Posts tagged with Mortgage Interest Rates

Effects of Low Mortgage Rate

  • Posted on August 30, 2010 at 11:26 am

Recently we have witnessed a boom in the mortgage industry. With increasing real estate values and a very low inflation, interest rates have touched an all time low. Since inflation is running extremely low at present, economists feel that mortgage rates will remain low in the near future also. As an obvious consequence homeowners are giving serious thoughts to the effects of low mortgage rate.

Usually, mortgage lenders offer a variety of combinations of interest rates and points. For example, 6.0% and 2 points, 6.5% and 1 point or 7.0% and no points. Points are a one-time upfront payment that the borrower makes to the lender at the time of closing the mortgage. It is a fee like the interest and not a part of the down payment. A drop in mortgage interest rates reduces the cost of borrowing and should logically result in an increase in prices in a market where most people borrow money to purchase a home (for instance, in the United States), so that average payments remain constant.

One of the direct effects of low mortgage rate is that the homeowners opt for greater savings through refinancing. Hence the cost to savings ratio is exceeded. Refinancing can be a boon in several situations since some of the main reasons to refinance are: – Lower interest rate – Consolidate 2nd mortgage loan – Lower loan term – Lower monthly payments – Payoff other personal loans and – Take cash out from equity

One of the most intriguing effects of low mortgage rate is the dilemma faced by the borrowers about whether to reduce their payments or the length of the loan term itself. Lower rates allow you to reduce your mortgage from say 25 years remaining to 15 years remaining with the same monthly payment. The next thing you would like to do is refinance again so that you will be able to reduce it to 10 years.

Another common rationale for refinancing and taking the equity out of your house as an effect of low mortgage rate is to be able to pay off credit card debt. You can also opt for a debt consolidation loan. By reducing your payment you will be able to pay off higher rate debt like credit cards. But try to eliminate interest payments wherever possible. The average credit card will have an interest rate of 18% to 25%. You can actually get rid of those high rate credit cards by taking advantage of the low mortgage rates. Also by lowering your debt you will be actually saving for the future.

It is also vital to understand that in most cases the loans are adjustable rate mortgages. The adjustment period may vary significantly depending on the loan program you are considering. You might not realize the effects of low mortgage rate unless you consider the stability and vulnerability of the interest rate that you are required to pay throughout the repayment tenure. Hence it is important to bear in mind that not only the current effects of low mortgage rate, but also effects of any future rise in interest rates should be considered when opting for a variable rate mortgage.

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Capital Markets driving the cost of Mortgages

  • Posted on June 28, 2010 at 11:26 am

The capital that makes up your mortgage loan can come from a number of sources including other people’s deposits and savings, stored up in the bank and other investors, all of which make up the Capital Markets. Of course, there isn’t enough cash in the general consumers accounts to make up the capital needed for the mortgage markets so the majority comes from investors looking to buy debt instruments, which in this case are bonds.

The buyers of these bonds are looking for a good return on their investments, which is of course completely opposite to people looking for a low rate mortgage. In effect, you’re borrowing money from an investor at a given rate (for you an interest rate and for the investor a rate of return). Of course, the investor is only willing to invest a certain amount of capital in such low yield bonds.

Now, the rates on a mortgage fluctuate from month to month and this rate is determined by how well ‘mortgage bonds’ are selling. A rise in sales will see a drop in yield and a drop in sales will see a rise in yield, thus attracting investors back into the market. The result of the average mortgage holder will be the opposite though. When investors leave the bond market, they will see a rise in mortgage interest rates.

Of course, the mortgage market is driven by a number of external factors, such as supply and demand but the greatest factors is that of inflation. Where inflation is low, the return for the investor is high, but when inflation increases, it devalues the investment and at the same time the mortgage. Suddenly a 120,000 mortgage can seem far less of a burden.

Inflation is kept under control by raising or lowering interest rates. When inflation is rampant, interest rates are raised, resulting in a rise in mortgage repayments.

Recent sub-prime mortgage lending issues in the US have had a knock on effect throughout the world. Billions of US pounds have been lost, simply because many of the associated bonds were bundled up and sold on to banks throughout the world. These mortgages were in effect over-subscribed in the states, with many people only able to afford a house with one of them. Unfortunately, the mortgages were being defaulted on and, having been sold on to UK, Hong Kong, German, French banks, they could not be easily recouped. The collapse in this market left many banks in serious problems. Losses could not be recouped and the bond market dried up as investors fled. New mortgages became difficult to find and their rates were much higher than previous. Interest rates have now been dropped so as to stimulate the market. Lenders have maintained bond rates at a higher level, giving them greater yield and the result will be a higher return for what is now percieved a greater risk.

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ARM Adjustable Rate Mortgages

  • Posted on May 24, 2010 at 11:26 am

Traditionally, homebuyers could look to two forms of mortgages fixed rate and adjustable mortgages. While there are now many more options, this article takes a look at the adjustable rate mortgage.

What is an ARM Loan?

An adjustable rate mortgage [ARM] is a basic mortgage with one important exception. With an ARM, your interest rate will start low but typically move up throughout the link of the loan. The timing of the movements is dictated by the terms of the loan. The rate may be adjusted every month, but more typical periods are every six or twelve months. Most adjustable rate mortgages also have a cap on the amount the interest rate can be raised in a particular period.

ARM Yourself?

A homebuyer has to be very careful when selecting an adjustable rate mortgage. Buying a home necessarily involves budgeting out how much of a monthly mortgage rate you can afford to pay. With an ARM, you have to keep in mind that your monthly payment amount will go up if the interest rate does the same. While you may be able to afford the loan now, what happens if the rate jumps two percent over the next two years?

In the current real estate market, potential rate increases are a troubling issue. In areas where the real estate market is dramatically appreciating, homebuyers are using ARM loans to get into homes. Put another way, they are using ARM loans to get a mortgage payment they can afford without giving real consideration to rate increases in the future. Mortgage interest rates have been at historic lows for the last few years. What is going to happen to all of these people when rates rise? It could make the savings and loans crisis of the late 80s look like small potatoes.

If you are considering an adjustable rate mortgage, make sure you do the research. Find out how often the rates can increase and by how much. Try to determine whether you can afford payments if the rates go up significantly over the next few years. With Greenspan retiring, now is the time to be very careful when taking on mortgage debt.

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