Saturday, January 31, 2009

Mortgage Refinance Has Lenders Overwhelmed

By Monique M. Zidan

The surge of borrowers looking for Mortgage Refinance has created somewhat of a phenomenon during uncertain economic times. Mortgage rates have dropped below 6% after the Federal Reserve announced its plan to buy mortgage-backed securities to loosen the tight hold on consumer lending.

The Government has initiated buying the mortgage-backed securities as of this week and has reduced rates further. This has contributed even more to the mortgage finance business and has added to the struggle lenders are currently experiencing not long after the financial downturn forced lenders through a layoff period.

Some contacting lenders for mortgage refinance have been unsuccessful in speaking to anyone directly. And with some left only with the option of leaving a message for a return call, this has frustrated consumers even more as they are unable to simply leave a message as lender mailboxes and voicemail are unable to support the volume of callers.

Other department employees experienced in finance within the lending institutions have been temporarily transplanted to handle the increasing mortgage refinance applications. The anticipation of rates climbing and back to their previous position has created a sense of urgency in people looking to refinance. It is possible to see change from hour to hour after tracking the history of rates over the past years so the concern is understandable.

Lenders are pulling staff from other departments to handle the demand for mortgage refinance. Consumers are worried about the possibility of rates going back up before they can lock in. The history of fluctuating rates proves there is great chance this could happen as it is possible it can change from one hour to the next.

When a consumer is told it could be two weeks before they can get back to you about mortgage refinance, I believe the best advice to give in this situation would be to contact as many lenders as it takes. Be in touch with someone that can actually get to the point of locking in the rate quicker than the rest, without compromising everything else that encompasses processing the loan.

As the refinance business continues to see growth, it would be wise to seek out a lender that will be able to process the application right away and not have get through other applications while you wait for a couple of weeks before they can get to it. Some customers are told to fill out the form or application on the lender's website for a mortgage refinance.

Any connections directly related to the lending industry or connections with a real estate agent that can act as a liaison to help deal with a mortgage refinance will help greatly. There is a strong possibility some lenders may not reply to the message or to an online application. With business presently looking up for lenders, it would be smart to secure that magic number by not waiting around for the lender to respond.

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