Mortgage and Refinancing Information Channel:

We would like to thank the local libraries, schools, and universities for recommending students to visit us when doing research on any of our information topics.
 Please check back frequently as new topics are added and current topics are updated daily.

Home Loans and Mortgages - The Selection Can Be Bewildering

For years, when someone wanted to purchase or refinance a home, the choices were simple. The buyer chose either a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage or a 30 year fixed-rate mortgage. That was it. Of course, those were also the days of twenty percent down payments, which seriously hindered the ability of many Americans to obtain the loan necessary to buy their own home. In recent years, more flexible loan types have become available and down payment requirements have been relaxed. There are now far more choices of loan types available for the borrower than ever before. That can be a mixed blessing, however, as prospective borrowers now have to do a tremendous amount of homework in order to determine which type of loan might be the best choice. The selection of loan types that are currently available can be quite bewildering, and the wrong choice could cost the prospective borrower thousands of dollars over the term of the loan.

The standard 15-year and 30-year mortgages are still quite popular. Each provides the stability of a fixed interest rate and a payment that will remain the same throughout the duration of the life of the mortgage. When interest rates are near historic lows, as they are today, these traditional choices work well for most buyers. Buyers who find a 15-year or 30-year mortgage to be within their means would probably benefit from obtaining such a mortgage now.

In recent years, as home prices have increased faster than wages, the lending industry has created more flexible types of mortgages designed to help buyers who may have trouble with traditional loans obtain financing. These types of loans tend to have adjustable interest rates:

• The Adjustable Rate Mortgage, or ARM, has a rate that adjusts over time as spelled out in the mortgage agreement. Typically, the rate at the time of singing the loan is lower than that of a traditional mortgage, perhaps by one percent or so. The difference is that the rate can adjust over time as the market changes. The loan agreement will spell out how often the rate may change and how much the rate may change at one time. The agreement may also indicate a maximum interest rate that may be charged over the life of the loan. These types of loans are ideal for buyers who do not intend to stay in their home for more than a few years, or buyers who are purchasing in times of high interest rates, when there is an expectation that rates will drop over time.

• Convertible mortgages are ARMs that offer the buyer an opportunity to "convert" the adjustable rate loan to a fixed rate loan after a certain period of time that is spelled out in the loan agreement. There is a fee charged for converting the mortgage, but the fee is typically less than the fees associated with refinancing the mortgage altogether.

• Two Step mortgages offer an initial rate that is lower than the rate for fixed-rate mortgages for the first few years of the loan. After a set period of time, the rate increases to a fixed rate. This allows buyers to pay less during the early years of their loan, when they may earn less or need extra cash for home furnishings. The disadvantage of this type of loan is that the increase in the interest rate can be substantial, and may make the payments unaffordable for some buyers..

These are just a few of the types of loans that are currently available in the market. There are probably dozens of variations on ARM loans, and prospective buyers should study their options carefully before agreeing to a loan. Making the right choice could save buyers thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. Making the wrong choice could leave buyers with a loan that they cannot afford to pay. A little time spent on research is time well spent.

©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing.

Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a Website devoted to debt consolidation information and HomeEquityHelp.net, a site devoted to information on home equity loans.

MORE RESOURCES

used office furnishings-supplies-equipment-desks-cubicles-service-counters for sale in Akron Ohio   Die cast model cars for sale in Akron Ohio  
used cars for sale in Akron Ohio   unfurnished homes for rent in Akron Ohio

RELATED MORTGAGE AND REFINANCING ARTICLES: Life of an Escrow Escrow is one of the last stages in the purchase or sale of a real property. When someone says that they are in escrow, it means that they have either accepted an offer on the sale of their property, or their offer to purchase has been accepted. Refinancing Your Home Mortgage Loan You're considering refinancing your home mortgage loan to save money. Interest rates are the lowest they have been in decades. Foreclosure Scams To Be Aware Of Homeowners facing foreclosure should be aware of unscrupulous lenders and scammers. Don't get me wrong, most lenders and agencies are reputable and legit. What is a Tracker Mortgage? A tracker mortgage 'tracks' the Bank of England base rate, meaning your mortgage stays in line with interest rates and the market in general. The result on your monthly mortgage interest payments is that they go up when the base rate goes up and go down when the base rate goes down. Buying A Home After Bankruptcy - Get A Mortgage Loan After Bankruptcy If you have a recent bankruptcy on your credit and are looking to get financing for a home, there is hope. Buying a home with bad credit will just put more emphasis on the other two factors needed to get a mortgage loan, which are; income verification and a down payment. Home Equity Loan - Still a Better Idea Than a 401(K) Loan Anyone who borrows money is always looking for the cheapest source of funding. That makes sense; no one wants to pay more in interest than is absolutely necessary. Guide to Home Equity Loans Here is a useful guide to home equity loans. A home equity loan is quite simply a loan against your house. Seniors Can Use a Reverse Mortgage to Fund Annuities, Investments, and Insurance Policies For many seniors in or entering retirement, the prospect of purchasing long-term care, investments or annuities can be cut short by a lack of retirement income. Statistics show that 3 out 4 seniors will have to lower their current standard of living during retirement. Refinancing Your Home - Is the Time Right? Refinancing your home is a major decision not to be taken lightly, even in this era of low interest rates and easy money. While every mortgage company in town is touting the strategy of getting a new loan before rates rise again, there are several things you'll want to be mindful of before you go about refinancing your home. Online Mortgage Brokers - What You Might Not Know About Home Loans & The Internet You may think that applying online for a mortgage is the same as applying with a broker in the 'real world', only more convenient.While applying for a mortgage online is much more convenient, and sure to help you get a lower rate because of the amount of competition online, there is another benefit to using the internet when applying for a loan. Secured Lending - a Guide to Releasing the Value in Your Home The recent boom in house price values have made some homeowners more wealth than they could have possibly earned though working in their jobs, however what use is all that wealth if you can't get your hands on it until you've sold your house? The quickest and easiest way to unlock the increased value in your home is often a secured loan that will allow you to receive a lump sum upfront without having to move or remortgage your house. Why take a secured loan? Perhaps it's time to take that amazing touring holiday, perhaps it time to replace the kitchen or even build an extension to your home, with unsecured lending normally restricted to amounts less than £25,000 if you need borrow more money then the best option will be a secured loan. The Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Home 1. Save on your income tax. How To Save Money On Your Mortgage Obtaining a home loan is arguably the most expensive transaction you'll experience in your lifetime. Therefore, getting the best home at the greatest value is an endeavor worth pursuing. Home Mortgage Rate Shopping - Why Some Shoppers Give Up And Others Don't About 29% of current homeowners and a much larger percent of consumers with income levels above $50,000 feel it best to stay as far away from offers to finance or refinancing their home as possible. And this seemly for good reason. Looking for a Bad Credit Home Improvement Loan To make needed repairs to your home without the advantage of a good credit history often requires a bad credit home improvement loan. This loan, designed for people with less-than-perfect credit, uses the equity in your home or real estate and allows you to get the money that you need for repairs and improvements even if some other lenders have said no in the past. Mortgage Refinancing - Does Size Matter After All? Hopefully your ego has never had to experience the words, "It's okay honey. Size doesn't matter. Bad Credit Home Loans - Dealing With Bad Credit Mortgage Companies Online Dealing with mortgage companies online can enable you to get a home loan even with bad credit. Bank associates' skepticism and talk around are avoided when you apply online with a mortgage broker. Bad Credit Mortgage Lender - What to Look For If you have less than perfect credit and are looking to get approved for a mortgage loan, be careful not to make some common, costly mistakes. When dealing with sub-prime mortgage lenders or bad credit mortgage lenders, many people are taken advantage of because of their eagerness to get approved. Tips For First Home Buyers On Getting Home Loans Buying your first home will likely be the biggest and most important purchase you will ever make. It can be a very stressful and may even leave you sleepless for nights on end wondering whether you are making the right decision - especially where choosing the right home loan is concerned. A Guide to Getting a Home Improvement Loan If you've got a few things around the house that you'd like to spruce up but don't have the money for, you might want to consider getting a home improvement loan. As the name implies, a home improvement loan is designed to pay for improvements to a house or other form of real estate.

HOME | SITE MAP © 2012 - 2021 All Rights Reserved Increase pagerank with HitsSurfer