Posts tagged with Mortgage Rate

What the bank won’t tell you about your home mortgage

  • Posted on April 4, 2011 at 11:26 am

What the bank won’t tell you about your home mortgage quote

Shopping for a house is probably the most significant financial decision that you will make in your life. When you shop for your home by first attaining a home mortgage quote, your decision becomes even more momentousyou need to perform a balancing act between the house of your dreams and factors such as the down payment and interest rate payable.

Your first stop in this process will probably be your bank. This is the most obvious option, but may not always be the right one; there are things your banker will not tell you about a home mortgage quote. In other words, the home mortgage quote that is good for your banker may not be the best one for you.

Prevailing interest rates

Take the issue of interest rates. Rates fluctuate according to market exigencies. When you start your negotiations for a home mortgage quote, the interest rate might be higher than at the time you actually avail the loan. You must keep a track of such fluctuations, and induce the bank to provide you with the advantage of the prevailing rate. Your lender may not tell you this, but the difference could mean several hundred extra pounds. Therefore, it is always a good practice to consider alternative information sources before finalizing the home mortgage quote, and then compare rates on offer. With easy access to the Internet, you can even generate online quotes from web sites. This exercise will help you prepare well for negotiating with your banker regarding the interest rate.

Mortgage tenure

The mortgage tenure is another important question that you need to query. From the point of view of the bank, a 30-year fixed rate is most suitable because it can bring in returns of up to 4-5 percent for the bank. However, is it good for you? If you are looking to refinance in a period of about seven years, a 30-year rate is a disadvantage because you would be keeping the loan for only seven years.

Hidden fees and levies

Once you have finalized the purchase of the house and the interest rate with the bank, you would think that getting the right home mortgage quote is guaranteed. However, you need to watch out for those hidden fees or add-ons, which your banker might not have explained at the outset: loan processing fees, warranties, insurance, and the like. It always pays to put these issues on the table before finalizing the home mortgage quote.

Disproportionate service charges

In your market research for the right home mortgage quote, your focus is obviously the lowest interest rate. However, this should not be your only guide because some banks attract customers with the offer of a low rate, but may levy charges for services that are non-existent. A real-world experience is of a Fairfield, Conn., graphic designer who discovered that his bank charges fees for services such as lender inspection and notary at a rate much higher than normally acceptable. It is a prudent step to compare the complete fee package before committing to a quote. It is important to remember that lenders often offer to waive a particular fee levied by your bank in an effort to close the deal. So, it is important to recognize such opportunities and press home the advantage.

Besides raising these factors, you must also consider issues that are more closely related to your personal decision-making capacity, and for which no banker can tender advice:

Be sure of the reasons for buying a house.
Ensure that the size of the house is right for you.
Choose the right time in the year to buy a house (there could be a particular time in the year when home prices drop, depending upon your location).
If you decide to involve a real estate agent in procuring your home mortgage quote, find the right estate agent and be aware of hisher commissions.
Select the location of the house carefully keeping in mind resale value.
Inspect the house thoroughly, identifying problem areas and factoring them into the price.

Getting a home mortgage rate that suits your requirement is one aspect, living with it is another. However, once you have understood the operating market forces in this arena, you will go a long way toward successful management of both these aspects.

Continue reading What the bank won’t tell you about your home mortgage

What Mortgage Surveys in 2007 Depict?

  • Posted on March 28, 2011 at 11:26 am

The august 2007 survey on US mortgage has shown a significant downfall in the market due to lowered treasury yields. The fixed-rate mortgage for the 30-year and 15-year term has dropped due to this downfall as shown by the survey.

Some of the largest lenders in the nation have been declared bankrupt and all transactions related to them have been stopped. In the second quarter of 2007, one-half of the previous borrowers, those who paid off their initiation loan and applied for a new one have augmented their mortgage voucher rate by approximately one-eighth on the existing rate at 30-year fixed mortgage rates.

The survey has pointed out that the refinance loan’s second quarter’s share also dropped to 42 percent from it’s initiation and is likely to decline more in the later half of 2007. The report also says that the refinanced loans which were prepared in the second quarter, has cashed out in a massive flow.

In the second quarter of 2007 the mortgage rate has been greater than before which in turn lowered the in general stipulation for refinancing. The companies are waiting for further downfall in refinancing, which will result in a rate in the second half of 2007 as low as one-third of the new mortgage application.

This Cash-Out Refinance Report 2007 has also exposed the assets that have been refinanced during the second quarter of 2007. It shows that those assets have experienced a medium house-price appreciation, which is even low from a revised 25 percent that prevailed in the first quarter 2007.

There is a large number of equity invested in homes that homeowners can beat if they are willing to go for a home improvement or some other kind of investments. But lowering home appreciation denotes that new current homebuyers will not have the privilege to build up much equity over the earlier years and they will not have much occasion to use their home’s equity in some productive means.

It might take longer than it appears to stabilize this sudden turmoil in the mortgage market. The home prices might fall 20% from the year 2006 when it hit the highest point. It is also pointed out that this formulates the call for a 25% fall whereas last year appears to some extent less radical.

The repayments are also becoming too expensive and involving more money being dried up, the assessment of the houses are less than the quantity payable by the home owner. It has been reported to the Congress that the January 2007 housing mortgages reorganize to market rates of 22 billion. These rearranging numbers are a dynamic issue in the escalating rise in foreclosures.

It is to be noticed that the major portion of mortgage rearrangements is not until next year. This gives the suggestion that the rise in the figure of foreclosures is due to the existing high current levels and putting more homes into a fragile housing plans. But it is also noticeable that this pressure from housing will definitely moderate over time. But that time is not coming in the next few months for sure.

Continue reading What Mortgage Surveys in 2007 Depict?

The Two Basic Types Of UK Mortgage

  • Posted on January 31, 2011 at 11:26 am

In the United Kingdom there are two main mortgages that people choose between when purchasing their home. Other options are available but for the large majority of people, it is one of either the fixed-rate mortgage or the adjustable-rate mortgage which is best suited to their requirements.

The fixed-rate mortgage is the most simple of mortgages and the one which most people see as the traditional way to purchase your home. This involves the mortgage provider lending you the money you need to buy your home and, using their interest rate, calculating how much interest the loan will accrue over the period for which the mortgage has been borrowed. This is usually either 15 or 30 years. The sum of the interest is added on to the amount being borrowed and the monthly repayments are simply the result of this total divided by the number of months over which the mortgage will be repaid. This ensures that the monthly amount stays the same for the life of the mortgage.

The adjustable-rate mortgage is slightly different. The interest to be paid on the amount of the loan that you borrow changes dependent on interest rate changes in the country. The first year of the mortgage is usually offered with a teaser rate of interest. This is generally slightly lower than the market interest rate. After this point the interest reverts to the standard level for that time. However, you do have a cap at which point the interest will not get any higher. This is usually five points higher than your teaser interest rate so if your teaser was 4% your cap would be 9%. The important thing to consider if you are thinking about opting for the adjustable-rate mortgage is that you may have to pay the capped level of interest for the life of the loan. That is the worst case scenario but it is certainly worth calculating whether you could afford this level of monthly repayment just in case you may have to in the future.

Continue reading The Two Basic Types Of UK Mortgage

Looking For An Adjustable-Rate Mortgage ?

  • Posted on December 6, 2010 at 11:26 am

An adjustable rate mortgage is called as ARM in short and it is a type of mortgage where the interest rate is linked with economic index, in this adjustable rate mortgage your payment and interest rate are adjusted accordingly when there is an ups and down in the changes of the index. An adjustable rate mortgage is just opposite to fixed rate mortgage and in this adjustable rate mortgage the monthly payment and interest rate may vary time to time. Adjustable rate mortgage are the right choice as the interest rate will be decreased whenever the interest rates goes down and when you are planned to have the home for a short period of time.

The important features of ARM are Index, Margin, Adjustable frequency, Initial interest rate and Interest rate caps. Lenders uses Index as a guide to measure the changes in interest rate. The index guides used by the lenders are 1,3 and 5-year treasury securities, but there are so many other index guides are also available. The lenders markup is the margin that would stand for the lenders cost for doing the business as well as the profit they will make out of the Adjustable rate mortgage, this margin will be added up to the index rate in order to arrive the total rate of interest and this remain the same for the entire lifetime of your loan.

Adjustable frequency is how often the rate of interest gets changed that is called as reset date. The adjustable frequency differs from one ARM to the other. The adjustable frequency gets changes every year normally, it can also be once in 5 years or it could change once in a month. It is better it changes less often as your financial risk gets lower as there will be change in the loan payment.

The initial interest rate is the rate of interest you would be paying until your first reset date, this will determine the initial payments of your loan and the lender may use this for qualifying you for the loan, normally the initial interest rate is less as your monthly payment will increases after the first reset date.

The interest rate caps will limit the amount that your monthly payment and rate of interest can increase, the most common caps includes initial adjustment caps, periodic adjustment caps, and lifetime caps

The questions would arise in your mind why should you go for ARM if the payments can go up, the answer is simple the initial interest rate in adjustable rate mortgage is lower compared to the fixed rate mortgage and will remain the same during the entire life term of the loan, this means lower interest rate is lower loan payment and this will in turn helps you to qualify for huge amount of loan.

Continue reading Looking For An Adjustable-Rate Mortgage ?

How Lender’s Set Mortgage Rates

  • Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:26 am

Ever wonder how lender’s come up with the rates they do? You can stop wondering, cause I’m going to tell you how. We all answer to a higher mortgage rate power, namely the secondary market. The secondary market is where Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other mortgage lenders ply their trade. These government founded agencies purchase the loans that lenders make, then either hold them in their portfolios, or bundle them with other loans into mortgage-backed securities. Those securities are then sold to mutual funds, Wall Street firms, and other financial investors who trade them the same way they trade other securities and bonds.

As a result investors, rather than mortgage brokers and bankers, are in control of the rates. When economic news suggests the economy is heating up, investors demand higher yields from the lenders. This happens because they don’t want to buy low yield bonds now, in case the Fed raises rates to cool the economy, which would mean they will make higher yield bonds later. The only way that lenders can get their loans sold in this situation is to raise the yields they offer investors. In turn, this drives the rates higher for consumers.

The same thing happens in reverse when it looks like the economy is cooling. Investors start clamoring for bonds, because they figure the Fed will have to cut interest rates in the future in order to get the economy going moving along again. If the investors wait, they’ll end up with lower yielding bonds. Since investor demands are so strong, lenders who control loan supply can offer lower yields. The result is a lower rate for consumers.

To get the best rates out there, consumers really need to pay attention to financial news. Consulting with a mortgage lender or broker can also be very helpful. In most cases, the mortgage broker will be very knowledgeable and up to date on the economy.

Continue reading How Lender’s Set Mortgage 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.

Continue reading Effects of Low Mortgage Rate

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.

Continue reading ARM Adjustable Rate Mortgages

Adjustable Rate Mortgages vs. Fixed Rate Mortgages

  • Posted on May 17, 2010 at 11:26 am

Buying a home can be an exciting and stressful time for anyone. While you may be excited at the prospect of owning your own home, especially if it is your first home purchase, the idea of choosing between all of the many different types of mortgages may leave you feeling confused and apprehensive.

Two of the most common choices youll find in the mortgage market are adjustable rate mortgages and fixed rate mortgages. Fixed rate mortgages are the most traditional type of home mortgage, offering a fixed interest rate that does not change throughout the life of your loan. There are a number of important advantages associated with this type of mortgage. First, if you are budget conscious, this type of mortgage will give you the peace of mind in knowing that your monthly mortgage amount will not change. You can budget the remainder of your financial obligations without worrying about a changing mortgage payment to throw things off.

An adjustable rate mortgage works differently. With this type of mortgage you may be able to obtain a lower interest rate than would normally be available with a fixed rate mortgage; however, the interest rate is not fixed. This means that your monthly mortgage rate may change as interest rates change. With such a mortgage you may not be able to regularly plan your budget due to such fluctuations. While there is usually a cap that will keep the interest rate from fluctuating too much, even a little fluctuation can be too much for some homeowners. Of course, there is also the possibility that interest rates will drop and if that is the case, because your mortgage is adjustable, your monthly payments will drop right along with the interest rate.

When deciding whether a fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgage is your best choice, you need to give thought to several factors. Ask yourself whether it is more important to be able to plan your monthly budget without wondering whether your mortgage will fluctuate or whether you would prefer to receive a lower interest rate in the beginning of your mortgage.

Remember that if you decide you would like to obtain the advantages of both you do have other options available to you. For example, if you feel the interest rate offered to you on a fixed rate mortgage is too high but you want the security of not having to worry about a fluctuating interest rate you can always buy down your interest rate by purchasing points. This will mean more up front costs for your mortgage; however, it may be worth it to decrease the interest rate, especially if interest rates are currently high.

If you do elect to go with an adjustable rate mortgage make sure you understand exactly how high the rates may go as well as ensure you have enough wiggle room in your monthly budget to cushion increases if they occur. This may help to keep you out of a tight spot and possibly losing your home due to rising interest rates.

Continue reading Adjustable Rate Mortgages vs. Fixed Rate Mortgages

Adjustable Rate Mortgages Talking About Interest Rate Caps

  • Posted on May 3, 2010 at 11:26 am

Many people have jumped on adjustable rate mortgages to take advantage of the historically low interest rates we have seen over the last few years. Rates are now rising, which means you need to understand caps.

Adjustable Rate Mortgages Talking About Interest Rate Caps

An adjustable rate mortgage is just what it sounds like. The interest rate can be adjusted to match certain interest rate standards. The advantage of such a loan is it can seriously lower monthly mortgage payments if interest rates are low. Over the last few years, of course, rates have been incredibly low. Rates are now rising and you need to understand what that means for your adjustable rate mortgage.

Since the interest rate on your loan is adjustable, you should be getting a little nervous about rising interest rates. That being said, most loans have graduated step increases and caps that keep things from getting nightmarish too quickly. Here is a closer look.

A good adjustable rate mortgage protects you from massive rate increases through something known as rate caps. There are two types of rate caps. Each has benefits and negatives.

A lifetime rate cap is just what it says. This cap sets the maximum interest rate the lender can charge you for the loan. You must always demand a lifetime cap on any mortgage you take out. Assume you take out an adjustable rate mortgage with an interest rate of four percent. As part of the agreement, the loan has a lifetime cap of eight percent. If interest rates shoot up to 10 percent, your loan will cap out at nine percent. While this is a high interest rate, it is a lot better than paying 10 percent.

Periodic rate caps also protect you, but in a different way. A periodic rate cap defined the maximum percentage your interest rate can increase over a period of time. The shorter the time period, the better the cap. If your loan document allows the lender to adjust the rate every six months, the cap may be as low as one percent. This means the lender can only increase the interest rate by a maximum of one percent, regardless of what the market is charging for new loans.

Adjustable rate mortgages are great when interest rates are low. When rates start creeping up, however, you need to take a close look at your caps.

Continue reading Adjustable Rate Mortgages Talking About Interest Rate Caps

Adjustable Rate Mortgage

  • Posted on April 26, 2010 at 11:26 am

The adjustable rate mortgage is a type of loan which will be secured on a home which has an interest rate and monthly payment that will vary. The adjustable rate will transfer a portion of the interest rate from the creditor to the homeowner. The adjustable rate mortgage will often be used in situations where fixed rate loans are hard to acquire. While the borrower will be at an advantage if the interest rate falls, they will be at a disadvantage if it rises. In places like the United Kingdom, this is a very common type of mortgage, while it is not popular in other countries.

The adjustable rate mortgage is excellent for homeowners who only plan to live in their homes for about three years. The interest rate will typically be low for the first three to seven years, but will begin to fluctuate after this time. Like other mortgage options, this loan allows the homeowner to pay on the principle early, and they don’t have to worry about penalties. When payments are made on the principle, it will help lower the total amount of the loan, and will reduce the time that is necessary to pay it off. Many homeowners choose to pay off the entire loan once the interest rate drops to a very low level, and this is called refinancing.

One of the disadvantages to adjustable rate mortgages is that they are often sold to people who are not experienced in dealing with them. These individuals will not pay back the loans within three to seven years, and will be subjected to fluctuating interest rates, which often rise substantially. In the US, some of these cases are tried as predatory loans. There are a number of things consumers can do to protect themselves from rising interest rates. A maximum interest rate cap can be set which will only allow interest rates to rise at a specific amount each year, or the interest rate can be locked in for a specific period of time. This will give the homeowner time to increase their income so that they can make larger payments on the principle.

The primary advantage of this loan is that it lowers the cost of borrowing money for the first few years. Homeowners will save money on monthly payments, and it is excellent for those who plan on moving into a new home within the first seven years. However, there are risks to this type of mortgage that must be understood. If the owner has problems making payments, or runs into a financial emergency, the rates will eventually rise, and the owner who cannot make payments may lose their home.

One term that you will hear lenders talking about is caps. The cap can be defined as a clause that will set the highest change possible for the interest rate of the loan. Homeowners can set up a cap on their mortgage, but they will need to make a request from the lender, as the cap may not be present on the rate sheets that are presented.

Continue reading Adjustable Rate Mortgage