Month: September 2016

Colorado Home Appraisals in High Demand

Reverse Mortgage for Purchase Loveland Fort Collins Greeley Longmont Westminster Colorado Cheyenne Laramie WyomingColorado’s housing market is hotter than ever.  Home prices are high, inventory is moving fast, and home appraisers are struggling to keep up with the demand.  Because of this, when scheduling a home appraisal, the wait time between scheduling and the date of the actual appraisal is on average 4-5 weeks – and sometimes more.  The cost of appraisals are also creeping up as the market stretches those in the profession thin.  This is great news for for those invested in the housing market because it shows a positive uptick in Colorado’s economy.  But it can cause problems as well, especially for those who are expecting the process to move fast.

What does this mean for Reverse Mortgage?

A critical part of the reverse mortgage process is the home appraisal. This is the case whether obtaining a traditional reverse mortgage or a Reverse Mortgage for Purchase.  The appraised value of the home is one of the important factors that determines the amount available through the reverse mortgage loan (or in the case of a purchase loan, the amount available to purchase the home).  With appraisals being a hot commodity in Colorado, if you’re considering a reverse mortgage, don’t drag your feet!  Get your application in now so we can get your appraisal on the books and locked in!

Other factors that play into the amount available through a reverse mortgage are the age of the borrower (or the youngest borrower in the case of a married couple) and current interest rates.

Reverse mortgage is an individualized, specialized loan for those 62 and older that allows seniors to tap into the equity of their home while living mortgage and loan payment free.  The funds can be accessed via a lump sum, line of credit, monthly installments, or even to purchase a home. If you are planning ahead let your specialist guide you creatively to suit your needs and desires.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

 

Retire in Comfort – How a Reverse Mortgage Can Help

Colorado Reverse Mortgage

For many who remember the reverse mortgage scares of the yester-years, the terms ‘comfort’ and ‘reverse mortgage’ seem like an unlikely duo.  But they shouldn’t  be.

 

Since the FHA and HUD changed a few regulations stabilizing reverse mortgages in 2015, they have quickly been garnering new attention.  Whether looking to boost monthly income, protect retirement, or even purchase a new home, reverse mortgage is proving to be a versatile and creative tool.

 

Here are three ways a reverse mortgage can help make retirement more comfortable:

 

1.) Supplement retirement income.  With a whopping 36% of baby boomers planning to live on nothing but Social Security for retirement, utilizing a reverse mortgage to supplement retirement funds with non-taxable income from the equity of an individual’s home is a great option.  The funds can be accessed via monthly payments or a line of credit, and because the loan doesn’t come due until the borrower passes away or permanently leaves the home, they can live their retirement years both financially comfortable and in the comfort of their own home.

 

2.) Protect and enhance retirement portfolio.  For those who have a well prepared plan for their retirement, using a reverse mortgage line of credit to supplement their nest egg can offer great flexibility and even enhance wealth.  Some simply want to use the funds to delay Social Security until they can receive the largest amount.  Others may have investments they are looking to protect or allow to mature.  Retirement and financial planners are now discussing how a reverse mortgage can be used as part of a long term retirement plan.

 

3.) Purchase a retirement home.  It’s still a little known fact that a reverse mortgage can be used to purchase a new home – but it can, and it’s a great fit for so many retirees.  Whether looking to moving in to a senior community, move closer to family, or move to a dream home, using a Reverse Mortgage for Purchase should not be overlooked.  This amazing program makes the once impossible possible when it comes to home buying.

 

Reverse mortgage is an individualized, specialized loan for those 62 and older that allows seniors to tap into the equity of their home while living mortgage and loan payment free.  The funds can be accessed via a lump sum, line of credit, monthly installments, or even to purchase a home. If you are planning ahead, let your specialist guide you and help creatively suit your needs and desires.

 

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

IMPORTANT: Watch Out for Scams and Identity Theft

reverse mortgage loveland fort collins greeley longmont westminster coloradoDid you know senior citizens are the #1 demographic to be hit with vicious scams aimed at stealing tens of thousands of dollars (and more)?  As someone who works with these same people every single day, it breaks my heart.  The kindness and trust they possess is something we should honor – NOT take advantage of.  But unfortunately there are those in the world who see these vulnerabilities as something to exploit – and they do.  Whether you are a consumer yourself, an adult child of an elderly parent, or a professional working with the senior population, please inform yourself and take the steps necessary to prevent access to priceless personal information.  You will never regret being extra diligent.

 

Just recently, tens of thousands of dollars was sent to a scammer during a 100% legit real estate transaction because unbeknownst to the buyer, they found themselves the target of a “phishing” email scam, and by the time they realized it was a scam that looked identical to the “real deal”, it was too late and they’d wired money they can never get back.  This happened not once, but TWICE!

 

This is one of the most common types of scams these days and it’s called “phishing”.  This is where highly skilled con artists use various techniques to obtain information about a pending transaction (common in real estate) or other information they can use to obtain financial information.  Sometimes this information is found by hacking into non-secure servers, other times it’s found by following what someone is saying on Facebook or other online forums.  Regardless of how it’s obtained, both the senior consumer and the professional working with the senior consumer need to be advocates for their privacy.

 

Here are my tips to prevent becoming a victim of this type of fraud:

 

1.) NEVER provide personal information via email, always do this over the phone, or over a secure server on a website.  If someone requests it from you in an email, call them.  If you’re a professional working with consumers, never request this information be provided via email.  If you do, you are putting your clients at unnecessary risk.

 

2.) NEVER wire or transfer money according to instructions you receive in an email – even if you have corresponded with this person.  Fake email accounts look nearly identical to authentic ones and it can be very difficult to tell the difference.  This is VERY important; don’t take the risk.  ALWAYS speak with anyone who is asking you to wire money – preferably in person – and always use the phone number you already have for them, not a phone number sent in an email.

 

3.) NEVER follow a link that comes in an email to your bank account or other account that will have access to your private, personal financial information.  This includes banks, credit cards, loans, PayPal, IRS, etc.  This is one of the most common phishing scams.  When you receive a phishing email, it will seem you are being alerted to various scenarios – possibly a fraudulent transaction, an overdrawn account, or another “urgent” situation.  Everything looks legit; they will have your name and often more information.  Most of the time these emails are scams!  As soon as you go to the link provided, and enter your login and password, it’s been stolen.  To prevent this, ALWAYS login directly from your internet browser by typing in the website URL directly as you already know it and use it.  Don’t hesitate to call and ask the bank or other institution about the email (using the number you already have, again, don’t use information given to you in a potentially fraudulent email).  All financial institutions want these reported.  It’s how they are stopped.

 

4.) Whether a consumer or professional working with consumers, ALWAYS use secure hosting and servers with strong security.  Password protect your wireless networks.  Hackers are highly skilled – but you are your own first defense against them.

 

For more information about protecting yourself against identity theft, click here.  You can never be too careful or diligent in protecting your personal details and assets, or those of your clients.

 

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.