by SupremeLending | May 31, 2024
The Ultimate Mortgage DTI Handbook
When it comes to securing a mortgage, understanding your finances has never been more important. One of the most important metrics lenders use when evaluating a borrower’s eligibility for a mortgage is Debt-to-Income ratio, commonly known as DTI. Let’s dive into what exactly mortgage DTI is, how it’s used, what sources of debt and income are considered, and what establishes a fair or good DTI. Plus, we’ll offer some helpful tips for potential homebuyers on understanding their DTI.
What Is Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio?
DTI is a financing metric that compares an individual’s monthly debt payments to their gross monthly income. Essentially, it measures the percentage of your income that goes toward paying off debts. Lenders use DTI to assess a borrower’s ability to make monthly payments to repay the loan. DTI is calculated by dividing your total monthly debt payments by your gross monthly income and multiplying the result by 100 to get the ratio percentage.
For example, if you have $1,500 in monthly debt payments and a gross monthly income of $5,000, your DTI would be 30%, as calculated below:
How DTI Is Used to Determine Mortgage Eligibility
Lenders look at your DTI to evaluate your ability to take on additional debt in the form of a mortgage. A lower DTI indicates that you have a good balance between debt and income, resulting in a more attractive and capable buyer. There are DTI thresholds that borrowers will need to meet, which can vary by lender or specified by the loan program guidelines.
Types of Mortgage DTI
- Front-end DTI: Also called a housing ratio or mortgage-to-income, this ratio only calculates housing-related expenses, such as the monthly mortgage payment, property taxes, homeowners’ insurance premiums, and homeowners association fees, if applicable, relative to your gross monthly income.
- Back-end DTI: This ratio includes all your monthly debt obligations, such as credit card payments, car loan payments, and student loan debt, in addition to the housing-related debt. Lenders typically focus more on back-end DTI when evaluating a buyer’s capability to repay a loan as it provides a clearer picture of their financial responsibilities.
Sources of Debt and Income Considered
What Is Considered a Favorable DTI?
A good DTI ratio for a mortgage depends on the type of loan and the lender. Most lenders prefer a back-end DTI of around 36% or less, though some may accept higher ratios, especially for borrowers with strong credit scores or significant assets.
Helpful Mortgage DTI Tips for Potential Homebuyers
1. Avoid New Debt
Before applying for a mortgage, calculate your current DTI to give you a rough understanding of where you stand. This will help identify if you need to make any adjustments to potentially improve your DTI ratio before deciding to purchase a home.
2. Reduce Outstanding Debts
Paying down existing debts can significantly improve your DTI. Consider focusing on reducing or eliminating higher interest debts like credit card balances first.
3. Increase Your Income
Look for opportunities to boost your income. This could be through a salary increase, getting a higher-paying job, adding a part-time gig, or exploring other income sources.
4. Avoid New Debt
Refrain from taking on new debt before applying for a mortgage and during the loan approval process. New loans or credit lines may have an impact on your DTI and mortgage eligibility.
5. Seek Professional Advice
Consult with a financial professional for personalized guidance or a loan officer to get a better understanding of your DTI and loan program requirements. There may be other mortgage options better suited for you depending on your goals, such as Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) loans for investment properties that don’t use DTI.
6. Consider a Co-Signer
If your DTI is in the higher range, you may benefit from having a co-signer who has a higher income or less debt to contribute.
7. Understand Loan Programs
Guidelines and criteria to qualify for a mortgage vary depending on the program and lender. For example, FHA loans typically have more lenient DTI requirements than Conventional loans. Work with our team at Supreme Lending to explore a variety of different mortgage options and find the one best fit for you.
Managing Your Debt-to-Income Ratio
Understanding mortgage DTI and your Debt-to-Income ratio is essential for navigating the loan process. By managing your DTI and making informed decisions, you may potentially improve your mortgage eligibility and chances of securing your dream home.
Contact Supreme Lending to learn more about how we can help you achieve your homeownership goals with confidence.
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by SupremeLending | Apr 16, 2024
A mortgage is more than just the home loan amount, so let’s breakdown what all goes into a monthly payment beginning with the short acronym, mortgage PITI—principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. Understanding these factors can help you determine how much home you can afford and budget accordingly.
Principal (P):
Principal refers to the flat amount borrowed from a lender to purchase a home. It represents the initial loan amount, which is gradually paid down over the life of the mortgage through regular payments. Understanding the principal component of your mortgage payment is crucial for assessing the affordability of a home. A larger principal amount typically results in higher monthly mortgage payments, while a smaller principal amount may be more manageable depending on one’s budget.
Interest (I):
Interest is the rate percentage of how much you’ll pay each month as a fee for borrowing the funds. It is a fundamental component of mortgage payments. The interest rate on your mortgage directly impacts the total amount of interest paid over the life of the loan. A lower interest rate can reduce your monthly mortgage payments and lower the amount of interest you would pay over the life of the loan.
Taxes (T):
Taxes, specifically property taxes, are typically rolled into the monthly mortgage and vary by location and the appraised value of the home. These taxes fund various public services, such as schools, roads, and emergency services, within your community. Property tax rates fluctuate depending on the neighborhood and can have a significant impact on your overall housing expenses. Understanding property tax obligations associated with a prospective home is essential for accurate budgeting and planning.
Insurance (I):
Insurance, which can include both homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance, commonly have annual premiums that the lender can tie into your monthly payments. Homeowners insurance protects your investment by covering physical damages or loss to your property and belongings, such as fire, theft, or natural disasters. Mortgage insurance, which is typically required especially if you put less than 20% down, protects the lender if you default on the loan. Once you reach an agreed-upon equity threshold and loan-to-value ratio, it may be removed to lower your payments.
Practical Tips for Mortgage PITI
- Calculate Affordability. Using mortgage calculators and working with your Loan Officer can help provide an estimate for your monthly mortgage PITI payments based on your desired home price, down payment amount, interest rate, and other related terms.
- Factor in Additional Costs. In addition to PITI, consider other homeownership expenses, such as utilities, regular home maintenance, and homeowners association (HOA) fees, when establishing your housing budget.
- Build a Contingency Fund. Set aside savings for unexpected expenses or potential fluctuations in mortgage PITI payments, such as property tax increases or changes in insurance premiums.
- Reassess Periodically. Review your homeownership goals regularly and adjust as needed based on possible changes in income, expenses, interest rates, or market conditions.
Mortgage PITI—principal, interest, taxes, and insurance—serves as a fundamental framework for understanding the financial aspects of homeownership. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned homeowner, examining each component of PITI offers valuable insights into how much home you can afford and helps you achieve your homeownership goals with confidence. Embrace the power of PITI as you embark on the exciting journey to owning your dream home.
Contact your local Supreme Lending branch to get started.
by SupremeLending | Apr 12, 2024
As anyone who has been through the homebuying process can tell you, there are several important documents that are typically involved. One of the single most vital, and one that all homebuyers will deal with eventually, is known as the mortgage closing disclosure.
While closing on your loan can be the most exciting step in the homebuying process, it’s important to carefully, completely review and understand what you’re agreeing to at the closing table—that’s where the official closing disclosure comes in to provide a transparent summary of all loan details. What is involved in a closing disclosure, when will it typically be sent to you, and why does it matter? Here’s everything you need to know about this important document.
Mortgage Closing Disclosure Basics
When we talk about the closing disclosure, we’re referring to a single document that lays out all the final terms and numbers associated with your mortgage so there are no surprises at the closing table, and you can close with confidence and clarity.
The closing disclosure is typically five pages in length, and includes the following details:
- Loan terms. This is where you’ll find specific information about the interest rate, monthly payments, and other important conditions of your loan agreement.
- Projected payments. Here, you’ll see a breakdown of all the different types of payments that you’ll be responsible for making over the life of the loan. This will include your principal and interest payments, as well as any taxes, insurance, or other fees that are required.
- Closing costs. All the different costs associated with acquiring and closing on your home loan will be itemized here. This can include fees for things like the appraisal, title insurance, or other third-party services.
- Transaction summary. For your reference, this section will provide a summary of all the different financial transactions that are taking place as part of your mortgage. This can include your down payment amount, as well as the total loan amount and any credits that may be applied.
- Other information. The closing disclosure may also include other helpful details about your loan, such as information about escrow accounts or potential prepayment penalties.
Timing of the Closing Disclosure
It’s required that lenders provide you with your closing disclosure no later than three days before your scheduled loan closing date. This is designed to give you sufficient time to review the document ahead of time and raise any questions or concerns that you may have. In practice, most lenders will provide the closing disclosure much earlier than this – often at least a week in advance, if not more.
Why Does the Mortgage Closing Disclosure Matter?
By now you can probably see why the closing disclosure is so important. It’s critical to review this document thoroughly before you close on your loan. This is your last chance to catch any errors or discrepancies in the loan terms or other information that’s been provided. If something doesn’t look right, be sure to bring it up with your loan officer so that it can be corrected quickly and to avoid any delays to your mortgage closing.
Even seemingly minor errors like a misspelled name or an incorrect address can cause major problems down the road. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so take the time to review your closing disclosure carefully before you sign on the dotted line.
The closing disclosure is also key because it provides you with a clear understanding of what you’re agreeing to when you close on your loan. There’s no such thing as a “standard” mortgage, and loan terms can vary widely from one lender or loan program to the next. By reviewing your closing disclosure, you can be sure that you’re getting the loan that you agreed to, with the terms and conditions that you expected.
How to Check the Closing Disclosure
Once you receive your closing disclosure ahead of your mortgage closing date, it should immediately become one of your top priorities. As noted above, it’s crucial to ensure the details of your loan are accurate, and that all parties involved in the transaction have the proper information.
Here are some basic steps for checking your mortgage closing disclosure:
- Details first. In most cases, it’s recommended to first move through the simple details of the closing disclosure to ensure they’re correct. Check to make sure no names have been misspelled and that the address of the home being purchased is listed correctly, including the zip code. As mentioned, even small errors in areas like these can have a large trickle-down effect during closing, so it’s important to confirm them – and if they’re wrong, quickly send the disclosure back to your lender so it can be corrected.
- Loan terms. Next up, you should review the entire section on your loan terms and confirm accuracy of each detail. Make sure your monthly payment amounts match prior agreed upon documents, for instance, and that your mortgage interest rate percentage is what you expected it to be. Do not let any errors here slide through the cracks.
- Closing costs. Be sure to oversee the closing costs as well, confirming they’re accurate. For example, the document should list the precise amount you’re paying for your down payment, plus any other fees involved in the closing of the home purchase.
- Sign and submit back. Once thoroughly assessed and any issues or errors have been fixed, it’s time to sign the closing disclosure and return it to your lender, which can be done either in-person or virtually. Congratulations, you’re ready for closing day!
For more on closing disclosures within your homebuying process, or to learn about our wide variety of home loan options, contact your local Supreme Lending branch.
