Pre-Qual, Pre-Approval, Conditional Approval - What's the Difference ?

As long as I have been in the mortgage business (about 8 years now), there has always been confusion by borrowers (and some loan officers) about the difference between a loan Pre-Qualification and loan Pre-Approval.

Not Even Close...
A Pre-Qual, or Pre-qualification can almost be considered a task as simple as someone looking at a credit report and saying "yes, they have a credit report with decent scores, therefore, they are pre-qualified for a mortgage loan !". It isn't that simple, but it is very, very close. A pre-qual has no real standing, and is virtually worthless. There are so many nuances with a REAL approval for a mortgage loan that a pre-qual simply misses. If a broker or lender tells you they will "pre-qual you for a mortgage", first ask them what they mean by "pre-qual". If they then describe to you they will basically only review your credit report, tell them, "never mind". A pre-qual is simply a wast of everyone's time...

Better, But Still Not There Yet...
A Pre-Approval is a little better. Why ? Well, a pre-approval contains more information about the borrower. Generally, a pre-approval involves URAR 1003 loan application. A lender, or broker will actually ask the borrower questions based on the 1003. Then, they just fill in the blanks. It is very similar (it is the same document the loan officer will use for loan submission to underwriting, but usually does not have verified information) to the actual loan application.

Once the broker has the information, they will then submit the information to either Fannie Mae's DO/DU (Desktop Originator/Desktop Underwriting) or to Freddie Mac's LP (Loan Prospector) Loan Approval engines. A broker or lender can use DO/DU or LP to pre-approve a FHA, VA, or Conventional loan for a borrower. It is very powerful, and it is a simple, quick way to see if the borrower fits into the scope and parameters of the loan program they are seeking. DO/DU and LP are also used as guidelines by underwriters as to what the borrower will need to provide to the underwriter in order to receive final loan approval. We will talk more about that in a minute. But you still are not there yet...


You Are Getting Close...
A Conditional Approval is actually that - Your loan is approved based on the conditions that have been set by the underwriting. The 1003 has been completed by the loan officer with the information contained on the application verified with the borrower's documentation. The loan officer has looked at paystubs, W2's, bank statements and verified work history, rental history, and various other items and tasks required for the loan to be approved. A conditional approval is much better than a pre-qual and a pre-approval, but it definitely the riskiest area to be in, and the scariest. You are fully immersed in the loan process now. The chips are stacked - you have drawn a line in the sand...This is your position and you will stand behind it, 100%. You are all in...

There are so many things that can go wrong now, and you are totally exposed, unlike when you are in the pre-qual/pre-approval stages. You can pay for an inspection and the foundation is bad. You can pay for a appraisal and the value is not there. Or if it is at first, the lender will ask for a field review and drop the appraised value $60,000 (welcome to today's real estate market !), which will absolutely kill your deal. Or their is a cloud on the title of the property. There are so many things that can go wrong here.

I do not mean to scare anyone. Most real estate transactions go through okay. Very few have things that happen that stop the transaction cold in it's tracks. But I will tell you this - There Will Always Be Something to Deal With in a Real Estate Transaction, I can promise you...


This is What You Want...
Final Approval. Nirvana. You have made it. This is what it is all about. You have met all of the conditions required to close your mortgage loan transaction, and everything has checked out and fits the parameters set by the DO/LP Approval and underwriting. The underwriter now has no choice - they issue Final Approval, and your loan is Clear to Close. The underwriter then forwards your loan to the lender's closing dept., and then you schedule your closing. The bumpy ride is over, and you have won...

I have been through this process a hundred times, and everyone of them is a unique experience, never to be forgotten...

So, the tip of the day is this - Ask for a "Pre-Approval", always. It will start you off on the right track, and if you do not measure up right now, at least you will know what you may need to do in order to get your final approval in the future...

Who Does the Closing Attorney Represent in a Transaction ?

Who does the Closing Attorney represent in a real estate transaction?

Well...It depends...

In a cash transaction in the state of Georgia (outright purchase of the property), the attorney generally represents the party that contacted them first to oversee the transaction. But this can be seen as a gray area as well, it's according to how the parties act in the transaction as to whose interest the attorney represents. Therefore, it is very important to establish who the attorney will represent in the transaction at the very beginning, so there is no confusion. There is a box of the GAR Purchase & Sale Agreement form (Page 2, Paragraph 7) that allows either the buyer or seller to be represented.

Borrower's almost always assume (mistakenly) that the closing attorney represents them during the real estate closing. It is totally understandable to think this, since the buyer generally is footing the bill for the title services.

Sometimes the seller thinks the attorney represents their interest in the transaction, since they offered to pay closing costs to the buyer. And it is true, generally the seller can stipulate who the closing attorney shall be simply because they are paying the cost for the attorney.

But if a lender is involved in the transaction (in the State of Georgia), the attorney represents the lender, and acts on the behalf of the lender throughout the whole transaction. It doesn't matter if it is a purchase or refinance transaction (see the GAR Purchase & Sale Agreement, Page 2, Paragraph 7)

Every so often, (rarely) you run into a closing attorney who is NOT on the lender's approved attorney list. If they are not approved (or blacklisted), you cannot close your loan with that attorney. You have to find an approved attorney. And the seller has to choose an approved closing attorney (or allow the buyer to select the attorney), or choose another buyer.

That's how you know who's interest the closing attorney represents...

Rental History - Where You Live and How You Pay Matters...

Inevitably, people who rent or live at home always run into this problem - they do not have a 12 month history of rental payments. So when they decide to apply for a mortgage loan, this fact slaps them right in the face, and can lead to the borrower not being approved.

Of course, this does not apply to those who live in apartment complexes, or have a mortgage in their name that reports to the credit bureaus. The rental or mortgage history is easy for a prospective lender to track in this case, because a apartment complex is a non-interested third party, and your mortgage company will report to the bureaus if you are late with your payment.

The problem arises when a potential borrower lives at home with his or her parents. If you are seeking FHA financing you may be okay (with certain lenders and when certain loan parameters are met, rental history is not required), but as lenders continuously tighten lending requirements, I have seen rental documentation become a requirement on some FHA loans.

So I am going to say what all mortgage industry professionals know, but the general public seems to be totally unaware of - You must pay your rent with a check, or automatic withdrawal from your banking account. And you must pay at the same time, AND same amount, for 12 months consecutively, in order for a lender to consider your rental history as valid. Renters which have a landlord will be required to provide rental documentation in the form of 12 month's bank statements, because the lender will not accept a VOR (Verification of Rent) from this source. The landlord is deemed to be an INTERESTED party (they may not tell the truth about the rent being paid on time, or they could say you were late one month, and you weren't), so lenders do not accept any written documentation from the property owner. VOR's are only acceptable from a apartment complex or property management company.

I have had people to say they pay by checks some months, then by money order, then - sometimes with cash. Or they paid $600 last month, and $750 this previous 10 months, but have been able to skip a month or two because they did some personal favor for the landlord. All of this sends a red flag to the lender, and the borrower with the best credit scores and income is all of a sudden in trouble.

So, if you are a person wishes to purchase a home within the next 12 months who lives at home with your parents rent-free, has a roommate that you share a apartment with but you're not on the lease, or rent from a private landlord, do yourself a BIG favor - open a checking account and pay by check from NOW ON.

When it's time to buy your new home and get mortgage financing, you will be glad you did...