Jul 13, 2021
Occasionally we meet with consumers who've procrastinated buying a home or waited to refinance because they're too embarrassed to share their financial details. Maybe they're carrying substantial credit card debt. Maybe their credit score could use some work. Maybe they're not earning the income they were in the past.
Don't let financial difficulties hold you back from achieving your dreams!
We've Seen It All
Trust me when I tell you that you are far from the worst credit/financial picture we've ever seen. We've seen 400 credit scores. We've seen couples with over $100,000 in credit card debt. We see borrowers with $80,000 in student loans who never got a degree. We've seen bankruptcies, foreclosures, and pages and pages of collections. We've seen consumers who have never paid a bill on time in their lives. I promise you that we've seen situations that are worse than yours.
We Know It's Weird
We spend all day talking about income, bank account balances, and credit scores. When a friend tells us they've bought a new car, our first questions are, "Did you finance it or pay cash? What interest rate did you get? Is it a four-year loan or five?" Yup, we're a riot at parties.
But we realize that's not everyone. Most people are taught that their finances are private. They're not accustomed to talking about how much money they make. Nobody sits down at the pub and says to their barmate, "I was offered a new job today and they want to pay me $78,000/year. Does that sound reasonable to you?"
But we do talk about this kinda stuff. We talk about it all day long. And it's perfectly normal if it feels a little weird to you.
Mum's the Word
It should go without saying, your secrets are safe with us. We won't share your sensitive financial information with anyone other than our processor and underwriter. Nobody will know how much money you make or what your credit score is - not your REALTOR, not the seller, or anyone else. Click here to see what we share with your REALTOR.
In fact, the fact that we're working together is completely confidential. We know it's a small town. And we know that it's likely we'll see you at the Rose Theater or the Blue Moose. We won't ever approach you in public about your financing. We're happy to discuss your transaction if you're up for it! But we'll let you take the lead and approach us first.
We've Been There
The fact is, most of us have been there at one time or another. Very few people go through life with shiny perfect credit from the day they're 18 until the day they die. Life happens! People lose jobs, get sick, forget to pay bills. Checks get lost in the mail. Insurance fails to pay. Couples get divorced. Moms and dads co-sign for auto loans for kids who don't pay.
Most folks go through hard times at some point in their lives. That's why negative credit doesn't stay on your report forever! We've all been there. And we're here to help you make it better.
We Can Help!
But not if you don't approach us first! We have many tools at our disposal. We can help you get connected to a (reputable) credit repair company. We can show you how to utilize the equity in your home to pay off debt. We can make suggestions on actions you can take that will (and won't!) increase your credit score. But we can't help if you don't reach out to us first.
Not everyone who meets with us is ready to buy a house right away. If you're not ready, we'll give you step-by-step instructions on actions you need to take so you will be ready in six months or a year. And keep in mind that a mortgage loan is some of the easiest credit to get. A mortgage loan is secured by real estate. If you don't pay, your lender has a tangible asset to reclaim to get their money back. Lenders also know that you're likely to pay your housing payment before you pay any other bill. The consequences of not paying your credit card bill pale in comparison to not having a place to live!
If you've been too shy to share your fiscal business with us, we encourage you to reconsider. We're happy to help! And we promise not to judge.