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Tag: Fixed Rate Mortgages

Tear Your Mortgage a New One by Refinancing Your Home

by admin on Jul.28, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages

Tear Your Mortgage a New One by Refinancing Your Home Loan

Do you have a mortgage with high interest rates, sizable monthly payments, and little cash to take care of bills and credit card debt? If so, you may consider the option of refinancing your home.

Refinancing involves ending your current loan agreement with your lender and getting an entirely new mortgage. One benefit of taking this step is that you have the ability to get a much better interest rate on your home loan, lower your monthly payments, and even borrow extra money in order to take care of debts or home improvements.

Lowering your interest rate can make a huge difference in how long it takes for you pay down your mortgage because with each payment you make, more of your money is going to the principal balance of the loan rather than to the interest. Paying thousands of dollars in interest can make a homeowner feel like they are spinning their wheels; getting no closer to actually owning their home outright.

Be sure to do research before jumping into the world of refinancing. You need to speak to an advisor who can tell you about current interest rates and forecasted trends. You will also need to decide once again if a variable rate or fixed rate mortgage would be more appropriate to your situation. Fixed rate mortgages can give you peace of mind, in that you know every month what the payments will be. With variable rates, you are vulnerable to the financial tides, which can be very anxiety inducing. On the other hand, variable rate loans can often mean lower payments than fixed rate ones provide. You have to decide how much of a risk you want to take in order to save as much money as possible.

Lower monthly payments can be achieved if you alter the length of time you have to pay back the mortgage. This aspect is something that you have to weigh carefully. If you want smaller payments, then you will need to extend the length of the loan, meaning that you will have this debt over your head for a lot longer. However, if lower monthly payments will make your life easier, it may well be worth dragging out the loan.

Alternatively, you can also shorten the loan period when you refinance your home. If interest rates are favorable at the time, you may not even increase your monthly payments, but will save a great deal of money that would otherwise be applied to interest over the course of your loan.

Not only can refinancing make your mortgage conditions more favorable in the long run, but it also enables you to borrow over and above the amount needed to repay your current mortgage. This money can be used to pay off debts, home repairs, or any number of emergencies that can happen in life. This money is simply added to the amount you owe.

There are a couple of disadvantages to refinancing your home loan to be aware of. One is the fact that your original lender may charge you a penalty for paying off your mortgage early. Also, because you are starting a new mortgage from scratch, you will have to pay fees to the new lending company. Each lender is different in terms of what you will be charged for the privelege of borrowing money, so it is wise to shop around. Because there are so many costs involved, most people simply include the lender’s fees and closing costs into the amount of their new mortgage. This is a great choice for homeowners who are strapped for cash at the time.

Refinancing your home loan can have many advantages to it, and can improve your quality of life by reducing the amount of money you pour out each month on interest and monthly payments. You can also get your hands on extra money to take care of immediate financial concerns, which can be a great stress reliever and save you money in the long run. Just remember to take all lender’s fees, penalties, and interest rates into consideration before jumping into anything.

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Sub-Prime Mortgage Loans – Five Ways To Lower Your Rates

by admin on Jul.25, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages

Sub-Prime Mortgage Loans – Five Ways To Lower Your Rates On A Sub-Prime Mortgage

Sub-prime mortgages dont mean you have to pay excessively high interest rates to buy a home. By taking time to do some research and pick the right terms, you can save thousands on your mortgage. The following five tips will help you get low rates with the right subprime lender.

Compare Lenders

The number one way to lower your interest rates on your sub-prime mortgage is to compare lenders before you apply. It sounds so simple, but too many homebuyers skip this step, costing them thousands.

Plan on taking at least a day to explore your options. The easiest way to look at financing packages is to request quotes online. While you are requesting quotes, take a look at conventional lenders as well. They often offer good rates and terms for those with adverse credit histories.

Pick An ARM

Adjustable rate mortgages (ARM) offer lower rates and are easier to qualify for than fixed rate mortgages. The drawback is that ARM rates can increase over the years. But if you are planning to move soon or just want to buy a home, then an ARM probably is your best choice.

You can also convert your ARM when your credit score improves. As property prices increase and your equity builds, you will also be able to get better terms in the future.

Increase Your Down Payment

By increasing your down payment, you can knock off up to a percentage point. Zero or little down financing is great for those short on cash, but rates are significantly higher. Ideally, you want to put down 25% to get the best rates. Just leave enough cash reserves to financing moving expenses.

Pay A Point Or Two

Points paid upfront can also lower your interest rate. You want to be sure though that you recoup the upfront costs. If you plan to move or refinance in a couple of years, you will not see the savings of lower rates.

You may also find that your money would be better spent on increasing your down payment than on paying points. With this type of decision, you will want to do some math with a mortgage calculator.

Bulk Up Cash Reserves

By increasing your cash reserves, you can also improve your credit score to qualify you for lower rates. Take advantage of tax refunds or cash bonuses by putting them into your savings. Lenders look at saving accounts, money markets, and CDs as cash reserves, not stocks or other volatile assets.

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Mortgages Loans, Home Equity Loans, And Refinacing

by admin on May.29, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages

There are two types of mortgages, fixed rate mortgages and floating rate mortgages. As is obvious from their names, the fixed rate mortgages are ones where the monthly mortgage payment amount remains the same for the entire life of the mortgage i.e. till the end of mortgage term; whereas floating rate mortgages float/ change throughout the life of the home mortgage loan. The mortgage interest rate on the fixed rate mortgage loan is fixed at the start of Connecticut home mortgage loan term. Whereas, the mortgage rate on a floating rate mortgage is dependent on a pre-decided financial index. This predecided financial index factor is on economic, financial, political and many other factors).

So, which type of mortgage is better?

Well, the opinion seems divided and is mainly based on the preferences of the individual who is getting the home mortgage loan. However, the general recommendation is that you should go for a floating rate mortgage loan if you plan to live in the home for a shorter duration. For long durations, you will need to make a decision on how low the current fixed mortgage rate is and whether its low enough to be beneficial for locking-in for a long period.

Owning a home is a matter of great pride; and in todays world, owning a home has been made really easy through mortgages. However, when you buy an home through the home mortgage route, you dont actually get the total (100%) ownership of the home till you have paid your mortgage completely.

As you make your monthly mortgage payments, your ownership level increases and when you pay back your entire mortgage loan (which might happen 20-30 years after you start your mortgage), you then become 100% the owner. So, mortgages are long term investments where the home is the asset that you create over a long period of time. But that does not mean that you are blocking all your money in the making of an asset that matures over very long term. If you need money during the tenure of your mortgage loan e.g. for home improvements, you can actually make use of your investment (your ownership in the house) in order to get the cash you need. This happens in the form of an home equity loan.

Getting a good mortgage deal is one thing and bettering that mortgage deal is another thing. In simple words, Mortgage refinancing means ending your current mortgage to get into another mortgage for the same property.

Of course, you would go for mortgage refinancing only if the current mortgage interest rates are lower than the mortgage interest rates that you are paying on your mortgage which you took a few years back. However, that doesnt mean that you go for mortgage refinancing every time you find that the mortgage interest rates have gone down a bit. There are costs involved with mortgage refinancing and these costs make mortgage refinancing unfeasible unless the mortgage rates have gone down significantly.

Various mortgage industry analysts suggest different figures for the gap (between current mortgage rates and the rates on your existing mortgage) that would make mortgage refinancing a practical option.

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Mortgage Refinance Loans

by admin on May.23, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages

Within recent decades mortgage loans have become an everyday occurrence, spreading over all the groups of the society. The necessity and importance of mortgage loans are doubtless, therefore everyone who wants to take advantage of mortgage should gain a complete understanding of its types, relevant terminology, benefits and such options as mortgage refinance.

Choosing a certain type of mortgage it is important to know to which extent interest rates depend on the value of real estate and what mortgage loan rates evolve from. In general, all mortgages can be divided into secured and unsecured ones. The main types of mortgage are the adjustable or variable rate mortgage and the fixed mortgage. Adjustable rate mortgage allows to change the interest rate within certain periods of time. The intervals depend on a fixed financial index, with the payment rising in accordance with the interest rates. In case the latter are low, this type of mortgage loan gives 100% benefit.

As to the fixed rate mortgages, it is the most widespread type of mortgage loan, while the interest rate doesn’t change during the whole term of loan. Being the oldest type of mortgage, it is especially popular among householders. Other types of mortgage include balloon mortgage, two-step mortgage, jumbo mortgage and hybrid mortgage. Actually the type of mortgage is determined by the mortgage loan program of a certain mortgage loan company.

If the client is going to take out a new loan which permits to compensate the current mortgage, he or she can use the option called a refinance mortgage loan. Having a low interest rate, the refinance mortgage loan is a good choice for those who want to pay back the whole debt in a short term. In addition, a refinance mortgage loan is an ideal opportunity to pay off the debts for those who are no more able to fix their mortgage loan.

Refinance is basically performed using a second mortgage loan which has both incontestable benefits and some significant disadvantages that should also be taken into consideration. Thus, in case the second mortgage loan is not compensated for, the client just loses the property. So, before deciding on mortgage refinance one should determine the affordable interest rate. On the other hand, the interest rates of the second mortgage loans are usually fixed so that borrowers could save their money. Besides that, mortgage insurance isn’t required, if mortgage payments are performed in two steps a first mortgage loan and a second mortgage loan.

Mortgage refinance can be very helpful and effective for borrowers if they are aware of some mortgage tips. Above all, while seeking a convenient type of mortgage loan one should take into account his/her current financial situation. Whatever refinance mortgage loan is chosen with fixed interest rates or with variable interest rates one has to study all the connected data to prevent mistakes which may lead to the loss of real estate. It is also important to find appropriate mortgage loan rates and interest rates among a great variety of mortgage loan companies and lenders. Here, the Internet can be a useful tool for picking the best type of mortgage refinance possible.

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Loans. Mortgages. Credit Cards. Interest Rate Rises Around The Corner.

by admin on May.05, 2010, under Loans and Credit

Loans. Mortgages. Credit Cards. Interest Rate Rises Around The Corner.

Financial traders in the City are expecting interest rates to rise by half a percent by the end of this year. These days the Bank of England prefers to make a series of small changes to interest rates rather than one large change, so watch out for the first 0.25% rise around August time

Mortgage rates are already reacting with the rates for fixed rate mortgages rising. The best rates for two year fixes are now in the 4.15% to 4.48% range and for three year fixes, 4.49% to 4.64%. The rates on credit cards and loans are usually variable, so these aren’t likely to rise until the Bank of England moves but you can bet your bottom dollar that when the time comes, they’ll move quickly.

Only a month ago economists were talking about further falls in interest rates, so why has everything changes?

It’s all because inflation is coming back under pressure. The governments’ target for inflation is 2% per annum but with energy prices high, and likely to soar even further, we are beginning to see the knock on effect of energy inflation across the economy. And despite fuel bills siphoning money from drivers, new car registrations are up 7% on the year to March, industrial orders rose more than 13% and business confidence improved again in April. Even America, the world’s largest consumer of oil, the economy is experiencing surprising levels of activity.

In many ways this is good news for Britain’s economy. The annual rate of exports is growing at the rate of almost 20%, a rate virtually matched by imports. And the major quarterly survey of the economy suggests that growth will remain strong.

For the man and woman in the street, economic figures are all well and good, but it’s the housing market that is perhaps their key barometer. Here the current news is good for existing homeowners, but perhaps less good for those trying to get a foot on the housing ladder.

Currently, the housing market is buoyant. In the first three months of this year the Halifax reported house prices up by 1.6% and the Nationwide reported prices up 2.3%. But these are averages. Increases vary widely depending on where you live. The average asking prices reported by Rightmove, the web site for estate agents, were up 2.7% January to February 2006, 0.9% from February to March and 1.1% March to April to set record high of 205,674. Overall the market rises are being led by `mini-boom’ at the upper end.

The problem is that traditionally, sentiment in the housing market is fickle. When we get the first confirmed sign of a rise in interest rates, watch buyers dive for cover. We believe that a quarter percent rise in August followed by another quarter in early autumn, will cause the housing market to stall.

As we all know, forecasts circulating eighteen months ago that the housing market was in for a crash landing, proved wrong and we’re still not expecting prices to fall heavily. But it’s the property hot spots that’ll bear the brunt of any slow down. They’ll be the first to really feel the slow down and plus a dose of realism in respect of asking prices.

At the moment nationally, the average house sale achieves around 95% of its asking price. When the forecast interest rate rises emerge, we’d expect to see this percentage fall to just under 90%. This will undoubtedly put pressure on sellers to trim their asking prices.

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Loans. Mortgages. Credit Cards. Interest Rate Rises Around The Corner.

by admin on Apr.05, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages

Loans. Mortgages. Credit Cards. Interest Rate Rises Around The Corner.

Financial traders in the City are expecting interest rates to rise by half a percent by the end of this year. These days the Bank of England prefers to make a series of small changes to interest rates rather than one large change, so watch out for the first 0.25% rise around August time

Mortgage rates are already reacting with the rates for fixed rate mortgages rising. The best rates for two year fixes are now in the 4.15% to 4.48% range and for three year fixes, 4.49% to 4.64%. The rates on credit cards and loans are usually variable, so these aren’t likely to rise until the Bank of England moves but you can bet your bottom dollar that when the time comes, they’ll move quickly.

Only a month ago economists were talking about further falls in interest rates, so why has everything changes?

It’s all because inflation is coming back under pressure. The governments’ target for inflation is 2% per annum but with energy prices high, and likely to soar even further, we are beginning to see the knock on effect of energy inflation across the economy. And despite fuel bills siphoning money from drivers, new car registrations are up 7% on the year to March, industrial orders rose more than 13% and business confidence improved again in April. Even America, the world’s largest consumer of oil, the economy is experiencing surprising levels of activity.

In many ways this is good news for Britain’s economy. The annual rate of exports is growing at the rate of almost 20%, a rate virtually matched by imports. And the major quarterly survey of the economy suggests that growth will remain strong.

For the man and woman in the street, economic figures are all well and good, but it’s the housing market that is perhaps their key barometer. Here the current news is good for existing homeowners, but perhaps less good for those trying to get a foot on the housing ladder.

Currently, the housing market is buoyant. In the first three months of this year the Halifax reported house prices up by 1.6% and the Nationwide reported prices up 2.3%. But these are averages. Increases vary widely depending on where you live. The average asking prices reported by Rightmove, the web site for estate agents, were up 2.7% January to February 2006, 0.9% from February to March and 1.1% March to April to set record high of 205,674. Overall the market rises are being led by `mini-boom’ at the upper end.

The problem is that traditionally, sentiment in the housing market is fickle. When we get the first confirmed sign of a rise in interest rates, watch buyers dive for cover. We believe that a quarter percent rise in August followed by another quarter in early autumn, will cause the housing market to stall.

As we all know, forecasts circulating eighteen months ago that the housing market was in for a crash landing, proved wrong and we’re still not expecting prices to fall heavily. But it’s the property hot spots that’ll bear the brunt of any slow down. They’ll be the first to really feel the slow down and plus a dose of realism in respect of asking prices.

At the moment nationally, the average house sale achieves around 95% of its asking price. When the forecast interest rate rises emerge, we’d expect to see this percentage fall to just under 90%. This will undoubtedly put pressure on sellers to trim their asking prices.

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Loan Comparison: Interest Only Home Equity Loans Versus Balloon

by admin on Apr.01, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages

Loan Comparison: Interest Only Home Equity Loans Versus Balloon 2nd Mortgage

What is an interest only home equity loan? This is a loan where the principal borrowed is not paid back each month only the interest is repaid. The principal borrowed may be due in 10, 15 or 20 years. A borrower may decrease the amount of principal due in the future by making payments on the principal.

Interest only mortgages may be adjustable rate mortgages (ARM) or fixed rate mortgages. A fixed rate mortgage will have a set payment for the period of the loan. ARM mortgages will have a fixed rate initially for a six-month period, and then the rate will increase or decrease based on an index, prime rate or five-year treasury rate.

A balloon second mortgage is a short-term mortgage with a fixed rate of interest. Balloon mortgages require repayment of principal and interest. The monthly payments of principal are not based on the five-year term of the mortgage but a longer amortization period of 30 years. Balloon mortgages must be refinanced every five years at the expense of the borrower and subject to any dramatic increase in interest rates.

One of the advantages of the balloon second mortgage is the lower monthly payments could yield additional funds for debt consolidation and home improvements. With lower monthly payments the homeowner has more money to budget towards other expenses.

If the balloon mortgage is repayable in five years and the ARM is a 5/20 loan, both loans must be refinanced in five years. The balloon second mortgage must be refinanced with a new second mortgage, a line of credit or a home equity line at the expense of the borrower. ARM mortgage rates reset using a mechanical rate adjustment procedure set in the original contract and have a cap on the amount the rate of interest may be increased.

Currently the rates on balloon mortgages are generally lower then the rates on ARM mortgages. If one were sure that rates would be lower in five years, the balloon mortgage would be a wise choice. If one is unsure of future interest rates the security of knowing the maximum rate the interest can be five years in the future would be worth the slightly higher cost of the ARM mortgage.

Both of these second mortgage loans can co behind a negative amortization loan in 1st position, as long as the broker or lender allows the deferred interest loan. Check with your home equity lenders to make sure that they will allow you to get a home line of credit or second mortgage behind a payment option ARM.

If we had a crystal ball to look into the future the comparison would be simple. In a scenario with 15% interest rates the ARM would be the wise choice while in a scenario with 5% interest rates the balloon mortgage would be the wise choice. Unfortunately the uncertainty of the future of interest rates makes it clear there is some risk involved in making this decision.

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Latest Information On Home Mortgages And Expert Advice On Home

by admin on Mar.26, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages

Latest Information On Home Mortgages And Expert Advice On Home Equity Loans

Latest information on home mortgages

Buying your first home is a huge milestone and often a scary one. Be sure youre getting the best value for your money by learning about the different types of home mortgages available today and seeing available rates from competing mortgage lenders.

There are three sides to a mortgage: the amount of money you borrow, the interest rate youll pay on the loan, and the length of the mortgage.

The amount you borrow depends on the cost of the home and the size of your down payment. If you purchase a $300,000 home and make a down payment of $60,000, youll need a $240,000 loan.

The interest rate is one of the great variables when looking at mortgages and other home loans. There are two basic types of mortgages: fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs). Fixed-rate mortgages have just that a fixed rate of interest that never changes in the life of the loan, so your monthly payment will always be the same. An ARM has interest rates that tend to change according to the general credit market. This can work to your advantage when rates go down, but if market rates increase, the rates on your loan will likely increase at a similar rate. However, most ARMs have a cap on interest rates this will vary from lender to lender.

Nowadays buyers have much more flexibility in terms of the length of the loan. While most mortgages fall in the 15-30 year range, some lenders now offer 40 and 50 year mortgages. These longer term mortgages are ideal for people who want lower monthly rates and dont mind paying off their loan well into retirement. Of course, the longer the term of your mortgage, the more interest youll pay in the long run.

Expert advice on home equity loans

If youre a homeowner in need of some extra cash, a home equity loan may be the easiest solution. By using your home as collateral, you can borrow money for home improvement projects, personal expenses, auto payments, college education, and more. Whatever your financial needs are, being a homeowner could qualify you for a home equity loan or home equity line of credit.

The amount of money you can borrow depends on the amount of home equity you have. And this may be a much higher figure than you imagined. To determine your home equity, simply deduct the amount you owe on remaining mortgage payments from the appraised value of your home. If you own more than one property, your home equity is the combined equity of all of your properties.

Of course, details of a home equity loan need to be discussed with the lender. As with any loan, there are certain fees that apply. These vary according to the lender and need to be factored into your decision. They make include a property appraisal fee (to estimate your homes value), a non-refundable application fee, closing costs, taxes, and up-front charges.

Other factors to consider are the payment plan and how the loan is affected if you sell your home before the end of term. You may be required to pay loan off in full when you sell your house. The term of home equity loans can range from 5 to 30 years.

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An Introduction To Mortgage Loans

by admin on Dec.05, 2009, under Loans and Mortgages

Mortgage loans are financial loans taken for real estate properties that the borrower has to repay with interest within a fixed period of time. A mortgage loan requires some sort of security for the lender. This security is called the collateral and in most cases, it is the real estate property itself for which the mortgage loan has been taken. Since the property itself is kept as the collateral, no further security is needed.

The person who lends the mortgage loan is called the mortgagee, while the person who borrows the loan is called the mortgagor. The mortgagee and mortgagor are bound by the mortgage loan agreement. The agreement entitles the mortgagor to receive a financial loan from the mortgagee. The promissory note in the agreement secures the mortgagee, which entitles them to the collateral and a promise made by the mortgagor to repay the mortgage loan in due time. In the USA, the typical period for a mortgage loan may be 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.

There are two fundamental types of mortgage loans in the USA fixed-rate mortgages and adjustable-rate mortgages. Fixed-rate mortgages have interest rates that are locked for the life of the mortgage, while adjustable-rate mortgages have interest rates that may go up or down according to some market index. Hence, fixed-rate mortgages provide security to the mortgagor, while adjustable-rate mortgages provide security to the mortgagee. If there are dues on monthly payments, then they are added together and constitute a balloon mortgage loan.

The process of buying a loan is called originating the loan. This is done between the mortgagor and the mortgagee, sometimes involving a mortgage broker. The broker charges a commission on every loan originated, which is collected from either the mortgagor or the mortgagee. A brokers involvement increases the cost of the entire mortgage.

Mortgage loans below 80% of the entire property value need added security for the mortgagee. This is done in the form of insurance policies, called mortgage insurance. The premiums of mortgage insurance policies are passed on to the borrower in their monthly payments. However, if the mortgagor makes at least 20% of the down payment, then the mortgage insurance may be waived.

In the US, there are several types of mortgages available. The most important mortgages are those which are originated by the Federal Housing Administration. These very popular loans are called Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae loans. Fannie Mae mortgages are the most popular types of mortgage loans in the USA.

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Adjustable Rate Mortgages: This Home Mortgage Loan May Not Be

by admin on Nov.28, 2009, under Loans and Mortgages

Adjustable Rate Mortgages: This Home Mortgage Loan May Not Be For The Weak At Heart

I heard the news about another interest rate hike and thought it was about time to look into refinancing my mortgage. I contacted my mortgage company first.

“I am interested in a fixed mortgage rate.” I said.

“May I ask why that is?” The broker asked politely.

“I don’t want to deal with the risk of rising interest rates. At my age, I cannot afford the risk.

“Looking at your last ten years of history, you have done pretty well with the adjustable rate. In fact, you had paid less in interest than most people with a fixed loan. May I suggest that we look at some adjustable rates, which are even less than the rate youre paying and with caps you dont have to worry about the interest rate hikes. I think we can save you a few hundred dollars off your monthly payment.”

At this point the broker took a breather so that I can say, “No thank you. I am only interested in a fixed rate mortgages.” “I don’t understand. Are you not interested in saving money?” He asked before launching into a lecture that had a mix of economy 101, budgeting 1, a dash of fortune telling and a healthy and totally unrealistic optimism of future trend in interest rates.

When he was done I explained to him that I recall the 18%-19% interest on mortgage loans in the early 1980’s that he seemed too young to remember. I pointed out that on a $100,000 loan, the 18% interest is $1,500 per month on the mortgage interest alone. If you have a $200,000 loan the interest alone would be a back-breaking payment of $3,000 per month.

I knew he thought I am out of my mind thinking about an 18% mortgage interest rate in todays environment. At the end we ended the phone conversation without any resolution. The gap in understanding wasnt about fixed rate mortgages vs adjustable rate mortgages (ARM). The gap was in age, experience, expectation, hopes and fears; a gap too wide to bridge.

To understand this gap, lets look at the adjustable rate mortgages. This type of mortgage loan is usually lower than the fixed rate and the lower rate means lower payment that in turn means easier qualification.

When lenders are considering your mortgage loan application, they look at what percentage of your income is available for repaying their loan. With an income of $5,000 per month, a $2,000 loan payment is 40% of your income and a $1,000 payment is 20% of your income. The closer you get to $1,000 or 20% of your income, the easier it is to qualify for the loan. This easier qualification appeals to younger people who are just starting and those with income limitation.

Adjustable mortgage rates appeal to young people with an innate optimism, hopes of increased income and the high possibility of moving to a different home in a short period of time. They need to look at what they can afford to pay and cannot worry too much about the distant future. To them anything is better than renting which is absolute waste of money.

There are also those older individuals who have suffered from some set back in life and do not enjoy a high credit score or do not have a very high income. Since a poor credit score increases the interest rate a bank offers to potential borrowers, a fixed rate may be too high for these individuals to consider.

Lets take a look at some terms that help you understand ARM better.

Margin – This is the lender’s markup and where they make their profits. The margin is added to the index rate to determine your total interest rate.

ARM Indexes – These are benchmarks that lenders use to determine how much the mortgage should be adjusted. The more stable the index is the more stable your adjustable loan remains. Consider both the index and the margin when you are shopping around.

Adjustment Period – Refers to the holding period in which your interest rate will not change. You will come across ARM figures like 5-1 that means your mortgage interest remains the same for five years and then it will adjust every year.

Interest Rate Caps – This is the maximum interest a lender can charge you.

Periodic caps – The lenders may limit how much they can increase your loan within an adjustment period. Not all ARMs have periodic rate caps.

Overall caps- Mortgage lenders may also limit how much the interest rate can increase over the life of the loan. Overall caps have been required by law since 1987. Payment Caps – The maximum amount your monthly payment can increase at each adjustment.

Negative Amortization – In most cases a portion of your payment goes toward paying down the principal and reducing your total debt. But when the payment is not enough to even cover the interest due, the unpaid amount is added back to the loan and your total mortgage loan obligation is increased. In short, if this continues you may owe more than you started with.

Negative amortization is the possible downside of the payment cap that keeps monthly payments from covering the cost of interest.

As you compare lenders, loans and rates remember Henry Moore who said, “What’s important is finding out what works for you.”

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