PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Southern Maryland’s Real Estate Market is blazing hot. Recent numbers show houses are being snapped up after just days on the market.
Mortgage expert Bill Saunders from Movement Mortgage in Prince Frederick says he’s never seen anything like it in his 20 years in the mortgage industry.
“A house goes on the market on Thursday and by Sunday there are dozens of offers,” Saunders said. “I’ve joked that home sellers should just put a wrestling ring in their backyard and let potential buyers battle it out for right to win the contract.”
How can buyers succeed in such a competitive market? Saunders says there are a few things you can do to give yourself an advantage.
Don’t Wait To Get Financing Approved
Bill Saunders said the biggest mistake buyers can make is waiting too long and not having their financing lined up. “Too many times prospective homebuyers wait until they see their dream house go on the market before reaching out to a lender for a pre-approval. Getting properly pre-approved can take some time and by the time they are able to collect the necessary documents that a mortgage lender will need for verification, they’ve missed the opportunity to put in a successful offer on the property.”
It’s best to visit your mortgage lender before you start looking for a home. That way, if you happen to find your dream home, you won’t have to wait to make an offer. You will be ready to proceed with the proper pre-approval letter, in hand.
Get Your Documents In Order
Starting the mortgage process early gives your loan officer plenty of time to fully review your financial verification documents.
Among the documents you need to provide are:
- Two years worth of W2s and tax returns
- Two months worth of bank statements for all asset accounts
- Two pay cycles of pay stubs
- Copy of your ID
Your mortgage lender can help you determine what other types of documentation may be needed.
Choose Local
Saunders says going local can be a big advantage in a competitive market. “If a listing agent is reviewing offers, they’ll have more confidence knowing you’ve been pre-approved by someone local with a good reputation that they know and trust.”
He says he uses his personal touch to reach out to real estate agents in the community. “One of the things I always do to help people win in a competitive situation is to reach out to the listing agent to voice my confidence and describe the strength of the buyers ability to gain loan approval.”
The personal touch has proven to be a winning formula for Bill Saunders who in 2019 ranked in the top 1% of all mortgage loan originators in the country.
Saunders said he’s served local real estate brokers, Realtors and home buyers in SOMD for over 20 years. “I like being able to help people experience the greatest wealth-building tool in America, which is home ownership. I love being able to do it in my own community. I often will run into my customers and I enjoy hearing about how much they love living in their homes.”
“Knowing that I played a role in their happiness makes me very proud of my profession.”
If you’d like to experience the personal touch at Movement Mortgage, you can contact Bill Saunders (NMLS: 455891) at 301-440-9102 or email bill.saunders@movement.com
You can even start the process of applying for pre-approval online at https://movement.com/lo/bill-saunders/
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