Mortgage Lender

A mortgage lender is the person you see when you are interested in or ready to take out a mortgage to buy a home or refinance your current home. When you're going to buy a home, unless you're part of the lucky few that can pay cash, you'll need to take out a mortgage loan. The mortgage lender is the person that will help you with all the details on your mortgage. Whether you go to a bank or apply for a mortgage online, you will still be assigned a mortgage lender to help you and go through the entire mortgage process from beginning to end.

The first step towards obtaining a mortgage, after you find your dream home, is filling out an application. Often you can go to the bank of your choice, pick up an application, take it home to fill it out and return it to the bank. It is at this time that you will be introduced to a mortgage lender. The mortgage lender will go over the application and ask any questions that may not be answered on the application. This is usually a sort of "get acquainted" session unless you already know the mortgage lender personally.

It's also at this time that the mortgage lender will do a credit report on you and your spouse, if you have one. The credit report will show all current debts you have, any past debts you have as well as your payment history. Past debts you may have had will stay on your credit report for 7 to 10 years. If you have any negative reports on your credit report, such as late payments or delinquencies, this will negatively affect your overall credit score and your mortgage lender may question you about them and the conditions surrounding them.

If your loan request is for a large amount, as most home mortgages are, your mortgage lender may not be able to make a decision on the spot. Some banks and credit unions require the mortgage lenders to get approval from board of directors or a loan committee. You are usually given your approval within a week, however. Occasionally, the mortgage lender is able to make the decision without approval and can give you a general idea.

When you take out a mortgage to purchase a home, there are fees that go with the loan beyond the dollar amount of the loan. These fees include but are not limited to the cost of an appraisal on your home, title insurance or abstract fee to make sure your home does not have other liens on it, legal fees and loan origination fees. Your mortgage lender will discuss these fees with you as well as explain any details that will need to be taken care of by you. If you have an efficient and highly-qualified mortgage lender, the entire process will go smoothly and quickly.