Mortgage & Refinancing Information

Adjustable Rate Mortgages - Understand the Benefits Compared to a Fixed Rate Mortgage


Adjustable rate mortgages can be very tempting to home buyers, yet they carry a great deal of uncertainty. Fixed rate mortgages offer rate and payment security, but they are more expensive. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of ARMs and fixed rate mortgages before you decide which is right for you.

There are many benefits with an adjustable rate mortgage. One benefit is that they usually feature lower rates and payments early on in the loan term. Lenders can use the lower payment when qualifying borrowers, therefore borrowers can purchase larger homes than they could otherwise afford. ARM's allow borrowers to take advantage of falling rates without refinancing. Instead of having to pay closing costs and fees, borrowers can just sit back and watch their rates fall without worrying about these extra costs. Adjustable rate mortgages can help borrowers save and invest more money. Someone who has a payment that is say $200 less with an ARM than with a fixed-rate mortgage for a couple of years can save that money and earn more off it in a higher yielding investment. This type of mortgage also offers a cheap way for borrowers who don't plan on living in one place very long to buy a house.

There are also a few drawbacks with Adjustable rate mortgages. One drawback is that rates and payments can rise significantly over the loan period. For instance, a 6% ARM can end up at 11% in just three years if rates rise in the overall economy. A borrower's initial low rate will adjust to a level higher than the going fixed rate level in almost every case because ARMs have initial fixed rates that are set artificially low. The first adjustment can be hard hitting because some annual caps don't apply to the initial change. Someone with an annual cap of 2% and a lifetime cap of 6% could potentially see the rate shoot from 6% to 12% in 12 months after closing rates in the economy skyrocket. Adjustable rate mortgages can be difficult to understand.

Lenders have much more flexibility when determining margins, caps, adjustment indices and other things, so new borrowers can easily get confused or trapped by less than honest mortgage companies. One last drawback to adjustable rate mortgages is that on certain mortgages called negative amortization loans, borrowers can end up owing more money than they did at closing. This is because the payments on these loans are set so low they only cover part of the interest due. Any additional amount will get added into the principal balance.

As you can see there are many pros and cons to adjustable-rate mortgages. You must carefully consider your options before choosing a mortgage that is right for you. Stay informed of all of your mortgage options.

To view our list of most recommended mortgage lenders, visit this page: Recommended Home Mortgage Lenders

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide. It is an informational loan website, with informative articles and the latest finance news.


MORE RESOURCES:

Best Syndication

Is It Time To Refinance Your Mortgage?
Forbes, NY - 1 hour ago
Falling rates and a friendly Fed mean good things for homeowners. But there's a catch. Looking to refinance your mortgage? Do it now. ...
Now May Be Good Time To Refinance Home KMBC.com
Refinancing suddenly booms Honolulu Advertiser
Escape The Burden of Taxes with Colorado Interest Mortgage Rate ... PWO
all 69 news articles


Waco banks seeing a boom in mortgage refinance applications
Waco Tribune Herald, TX - Jan 2, 2009
By Mike Copeland With mortgage rates hitting record lows, Mary Jo Teakell is seeing a growing backlog of refinance applications. “We’re quite busy right now ...


Situations determine refinancing
FayObserver.com, NC - 19 hours ago
By Hilary Kraus It depends on your situation. How much do you still owe? How long do you expect to stay in your home? Are lower payments a priority? ...


Manage Your Refinance Mortgage Loan Sans the Stress
Meadow Free Press, ID - 13 hours ago
There are a thousand and one reasons for getting a refinance loan. One is to pay off debts or to relocate to a new house in another state. ...


Lending Mortgage, Refinance, Equity Loan
Kitchener, Ontario Canada, Canada - Jan 1, 2009
The City of Kitchener is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. ...


Bad Credit Mortgage Refinance Loan- 3 Most Important Items to Get ...
CrunchGear, NY - Dec 23, 2008
Ultimately if you are looking to do a bad credit mortgage refinance loan you need to keep several things in mind to ensure that you don’t get taken for a ...


Mortgage Refinance Online
PWO, France - Dec 18, 2008
If you want to consolidate debt or get cash to pay for home improvements, you can apply for a mortgage refinance online that offers you a cash back option, ...


Florida Mortgage Broker now offering FHA Loans
Search By Headlines (press release), NV - Dec 23, 2008
Simply said, the FHA mortgage refinance loans are the complete replacement of the current mortgage that you have. It's important to know that FHA loans can ...


TopNews

Mortgage Rates Hit 37-Year Low
Poynter.org, FL - Jan 1, 2009
The average 30-year fixed rate now stands at 5.10 percent. It has fallen for nine straight weeks. The question is, even if you have no credit problem, ...
Don't miss the mortgage refinance window Barre Montpelier Times Argus
A toast to low mortgage rates MarketWatch
US mortgage rates drop to lowest in 37 years Reuters
all 387 news articles


Learn About Refinance Mortgage
PWO, France - Dec 31, 2008
Finance home mortgage, refinance mortgage or any other loans can be applied for to pull you out from this solution. Another advantage of refinance mortgage ...

Mortgage-Refinance - Google News

home | site map
© 2006