How To Choose The Best Types Of Mortgage Loans
Thursday, August 27th, 2009How To Choose The Best Types Of Mortgage Loans
If you are looking to purchase a new home, there are many types of mortgage loans that you may be interested in which could serve this purpose Buying a property is a serious matter and it’s important to learn which one suits your needs best . .Fixed-Rate Mortgage . . .This is one of the most popular types of mortgage loans as about 70 percent of home purchasers choose this option As the name implies, the interest rate of this type of loan is a fixed rate at the inception date and applies for the life or tenor of the mortgage loan The obvious advantage of having a fixed rate allows home buyers to manage their expenses better since the monthly repayment of principal and interest is constant throughout the mortgage loan . .Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) . .This is another popular type of loan with the interest rate fixed to an index This index is not fixed and it fluctuates with the market rates Whenever the market rate rises the loan repayment rate rises accordingly Similarly, when it reduces, you will also get the benefit of paying your payment at a lower rate To prevent too much fluctuation if and when the financial market behaves erratically, a cap will be placed on such mortgage loans so as to limit these abnormal rate variations . .In an extension of ARM loans there is another type of loan called flexible payment ARMs There is no cap placed on them but these loans’ interest rates vary monthly, allowing borrowers some flexibility The mortgage payments usually start low at the beginning but slowly rise to sometimes exceedingly high rates over a period It may be beneficial for homeowners who are just starting out in their careers and expect job stability in later years . .Balloon Mortgages . .Similar to the fixed rate mortgage loans, balloon mortgages have a fixed and structured repayment schedule The only difference between the two is that this type of loans follows a much shorter loan term usually in the time duration of five to seven years Once this period is completed it leaves with an outstanding balance of the loan called the balloon payment . .Interest-only-Mortgages . .Interest-only mortgages are types of mortgage loans that allow borrowers more flexibility on their repayment schedule They simply pay the loan interest for an agreed period of time without including the loan principal This means the homeowner gets to enjoy paying lower monthly payment over a short-term duration However once this interest-only time period is over, payments are expected to increase quite significantly as it now includes the principal sum of the mortgage loan . .As you can see, understanding what options you have on the various types of mortgage loans is important so that you can make a good decision After all it’s going to be a long-term commitment for you and doing some homework now helps to make owning your dream home hassle free .
Source: www.rsstnx.com
What is Mortgage Pre Approval Really Worth
In 2004, at the height of the home buying boom, a survey came out from Campbell Communications indicating that fully 62% of the failed closings studied were due to home buyers being denied a mortgage - despite having “pre approval” The company found that 39% of pre approvals issued by Internet-based lenders were invalid Mortgage brokers were also showing significant signs of unreliability, with 27% of pre approval letters proving invalid National lenders had their letters fail 19% of the time, while local banks dropped the ball on 14% Credit unions weren’t far behind at 10% and the mortgage partners of real estate agents came in last with 9% found to be void . .A hot real estate market led many institutions to put through loans that should never have been allowed to get past the initial examination! However it is a cycle that can lead to some injudicious decisions - people want to buy homes, realtors don’t want to show homes to unqualified people, people go to lenders for pre approval it is a nasty cycle that ends up with a lot of time wasted and sometimes a significant amount of money It also set up unreasonable expectations on the part of the buyers - “I got pre approved and now I’m not approved at all?” which could very well have led many of them to less scrupulous lenders . .Some people think that the solution is a standardized letter of pre approval that is provided by a national organization such as the National Association of Realtors (NAR) or another recognized national association that can issue out pre approval letters based on a strict examination of the buyer’s proof of income and assets . .Other people think it is incumbent on the lenders to tighten up their pre approval process so that unqualified buyers never get a letter that makes them and the real estate professionals they deal with think that they have a chance at a decent mortgage It may be cruel, so the thought runs, but so is the time and expense taken to put through a home sale that doesn’t happen And it prevents financial disasters like today’s recession . .Another key tip for buyers with early approval is to stop everything Don’t make a major purchase, don’t change jobs, don’t marry, don’t start trying for a baby - just focus on getting the home purchase finalized Major changes in one’s financial outlook can be disastrous for the final approval of a loan . .Pre approval does not mean final approval In fact, if it is from an unreliable source, it means less than the paper it’s printed on To make sure that a pre approval is genuine, buyers are urged to deal with reputable lenders and brokers, to take critical stock of their financial situation and to avoid making major changes to their lifestyle in the time between the approval and the closing To not do so can mean significant amounts of time, effort and money wasted and possibly greater ramifications, like the straits that our economy is presently in .
Source: www.rsstnx.com
