| |
| |
|
Mortgage & Refinancing Information |
|
|
|
What Is The Best Deal For A Mortgage?
Few of us invest the time and effort into researching and securing the best deal for a mortgage to purchase our home. For most of us, our house is the single most important and expensive purchase we ever make! We invest a lot of time and effort into finding the perfect property in the best location and with as many of the features from our wish list as possible, yet, when it comes to finding the best deal for a mortgage, we take what is offered rather than researching and securing the best mortgage for our situation. When you consider that the average homeowner will pay out more in interest over the lifetime of their mortgage than the home originally cost, you can see why getting yourself the best deal for a mortgage now, could save you tens of thousands of dollars in interest over the 20 30 year term of your home loan. Your research for the best mortgages or loans and repayment options currently available can be carried out on the internet, thus making the whole process that much more convenient and time efficient for you. Mortgages are not a "One Size Fits All!" Mortgages come in many different forms and you need to be aware of the various forms in order to determine which one is the best deal for a mortgage to your unique circumstances. Basically, mortgages fall into one of the following categories. Lenders will have variations of these basic categories, but armed with this information, you will be able to sort through the choices for just the right package. Fixed Rate Mortgages: Loan with an interest rate that remains at a specific rate for the entire term of the mortgage/loan. Approximately 75 per cent of home mortgages are this type. A fixed rate mortgage is often considered the best deal for a mortgage for first time buyers as you can establish a consistent relatively fixed budget of household operating expenses. ARM's or Adjustable Rate Mortgages or Variable Rate Mortgages: A mortgage/loan with an interest rate that adjusts or varies with the changes in rates paid on Treasury Bills or bank Certificates of Deposit. In Canada, the rates vary according to the posted weekly Bank of Canada rates. To offset the risk associated with an adjustable rate mortgage, some lenders offer various 'capping' options. Often, they fix or limit the maximum level to which the interest rate you are subject to can rise for a given period of time. Sometimes they fix the cap per year and sometimes for the lifetime of the mortgage. Adjustable or variable rate mortgages can be very attractive as usually the rates are considerably lower than for fixed rate mortgages. They are an excellent vehicle for borrowers who are attentive to the rate fluctuations and prepared to 'lock in' their mortgage when interest rates start climbing. If you're constantly watching the money markets, this may be the best deal for a mortgage for you. Balloon Mortgages: A mortgage in which the monthly payment is not intended to repay the entire loan. The final payment is a large lump sum of the remaining principal. Balloon mortgages are often only partially amortized and requiring a lump sum repayment at maturity. It's popular mortgage in the US for homeowners who aren't planning to stay in their new home for more than 5 or 7 years. The advantage is that the interest rate is lower than a fixed rate mortgage however, the disadvantage is that if you remain in the home beyond the 5 to 7 year term, you would have to secure a new loan or mortgage to pay off the balloon mortgage. Jumbo Mortgages or 'Non-Conforming' Mortgages: In the US, Congress has legislated a conforming limit to the amount a mortgage is allowable for funding by Federal National Mortgage Association (a.k.a: Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (a.k.a: Freddie Mac). The 2005 limit is $359,650; $539,475 in Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Any loan or mortgage above that conforming limit is considered a Jumbo Mortgage. A Jumbo mortgage/loan allows you to borrow over the conforming limit, but for that privilege, you will incur higher interest rates. There are variations to the Jumbo Mortgage such as the Super Jumbo Mortgage, but I'm sure you get the basic picture. Canadians have an equivalent referred to as a "High Ratio Mortgage" guaranteed/funded through Canada Mortgage And Housing Corporation (CMHC). Now that you have identified which type of mortgage might suit you best, you need to consider repayment methods and you basically have two options: Interest Only: An interest only payment method can be combined with any type of traditional mortgage. Interest only payment periods almost never run for the entire term of the loan, so prepare to have your payment rise to include both principal and interest once the interest only period ends. Principal and Interest or Capital & Interest: Your monthly repayments are divided into an interest payment and a principal or capital repayment. In the early years of the mortgage period most of the monthly payment is swallowed up in interest but over time the balance reverses and you start to pay off more of the capital or principal borrowed. So Many Mortgage Lenders ... So Many Choices! There are so many mortgage lenders offering such a variety of loan options that at first it can seem a daunting task trying to determine which lender most suits you and your circumstances and which Lender is offering you the best deal on a mortgage! It is important to note that as you shop for a mortgage, each lender will perform a credit check prior to committing to the mortgage or loan. Each credit check remains on your credit record and could potentially reduce your credit score and eligibility for a mortgage or loan. Helen March offers simple House And Home Sense solutions for buying or selling real estate as well as informative articles for home improvement and lifestyle alternatives. Visit her at: http://www.HouseAndHomeSense.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Mortgage-Refinance - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Home Equity Loans - A Big Benefit Or A Big Mistake? When the bills are piling up and there doesn't seem to be any way out, a home equity loan can seem like the answer to your prayers. Home equity loans can also be a great way to jumpstart a business or investment portfolio. Home Loans Buying a home remains the great American dream. Home ownership rates have been exploding in recent years, spurred on by the historically low interest rates in the home mortgage market. Home Mortgage Refinancing - Things to Consider When Looking to Get Cash Out on a Refinance When you refinance your home mortgage, lenders often tempt you with the option of cashing out part of your home's equity. Cash at a comparably low interest rate may seem like a good option, but make sure you will financially benefit from it first. Mortgage Pre Approval - Getting Pre Approved For a Home Loan Online A pre-approved mortgage is a must in a competitive housing market. It also gives you an idea of what you can afford to buy as you look at houses. Mortgage Information for the First Time Homebuyer Inflation in the United States is increasing rapidly and home prices are soaring! There are millions of american families that are unaware of the many mortgage programs that are available for first time homebuyers.There are many types of mortgage finance programs available to first time homebuyers. Repayment of Loans - Lessening the Bitterness of the Process So how have you planned the repayment? Don't tell if you haven't started the plannings yet. It is high time the plannings and the decisions be made regarding the repayment of the loan. Reverse Mortgages Learn The Facts First! Reverse Mortgages, Most Common Features:Many offer special appeal to older adults because the loan advances, which are not taxable, generally do not affect Social Security or Medicare benefits.Depending on the plan, reverse mortgages generally allow homeowners to retain title to their homes until they permanently move, sell their home, die, or reach the end of a pre-selected loan term. Home Mortgage Loans - Fixed Rate, Adjustable or Balloon, Which One Is Right For You? When you're shopping for a new home-especially for the first time-all the terms and expressions may be confusing and difficult to understand. Adjustable rate, fixed rate, balloon payment - how do you decide which is the right type of home mortgage for you if you're not even sure what each of them are?The name of the mortgage type usually has to do with how you'll pay for your loan - how the interest on the loan is being determined by the bank. Recent Bankruptcy? Its Not Impossible to Obtain a Home Loan Because the new bankruptcy laws go into effect on October 17, 2005, more Americans than ever are filing for relief using the federal bankruptcy laws. The vast majority are simply overextended and cannot possibly repay the obligations they have open. Mortgage Loan Information - Know The Basics When You Refinance or Purchase a Home If you are currently looking for a new home, chances are that in all the excitement you won't really give any thought to the type of home loan mortgage you take out, instead going with the first one offered to you. This could be a serious mistake - costing you thousands, if not tens of thousands. Flexible Mortgages - Offering Relief from the Fixed Mortgage A pension mortgage may seem lucrative at the first sight. However, they seldom are, if the customers who took pension mortgage are to be believed. Home Mortgage Loan Pre-Approval Online - Keys When Applying For A Mortgage Online Applying online for a mortgage is very fast and easy. Just make sure of a few things before you start to look for places to apply to. Guide to Remortgages Here is a useful guide to remortgages. What is a remortgage? A remortgage is when the terms of the original mortgage are renegotiated, and usually means that the borrower increases the amount that they are borrowing, which is often possible due to a rise in the value of the property. How To Find A Mortgage With Bad Credit Shopping online for mortgages ought to be trouble free, even should you have poor credit or no credit score. You can nonetheless find a bad credit lender that can facilitate you. What to Really Expect for Closing Costs Closing on a property is a very challenging time for a would-be homeowner. Being informed, either through your mortgage broker, your real estate agent, or through self knowledge is the best thing you can be when going through this procedure. Helpful Mortgage Advice Mortgage advice overwhelming you? Many people get advice from everyone on the planet when they talk about purchasing a home. People tell them their version of advice on most important factors and expect the potential home buyer to do as they have instructed. Types of Financing for Your Mortgage When financing a home purchase, the kind of mortgage you choose determines your monthly payment and the interest rate you get on your loan. There are four main ways of financing the mortgage for your home: 30-year fixed rate, 15-year fixed rate, adjustable rate, and interest only. Biweekly Mortgage The biweekly mortgage has been around for years but with the recent media attention to the real estate industry in general and the mortgage industry in particular, the biweekly has been getting thousands of home owners to use this simple, yet powerful, way to speed up the principal payment process. Why is this so popular? How does it work? How can I do this?Here is why this is so popular to hundreds of thousands homeowners. Buying a Home After a Foreclosure Buying a home after a foreclosure is not an impossible task. With some careful planning and some savvy shopping, you can secure a mortgage loan even with a foreclosure in your credit history. Home Equity Loans 101 A secured home loan differs from an unsecured loan in that the secured loan borrows against one's home as collateral, thereby reducing the risk to the lender.As such, secured home loans often offer better interest rates than unsecured loans, but offer higher risk to the borrower, as defaulting on these loans can have greater consequences, such as fines, or even possible repossession of the home originally put up as the secured collateral (subject to the amount of the loan, of course).
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
