The Mortgage Process
Buying or refinancing a home is exciting! At Elements, we want to make the mortgage process go as smoothly as possible for you so you never feel overwhelmed. On this page we’ll break down the steps you’ll take through the loan process — and remember, we’ll be with you every step of the way.
Which Loan is Right for You?
Okay, so you’ve heard people talk about fixed rate, adjustable rate, and a whole bunch of initials. How to figure out which is just right for you? That’s what your Elements Mortgage Loan Officer is here for! We’ll sit with you or chat on the phone to work through it for you. Here is some of the information we’ll need you to have available to get things started:
- Monthly income
- Current debt
- Planned amount to spend on your house
- Amount you have to put down
- How long you’ll stay in the home
- How flexible you can be with your monthly payments.
It’s Time to Apply
Does a loan application sound like a pile of paperwork? Never fear! Elements has pared it down to only the most essential information.
- The basics about you
- A little info on the property
- Your annual income
- Assets you plan to use for your down payment and closing costs
- What you currently owe others — then we’ll run a credit report
Credit Approval
We know waiting is no fun, so we will give you an answer within 24 hours. Many lenders would just pre-qualify you at this point. Not Elements. This is a true loan commitment, which means you will know what kind of offer you can make. It is, however, legally subject to underwriting the home you are financing and verification of the information you’ve provided.
Loan Processing
This is that part we were talking about at the end of the last step. At this point we will verify the information you’ve provided on your loan application. In addition to reviewing documentation to verify your assets and income, we will also order an appraisal, title report and flood certification on the home. Your prepaid processing deposit will be used for these services, which also goes toward your closing costs. You’ll also get all the necessary disclosures at this time to review.
Final Loan Approval
You’re nearing the finish line now! This step involves underwriting your home. Then once we review that information, we will give you a final approval and prepare your loan for closing.
Closing
Grab a pen because this is when we prepare the loan documents for you and the escrow company to sign. Once we have received the signed documents, we will transfer money to the escrow company. It’s their job to disburse the loan and record the documents.