing market and helped the U.S. economy prosper and rise up out of the previous negative Great Depression (1929 – 1939) years – VA and FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loans. These more flexible residential mortgage loans were part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal plan and the National Housing Act of 1934 that were designed to create more jobs and boost home values and the economy once again.

Since 1934, FHA has insured over 34 million home mortgages nationwide. As per the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FHA has active insurance on over 8 million single-family mortgages. In total for both residential and commercial real estate properties, FHA’s insurance portfolio exceeds $1.3 trillion.

To learn more about the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), please visit HUD’s website:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/fhahistory#:~:text=Congress%20created%20the%20Federal%20Housing,workers%20had%20lost%20their%20jobs.

VA and FHA Loans for Buyers, Sellers, and Owners

The main difference between FHA and VA is that the government insures a portion of the FHA loan while guaranteeing a portion of a funded VA loan. The vast majority of home loans funded nationwide over the past 10 years, directly or indirectly, were either government-backed (VA) or insured (FHA) and/or purchased in the secondary markets by other government-sponsored or federal entities named Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae.

FHA loans allow borrowers to qualify with 3.5% down on average (96.5% LTV) with lower FICO credit score options near 580 and easier overall underwriting allowances. FHA also allows seller credits and gifts from family members toward down payments that can effectively make a purchase loan become near 100% LTV also. However, borrowers will have to pay an additional monthly insurance premium along with their mortgage payment that can reach a few hundred dollars per month, depending upon the borrower’s FICO credit score, loan amount, debt-to-income (DTI) ratios, and LTV (loan-to-value). There are more flexible FHA Streamline refinance programs available as well that are similar to the VA Streamline.

For qualified VA borrowers, there is perhaps no better mortgage loan option available while FHA loans might be the second best option for high LTV loans. This is especially true as 30-year fixed mortgage rates continue to hover at or near all-time record lows while making many mortgage payments more affordable than rent even when the home is financed up to 100% of the purchase price.

To date, VA and FHA have guaranteed or insured over 58 million mortgages for homeowners. Home sellers should welcome any VA or FHA buyer prospect who has a pre-approval letter from a mortgage lender. This is because the lender is prepared to provide up to 96.5% LTV for FHA or up to 100% LTV for a VA loan. Amazingly, both FHA and VA loans can close in a few weeks or less due to expedited online application processing options.

Rick Tobin

Rick Tobin has a diversified background in both the real estate and securities fields for the past 30+ years. He has held seven (7) different real estate and securities brokerage licenses to date, and is a graduate of the University of Southern California. Rick has an extensive background in the financing of residential and commercial properties around the U.S with debt, equity, and mezzanine money. His funding sources have included banks, life insurance companies, REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts), equity funds, and foreign money sources. You can visit Rick Tobin at RealLoans.com for more details.