Communicating effectively with underwriters

How to Talk to Your Underwriter Without Losing Your Mind

18 days ago – When you’re buying or refinancing a home, the underwriter can feel like the person who holds all the cards. You might imagine them sitting in a dark...

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Your Underwriter Is Not Your Enemy: Straight Talk for a Smooth Approval

4 months ago – When you’re in the middle of buying a home or refinancing, the last person you want to hear from is the underwriter. Their name pops up in an email...

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How to Talk to Your Mortgage Underwriter Without Losing Your Mind

5 months ago – If you are in the middle of buying a home or refinancing, the word “underwriter” can make your stomach drop. You might picture some stern person in a...

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Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers to the questions we hear most.

Like your original mortgage, a cash-out refinance comes with closing costs, which typically range from 2% to 5% of the total loan amount. These fees include an application fee, appraisal fee, origination fees, title insurance, and other third-party charges.

A Mortgage Aggregator is a company that provides back-office support, licensing, and accreditation services to a network of individual Mortgage Brokers or smaller broking firms. Think of them as the “umbrella” organisation that brokers operate under. They do not deal directly with the public but are crucial to the broker ecosystem.

The interest you pay on a cash-out refinance may be tax-deductible if you use the funds to “buy, build, or substantially improve” the home that secures the loan. If the cash is used for other purposes, like debt consolidation, the interest is generally not deductible. You should always consult a tax advisor for your specific situation.

A Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI) is a personal finance measure that compares the amount of debt you have to your overall income. Lenders use it to evaluate your ability to manage monthly payments and repay borrowed money.

An extra principal payment is any amount you pay towards your mortgage that exceeds the required monthly principal and interest payment, which is applied directly to your loan’s principal balance.
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