Of jobs, loans, and timing

Homeowners considering finding a new job and refinancing a house may be wondering which task to take on first. According to mortgage experts, homeowners should complete their refinancing before making any major career changes, especially if they are planning to start their own business or become an independent contractor, in which case, income may fluctuate.

Making sense of the story

• During the refinancing process, homeowners may find that actively looking to leave their current job may impact how the bank views giving them a mortgage. The search will raise a question mark about their future employment and their ability to pay the mortgage.

• In addition to checking employment at the start of the application process, many lenders will verify such information as late as the last 72 hours before mortgage closing. If they learn a borrower is starting a new job in the very near future, the mortgage can be delayed or even derailed. And borrowers who withhold such information could be committing income fraud. Other lenders, however, say they make loans based on a moment-in-time snapshot of a borrower’s finances.

• An advantage to refinancing first is that the borrowers are freeing up additional cash flow by reducing their monthly payment.

• All that said, however, there are advantages to refinancing later, especially for those who might have to relocate when they change jobs.

• A person may get a new job with more income, which may help him or her qualify for a larger mortgage, or even better terms.