Fixed Rate Mortgages
are a mortgage on which the interest is set for the term of the loan.
Fixed rate mortgages guarantee a specific rate
of interest for a set length of time. Most commonly, this is for
between one and five years, though it can be as long as ten or even fifteen
years. As a rule, the longer the fixed period, the higher the starting
rate of interest.
A lender will not want to commit to lending you money at a really
low interest rate for ten years when there is a fair chance that
during that
period the general level of interest rates may rise above the rate
at which they are lending you money. The lowest interest rates are
often
found with deals that are fixed for two to three years.
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Adjustable Rate Mortgage
An adjustable rate
loan can be a useful tool when fixed rate loan rates begin to rise.
In recent years, many lenders have introduced some vary
creative programs which can give you an opportunity to actively manage
your loan payments.
Adjustable rate
loans have a rate that is fixed for a specific period of time and then
begin to adjust periodically. When evaluating any
adjustable rate loan there are several things in addition the rate
that you will
need to evaluate.
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Balloon
Mortgages
Are you considering
buying a home or refinancing, and curious about your
options? A Balloon Mortgage can be an excellent option if you are
looking for a lower interest rate and believe that you will be in a
home for
a defined period.
In general, Balloon
Mortgages have fixed rates and terms of 5 or 7 years. However, when
the term expires, a final, large balloon payment
is due
to pay off the loan balance.
With this type of
option, the interest rates are lower than on a 30-year Fixed-Rate Mortgage,
allowing a borrower to qualify for a
larger home
because of the lower interest rate - and therefore the lower monthly
mortgage payment - is lower.
Balloon Mortgages
can be great options if you expect to refinance before the balloon
payment is due, feel that interest rates will
decline in
the future, or if you think that you might be selling your home
in the near future. Let us help you discover if this is the right
option
for
you!
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Stated
Income Programs
Stated Income Mortgages
are the most commonly used and least expensive
product in the reduced or no documentation suite of programs. A Stated
Income Mortgage Loan is often the perfect choice if you have verifiable
employment (self employment is fine) and assets. Income that is stated
on the application must be reasonable in terms of your occupation
and assets.
The Stated Income
Mortgage is the least expensive reduced documentation product if it
works for you. If not, a No Ratio or true No Doc mortgage
but may be a better choice. The point is, with decent credit, we
can guide you to the least expensive program which will work
in your specific
situation. Stated Income Mortgage Loans are available for Single
Family, Townhouse, some manufactured housing, and low rise
condos. Some programs
allow high rise condos 2-4 unit buildings, second homes, or investment
properties but are slightly more expensive or require more equity.
Allowable uses are for purchase or rate and term refinance. The
programs will allow
a "cash out" refinance but there are limitations on the
allowable cash back.
The fundamental
thing to keep in mind with true NO Doc Mortgages is that the lender
only has your credit profile and property to
evaluate. If
your situation allows verification of either employment or assets
you
will save some money because you have lowered the lenders risk.
The
choice is yours.
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Imperfect
Credit Programs
Imperfect Credit
Mortgage - Getting a mortgage with imperfect credit
scores is possible in the 'sub-prime' mortgage market. Sub prime
lending offers different types of mortgage and other loans to borrowers
who
have imperfect credit. The sub prime market saw an explosive growth
in the 1990s. Some lenders offer homeowners with impaired credit
a credit card that is secured by the equity on the home. The rationale
behind such an action is that if they use the credit card responsibly,
the homeowners could repair their credit ratings. There are other
lenders
who aggressively market imperfect credit loans in the form of checks
that can be cashed to activate the credit line. Because people now
have improved access to credit, homeownership is high, and the number
of mortgage loans given to low and moderate-income families is increasing.
Sometimes, unscrupulous
imperfect home loan lenders trap unsuspecting borrowers in excessively
costly imperfect credit mortgages with abusive
terms and conditions. Predatory lending costs borrowers approximately
$9.1 billion dollars each year.
To repair imperfect credit, borrowers must follow the steps given
below:
- Ensure that the
credit file is accurate. Review the credit report for outdated information.
The borrower must take immediate steps to correct the
mistakes in the report.
- Making payments towards
the debt (either partially or fully) may persuade creditors to remove
derogatory information from
the credit file.
- Start repaying outstanding
balances on time.
- Documents that prove
the borrower's stability must be sent to the credit bureau. Long-term
employment, statements that
show timely payment history
could be added to the file.
- Secured credit cards
and loans are another way of building good credit.
- Any unpaid items
such as judgments, liens and collections against the borrower must
be satisfied.
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Home Equity Fixed Loan
There
are two types of home equity loans: term, or closed-end loans, and
lines of credit. Both are sometimes referred to as second mortgages,
because they're secured by your property, just like your original
(first) mortgage.
Home equity loans
and lines of credit are usually for a shorter term than first mortgages.
The most common type of mortgages runs 30 years,
while equity loans typically have a life of five to 15 years.
A home equity loan,
sometimes called a term loan, is a one-time lump sum that is paid off
over a set amount of time, with a fixed interest
rate and the same payments each month. Once you get the money,
you cannot borrow further from the loan.
A home equity line
of credit (HELOC) works more like a credit card. You are allowed to
borrow up to a certain amount for the life of
the loan
-- a time limit set by the lender. During that time you can withdraw
money as you need it. As you pay off the principal, your credit
revolves and you can use it again. Let's say you have a $10,000
line of credit.
You borrow $5,000, but then pay back $3,000 toward the principal.
You now have $8,000 in available credit. This gives you more
flexibility than a fixed-rate home equity loan.
Credit lines have
a variable interest rate that fluctuates over the life of the loan.
Payments will vary depending on the interest
rate
and how
much credit you have used. When the life span of a line
of credit has expired everything must be paid off.
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