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About Better Mortgage
- Why choose Better Mortgage?
- Is Better Mortgage a direct lender?
- Will Better Mortgage service my mortgage?
- Question: Does Better Mortgage offer mortgages in my state?
Loan types and products
- What types of mortgages does Better Mortgage offer?
- Do you offer loans for investment properties?
- Do you offer construction or commercial loans?
- Do you offer Texas Cash Out Home Equity Loans?
- Do you offer mortgage loans for buying foreclosed homes?
- Do you refinance homes that are held in LLCs?
- Question: Does Better Mortgage offer FHA loans?
- What is the minimum FHA loan credit score Better Mortgage requires?
- How do I qualify for an FHA loan with Better Mortgage?
- What are the minimum FHA loan down payment requirements?
- What is the FHA debt-to-income ratio limit at Better Mortgage?
- What does FHA stand for and what do they do?
- What is a conventional mortgage, and how does it work?
- What are VA loans?
Better Price Guarantee
- What is a loan estimate (LE) and what it tells you
- What's the fine print?
- How does Better Mortgage keep their prices so low?
Rates
- Will I get the same rate I was quoted?
- What is included in the monthly payment?
- How do I get the Better Real Estate discount?
- What's the fine print for the Better Real Estate discount?
- Is a 5/1 ARM smart for short-term homeownership today?
- What is a fixed rate mortgage?
- What is a loan term?
- What is a mortgage interest rate?
- What is an adjustable rate mortgage, and how does it work?
- What is a mortgage lock-in rate and how does it work?
- What's the definition of basis points or BPs?
Locking
- Can you change your interest rate after locking?
- Will I get a rate lock cancellation fee if I need to break it?
- What happens if my lock expires before my loan is complete?
Home purchase loan costs
- Where can I get a cost estimate?
- Which third-party fees will I be charged?
- Which third-party fees does the seller pay?
- Does Better Mortgage charge pre-payment penalties?
- What does cash to close mean?
- What is MIP (Mortgage Insurance Premium)?
- What does PITI stand for in real estate?
- What is a principal mortgage and how does it actually work?
- What does PMI stand for in real estate and how it works?
Refinance loan costs
- What will my closing costs be, and what should I expect?
- When will I be expected to pay fees?
- What will be the payoff amount of my current mortgage?
- Does Better Mortgage charge pre-payment penalties for refinance?
Pre-approval letters
- What is a pre approval letter?
- What types of pre-approval letters does Better Mortgage offer?
- How do I get a pre-approval letter?
- How long does it take to get a pre-approval letter?
- Mortgage pre approval cost: how much does it cost?
- Difference between pre-approval and verified approved letter
- Why would my verified income be different than my stated income?
- Why would my verified assets that are used to determine my down payment be lower than expected?
Loan process
- Will I have a point of contact at Better Mortgage?
- Am I committing to Better Mortgage by getting pre-approved?
- What do I need to do to lock my rate?
- How long does it take to close a mortgage loan?
- Is escrow required when you are getting a new mortgage?
- Can I transfer my current escrow account?
- Is my data secure?
- What does close of escrow mean in real estate?
- What are reserves in a mortgage? The key information you need to know
- What is a loan commitment letter in real estate?
- What is a gift letter for a mortgage?
- What is a flood certification?
- What does closing on a house mean?
- What is a closing disclosure?
- What exactly is a co-applicant in a mortgage application?
- What does collateral mortgage mean for a home loan?
- What do comparable sales mean in real estate valuations?
- What does a down payment mean in real estate transactions?
- What is a loan consultant and what do they do?
- What does a mortgage processor do for you home loan?
- What is a mortgage note?
- What is a purchase contract in real estate transactions?
- What are qualifying ratios and how do mortgage lenders use them?
- What is a survey in real estate? Guide for buyers
- What is a termite letter for closing?
Income
- How do I know if I qualify as self-employed?
- Why do I need a 2-year history of self-employment income?
- Why would my verified income be different than my stated income?
- How have self-employment requirements changed?
Credit scores
- What is a soft credit check?
- What is a hard credit check?
- How do multiple credit checks work?
- Which credit score is used for mortgage pre-approval process?
- What if I’m applying with a co-borrower?
- Is my credit score too low to apply?
- What is a credit check and how is it used?
Appraisals
- Why do I need an appraisal?
- Can an appraisal transfer be requested for new mortgages?
- How long does an appraisal take?
- How does the appraiser determine the value of my home?
- If the appraised value of my home goes up, will this affect my taxes?
- What does an appraisal report look like?
- Is my appraisal payment refundable?
- Appraisal definition: what does it mean for your mortgage?
- What is a loan-to-value ratio and how is it calculated?
- What is market value in real estate and how is it determined?
Loan servicing
- Who do I contact if I have questions about my loan after closing?
- How will my loan be serviced after closing?
- What is the role of a servicer, and what is a subservicer?
- Direct lender vs broker: What makes Better Mortgage different?
- Will Better Mortgage help me if there are concerns with my transfer?
- How to pay first mortgage payment and what to expect after closing?
- Looking for your payment portal?
- Did Better Mortgage Send Me a Postcard About My Loan?
Homeowners Insurance
- What is Better Cover?
- Does Better Cover offer other types of insurance?
- Do I have to use a Better Cover policy, or can I use my own?
- What should my dwelling coverage be?
- How to switch home insurance? Everything you need to know
- How do I pay for my new homeowners insurance policy?
- Can I adjust my homeowners insurance coverages?
- Do insurance quotes affect credit score, and should you be concerned?
- What's the difference between ACV vs. RCV in home insurance?
- What is condo insurance?
- Why does a mortgage company like Better offer homeowners insurance?
- Does Better Cover have advantages over traditional providers?
- Is homeowners insurance included in mortgage?
- When do I need to pay my homeowner’s insurance policy in full?
- Are there any deductible requirements for homeowners insurance (HOI)?
- Hazard insurance vs home insurance: What's the difference?
- Is it possible to opt out of escrow homeowners insurance?
- Is homeowner’s insurance tax deductible?
- How much does homeowners insurance with Better Cover cost?
- What’s the minimum coverage I need with my homeowners insurance?
- What types of homeowners insurance does Better offer?
Title and Settlement services
- What is Better Settlement Services?
- Question: What are title and title insurance?
- Do I need to repurchase title insurance when I refinance?
- What is a title fee? A simple guide to closing costs
- Can I choose my own title company?
- What is the difference between title and deed?
- What happens at closing, and what should I bring?
- When does a mortgage disbursement happen? Key info you need to know
- Is it safe to wire money to a title company?
- Why are taxes paid through the title company?
- How can I get in contact with Better Settlement Services (BSS)?
- What are prepaid costs when buying a home?
- What are settlement costs?
- What is the final property walk-through when you buy a home?
- Question: What is a transfer tax?
- What is earnest money in real estate?
- What is occupancy date and is it the same as closing date?
- What is title vesting in real estate? Title vesting meaning
- What is underwriting?
- Does my spouse need to be on my title insurance?
- What does a title search reveal about liens, easements, and risks?
- What’s the difference between a lender and owner title insurance?
- How to pay cash to close when buying a new home
- Will I get refunded if I overpaid property taxes compared to my bill?
- How to remove prepaid property taxes from the closing disclosure?
- How will I get my cash out funds?
- How your debts are paid when you refinance debt?
- My property is in a trust, how does that work in a refinance?
- What is Better Settlement Services and what does a title company do?
Mortgage Basics
- What is the definition of home equity?
- Who is Freddie Mac and what do they do?
- Who is Fannie Mae and what do they do?
- What is negative amortization? Understanding the impact
- What is a notice of default in real estate, and why is it important?
- What is a prepayment penalty, and how can you avoid it?
- What does owner occupied mean for a mortgage loan application?
- Primary residence: What it means and how it affects loans
- What is a secondary home?
- What is the definition of a condominium?
- What is a HOA?
- What is a PUD?
- What is a co-op?
- What is a first mortgage lien?
Conventional Loans
- Are conventional loans secured/insured/protected by the FHFA?
- Can I refinance an FHA to a conventional loan?
- Can I finance Rent to Own Purchase on Conventional Loans with Better?
- Can I get a conventional loan for secondary homes?
- Can I get a conventional loan for vacation or investment properties?
- Can you refinance a VA loan into a conventional loan?
- Do conventional loans also have adjustable rate mortgages?
- Conforming loan vs a conventional: Are they the same thing?
- What are the Mortgage Interest Rates on Conventional Loans?
- What's the minimum credit score for a conventional loan with Better?
- What do I need to apply for a conventional loan with Better?
- What's the maximum conventional mortgage amount you can get?
- What kind of loan term lengths does Better offer?
- What types of conventional loans does Better offer?
- Question: When do I need to pay PMI on a conventional loan?
- Should I lock my mortgage rate today on a conventional loan?
- Where to get preapproved for a home loan with the best rates?
Refinancing your mortgage
- Can I roll closing costs into a mortgage?
- How many times can I refinance with Better Mortgage?
- How will a refinance affect my monthly mortgage payments?
- What credit score do I need to refinance my house?
- What type of refinance loans does Better Mortgage offer?
- Do you need an appraisal to refinance a home loan?
- Can you refinance a USDA home loan to a conventional loan?
- Can I add a co-borrower to my refinance application?
- Can I add someone to my title but not my refinance loan?
- Question: Can I Use a Gift For Closing Costs On a Refi?
- Can I refinance to get rid of PMI and lower my monthly payments?
- I’m refinancing, do I have to make my current mortgage payment?
- Why should I pay taxes & insurance when refinancing if they aren't due?
- What's the debt-to-income ratio I need for refinancing?
- Do I need proof of income to refinance my house?
- Why do I pay for title insurance & fees when I refinance my own home?
- Can Better waive the refinance appraisal fee?
- How long does it take to refinance at Better Mortgage?
Cash-out Refinance
- Learn more about cash-out refinance for debt consolidation
- What's the maximum Loan to Value Ratios for a cash out refinance?
- Does the cash from a cash-out refinance count as taxable income?
- Can I use a cash-out refinance to buy a second home?
- What is the maximum cash out refinance formula?
Jumbo loans
- What are the Jumbo Loan amounts offered at Better Mortgage?
- How do I get pre-approved for a Jumbo Loan with Better Mortgage?
- Does Better Mortgage offer Jumbo Loans?
- Can I buy mortgage points to lower my rate for a jumbo loan at Better Mortgage?
- Does it take more time to close on a Better Mortgage jumbo loan?
- Is mortgage insurance required for jumbo loans with Better?
- What DTI do I need to qualify for a jumbo loan at Better Mortgage?
- What is the minimum jumbo loan down payment at Better?
- Can I qualify for a jumbo loan at Better if I have multiple loans?
- What is a nonconforming loan and how does it work?
Mortgage points and credits
- Does Better Mortgage allow you to purchase points on a mortgage?
- Can I buy mortgage points to lower my rate for a jumbo loan at Better Mortgage?
- Does Better Mortgage allow you to purchase points on a mortgage?
- Question: Does buying mortgage points increase my closing costs?
- What is the most lender credit Better Mortgage offers customers?
- What is the lender credit limit at Better Mortgage?
Better Closing Guarantee
- What is the Better Closing Guarantee?
- How do I qualify for the Better Closing Guarantee?
- What is not covered by the Better Closing Guarantee?
- What's the fine print for the Better Closing Guarantee?
- Who is eligible for the Better Closing Guarantee?
Better Real Estate
- Can an agent get notified about their client’s mortgage loan status?
- How can I get in contact with Better Real Estate (BRE)?
- How do I qualify for the Better Real Estate discount?
- What are the benefits of working with Better Real Estate?
- What does a buyer’s agent do?
- What is Better Real Estate?
- What kind of properties does Better Real Estate work with?
- What’s an Agent Experience Partner?
- Who are Better Real Estate’s agents?
- What's the fine print for the Better Real Estate discount?

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