Tag: Fixed Rate
Home Equity Loan Vs. Home Equity Line Of Credit
by admin on Apr.03, 2010, under Loans and Credit
The reasons to consider a second mortgage are as varied as the programs available to you once you make the decision to tap into your home equity. Some popular reasons include college tuition, bill consolidation, health expenses, and home repairs. When it comes to borrowing money, these types of loans are favored for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the tax deductibility of all the interest paid on an equity loan. Before you start shopping around, however, you should decide whether you want a closed-end second mortgage or a home equity line of credit (HELOC).
A closed-end second, also known as a home equity loan, refers to a second mortgage that is structured in a very similar way to your first. To borrow using a home equity loan, or closed-end second, you make a one-time choice on the amount you would like to borrow, close on the loan, and receive a check for the amount youve chosen. You will have regular payments structured over a period of years, and upon completion of those payments, your home equity loan will be paid in full. If you decide later that you would like to draw additional funds, you will need to arrange for an additional loan with additional closing costs. However, the closed-end second carries a fixed rate that will never go up and offers a straightforward plan for paying the money back.
A HELOC, on the other hand, is a line of credit from which you can withdraw money again and again. In many ways, a HELOC is just like a credit card, but the interest you pay is tax-deductible. You will close on a HELOC only one time, but if you decide after a few months that you need to withdraw additional money, you will be able to do so up to the value of the loan. That is to say, if you close on a HELOC for $60,000 and over a period of time pay back $13,000 toward the principal, that $13,000 is available to be drawn again at any time. You will continue to make payments toward what you owe just as you would on a closed-end second; however, the full amount of the loan is always available to be drawn on, as long as the amount you owe and the amount you borrow do not exceed the total amount of the original HELOC.
Whether a closed-end second mortgage or a HELOC is right for you is something you, your loan officer, and / or your financial planner must decide. If you are relatively sure that you will need to borrow against your equity only one time in the next several years, a closed-end second offers the fixed rate and regular amortized payment schedule that ensures you know both how much your payment will be and how long it will take you to pay off the loan. This kind of assurance can be particularly useful if you dont trust yourself to spend wisely, or if you tend to buy impulsively and dont want the option of drawing out additional funds.
A HELOC can be most useful if you are taking on a project, such as home repair, that has the potential of unforeseen expenses. A HELOC offers you the flexibility to borrow again and again. You may even be able to secure a HELOC that carries a low interest-only payment allowing you to borrow more and still have a manageable payment amount each month. Whichever you choose, drawing against the equity in your home is sure to save you money on the interest youre paying for your purchase power, and as always, the interest you pay on any type of home mortgage is tax-deductible, offering an additional incentive.
Consult your loan officer or financial planner to decide whether a closed-end second mortgage or a HELOC would best suit your needs. Once youve made this first decision, youll be well on your way to finding the right equity loan for you.
Home Mortgage Loans For People With Poor Credit – Low
by admin on Mar.14, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages
Home Mortgage Loans For People With Poor Credit – Low Credit Score Lenders
Home mortgage loans for people with poor credit are available at reasonable rates if you find the right lender. With some time spent online researching for low credit score lenders, you can base your financing decision on loan estimate numbers. Even with bad credit, you can find flexible terms, so you can find the right home loan for your budget.
The Role Of Low Credit Score Lenders
Low credit score lenders, also called subprime lenders, offer financing to those with scores of less than 650 at slightly higher than conventional loan rates. On average rates are 1% to 3% higher than A rated loans, but expect to pay more if you have just discharged a bankruptcy or foreclosure.
Subprime loans arent restricted like conventional loans, so you have many more options with your terms. You can secure 100% financing, interest only loans, or a traditional fixed rate 30 year mortgage.
Unfortunately, there are companies that would take advantage of your financing situation by charging high rates and fees. You can protect yourself from these dishonest companies by comparing loan offers from several different companies.
Getting A Good Loan Estimate
The best way to find a lender is to base your decision on their loan estimates. Online lenders can get you mortgage quotes in just minutes, without having to access your credit report. Not only will you get information on rates, but also on closing costs and miscellaneous fees.
To get the most accurate numbers, request quotes on the loan amount and down payment you ideally want. Just remember that if you decide on different loan terms, you will need to ask for new loan quotes.
Timing Your Mortgage Financing
To give yourself enough time to find the best subprime lender, start searching for financing before you look for a house. By lining up your mortgage ahead of time, youll have a better idea of your borrowing potential. You will also be able to close the deal sooner on your new home.
Most online lenders can process your loan application in a few days, with funds available in two weeks. Your escrow company will handle the final disbursement of funds.
Debt Consolidation with Home Equity Loan Give You the Most
by admin on Feb.10, 2010, under Loans and Debt
Debt Consolidation with Home Equity Loan Give You the Most Flexibility
Have you ever wondered how can you consolidation your debts and help you to save money which is used to pay for those high interest rate debts? You can reduce your interest rate charges by using your home equity loan to consolidate all of your outstanding debts. Your home equity loan can be used to consolidate debt and pay off the following accounts:
- Credit card balances
- Gas card balances
- Department store balances
- Installment loans
- Auto loans
- Any account balance that is outstanding.
Home equity loans allow a homeowner to borrow money by pledging the house as collateral. Normally this loan is easier to be approved by the lender even if you have bad credit because the lender view home equity loan as relatively safe. And you can borrow a relatively large amount of money to pay off all or most of your other high interest rate debts.
Home equity loans generally have a much lower interest rate than most credit cards and other unsecured loans. You can also set the repayment terms at a fixed rate so that you can plan exactly how much to budget each month. Also save time and hassle by writing just one monthly check.
Most home equity loans have the following repayment terms:
- up to 5 years
- up to 10 years
- up to 15 years
- up to 20 years
Thus, you have the flexibility of tailor a debt consolidation plan that fit your budget. If your debt consolidation balance is high, you may go plan with a long repayment period. With the longer repayment period, you will pay lower monthly repayment and budget for other living expenses needs.
What are the things save in debt consolidation?
By consolidation your debt with a home equity loan let you have the flexibility to plan ahead for your other living expenses needs. Home equity loan carries a much lower interest rate than most credit cards and other loans. And any interest you pay may be tax deductible. Hence, using home equity loan to write off your high interest rate debts such as credit card (more than 12% of interest rate) will leave you a high income balance (after deduce the month repayment for home equity loan) to budget for other needs such as send your kids to college, finance a new car & etc.
How much can you save?
That depends on your income bracket and annual percentage rate. But after deducting all the qualifying interest payments from your taxes, your effective APR will be significantly lowered. By comparing this lower interest rate to your car loan, credit cards and other installment loan's interest rates which do not qualify for tax deductible, you can see why is a smart way of doing debt consolidation with a home equity loan.
Summary
Home equity loan is the best method to consolidate your high interest debts; it carries low interest rate, tax deductible and love by the lenders as the secured loan to their borrowers. Debt consolidation with home equity loan gives you the maximum flexibility to plan ahead.
Finding The Right Mortgage Loan
by admin on Feb.06, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages
There are many mortgage loan companies out there. They seem to send you an email daily, tempting you to fulfill your largest dreams of a new home. But, when is the right time to purchase a home and what should you look for when you do so? There are many things to think about and they all center on one major thing. That is that you need to purchase a home loan that is the most affordable solution for your needs. The lowest cost is the most ideal way to go, right? So, how do you find this?
You will want to compare your options to learn who is willing and able to give you the lowest price on your home purchase. Now, because virtually everyone has to purchase a mortgage loan to purchase a home, it is important to take the time to look for these key ingredients in a low cost home purchase.
- The interest rate of the mortgage loan is essentially the most costly of the whole purchase. You need to find the lowest rates out there if you are going to save money. To do this, compare and contrast the various options that you have from various lenders. Make sure you take the time to look at all your options including fixed rate and adjustable rate options, FHA, VA and conventional style options, as well as other options you will find along the way. This will save you a great deal of money in the long run.
- Next, take a look at the terms of the mortgage loan that you are applying for. This is the length of time that it will take you to pay off the homes loan. This can be longer if you need to lower the monthly payment of the home. If you want to save money, though, you may want to go for a larger monthly payment and secure a shorter term as the longer it goes, the more interest it accumulates.
- Fees and down payments also play a large role in the mortgage loan that you choose. Here, youll want to look for low costing fees, sometimes you will find a lender that is offering you a lower rate of fees but higher interest rates. Compare this to determine the best option for your needs. When it comes to down payments, carefully consider them. If you can afford them, this is a large help in the overall cost of your homes loan. If you dont have one though, you can still qualify for many of these lending options.
When purchasing a home, it is important to get it for the best price that you can. Why would you want to spend too much on the interest and terms of a financing when you can actually save money and use it to furnish your home, decorate your home or even doing some remodeling? Look at many of your options and compare what they can actually do for you. The mortgage loan you choose is going to cost you unless you do take a closer look.
Best Home Mortgage Loan What To Look For In
by admin on Jan.01, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages
Best Home Mortgage Loan What To Look For In A Mortgage
With a credit score of 680 or higher, you have a plethora of home loan options. Basically, you can choose your terms, but you want to make sure you find the best financing package. That means looking at financing costs, terms, and lenders.
Financing Costs
The most competitive mortgage market is conventional loans, including both fixed-rate and ARM. That means these types of loans have the lowest rates. Add a 20% down payment, and you will have lenders swooning over you.
Fixed-rate home loans offer security of a flat interest rate. You will be paying the same interest rate over the entire life of your mortgage. You can also lock in todays low rates. You always have the option of refinancing if rates do drop.
An ARM provides lower rates with the risk that they will rise in a couple of years. For those homebuyers who plan to move in a couple of years, this financing can save you hundreds in interest charges.
You can also choose a hybrid of the two, offering initial low rates that will lock in after a couple of years.
Terms
The shorter the mortgage, the less you will pay in finance charges. But your monthly payment will be higher with the short term. The most common mortgage is for 30 years, but you can choose a 25, 15, or even a 10 year mortgage. Choosing terms is really based on what you can afford to pay each month.
Lenders
Conventional lenders usually offer the best financing, even if you need an unconventional loan. Jumbo and subprime mortgages can be processed by conventional lenders. They will find underwriters, which will add slightly to the interest rate of your home loan.
Still you want to investigate all your lending options. Begin by collecting rate quotes on a predetermined loan amount. This way you are comparing similar numbers. Also, be looking at fees to make sure interest savings are not offset by high closing costs.
When you have picked a lender, request a bid. This is when the lending institution will actually look at your credit history and give you real numbers. If you arent happy with the terms, dont be afraid to walk away from the deal. There are many lenders to choose from.
Consolidating Your Student Loan Debts Makes Sense!
by admin on Dec.17, 2009, under Loans and Debt
So you’ve finally finished school and have officially entered what so many adults like to call “the real world”, you may feel as though your newly earned money is going directly from your paycheck to your debt repayment plan (with nothing left for your pocket!).So you think about consolidating your loans, but is that really the best option you have? Yes it is actually! Here’s why. By consolidating now it’s possible to save hundreds, even thousands of dollars in interest that would have been incurred over the years. Especially right now because interest rates are at their lowest and now is a great time to take advantage of that fact. Also by consolidating your loan, you make it more convenient to pay off your debts. Most importantly, you are lowering your overall interest rates which will save you lots of money over longer periods of time. It’s essential to get a fixed rate though, or eventually the interest rate could rise. Be weary of companies that try to pull you in by offering very low introductory interest rates, these jump up in the near future leaving you stuck with a high intrest rate.
Consolidated loans means you only have one lump payment, instead of several smaller ones. Generally the monthly payment is less than all of your loans put together, which frees up a little more money for your wallet. Over time, this could save you money and allow you to have more money readily available to use for stuff like furniture or maybe stereo equipment. Or instead of spending it, having that cash to put into savings will definitely turn out good in the long run. Having one payment makes keeping track of your loan easier which could mean less late payments and a clearer view of where you are at when it comes to your debt load.
When you consolidate, you create the possibility of a lower interest rate. This is because sometimes opportunities arise in which you can defer or through forbearance have a chance to make that interest rate drop even more, thereby putting more of your monthly payment to the actual principle amount of the loan. Which for you means a faster payoff. If you can look for a consolidation that allows for no prepayment penalty, because you can pay off these loans quicker. As you earn more money a plan where you can prepay without punishment is ideal as having this option can bring you closer to being debt free even faster. Another benefit to consolidating student loans is tax breaks. There is a deduction that you can claim whether or not you itemize, this can reduce the amount of taxable income up to $2,500.
And yet another advantage that consolidating your student loan can do is raise your overall credit rating. This is because you will have reduced the amount of creditors actually on your credit report. The more creditors you have on your credit report wanting to collect from you the worse off your actual credit score will appear. One consolidated loan means only one creditor, this will immediately improve your credit rating. Then eventually when all your payments have been made your credit rating will improve further.
Now that all the benefits and advantages to consolidating your student loan debts have been layed out for you, doesn’t it make sense to do it? With more free cash, easier and more convenient payments and payment schedules, an improved credit rating, tax breaks, lower interest rates, and even being out of debt sooner, consolidating is definitely worth looking into! So what are you waiting for?
A Home Equity Loan Or A Home Equity Line Of
by admin on Nov.05, 2009, under Loans and Credit
A Home Equity Loan Or A Home Equity Line Of Credit?
When you need the cash out of the equity in your home, you may find that there are a few choices that are before you. Should you go with a home equity loan, or would a home equity line of credit (HELOC) be better? Here are some features of both to help you decide which one may be better for you.
If you are certain that you would like the cash out of your equity in one lump sum, then a home equity loan would be the better option for you. This means that if you know that you want the equity right away and have a purpose (or more than one) that you need the money for, then this would be the way to go. The cash from a home equity loan, or a home equity line of credit can be used in any way you want. If you want to pay for a family member’s college education, or get a boat, fix up your home or make an addition, or travel, then this could be your ticket.
A home equity loan is a second mortgage, and you will often be given up to 15 years to repay the loan – or more. It is usually in the form of an adjustable rate mortgage, but you can also find lenders who will give you fixed rate, too.
A home equity line of credit, though, will give you a few options that a home equity loan will not – if you do not need the cash all at once – or are not sure if you need it all. A HELOC is also a second mortgage, but instead of getting all the cash up front, you are given a line of credit and a credit limit. A credit card, or a checking account gives you the access to the funds – as you need them.
Generally, you must make a minimum draw right away and then you start paying the interest on a monthly basis of the amount you have withdrawn. This is a major difference right here. You only pay interest on the portion of the money that you have actually withdrawn. So if you do not use it all, then your monthly payments and interest are lower. The interest is often calculated daily, and so each month will see a different size payment. You are also given a limited time to withdraw the funds – often around 11 years.
A HELOC is usually calculated on a 25 or 30-year term, and this is broken down into two periods – the draw period and the amortization period. During the draw period, you use the funds as you see fit. But at the end of the draw period, the time for amortization begins. You cannot draw out any more money, but your payments are recalculated and you begin paying off the loan.
There are several ways that you might do this, though, and you need to know which one will apply to your mortgage before you sign. It is possible that there could be a balloon payment at the end of the draw period. This would require that you refinance. Other terms may simply be monthly payments for the balance of the full-term, or other arrangements may be possible, too.
Only you can know which one, either a home equity loan, or a home equity line of credit, will be better for your needs. Whichever way you decide to go, though, be sure to get several quotes and then compare them carefully to know which one is the best deal. There may be quite a bit of difference in the interest rates and other terms – some are good and some just plain are not good.