A recent survey highlighted homebuyers’ frustrations, revealing that nearly half felt it takes too long to get a mortgage.
But according to a new study from LendingTree, things are trending in the right direction, as the average closing time has fallen by a sizable 34 days in the last two years.
According to the study, the closing time for purchase transactions has been steadily declining, falling from 74 days in 2017 to 51 days in 2018 to just 40 days so far in 2019.
While the closing time for refinances has also declined, the change is less dramatic, with turn-times falling from 55 days in 2017 to 43 days in 2018 to 38 days so far in 2019.
While LendingTree notes that some of this decline can be attributed to lower volume, it also says an increase in digitization has played a major role.
The study reveals that closing times also vary widely based on the type of mortgage and the borrower, as those with higher credit scores tend to close purchase mortgages faster. Refi borrowers with loan-to-value ratios below 80% also closed faster.
Loan amounts also impacted turn-time, with lower amounts taking the most time. LendingTree said this is likely because small loans are often made to borrowers with less stable credit, and because lower-priced homes may have issues that can hold up an appraisal.
Here are charts courtesy of LendingTree that depict the time to close based on loan type, with certain loan characteristics factored in:
