The homebuying process can be difficult to navigate and understand, but a language barrier presents an additional obstacle for many borrowers.
Anastasia Galichanina, a fluent Russian-speaking loan officer, can help by offering borrowers industry knowledge, genuine customer service, established planning, and an understanding of Eastern European clientele. Anastasia’s team is multilingual, with the ability to assist Spanish-speaking clients as well.
About Anastasia
Anastasia is a licensed loan officer and real estate professional. She focuses on first-time homebuyers, down payment assistance, investment properties, business owners, cryptocurrency, and blockchain at NJ Lenders Corp.
Anastasia says, “Home financing is very complex and confusing. This industry attracted me because I saw the need for homeownership and home financing education. I saw the potential to make a difference in people's lives and the opportunity to build relationships in different communities.”
“Unfortunately, homeownership is not taught in schools. As a CPA, real estate professional, and mortgage planner, I have spent many years working in the financial and real estate industries. By starting the homebuying journey the smart way, we help families to save money, build wealth, and have peace of mind.”
Understanding Mortgage Basics
Listed below are the mortgage basics that borrowers should become familiar with during the beginning of their home buying journey:
Credit score: A borrower’s credit illustrates their payment history and helps lenders predict the chances of them paying their loan on-time in the future. It’s important to aim for as high of a number as possible when it comes to scoring.
There are a number of accommodations for borrowers with no or low credit scores. Speak with your trusted mortgage professional for advice on establishing or improving your credit.
Income: Your income helps to determine what you can afford. Listed below are some of the most common ways to prove your income:
- Tax Returns: Provide a breakdown of most income types
- W2s, 1099s, etc.: Documents how much income was made in a year from a specific employer
- Self-Employed: Self-employment income can be accounted for through tax returns and supporting documentation.
Down Payment: This is the amount of money a borrower brings to the transaction. While many borrowers believe that they must provide a down payment that is 20% of the purchase price, different loan programs can accommodate down payments as low as 0-3%.
Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI): The debt-to-income ratio compares a borrower's monthly debt payments to their monthly income. Loan programs vary in the maximum DTI allowed, and DTIs may be approved with compensating factors such as a high credit score or additional assets.
Asking Anastasia: “Why Should Borrowers Work With You?”
Anastasia gives three reasons that set her and her team apart from the crowd:
Communication
Anastasia and her team take great pride in being available to their clients from the first steps of their home buying journey to the day they receive their keys. Anastasia says, “Communication is our greatest asset and we do not take it lightly. We don’t believe in dumb questions and hold up our end of the bargain to make our clients priority from day one.”
Transparency
Borrowers will always have a full understanding of their home financing options when working with Anastasia. Her team takes pride in clear, easy-to-approach explanations when it comes to purchasing or refinancing a home.
Relationship Building
“Our customers are not a number to us and not just another loan,” says Anastasia. “We build a long-term relationship with our customers, and we are a financial partner to them and their family. When our customers complete home purchase, that is not the end of our relationship, that is the beginning. We provide continuous support, home finance insights, tools, and resources for maintaining and enjoying their homes.”
Anastasia and her team have helped hundreds of families achieve their homeownership goals, and they can help you to achieve yours!