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Do I Have To Sell Before I Can Qualify For A Mortgage?
Do I Have To Sell Before I Can Qualify For A Mortgage?
Although every situation is unique, it is not uncommon for home buyers to qualify for a mortgage on a new home while still living in their primary residence. Perhaps you are outgrowing your current house, or have been forced to relocate due to a job transfer?
Purchasing a home while you are still in the middle of selling your current one can be quite complex. Usually, you would have to sell off your existing residence and move right into the new home. However, this is not how it works, below is a break-down and a few scenarios.
Do I Have To Sell?
Yes. No. Maybe. It depends.
Welcome to the wonderful world of mortgage lending. Only in this industry can one simple question elicit four answers…and all of them may be right.
If you are in a financial position where you qualify to afford both your current residence and the proposed payment on your new house, then the simple answer is Yes!
Qualifying based on your Debt-to-Income Ratio is one thing, but remember to budget for the additional expenses of maintaining multiple properties. Everything from mortgage payments, increased property taxes and hazard insurance to unexpected repairs should be factored into your final decision.
What If I Rent My Current Property?
This scenario presents the “maybe” and the “it depends” answers to the question.
If you’re not quite qualified to carry both mortgages, you may have to rent the other property in order to offset the mortgage payment.
In that scenario, the lender will typically only count 75% of the monthly rent you are proposing to receive.
So if you are going to receive $1000 a month in rent and your current payment is $1500, the lender is going to factor in an additional $750 of monthly liabilities in your overall Debt-to-Income Ratios.
Another detail that can present a huge hurdle is the reserve requirement and equity ratio most lenders have. In some cases, if you are going to rent out your current home, you will need to have at least 25% equity in order to offset your payment with the proposed rent you will receive.
Without that hefty amount of equity, you will have to qualify to afford BOTH mortgage payments. You will also need some significant cash in the bank.
Generally, lenders will require six months reserve on the old property, as well as six month reserves on the new property.
For example, if you have a $1500 payment on your old house and are buying a home with a $2000 monthly payment, you will need over $21,000 in the bank.
Keep in mind, this reserve requirement is incremental to your down payment on the new property.
What If I Can’t Qualify Based On Both Mortgage Payments?
This answer is pretty straightforward, and doesn’t require a financial calculator to figure out.
If you are in this situation, then you will have to sell your current home before buying a new one.
If you aren’t sure of the value of the home or how your local market is performing, give us a ring and we’ll happily refer you to a great real estate agent that is in tune with property values in your neighborhood.
I was pre-approved, but after I found a home and signed a contract, my lender denied my loan. Why is this a common trend that I hear about?
There are literally hundreds of moving parts with a real estate purchase transaction that can impact a final approval up until the last minute, and then after the fact in some unfortunate instances.
With the borrower – credit scores, income, employment and residence status can change.
With the property – appraised value, poor inspection report, title transfer / property lien issues, seller cooperation, HOA disclosures.
With the mortgage program – Interest rates can change affecting the DTI ratio, mortgage insurance companies change guidelines or go out of business, new FICO score requirements…. the list can go on.
It’s important to make sure your initial paperwork is reviewed and approved by an underwriter as soon as possible. Stay in close contact with your mortgage approval team throughout the entire process so that they’re aware of any delays or changes in your status that could impact the final approval.
What happens if I can’t find a home before my pre-approval letter expires?
Depending on your mortgage program and final underwritten conditions, you may have to re-submit the most recent 30 days of income and asset documents, as well as have a new credit report pulled.
Worst case scenario, the lender may even require a new appraisal that reflects comparables within a 90 day period.
It’s important to know critical approval / condition expiration dates if your real estate agent is showing you available short sales, foreclosures or other distressed property purchase types that have a potential of dragging a transaction out several months.
Do I have to sell my current home before I can qualify for a new mortgage payment?
Yes, No and Maybe…
If you are in a financial position where you are qualified to afford both your current residence and the proposed payment on your new house, then the simple answer is Yes!
Qualifying based on your Debt-to-Income ratio is one thing, but remember to budget for the additional expenses of maintaining multiple properties. Everything from mortgages payments, increased property taxes and hazard insurance to unexpected repairs should be factored into your final decision.
