Home Mortgages: Think Before You BorrowIn today's overheated housing market, lenders are making it easier and easier to get a mortgage. For example, some lenders have lowered the credit score needed to qualify for a mortgage. Others have increased the debt load that borrowers can carry or have made it easier for borrowers to get loans while providing little documentation. In some cases, lenders have even made it easier for people to borrow money to buy investment properties. There are also many kinds of mortgages available today that were never available before. There are interest only mortgages, adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) for 3,5 or 10 years and adjustable rate mortgages with balloon payments at the end of a five or ten year period. There are even adjustable rate mortgages that have introductory rates as low as 1% and that give borrowers multiple payment options. Lenders also used to loan only 80 percent of a home's value, meaning that the borrower had to come up with 20 percent as a down payment. So, if you wanted to buy a home valued at $150,000, you had to put down at least $30,000. This might have been difficult, but at least you started out with $30,000 in equity in your home. This standard was then lowered to ten percent, meaning you needed only $15,000 to buy that $150,000 home. Today, it's possible to find mortgage brokers who will lend 100 percent of the value of a house or even more than 100 percent. This can be good news for families who, until now, might not have been able to afford a $10,000 or $20,000 down payment. But you need to be careful of. Some unscrupulous lenders may try to sell you a mortgage you can't really afford. Let's say your monthly take home pay (after taxes and other deductions) is $4,000. You find a house for $150,000 and a mortgage broker willing to lend 100% or the full $150,000. A 30-year fixed FHA loan (not including taxes and insurance) will have a monthly payment of about $851.00. The total monthly payment PITI (with taxes and insurance) would most likely be close to $1,000. A good rule of thumb is that your cost of housing should not exceed 20 percent of your net monthly take home pay (after taxes and other deductions). This means that for a $1,000 monthly mortgage payment, your net monthly income should be at least $5,000. If your income were only $4,000 a month, you would be spending about 25% of your income on housing alone. Before you make this kind of commitment, you should take a long, hard look at your other commitments, such as car payments, tuition, and insurance to make sure you can cover them as well as your normal living expenses. Easy, no-down mortgages can be very tempting, but it's important that you understand the exact terms and that you can meet them without stressing your finances. For FREE help with debt and credit, subscribe today to Douglas Hanna's free email newsletter "8 Simple Steps to Debt Relief" at http://www.all-in-one-info.com
MORE RESOURCES updated Fri. March / 29 / 2024 Refinancing - Learning Center Zing! Blog by Quicken Loans Types of Mortgage Refinance Options Bankrate.com How to Refinance Your Mortgage NerdWallet Discover Home Loans Review 2024 - Mortgages Business Insider Will Mortgage Rates Go Down in 2024? What Homebuyers Should Expect Business Insider Underwater Mortgage: What To Do Bankrate.com Mortgage Refinance Rates: Compare Current Rates Business Insider Mortgage Interest Rates Today, March 28, 2024 | Rates Are Down This Week. Will They Stay That Way? Business Insider When to Consider Refinancing Your Mortgage Business Insider Mortgage Interest Rates Today, March 27, 2024 | Rates Down Slightly as Homebuying Season Ramps Up Business Insider 30-year refinance rates: What to know CNN Underscored The best mortgage lenders for refinancing in March 2024 CNN Underscored 15-Year Mortgage Refinance Rates: Compare Current Rates Business Insider Current mortgage refinance rates CNN Underscored Mortgage Relief and Mortgage Assistance Programs [2024 ] The Mortgage Reports Mortgage demand falls again HousingWire Should You Refinance Your Mortgage In 2024? Bankrate.com Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders In 2024 Bankrate.com Mastering Rate-and-Term Refinance: a Complete Explainer Business Insider Current mortgage interest rates: Mortgage rates today CNN Underscored VA Refinance Rates - Current VA Loan Refinance Rates Today Business Insider Current FHA Refinance Rates Today - Mortgages Business Insider MBA: Mortgage Applications Decreased in Weekly Survey Calculated Risk Refinance Requirements: What You Need to Refinance Your Home in 2024 The Mortgage Reports When to Refinance Mortgage: Is it Time? - Buy Side from WSJ The Wall Street Journal Conventional Refinance Rates and Guidelines for 2024 The Mortgage Reports How Soon Can You Refinance a Mortgage Loan? 2024 Rules The Mortgage Reports How To Refinance An Underwater Mortgage Bankrate.com How Soon Can You Refinance a Mortgage? NerdWallet Current 15-year refinance rates — and lenders that offer them CNN Underscored Mortgage Rates Chart | Historical and Current Rate Trends The Mortgage Reports Can You Refinance With No Income Verification in 2024? The Mortgage Reports Best Refinance Lenders of March 2024: Refinance Your Mortgage The Motley Fool What Credit Score Do I Need To Refinance? Bankrate.com Should I Refinance My Mortgage Now? When to Refinance As Rates Drop Business Insider Office of Research blog: A look at cash-out refinance mortgages and their borrowers between 2013 to 2023 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Sales Pitch for an 8% Mortgage: Buy Now, Refinance Later—for Free The Wall Street Journal CFPB Releases Study of Refinance Mortgage Loans Between 2013 and 2023 Consumer Finance Monitor Save up to $1,500 on a Mortgage Refinance With the New FHFA Program Business Insider Should You Refinance Halfway Through Your Mortgage? Bankrate.com
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