Fixed Rate Mortgage Loans - Understand the Pros and Cons of the Fixed Rate Mortgage
December 9, 2008
There are many benefits and drawbacks to consider when deciding if a fixed rate mortgage is right for you. It is important to look at all options when it comes to something as important as getting a mortgage for your new home.
There are a few benefits to fixed rate mortgages. One benefit is that the rates and payments remain constant. There won’t be any surprises even if inflation surges out of control and mortgage rates head to 20%. This kind of stability makes budgeting easier. People can manage their money with more certainty because their housing expenses won’t change. Fixed rate mortgages are simple to understand making them appealing and good for first time buyers. Also longer term fixed rate mortgages are very affordable.
There are also a few drawbacks to fixed rate mortgages. To take advantage of falling rates, mortgage holders would have to refinance. That can mean a few thousand dollars in closing costs, another trip to the title company’s office and several hours spent digging up tax forms, bank statements etc. Fixed rate mortgages can be too expensive for some borrowers, especially in high rate environments, because there is no early on payment and rate break like there is with adjustable rate mortgages. Fixed rate mortgages are practically identical from lender to lender. While lenders keep many adjustable rate mortgages on their books, most financial institutions sell their fixed rate mortgages.
Adjustable Rate Mortgages - Understand the Benefits Compared to a Fixed Rate Mortgage
December 5, 2008
Adjustable rate mortgages can be very tempting to home buyers, yet they carry a great deal of uncertainty. Fixed rate mortgages offer rate and payment security, but they are more expensive. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of ARMs and fixed rate mortgages before you decide which is right for you.
There are many benefits with an adjustable rate mortgage. One benefit is that they usually feature lower rates and payments early on in the loan term. Lenders can use the lower payment when qualifying borrowers, therefore borrowers can purchase larger homes than they could otherwise afford. ARM’s allow borrowers to take advantage of falling rates without refinancing. Instead of having to pay closing costs and fees, borrowers can just sit back and watch their rates fall without worrying about these extra costs. Adjustable rate mortgages can help borrowers save and invest more money. Someone who has a payment that is say $200 less with an ARM than with a fixed-rate mortgage for a couple of years can save that money and earn more off it in a higher yielding investment. This type of mortgage also offers a cheap way for borrowers who don’t plan on living in one place very long to buy a house.
Home Mortgage Loans - Fixed Rate, Adjustable or Balloon, Which One Is Right For You?
December 3, 2008
When you’re shopping for a new home-especially for the first time-all the terms and expressions may be confusing and difficult to understand. Adjustable rate, fixed rate, balloon payment - how do you decide which is the right type of home mortgage for you if you’re not even sure what each of them are?
The name of the mortgage type usually has to do with how you’ll pay for your loan - how the interest on the loan is being determined by the bank. The three major types of mortgages are fixed rate, adjustable rate and balloon payment. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Fixed Rate Mortgage
With a fixed rate mortgage, you have a set interest rate for the entire life of the loan. The interest rate that you pay for your loan won’t change - which means that you’ll pay the same monthly payment for the entire length of the loan. This protects you from unexpected rises in interest rates that would increase your monthly payment. At the same time, should the interest rates drop, you will have the option of refinancing at a lower interest rate. Because the protections are largely on the side of the buyer with a fixed rate mortgage, interest rates on them are generally slightly higher than they would be on other types of mortgages.
Home Equity Loans - How To Use Your Homes Equity to Consolidate Debt
November 30, 2008
If you’ve got a wallet full of credit cards, and monthly payments on them that total more than 25% of your monthly income, chances are that you’ve considered debt consolidation loans or some other means of taming your credit card debt. But did you know that a home equity loan is another way to get the money that you need to pay off your creditors, reduce your monthly payments, and get out from under the weight of all those monthly payments?
A home equity loan is essentially a second mortgage taken out with your house as the collateral. Because the loan is secured, you’ll have a much more favorable interest rate. And those lower rates will translate to a lower monthly payment overall. You’ll wind up with one creditor, one monthly payment, and more money in your pocket each month.
Low Income Home Loans - FHA and VA Mortgage Loans Can Help You Get Approved
November 28, 2008
If you have low income and are looking to get approved for a home mortgage loan. There are many programs available to help you get approved. Whether you are looking to purchase a new home or to refinance your existing home, with the following low income home loan mortgage programs, almost anyone can fulfill their dream of becoming a home owner.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) home mortgage loan -
FHA is the federal agency within the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) whose primary objective is to provide an opportunity to become home owners to those with low income. To facilitate this, the FHA program offers potential borrowers two options:
- the "single family package": which provides mortgage lending programs to those looking to buy property comprising of between one and four units.
- the "multi-family package": which provides home loans to those looking to buy property comprising of between five or more units.
Keep-in-mind, however, that the FHA program does require that potential applicants be able to make a down-payment. In most cases this amounts to 3% of the purchase price. Countering this, however, is that the FHA mortgage loan program normally offers interest rates below market rate, which over a prolonged period of time could end up saving you lots of money.
Bad Credit Home Loan - Apply Online and Keep Your Credit Score as High as Possible
November 25, 2008
If you have a poor or bad credit history with something in your past like a bankruptcy or a foreclosure, you know how difficult it can be when you try to get financing for a home mortgage purchase, refinance, home equity or second mortgage loan. Its important to be persistant in looking because there are home mortgage loans out there for people with bad credit.
There are many articles online that will tell you to be wary of subprime lenders, those lenders who specialize in doing hard to approve loans. There are many things to be careful of with subprime lenders, who can charge interest rates that are far too high and have unreasonable pre-payment penalties. However, if you shop around and talk to many different mortgage brokers, you should be able to find a lender that can get you approved and with an interest rate and terms that are fair.
The best way to make sure you are getting the lowest interest rate and terms possible, if you are looking to get approved for a mortgage loan after a bankruptcy or foreclosure, is to apply with as many different lenders as you can. You will want to compare as many mortgage loan quotes as possible to make sure you are choosing the best one.
Stopping Foreclosures
November 21, 2008
If you as an investor understand the process, you will be able to help more people!
Foreclosure is tuff on folks it’s all about losing!
Your customer loses their home and the lender loses money!
If you can get your focus going in the right direction, you can create a Win - Win scenario for all involved.
Writer and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together.”
You need to act fast as an investor when dealing with people in foreclosure and one of the most difficult areas of this process is getting the property owner to act.
The longer they wait to act, the less time you will have.
When people face financial distress they feel powerless and confused, many in foreclosure spend too much precious time denying their predicament until the last minute when only the most extreme of remedies remain available.
Keep in mind that you will need to avoid to long of a foreclosure delay as the cost will mount up and may just drive you out of profit range.
Guide to Remortgages
November 18, 2008
Here is a useful guide to remortgages. What is a remortgage? A remortgage is when the terms of the original mortgage are renegotiated, and usually means that the borrower increases the amount that they are borrowing, which is often possible due to a rise in the value of the property.
A remortgage is simply the act of paying off your current mortgage and taking out a new one. Many people do not realise that they are able to do this and so are losing out on low interest rates. By remortgaging your home, you could save significant amounts on your monthly payments.
Remortgaging is changing mortgages without moving home. It is the process of changing your mortgage for a better rate, or to release some of the equity in your home, or to consolidate your debts. Getting a remortgage involves ending your current mortgage scheme and moving to a new one.
A remortgage is the process by which you change from your current mortgage to a new mortgage. A remortgage generally involves changing mortgage lenders because most lenders do not generally offer remortgage schemes to existing customers.
Jacksonville Florida Real Estate Mortgage Home Loans - Get the Best Rate Everytime
November 17, 2008
There are hundreds of mortgage companies in the Jacksonville real estate market. All claiming to have the lowest rate and excellent customer service. Well, it is simple to figure out that if you are reading this information off of billboards or in an expensive yellows page adverisment, it is very possible this isn’t so.
Very often, a real estate agent will refer a customer to me. I will ask the questions regarding their financial picture to determine credit worthiness. Then I will tell them the interest rate that I will be able to give them.
As an a Mortgage Broker I feel for sure that I have considerably more to offer my customers. Almost 100% of the time, I can offer them a lower rate, as well as give them a level of service that the big boy’s just can’t offer them! Service such as after hours or weekend appointments, mortgage programs that suit their needs, not just mine and a guaranteed closing date.
I have had borrower(s) contact me about a mortgage that told me that the big bank turned them down for one reason or another. After reviewing their credit with them I was able to offer the exact program that the big mortgage lender told them wasn’t possible.
Refinance Benefits - Refinancing Could Save You Money
November 15, 2008
The most common reason most people refinance is to save money, but many people refinance for various other reasons.
1. Refinancing to Lower Your Monthly Payment for an Existing Loan.
You can refinance your existing loan at a lower interest rate thus reducing your monthly loan payments. With interest rates at their lowest for years, you can find some excellent rates - sometimes far much lower than what you’re paying for your current loan or mortgage. Refinancing your mortgage or loan when rates are down could save you hundreds of pounds every month and thousands over the life of your loan.
2. Refinancing to Consolidate Debts.
You may choose to refinance in order to consolidate debts and replace high-interest loans with a low-rate loan. The loans being consolidated may include higher purchase loans, student loans and credit cards. You can clear all your existing credit cards, loans and other debts and replace them all with one low cost cheaper monthly payment. On a £12,000 loan some homeowners can save in excess of £250 a month which is a considerable saving. A debt consolidation loan is a smart solution for anyone who has many outgoing monthly payments. A Refinance loan allows you to repay existing loans from the proceeds of a new loan - the loan is usually secured on property or your home.
