Random Mortgage Knowledge

There are millions of things to know about the mortgage industry and obtaining a mortgage. Please peruse the following random bits of knowledge. Feel Free to Press Control-F to search for keywords.

There are more to mortgages than simply interest rates. Sometimes a great rate may not be the best way to structure your mortgage. Always consult with your mortgage broker to find the best combination of rate, term and fees before moving forward with your purchase or refinance.

Although getting a mortgage is important, understanding your debt and how to better structure it is also very important. Being able to finance your debt in ways that improve your tax situation and your monthly cashflow bring you to the level of what the rich do on a daily basis.

ARM is an acronym for Adjustable Rate Mortgages. These mortgages are typically fixed for a predefined number of years and then may adjust.

Paying one extra payment per year on a 30 Year Mortgage can reduce your term to just under 23 years!

Your credit score is the biggest factor used in determining the loan programs you qualify for. Getting a mortgage and making timely payments is perhaps the best way to repair a bad credit profile. Even though your initial mortgage terms may not be that attractive, you should be able to refinance into a much better loan program after a year or so of making timely payments.

Changes in the quoted interest rates of Fixed Rate Mortgages are less dependent on the Federal Reserve's overnight borrowing rate, or "Fed Funds Rate", than commonly believed. In fact,the Fed rate increases and decreases which Mr. Bernanke and Mr Greenspan before him announce are more directly linked to rises and falls in short term interest rates, such as those which determine the rates on Adjustable Rate Mortgages.

Negative amortization loans or pay option loans as they are sometimes called are a great financial tool if used correctly by financially responsible borrowers.

It is a common misconception that a home is an investment. It is more accurate to consider it a liability. It is a debt that you owe money on. It is only an asset if you generate a positive cash flow from rent, or if you liquidate the equity by selling or refinancing. Even if it were an investment consumers should remember that there are risks with any investment.

Purchasing a home is an investment in your families future. You need a stable environment to thrive in and a home is a long term financial investment that you will reap results from after paying down the mortgage.

There are even 40 and 50 year mortgages.
This allows the mortgage to be amortized over a longer period, thus resulting in a lower monthly payment.

When you are looking to buy a home, the most important factor in determining how much of a home you will qualify for is your DTI. DTI stands for Debt to Income ratio. Your DTI will help a lender determine how much of a house and a mortgage payment you can qualify for. Keep in mind that just because a lender states on paper that you can qualify for a home of a certain value, many times they do not take into consideration factors about how you like to spend, save, or invest your money. Some borrowers may like to put 25% of their paychecks away into savings and into other investments. Some borrowers may only like to put away 5% of their paychecks towards savings or retirement, but they like to take expensive vacations each and every year. Everyone is different and buying a home that is too much for you and your lifestyle can have a seriously negative effect on your finances and your family life. Therefore, take everything into consideration when you are looking to buy a home, not just the black and white numbers that are in front of you. Calculate how much you think you would feel comfortable making a mortgage payment of, before you begin looking at homes and this way you and/or your family have a good idea of a price range you are looking for, before falling into love with a home first that may be out of your financial "comfort zone".

Loans that exceed 80% of your properties value will more often than not require you to pay mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance can be set up as lender paid or borrower paid. With lender paid mortgage insurance you will see a higher interest rate to account for the mortgage insurance as opposed to a buyer paid mortgage insurance which will have you paying monthly in most cases.

A NINA mortgage stands for No Income, No Assets. This is also referred to as a No Doc mortgage because the bank does not verify employment, income or assets and the borrower does not disclose them to the bank.

Interest rates are typically much higher to the increased risk to the bank.

There are many different loan programs available for you. If you are an investor with great, average or poor credit; a first time home buyer (FTHB) with any type of credit; a person looking to gain more of a tax advantage; folk who are approaching their younger years are able to get reverse mortgages - a program where the bank pays you for the equity you have built up in your home; low and middle income borrowers; folk looking to get a second home or vacation home. If you are not sure, contact this mortgage officer to help assist you in determining the best loan for your unique situation.

A Balloon Loan is a loan that behaves like a normal loan but comes due in full within a predetermined number of years.

There is an unlimited amount of mortgage knowledge available. In such an important financial transaction as a home purchase or refinance it is crucial to work with a mortgage professional. They will use their mortgage knowledge to select the product that is suitable for your needs.

» DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this article on 'Random Mortgage Knowledge' is a collection of contributions by licensed mortgage professionals and is not the opinion of Broker Outpost LLC. Always consult a licensed professional before applying for a mortgage.