Mortgage Law in New York

In Chestnut Ridge, New York, a mortgage is a special type of secured loan. A loan is "secured" when there is some type of property attached to it, which can be seized by the lender in case the borrower defaults. This, obviously, reduces the risk to the lender, and makes credit more available. A mortgage is a loan issued to buy a piece of real estate, with that same real estate serving as collateral.

Taking out a mortgage is not a trivial matter. But, if you want to buy a house, this is likely only way it will be possible. A mortgage allows a person to purchase property costing far more than what they currently have, by paying the purchase price in manageable installments.

When you buy anything on credit, however, you are going to end up spending significantly more than the purchase price, because you have to pay interest. Obviously, a lender couldn't stay in business if it didn't charge interest on loans, this would cause it to (at best) break even on every loan it issued.

However, many people who buy their homes with a mortgage find this extra long-term cost to be worth it, since a mortgage might be their only way to buy a home.

Getting a Mortgage in Chestnut Ridge, New York

The most crucial factor in getting a mortgage on favorable terms in Chestnut Ridge, New York is having a good credit rating. Credit ratings exist to make it easy for prospective lenders to assess a person's risk as a borrower. A good credit rating shows that you paid most or all of your debts on time, and are likely to continue to do so. A poor credit rating says the opposite, and will make it much more difficult to get a loan, and even if you do, the interest rate is likely to be much higher.

The vast majority of lenders will require a down-payment before issuing a loan. This is some up-front payment that represents a percentage of the purchase price. You should ensure that you have enough money saved up to cover the down payment on a house, if you are considering buying one. This will prevent the down payment from straining your finances too much.

It's also critical to be realistic about your financial situation when calculating monthly payments. Obviously, a more expensive house will result in higher mortgage payments. While buying a house on credit may tempt you to get something more expensive than you can really afford, you should resist this temptation. Having a big, expensive home won't count for much if you can't make the payments, and it gets foreclosed. You should make a reasonable accounting of the expenses associated with home ownership. This includes mortgage payments, property taxes, and others.

Once you're ready to close the deal, you will have to sign all of the mortgage and sale agreements. This basically makes everything final, so it's essential that you have a good understanding of every provision of the agreement long before you get to this point. This is definitely an area where surprises are not desirable.

Can a Chestnut Ridge, New York Real Estate Attorney help?

Because of the gravity of the decision to buy a house, and the complexity of some of the issues involved, it is never a bad idea to seek the help of a Chestnut Ridge, New York real estate attorney if you have any questions whatsoever.