Back HomeChoosing a Lender
January 9th, 2013 by keithandkinseyYour lender will be one of the most important people involved in your real estate transaction choosing them wisely is important. Just like agents, not all people within one organization operate the same. One loan officer at your bank may be horrible to work with and another may be great.
I always suggest people start looking for a lender one of two ways:
- Ask you real estate agent who they recommend? Realtors have worked with many different lenders, and they know who has done a good job in the past and who hasn’t.
- Ask your friends who they recommend? Your friends, family, or coworkers who have been through the buying process may have worked with somebody they really liked (or didn’t like).
So, how do you know if this lender will be good to work with? Here’s a few things to look for and pay attention to when talking to a lender:
- Responsiveness is a key necessity in a lender. I’ve worked with lenders who wouldn’t respond to their clients questions for 4 or 5 days. This makes the buyer feel extremely insecure and freaked out through the home buying process. Find someone who responds at least within 24 hours when you call or email them.
- Knowledge is another must have trait of a good lender. There’s a million different loan programs out there, but after talking through your situation, your lender should be able to give you guidance on what loan program best meets your needs.
- Honesty is extremely important too. Of course it’s tough to tell if somebody is being honest with you in the first conversation you have with them. Although, your lender should be able to give you general guidelines about closing costs, fees, and rates. If you ask them questions about these things and you start to get the used car salesman vibe, run away. No offense to car salesmen, but you know what I mean.
- Deadlines within your real estate contract must be met by your lender. So, you want somebody that is prompt and organized to meet these deadlines. Usually if they fit all of the characteristics above, they’ll come through with your deadlines. Of course, there can be snags in underwriting that aren’t your lenders fault, but a good lender will advise of those potential snags ahead of time.
- Local lenders tend to be better to work with. It usually feels like somebody cares more about what you need, when you can actually sit down face to face. People get loans all the time without ever meeting their lender, but it’s good to know you have the option. It’s much nicer not dealing with a national call center.
Lastly, there’s the question of should you go with a broker or a bank lender. There is definitely a place for both.
- Bank (and credit union) lenders are usually great to work with for somebody who is in a strong financial position to buy, and they often have the best fees and rates. Shop around for the best rates and fees.
- Mortgage Brokers on the other hand are great at figuring out how to get the deal done if somebody is border line on a loan. They have a full arsenal of loan options available to them, and can sometimes make loans work that bank lenders can’t. Their fees and rates can sometimes be a bit higher, but if you’re not willing to shop around, they do the shopping for you potentially saving time and money.
In summary, there’s a lot to think about when choosing a lender, but take your time, ask for referrals and make a good choice. If you are in the Madison area, there are some great lenders that we recommend on our web page.
These are very useful guidance and information for choosing best agent or lender for yourself,one can get many points from this post
Brian Linnekens
[…] Select a Lender – Your lender is another critical person in your home buying process. They can advise you on available loan programs and help you determine how much you can spend. A great lender is one who can give you a good explanation and respond in a reasonable time frame. […]