A Gold Medal Move - The Winter Olympics & Parker County Texas

By: Maureen Griffin

Many of us in Parker County, are enjoying watching the Winter Olympics. I mean, who doesn't get excited over the fact that Shaun White just won the 100th Winter Olympics gold medal for the USA? And with our up-and-down temperatures, we're likely to be bundled up on the sofa while watching our favorite events.

So, what do the Winter Olympics have to do with buying or selling a home in Parker County? Nothing, directly. But they can be a good reminder that if you're looking to get in a new home by early summer, it's probably time to jump-start your process.

Let's look at what mortgage expert, Joey Howington, from Cendera Funding, says are your first steps.

"The market's hot and you must be ready to move quickly if you find your dream home! As sellers evaluate potential buyers they will consider the real estate agent who represents you and the pre-approval letter you hold in your hand. A reputable pre-approval letter verifies to the seller that you're financially capable of buyer the home. It's a key component and not all pre-approval letters are equal."

So where is the best place to get a loan? We see ads for online lenders who promise to compare and get the best rate. We all have a checking account with our local bank, what about a mortgage from them? Again, Howington advises to choose a lender who is thorough and efficient, so your offer is first to the table and you're able to close the deal quickly.

"It's imperative that you work with a lender that will prepare a pre-approval letter based on a full review of credit, assets, liabilities, and income. Listing agents know which lenders have a reputation for closing on time as agreed and delivering good communication throughout the process. Make sure you're aligned with the right lender to put yourself in the lead position when negotiating. Here are the steps to get started: 

1. Have a 10 min strategy call with our team to discuss you short and long-term goals.  We’ll determine how much money you want to bring to closing, your payment budget, time frame, and how long you anticipate living in the home.  From there we’ll begin to understand what the best loan option may be 
2. Loan application – We prefer to do this over the phone but have an on line secure site if that better fits your needs
3. Send us financial documents and we’ll prepare a pre-approval letter – Once you send the requested items to our team we can draft a pre-approval within minutes to a few hours depending on complexity

Go ahead, enjoy the Winter Olympics this week. But if you're itching to be in your new home by Summer, let the Closing Ceremonies remind you it's time to get ready for your gold-medal move!