Perfect Timing

Sometimes it is about being at the right place and the right time.

For one Doberman Pinscher, a sandbar and some friendly dolphins resulted in a dramatic rescue that made the local news.

A couple, who headed out on a fishing trip, saw two dolphins splashing around and making a commotion. When the duo went to investigate, they saw an 80-pound Doberman standing on a sandbar, half-submerged in water, and it was low tide.

A canal wall made it impossible for the dog to get back to shore. The dog was weak and barely able to stand or even bark. With the help of firefighters, the dog was rescued and reunited with its owners. The dog had been missing for more than 12 hours.

Thanks to the dolphins and the sandbar, the Doberman survived the ordeal. It was perfect timing combined with the perfect place and the perfect people.

A stranded dog and dolphin rescue might not seem like it relates to real estate and mortgages, but the basic principals are the same. Finding the perfect home and the best mortgage is sometimes a matter of fate – or perfect timing.

Here are some hints from About.com to help create the “perfect storm.”

Analyze your debt to income ratio. This measure of your debt load has an impact on how much house you can buy. Learn how to calculate the ratio and find out what lenders are looking for.

Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Do you know the differences between the terms pre-qualified, pre-approved and loan commitment? Find out how they affect your offer to purchase and your home contract.

Are bi-weekly mortgage payments for you? Can a bi-weekly mortgage payment plan help you pay off your mortgage more quickly? Learn how bi-weekly plans works and read about other methods that can be used to reduce interest and pay your home loan off faster.

Do you have a mortgage or a deed of trust? A security instrument gives a lender the right to sell your property to recover funds if you do not pay the debt. A mortgage and a deed of trust are both security instruments, but one allows a lender to take an easier road to foreclosure.

Avoid mortgage fraud. Has someone involved with your mortgage asked you to do something that you feel uneasy about? It could be nothing--or it could be loan fraud, which is a problem in the home buying and selling community. Get the facts about common loan fraud schemes so that you can spot them early and avoid becoming involved in illegal acts.


Staci Dennis lives in Norfolk, VA, is married to Eric, who is awesome, and has a fat cat and two cute Puggles. She has been published in various newspapers and magazines across the nation, and worked as a reporter for 12 years.