Is Getting a Mortgage Easier Than Consumers Think?

More Americans believe it is a good time to buy a home than a year ago, according to a new survey from Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Ipsos Public Affairs. The poll of about 2,000 respondents also reveals that 57 percent believe it is very difficult to get a loan right now, down from 61 percent in June 2014; but that perception is still rising among those with household incomes below $100,000. The belief that access to mortgage credit is still tight could present another hurdle to home buying in the years to come. Also, more than a third of borrowers overall — and more than half of Hispanic and black consumers — mistakenly believe that a 20 percent down payment is required to buy a home. Lenders have eased many of the stringent requirements that they put in place after the crisis. “A lot has changed in the last couple of years,” says Franklin Codel, head of mortgage production for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. | Read More