4 Tips to Getting a Real Estate Loan

These days one of the biggest impediments to closing a real estate sale can be the buyer’s ability to get a mortgage.

Here are some tips for anyone who hopes to land a home loan:

1) Turn to the government. The biggest source of real estate loans these days is the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the Veterans Administration (VA). These programs accept borrowers with lower credit scores and allow them to put down as little as 3.5 percent of the purchase price.

2) Document, document, document. Borrowers will need bank statements, brokerage statements, W-2 forms and tax returns for real estate purchases.

3) Boost credit scores. Borrowers should avoid having more than one-third of their maximum borrowing capacity outstanding on one credit card. If necessary, rotate the debt among several cards. 

4) Work your connections. Comparison shopping is easy online, but if you have an established relationship with a local bank, try that lender first for your real estate purchase.

Source: BusinessWeek.com, Christopher Palmeri (01/23/09)