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Home Mortgage Interest Rates: How to Compare
Whether you are looking to purchase your first home, sell your current home and purchase a new one, or you are wondering whether or not you should refinance your existing mortgage, it is beneficial to compare current home mortgage interest rates from several companies to be sure you get the best deal possible. They can be researched very easily online, and you can tailor your search to give you accurate rates based on the state that you will live in, whether you are buying or refinancing, and the amount of the loan.
While you are researching the current home mortgage interest rates, you can also learn about the different mortgage loan options, as you have many to choose from. When you think of mortgages, especially if you have never purchased a home before, you probably think of a 30-year loan, typically with a fixed interest rate, with the payments and interest spread out over the life of the loan.
Other options exist, and they may make more financial sense depending on your home ownership plans. For instance, if you dont plan to keep the same house for 30 years or more, why would you set your mortgage up on the basic 30-year payment plan? Some mortgage lenders will set up plans that allow you to pay interest only for a specified number of years, or a combination of adjustable rate mortgage plans with more flexible payment options.
You can compare current home mortgage interest rates of different companies by asking for quotes based on the home you are looking to buy or refinance, the state the home is in, and the type of mortgage loan you are looking for. On most websites you will be able to utilize a mortgage calculator that mortgage lenders have set up to indicate the current home mortgage interest rates of your state, and how the monthly payments are effected by the interest rate.
The Zero Down 80/20 Mortgage
This is an excellent loan for those that are lacking the down payment required for other types of mortgages.
The 80 20 mortgage is simply two loans for 100% of the purchase price. It is a first mortgage at 80% of the purchase price with a 20% second mortgage.
If you are a conforming borrower, doing your loan in this manner will save you from having to pay mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance is almost always required when you have less than 20% down. But with the 80 20 loan you avoid this necessary evil.
If you are a sub-prime borrower, doing you loan in this manner will typically keep your interest rates ?% to 2.5% lower than doing a 100% one loan. A 100% one loan is simply one loan for the entire purchase price.
Many times you will have two choices when it comes to the second mortgage portion of the 80 20 mortgage. The second mortgage can either be a fixed second mortgage or it can be a line of credit.
If it is a fixed second mortgage. The interest rate is fixed for the entire length of the mortgage. Most fixed second mortgages are a 30 due in 15. Meaning that the second mortgage is amortized over 30 years, but is due in 15 years. Basically it is a balloon payment. Don?t let this scare you. Statistically people refinance or sell their home every 7 to 9 years any ways.
If it is a line of credit as the second mortgage. The interest rate will fluctuate as the Federal Reserve adjusts the prime interest rate up or down. The benefit of going with the line of credit as the second mortgage is that the interest rate is normally much lower than the fixed second mortgages rate. It can be 2% to 5% lower.
If you are considering doing the 80 20 loan have your loan officer compare the two different options if you have both available to you.
You may also want to consider an 80 20 interest only loan. The interest only loan could save you hundreds of dollars in mortgage payments every month. This can help you purchase a more expensive home or keep the payments down on the home you want to buy.
Mortgage Prepayment Penalties - Just Say No
One of the most common terms found in a new home loan is a prepayment penalty. This type of penalty says that if the borrower pays off the loan early, commonly during the first five years of the loan, then the borrower will be responsible for paying an additional amount of money, typically about six months interest on 80% of the mortgage balance. Sub-prime market loans will typically carry prepayment penalties more than standard mortgage loans.
You may plan on keeping the house for the entire duration of the prepayment penalty, and be tempted not to worry about it much. But sometimes life circumstances change, so its wise to avoid any type of prepayment penalty if you can. A typical prepayment penalty might equal five months worth of monthly loan payments, so its worth checking on. Of course, you should always ask (before you sign) if a new loan has a prepayment penalty. In fact, ask the lending officer to point out to you in the document where a prepayment penalty is discussed.
Most items in a loan are subject to negotiation. If you havent signed loan papers yet, and you find that your loan has a prepayment penalty, you might offer to pay an additional closing point or so to see if it can be removed. The key at this stage is that if you agree to the prepayment penalty, you should try to find ways to reduce either the amount, the term, or both as much as possible.
If you already have a loan, you are bound by the terms of the document, unless you can negotiate them. There are perfectly legitimate reasons why you may want to pay off a note early - most often, due either to refinancing or selling the house. You may be able to contact your lender to see if they will waive the prepayment penalty if they are able to provide refinancing. If interest rates have dropped a lot, and you cant get out of the prepayment penalty, it may be worth rolling that amount into a new loan. And of course, try to get the new loan without a prepayment penalty.
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