You have already found the house of your dreams, and now it is time to arrange for the financing of that dream home. This means that it is time for you to file a home loan application.

In today’s fast paced world, many people take advantage of the Internet, and with some lenders, you may make a home loan application right on the Web. Granted, you will have to be ready to supply them with a lot of information, as they do ask a plethora of questions.

The first thing you will have to enter is of course your name, and the name of your spouse as well, if you have one. They will need to be able to reach you, thus your telephone number, your current address, and your email address are going to be important.

You have already obligated yourself to purchase a home, thus you will need the address of the home and the home’s agent that represents the seller so that the lender can make arrangements to see the home to make sure that it is in good condition and worthy of instituting a loan on it.

Some of the most important items that will be on a home loan application will be your income for your household, thus this will also include your spouse’s income. This income needs to be verified, thus you will have to give them who you work for, and how to reach them for verification purposes. Perhaps, you have been notified that you are getting a raise by a certain date. Be sure and include that in the application, and show how it can be verified, even if you have not received it yet. Should you work for yourself, you will also need to supply the lender with that information as well as your accountant’s information so that they can verify your income stream.

The application will ask for your various payments that you must make, how much is owed, to whom you make the payments, and how to reach those creditors complete with account numbers. You may, for instance, owe money on your means of transportation.

You will have to agree that they may investigate your creditors, as well as your job. Make it as easy as possible for all verifications, as this will speed up the process. As for your banking records, you will need to acquire those yourself and turn them into the lender. Remember that even if you have a part-time job in addition to your regular work, this will count toward your income, provided you can prove stability of that job.  Do not forget to list bonuses either.

Some banks require for you to give them proof of marriage, thus be sure that you have that on hand. This is especially true if your spouse is going to be responsible for that loan too. Also be sure to point out any extenuating circumstances that will change your

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Home Sweet Home! Everyone knows that and at the end of the day when you drag yourself back from the hefty schedule of daily life, the adobe is never less than a paradise on earth! But the weird part is that the process of buying a house can be a difficult task and especially when you are looking for a home loan to buy your dream home, lengthy application process can be the worst thing you face.

The process for home loan involves the following steps as mentioned below:

Bond (Home Loan) Registration:

The registration process involves various people and they are:

• The Seller
• The Estate Agent
• The Buyer
• Seller appointed Transferring Attorney
• Bank appointed Bond Attorney
• Bank appointed Canceling Attorney

The Process of Home Loan:

• The purchase offer: Both the seller and the buyer come to an agreement and both of them sign the offer of purchase. Once this is done, the buyer applies for bond which is also known as home loan.
• Bond approval: Once the home loan is approved by the bank, the bond attorney is instructed by the bank to register the bond.
• Property transfer: The transferring attorney then transfers the property on the seller‚Äôs advice. The cancellation figures and the title deed of the property are requested from the bank which holds the property bond. Once that is done the statement for taxes and rates is demanded from the local authority.
• Bond Attorney: Once the above steps are done, the bond attorney then gets in touch with the transferring attorney and advises the later about the available amount for guarantees. It is then that the transferring authority requests for the cancellation figure and the title deed.
• Cancellation Attorney:  The cancellation attorney gets the request to cancel the seller‚Äôs bond after the guarantee is received against the outstanding amount.
• Transferring Attorney:  Once the bond is cancelled, the transferring authority gets the copy of cancellation figure and the title deed and sends the same to the bond attorney. Once done, the buyer and the seller are contacted to sign off the transfer documents. After this the buyer pays the transfer cost and transferring attorney pays the taxes, rates and transfer duties.
• Bond Attorney: The bond attorney then prepares the bond document along with the buyer. Once done, the buyer pays off all the costs after he/she signs the documents. After this the bond attorney issues after preparation of the necessary guarantees and forwards the same to the transferring attorney and then gets the documents ready for Deeds Office lodging.
• Transferring Attorney: Once all the guarantees are received by the transferring attorney, they are all forwarded to the cancelling attorney.
• Cancellation Attorney:  In the next step, the cancellation attorney requests the lending bank to cancel the home bond of the sellers.
• Deeds Office: Once the documents are signed and the costs are paid, all the documents are lodged at the deeds office by all the concerned attorneys. The office takes two to three weeks to check all the documents and once done and ready for registration, all the attorneys are contacted.
• Bank pays: The bank pays the loan on the day of registration.

In general the time frame required for the registration and transfer of home loan is three months minimum.

ABSA home loans are made through one of the largest banks in South Africa. Thus, if you are buying a home in South Africa it behooves you to deal with ABSA for your home loan.

There are a number of different loans available for your home. For instance there is the Absa Home Loan, the MyHome Home Loan, as well as different home loans for existing customers.

The ABSA home loans are completely flexible, enabling you to finance not only your residential property but also even vacant lots that you intend to use to build your residence upon. You will be able to tailor and customise your home loan so that it fits your needs perfectly.

Actually, you may be investing in other property using their additional funds, or perhaps you wish to utilise the equity found in your home in order to manage your debts. They also give ABSA Home Loans for improving an existing home, building a new home, or buying an existing home.

There was mention above of the ABSA loan being flexible, thus you may be wondering in what way this is so. Well, for instance you may pay off your loan sooner than you negotiated for, anytime prior to the normal 30-year payoff. Thus by accelerating your payments, you will be paying substantially less interest. As you'll remember interest is figured out on the balance of what you owe, thus for every additional payment you are making over and above your regular payment, you will see the figure move down for you.

Some people naturally wish to pay off their mortgage faster, and thus even when you open the loan with ABSA you will be given a choice of either a 30-year bond or a 20-year bond. Thus your mortgage can be tailored to fit you specifically. Affordability is key here, as your payments will obviously be lower with a 30-year bond.

More choices are available for your ABSA home loans in that you may be presented with a choice of a fixed rate or a floating interest rate. Floating interest rates are tied into the prime-lending rate available on the Web or in your local newspapers. If on the other hand you wish to utilise a fixed rate, you may do that. Simply remember though, that fixed rates are negotiated for a specific amount of time, and when that time expires, the loan's interest rate will reset to the prime lending rate or the variable rate. When interest rates are low, many people refinance their real estate, thus if you are expecting a lowering of interest rates, then a fixed rate is best.

Interestingly enough you will also find that ABSA home loans can also be increased if your home's value goes up. ABSA refers to this as a Further Advance. Also available to you is a re-advance. This works in this manner, your have paid off let's say 50% of your home's mortgage, but you'd like to borrow against the repaid portion. ABSA will also work with you to accomplish this.

By getting pre-approved for a home loan you could speed up the process of buying a new house. Real estate agents and sellers will take you more seriously because you are financially secured.

The pre-approval process:

Selecting the correct Mortgage Originator

Bond originators issue letters of pre-approval and can help you to save time when locating a good lender. The best way to find a suitable bond originator is by researching and comparing them through the Internet. It can be very advantageous to use online services to secure a home loan.

Providing the Bond Originator with required information

The selected bond originator will require certain information that is essential for completing the pre-approval process. This information will enable the bond originator to determine your ability to pay the monthly bond instalments.
Most financial institutions require three to six months payslips or bank statements as proof of income as well as a list of monthly expenses. High debts will increase their risk and therefor increase your interest rate.

Credit rating before pre-approval

Before issuing a letter of pre-approval the bond originator will do a credit check which will provide them with information on your amount of credit inquiries, credit accounts and blacklist-status. The pre-approval will be based on your credit scores and your ability to pay the monthly instalments.

A clear credit record and a high income with low debt will place the purchaser in a position to negotiate a good interest rate.

Although pre-approval does not guarantee a home loan, it will serve as an indication for the seller that the applicant in all probability will qualify for the required financing.

To make sure you move goes without any glitches, try to keep the following in mind.

• Before you move, be sure to cancel that electricity, water, etc.
• Cancel the newspaper and bread/milk deliveries in advance.
• Be sure to cancel the phone account, and call before you leave to make sure.

When you choose a firm to do the removals there are many things to keep in mind.

• It is usually best if you can work with a personally recommended firm. Ask around and know what to expect.
• Be sure to book well in advance, and call again later to confirm.
• One major factor might be the costs involved, but keep in mind what you get extra for the higher costs.
• Also, be sure to find out if they offer insurance. If they don’t, arrange for extra insurance with your local insurance dealer/broker.

• When packing, be sure to pack everything in steady boxes and label them accordingly. Do not just number the boxes, as you will most likely forget what you stored in box #13 a week later.
• Keep your essentials together in one or two clearly marked boxes.
• Keep all your valuables and jewellery with you all the time.
• Be sure to wrap your glassware and other fragile goods in newspaper.

One more thing to keep in mind is your children & pets. They would most likely be annoyed with the whole moving process. Take your children and pets to the family for the day. Pets can be taken to a vet for an injection so that they can travel without fear.

Let Someone Else Take Care Of It

Finding a house that has the potential to become your home sweet home can be a nightmare. Finding a home loan to finance a place that you can call your own can be even worse. With the vast number of home loan application alternatives that are currently available on the market, it is a daunting task to decide on the option best suited for your needs – and your pocket.

Is that what you thought? Now think again. SecuBond do all the hard work for you! It is now easier, quicker and even cheaper than ever to get the home loan of your choice, at the bank of your choice. Now you can relax and spend all your energy on house hunting, without having to worry about financing.

SecuBond takes care of everything concerning your home loan application. You don’t even have to waste time filling out long and complicated paper work. The only thing expected from you is to provide the required documentation such as identification, pay slips and proof of other existing home loans and they will see to it that you get the best deal on the market – without having to move so much as your little finger.

If you are thinking about taking out a home loan, contact a SecuBond consultant as soon as possible. Explain your needs, sit back and see how things happen for you. SecuBond does home loan applications at all four major banks – ABSA Bank, First National Bank, NedBank and Standard Bank – on your behalf. That is, if you wish. You can limit the application-field to your specific requirements as well. They compare the results and use their expert knowledge to decide which home loan offers the best options for your unique desires. SecuBond Mortgage Originators are true specialist when it comes to home loans. They can serve as a soundboard for your home loan complaints and assist you with professional help and advice when needed.

But why is it cheaper to use SecuBond when finding a home loan? As a business who deals with home loan applications everyday, SecuBond has more competing power than an individual. This competing power enables SecuBond Mortgage Originators to obtain a better rate for you – saving you money to spend on that dream house.

What is more, when borrowing more money on your existing mortgage, the money gets paid directly into your bank account. Letting SecuBond work for you is not only smarter and economical, it also allows you better financing of a private buy. It is more flexible to negotiate when you have cash in hand and SecuBond gives you exactly this. In other words, SecuBond has the competing power, but you get the bargaining power!

Which home loan applications are available at SecuBond? As said, you have a choice whether they should apply at all four of the biggest national banks or only at some of them. If you are a first or second time buyer, you should apply for a loan to buy a new property. Looked around, did not find anything that interests you and now want to build the perfect place? No problem, SecuBond also handles building loans. Or do you want to stay exactly where you are, but make some changes to your current home? Also no problem! SecuBond can organise financing for home improvements as well. Do you have additional debts? Why not consider SecuBond’s option to take out one loan to cover all your other debts? Speak to the knowledgeable team at SecuBond about the advantages of debt consolidation. You can even arrange for motor finance when buying a new or used car.

When thinking about a home loan application, using SecuBond is the best thing you can do.

First impressions last…

The market value of your house could be undermined by rubbish in and around your home. Rubbish creates an atmosphere of disorder and chaos and will lead potential homebuyers to assume that you have neglected your house.

Preparing to sell your house before putting it on the market could be easy and cost-effective. Firstly get rid of all the rubbish in and around your house by throwing some of it away or boxing it up for your move. Buyers would be impressed by the open, ample, clarified and neat appearance of your home because in this case less is definitely more.

Some steps to consider:

The front garden

• Mow your lawn, cut the edges and get rid of any rubbish lying around for example hoses or tools.
• Try to fertilise your lawn in advance to create an evenly growing, green look.
• Trim or remove all your old plants and trees, especially the dead ones or those covering your windows.
• Plant some new flowers to create a caring atmosphere in your garden.

The entry to your home

• Thoroughly observe your welcome mat and your front door to see if it needs cleaning or if you have to replace it.
• Now concentrate on the walls of your homes’ entrance. Can it be cleaned or does it need some painting? Do away with as much dirty spots, cracks, stains and spider webs as possible.
• Remove any other rubbish lying around and create a comely focal point by placing a pot of fresh flowers or a painting at the entrance.

The Kitchen

• Specialised attention must be given to the kitchen.
• Remove everything from the counters or working-space and only add a few decorative items to create a cosy atmosphere.
• Remove any rubbish bins from the kitchen, place them outside and out of sight.
• Organise and clean all your cupboards.
• Fix up all worn-out cupboards or add a fresh look by putting up some new handles.

Lounges and other living spaces

• Remove some furnisher and other pieces of equipment to create a more spacious appearance.
• Place the remaining furniture carefully without blocking windows or doorways.
• Again choose one or two focal points and reduce your personal items, plants and photographs to enable the new buyers to picture or imagine their personal belongings in that specific setting.
• Experiment with the lighting in the room and see if natural light through windows or lamps creates the bigger and cosier look.

Bedrooms

• Remove some furnisher to create a spacious look.
• Use your best duvet-covers or buy new ones you can also use in your new home.
• Simplify bedrooms by taking down some personal items like photos or posters and packing them in boxes, with only a few remaining to create a personal touch.

Bathrooms

• Bathrooms should always look spotlessly clean and fresh.
• Put all toothbrushes, combs, brushes, soaps or toilet brushes out of sight.
• Personal belongings like jewellery or medicine must also be removed and placed in a safe keeping.
• Use only a few decorative items and put some new towels out that can also be the focal point.

Follow these guidelines and you will be sure to get more and better offers on your house when you decide to sell.

Buying your first home is probably one of the biggest investments you have ever made to date. It is always advisable to be unemotional, cautious and clever when making your decision. Below is a list of things to keep in mind when choosing your ideal property.

• Make a list of all the features you find essential and cannot do without.
• List your 10 most important factors when buying your property.
• Location in very important, so make sure you know enough about the area. If possible, take a drive through the neighbourhood and have a look at the surrounding properties and note their condition.
• Decide how much space you need. Also keep in mind the space required if you would like to expand in future.
• Take a look at detail. A newly improved kitchen could save you lots of rands on improving costs.
• Make notes about each property that you are interested in and sit calmly and compare them before you make your final decision.
• Take into account the age of the property, as old buildings tend to need repairs and maintenance, but usually have an established garden and are usually larger. Newer properties need less maintenance, but are usually smaller and have little or no garden which will also cost at lot to obtain.

One more thing, do not let the estate agent talk you into buying property that you truly cannot afford. Only you know how much you can really afford each month, and keep in mind things such as water, electricity and taxes.

When buying property in the currently soaring South African property market, a pre-approval certificate can be just the thing you need to close the deal. It removes the uncertainty, knowing up front how much you qualify for.

When you are searching for your ideal property, having this certificate will also allow you to negotiate a better price. It shows the seller that you are serious, smart and prepared.

The seller will know that you will not have any trouble getting your home loan because you are already pre-approved for a certain amount. The whole process of getting pre-approved takes about three to four working days.

One common misconception is that getting your pre-approval certificate is as easy as answering a couple of questions. In reality, you have to go through the same process as when applying for a home loan. This is the only way to know for certain how much you will qualify for.

There is also a difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval certificates. Pre-qualification usually means that according to the information you supplied, you would qualify for a home loan. Pre-approval on the other hand means that a bank has already approved your application in principle.

You should not have any trouble getting you loan registered. This certificate does not guarantee your home loan in all cases however. There might be other unforeseen reasons such as when the property is valued for a much lower price than you were applying for. Just make sure you know what the value of the property is and also what similar neighbouring properties are selling for.

To apply for a pre-approval certificate, complete our online home loan application, and when a consultants phones you, tell him/her that you want a pre-approval certificate. They will assist you with any questions you might have regarding the whole process.