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expired Posted by Greenworld123 • Dec 8, 2019
expired Posted by Greenworld123 • Dec 8, 2019

Amex offer: $2,500 statement credit for home refinance Better.com

American Express Giftcards
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Must have an amex to add offer to your account. Details:

Unlock even more as an
American Express® Card Member with an exclusive mortgage offer from Better.com
Better.com is making the homebuying and refinance experiences more rewarding, with a $2,500 statement credit and more, exclusively for eligible Card Members. See offer terms below.

https://www.americanexpress.com/u...-OfferHub2

EDIT information from Better.com!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello,
I work with Better,com and wanted to see if you could please add in the following information to your post on Amex/Better,com deal as it reads incorrect as it stands, especially regarding eligibility. We want to make sure the offer is stated as accurately as possible:
1) Mortgage rates of any specific customer, stated or otherwise, should not be taken as indicative of a mortgage rate available to all customers. Pricing is based on a number of factors, including the individual credit profile of a potential borrower.
2) The offer is only available to those borrowers who have been marketed to directly by American Express, and those who have not received the offer on their Amex portal or via email are not eligible.
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Community Notes
About the Poster
Must have an amex to add offer to your account. Details:

Unlock even more as an
American Express® Card Member with an exclusive mortgage offer from Better.com
Better.com is making the homebuying and refinance experiences more rewarding, with a $2,500 statement credit and more, exclusively for eligible Card Members. See offer terms below.

https://www.americanexpress.com/u...-OfferHub2

EDIT information from Better.com!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello,
I work with Better,com and wanted to see if you could please add in the following information to your post on Amex/Better,com deal as it reads incorrect as it stands, especially regarding eligibility. We want to make sure the offer is stated as accurately as possible:
1) Mortgage rates of any specific customer, stated or otherwise, should not be taken as indicative of a mortgage rate available to all customers. Pricing is based on a number of factors, including the individual credit profile of a potential borrower.
2) The offer is only available to those borrowers who have been marketed to directly by American Express, and those who have not received the offer on their Amex portal or via email are not eligible.

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9,848 Comments

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Jul 4, 2020
900 Posts
Joined Nov 2017
Jul 4, 2020
gk6740
Jul 4, 2020
900 Posts
Quote from Freak4Dell :
Unfortunately I didn't have much luck shopping without credit checks, but I honestly didn't really care that much. Any inquiry within a month or so counts as one for scoring purposes. So I just applied at various places that I either have a relationship with already (bank account, credit card, etc.) or that I just have heard had good rates (a couple of credit unions). I figured out of 7-8 apps, one of them was bound to be decent.
BINGO.
Too many people HURT themselves by not shopping, or needlessly worrying about hard credit checks, or giving the lender enough information to get a VALID estimate.
Jul 4, 2020
45 Posts
Joined Apr 2020
Jul 4, 2020
MrDioji
Jul 4, 2020
45 Posts
Quote from appleceo :
Did you actually get the LE in the official format during the online application process? The format that I could print was a different format.
Yes, after submitting the application. If your credit is frozen, then submitting an application doesn't mean anything. Aimloan will give you an LE even if they can't pull your credit.
Jul 4, 2020
1,258 Posts
Joined Oct 2007
Jul 4, 2020
micky_d
Jul 4, 2020
1,258 Posts
Quote from gk6740 :
BINGO.
Too many people HURT themselves by not shopping, or needlessly worrying about hard credit checks, or giving the lender enough information to get a VALID estimate.
There are plenty of lenders who can give you an estimate based on what you provide. There's no reason to give them false information that they must verify before you decide. Credit check is needed in order to verify your financials. This is in their interest to see how serious you are, as a customer it's not worth providing them unless you know they have something decent to offer. As long as you are being honest with your score and debt situation, I don't see a reason for you to have them credit check just to give you initial quote. If you have a real crappy loan that you know is worst than everything out there, I get your reasons of going to 10 lenders. But if someone who already has very good rate and they are trying to see if it can be even more sweeter and they have excellent credit they don't have good reasons to handing over credit details to every Tom and harry lender.
Jul 4, 2020
900 Posts
Joined Nov 2017
Jul 4, 2020
gk6740
Jul 4, 2020
900 Posts
Quote from micky_d :
There are plenty of lenders who can give you an estimate based on what you provide. There's no reason to give them false information that they must verify before you decide. Credit check is needed in order to verify your financials. This is in their interest to see how serious you are, as a customer it's not worth providing them unless you know they have something decent to offer. As long as you are being honest with your score and debt situation, I don't see a reason for you to have them credit check just to give you initial quote. If you have a real crappy loan that you know is worst than everything out there, I get your reasons of going to 10 lenders. But if someone who already has very good rate and they are trying to see if it can be even more sweeter and they have excellent credit they don't have good reasons to handing over credit details to every Tom and harry lender.
In defense of lenders, I would think there would be a high number of people that do not know the CORRECT fico score. The one used by mortgage brokers is different. I am sure many think they know what it is, but when the lender finally does run it and the number is different, they have to change the rate which then pisses off the customer and they blame the lender. Customers may not intentionally give bad information, but I would guess there is a high number that just do not know what they are talking about.
Pro
Jul 4, 2020
5,053 Posts
Joined Jul 2006
Jul 4, 2020
shahhere
Pro
Jul 4, 2020
5,053 Posts
Quote from micky_d :
There are plenty of lenders who can give you an estimate based on what you provide. There's no reason to give them false information that they must verify before you decide. Credit check is needed in order to verify your financials. This is in their interest to see how serious you are, as a customer it's not worth providing them unless you know they have something decent to offer. As long as you are being honest with your score and debt situation, I don't see a reason for you to have them credit check just to give you initial quote. If you have a real crappy loan that you know is worst than everything out there, I get your reasons of going to 10 lenders. But if someone who already has very good rate and they are trying to see if it can be even more sweeter and they have excellent credit they don't have good reasons to handing over credit details to every Tom and harry lender.

Basically 8-10 years ago lenders used to charge an upfront Credit Report Fee or an Application Fee which it seems like most of these guys are no longer doing it. I think the credit report running is replacing those other fees which I think is fair enough.


Shahhere
Jul 4, 2020
1,004 Posts
Joined Mar 2019
Jul 4, 2020
CycloneFW
Jul 4, 2020
1,004 Posts
Is there a general consensus on timing with the end of the promo (application period) coming soon? Would it be better to go ahead and close a refi in the next week or two and open a new app before 7/25 so you can focus on closing again say, two months later near the end of September (assuming rates are good in August for you to lock)?

Or would it be better to not close right away and sit on an approved mortgage in the hopes that you can send a better competing offer (or use their float down) over the next few weeks? I imagine they won't let a full approval sit forever, but I'm sure you can delay it a few weeks.
Jul 4, 2020
124 Posts
Joined Jan 2016
Jul 4, 2020
kapuju
Jul 4, 2020
124 Posts
Quote from CycloneFW :
Is there a general consensus on timing with the end of the promo (application period) coming soon? Would it be better to go ahead and close a refi in the next week or two and open a new app before 7/25 so you can focus on closing again say, two months later near the end of September (assuming rates are good in August for you to lock)?

Or would it be better to not close right away and sit on an approved mortgage in the hopes that you can send a better competing offer (or use their float down) over the next few weeks? I imagine they won't let a full approval sit forever, but I'm sure you can delay it a few weeks.
What do you mean their float down?

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Jul 4, 2020
1,004 Posts
Joined Mar 2019
Jul 4, 2020
CycloneFW
Jul 4, 2020
1,004 Posts
Jul 4, 2020
205 Posts
Joined Aug 2013
Jul 4, 2020
SomeXYZ
Jul 4, 2020
205 Posts
Received my Credit Today with back dated (12th June).

Closed on 4th May. Received credit 4th July
Jul 4, 2020
900 Posts
Joined Nov 2017
Jul 4, 2020
gk6740
Jul 4, 2020
900 Posts
Quote from CycloneFW :
Is there a general consensus on timing with the end of the promo (application period) coming soon? Would it be better to go ahead and close a refi in the next week or two and open a new app before 7/25 so you can focus on closing again say, two months later near the end of September (assuming rates are good in August for you to lock)?

Or would it be better to not close right away and sit on an approved mortgage in the hopes that you can send a better competing offer (or use their float down) over the next few weeks? I imagine they won't let a full approval sit forever, but I'm sure you can delay it a few weeks.
I have locked and closing is next week. I probably should have held off a bit, but still getting a good deal.

As to doing it again... I thought I saw a form in the documents about not doing a refi within so many months. But, I can not find the full document file now.
Jul 4, 2020
1,258 Posts
Joined Oct 2007
Jul 4, 2020
micky_d
Jul 4, 2020
1,258 Posts
Quote from gk6740 :
In defense of lenders, I would think there would be a high number of people that do not know the CORRECT fico score. The one used by mortgage brokers is different. I am sure many think they know what it is, but when the lender finally does run it and the number is different, they have to change the rate which then pisses off the customer and they blame the lender. Customers may not intentionally give bad information, but I would guess there is a high number that just do not know what they are talking about.
Sure, I see your point. But Now a days knowing your credit score from three credit bureaus are so much easier. In fact, in past 5-6 years, we bought / refi 3 times on two properties and we never did upfront credit check to get rates. And rate at final lock was no different from what we were offered. And whichever type of credit check lenders will do that should not be off by 25-50 points from what you see in your credit scores from three bureaus. If it does then there's certainly issues in one of them and that is more concerning and you should fix that first.
And guess what, if my "true" score is worst than what I know of then I can't blame lenders for that.
My point is, as a smart shopper one needs to have fairly good idea of rates before they shop. At the end of the day you might $20-30 up or down anyway if you are not locking on the day you are getting estimates so what good is credit check with every lender ?
Jul 4, 2020
67 Posts
Joined Jul 2011
Jul 4, 2020
sadida
Jul 4, 2020
67 Posts
Just closed on a 500k+ refinance. Better matched to other lenders for a 15-year fixed 2.375% interest rate with 1600+ lender's credit, which is more than enough to cover the loan cost (D+E). With additional 2500 credit from AMEX to come, I have to say I am very pleased with Better for my refinance.
Jul 4, 2020
3,913 Posts
Joined Jan 2007
Jul 4, 2020
Freak4Dell
Jul 4, 2020
3,913 Posts
Quote from micky_d :
Sure, I see your point. But Now a days knowing your credit score from three credit bureaus are so much easier. In fact, in past 5-6 years, we bought / refi 3 times on two properties and we never did upfront credit check to get rates. And rate at final lock was no different from what we were offered. And whichever type of credit check lenders will do that should not be off by 25-50 points from what you see in your credit scores from three bureaus. If it does then there's certainly issues in one of them and that is more concerning and you should fix that first.
And guess what, if my "true" score is worst than what I know of then I can't blame lenders for that.
My point is, as a smart shopper one needs to have fairly good idea of rates before they shop. At the end of the day you might $20-30 up or down anyway if you are not locking on the day you are getting estimates so what good is credit check with every lender ?
Mortgage scores are typically not available in the free FICO score offerings (some do, though), and even the cheaper FICO score monitoring solutions don't include mortgage scores. So you have to go out of your way to get those scores, which the overwhelming majority of people don't do.

At the end of the day, I just don't see why it matters. Nobody should be window shopping a mortgage. Publicly available rates give more than enough information to know whether it's time to be serious about buying or refinancing, and if you are serious, you will have to do at least 1 hard inquiry. Given that 1 hard inquiry has the exact same effect as 20 hard inquiries, there's really no downside to just doing the credit check. Unless you're just paranoid about security or something. I would say the only time to be worried about a credit check is if you're on the fence about whether you'll be approved for a loan at all. But for that, there's plenty of lenders that can do a pre-qualification with a soft check, so impact.
Jul 4, 2020
1,258 Posts
Joined Oct 2007
Jul 4, 2020
micky_d
Jul 4, 2020
1,258 Posts
Quote from Freak4Dell :
Mortgage scores are typically not available in the free FICO score offerings (some do, though), and even the cheaper FICO score monitoring solutions don't include mortgage scores. So you have to go out of your way to get those scores, which the overwhelming majority of people don't do.

At the end of the day, I just don't see why it matters. Nobody should be window shopping a mortgage. Publicly available rates give more than enough information to know whether it's time to be serious about buying or refinancing, and if you are serious, you will have to do at least 1 hard inquiry. Given that 1 hard inquiry has the exact same effect as 20 hard inquiries, there's really no downside to just doing the credit check. Unless you're just paranoid about security or something. I would say the only time to be worried about a credit check is if you're on the fence about whether you'll be approved for a loan at all. But for that, there's plenty of lenders that can do a pre-qualification with a soft check, so impact.
I think we are talking about the same thing here. If one is really serious , ready to go then they do have fairly good idea of rates and their score. And most of the times getting -0.25% better rate at everything comparable with costs etc is really really tough. The best you can do is your costs/lender credits if they can suck up on those costs. So for eg. based on credit and all if a reputable lender is offering you say rate at 3.0% with closing cost of $5k , then likelihood of one getting rate at 2.75% and $0 closing cost from another lender is fairly slim. Does shopping at 20 different lenders can make it happen, may be ? , I am not sure. I need to hear some proven examples here from folks who have achieved that.

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Jul 4, 2020
3,913 Posts
Joined Jan 2007
Jul 4, 2020
Freak4Dell
Jul 4, 2020
3,913 Posts
Quote from micky_d :
I think we are talking about the same thing here. If one is really serious , ready to go then they do have fairly good idea of rates and their score. And most of the times getting -0.25% better rate at everything comparable with costs etc is really really tough. The best you can do is your costs/lender credits if they can suck up on those costs. So for eg. based on credit and all if a reputable lender is offering you say rate at 3.0% with closing cost of $5k , then likelihood of one getting rate at 2.75% and $0 closing cost from another lender is fairly slim. Does shopping at 20 different lenders can make it happen, may be ? , I am not sure. I need to hear some proven examples here from folks who have achieved that.
My initial approval was with my builder's preferred lender. When it came time to rate lock, they offered 3.5% with about $9K in closing costs (to be covered by the builder, so really $0 for me). I started shopping at that time, because I knew 3.5% was high. Ally offered 3.375%. A local mortgage broker offered the same. SoFi did 3.25%. Better matched the 3.25% with a lower closing cost. PenFed wanted to lock me at 3.0%. UFCU quoted me at 2.875%, and then the next day called me again and said if I locked right away, they could do 2.75%. Closing costs at all of the above excluding the builder's lender were in the $5-6K range. I don't bother shopping based on closing costs because 1) anything they do to make the closing costs $0 is just offset in the rate or somewhere else, and 2) while I don't plan on staying in the home I do plan on keeping the home and mortgage so my considerations are total cost over the full length of the loan.

For me, not just blindly going with the lender will save me about $40K over the life of the loan. I'll spend a little more cash now, but will get huge savings overall. And this is a relatively small mortgage. A quarter point rate difference can make a huge impact on something like a jumbo loan. So it's absolutely worth shopping around, and worrying about credit inquiries is totally silly. With everything being online, it only took me a couple hours to shop around. I filled out applications one night before I went to bed, and started receiving calls the next day.

The only regret I have is that I didn't wait until getting the quotes from the credit unions before I asked Better for a price match. They granted the first match, but denied when I asked them again, likely because they knew they had already fulfilled the terms of their guarantee. Other people here were able to get great rates from Better by giving them a great rate to match in the first place. Lesson learned.

As a side note, shopping around also lets you learn which lenders are actually good to deal with. My builder's lender refused to price match, and acted like I was the stupid one for walking away from $10K in closing costs being paid (mind you, half of that is made up fees just so they can say they gave a huge discount). I wasn't happy with that loan officer from the start, but her reaction to me shopping around cemented my opinion about her being a totally awful person to work with. I'm sure she's accustomed to preying on people who don't bother shopping around. The guy at PenFed was super communicative at first, and I went as far as locking the rate and having him send me the paperwork to sign. At the the same time, UFCU was also sending me their paperwork, and I ultimately decided to go with them, so I never signed the paperwork with PenFed. I have yet to receive a call or email about that from them. If they can't bother following up on an almost-done application, I'm not super confident they would be good to work with through closing. I have a few more days to go before closing, so I hope I'm not jinxing it, but so far I'm happy with the lender I chose.

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