Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Things You Should Know About Home Mortgage Refinance Loan Closing Costs

Home refinancing closing costs should be consider before signing a contract. You can actually lose money on closing costs if you aren’t careful. Shopping lenders can help you find lower fees, but you may find other financing options have lower costs.

Length Of Time To Recoup Costs

While the general rule of thumb is to keep a loan for two years to recoup closing costs, it isn’t a hard fast rule. For one, if you only have five years left on your loan, then refinancing won’t save you money since you have already paid most of the loan’s interest. There are also other reasons for refinancing, such as reducing terms or improve caps on an ARM.

To know if you can save money by refinancing, take the time to do a little math. Add up your current mortgage’s interest costs for the rest of the term. Compare this with the cost of refinancing and the new loan’s interest cost. If you can see a savings, then refinance for those better rates.

Lenders Charge Different Fees

Most people are surprised to find that lenders charge different fees. While the standard is a couple of thousands, points can also increase costs. Since rates and fees vary so widely between packages, a better number to compare is the APR, which gives the true cost of the loan.

Online research can yield thousands of dollars in savings. Within a few minutes you can receive several quotes from a mortgage broker. You can also request quotes from individual lenders’ sites too.

Variety Of Refinancing Options

There are several ways to refinance your mortgage. You can choose an ARM, fixed-rate, or hybrid. You can also reduce your loan term or increase yearly payments to lower interest costs. Each option has pros and cons, and should be considered with your unique budget.

Another option to access your equity is to use a line of credit or home equity loan. These two options don’t have the closing costs of a traditional mortgage, but they don’t lower the rate on your principal.

Before refinancing, make sure that you will save money by researching both loans and lenders.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Home Mortgage Refinancing For Investment Reasons

Are you caught in the vicious cycle of debt? Even if you have, be assured that it is common phenomena these days and there are definitely ways to get out of it. The traditional moneylenders have metamorphosed into banks, brokerage firms plus individual brokers. These agencies can lure you into further debts or help you depending upon your needs as well awareness of how the system works. Mortgage refinancing is one such method that promises a way out of debt.

In fact, Mortgage refinancing is not only the end to a means but means to yield further profits. It usually works for -

a) Miscellaneous debt

b) And high expenditures.

Mortgage refinancing for investment is a very upcoming phenomenon. You should be very well acquainted with the norms and regulations of mortgage refinancing, if you are planning for an investment. You can gain from the equity on you mortgage refinancing for investment.

If you are planning to have mortgage refinancing for investment, you must know that it would help in:

a) Raising the monthly payment sum for loans
b) Lowering rate of interest on loans
c) Getting the equity on the mortgage loans
The professional brokers and marketers have through information about the trend of the mortgage refinancing. It would help to gain higher revenues from your investments if plan the mortgage refinancing. Some of the most important factors that would influence your revenue are:

a) Your financial records and account indirectly influences the rate of interest. The mortgage refinancing firms tend to give clients with better financial history benefits on mortgage interest. You can enjoy lower rate of interest on the mortgage refinancing amount. Whereas individuals with bad credit history and insecure financial prospects are usually allotted higher rate of interest on the mortgage. Thus, leading to a loss from the benefits on earnings form refinancing for investment.

b) A study of the market would reveal the different mortgage refinancing quotes and rates. Even if your target were solely to refinance your mortgage getting just any rate of interest would lead to loss of valuable money. Try to get the mortgage refinancing at the period when the rate of interest goes down. You can save a lot of money by paying lower premiums to the bank. Besides, the money saved from the transaction could be deposited in your savings account. You can invest the money on further purchase of bonds and equity. The excess amount can be utilized to repay the mortgage loans, educational loans, health insurance premiums, auto loans and travel insurance.

c) Finally, the tenure of mortgage refinancing would predict the rate of interest. Compare the various mortgage refinancing quotes before signing the contract. Always discuss the possibilities of an extended tenure. There are some companies that have lower rate of interest on a longer term length. Whereas most of the firms increase the rate of interest after a certain gap of time. Thus, lowering your earnings from the mortgage refinancing for investment.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Make Down Payment On a Home Mortgage Refinance Loan From 401k Or 403b Retirement Annuities

If you are purchasing a home and have a substantial portion of your assets inside of a retirement account such as a 401K, 403B or other retirement product or annuity, you may choose the increasingly popular option of tapping those funds to make a down payment on your new home. Like any other accounts you may have in your name, such as brokerage accounts and bank checking, savings and money market accounts, most popular retirement accounts qualify as assets to be counted toward your “reserves”, a measure used by mortgage lenders to determine how many months of payments you must have in order to serve as a buffer covering payments you might miss if there were any interruption of your income.

Retirement accounts such as 401(k) or 403(b) annuity accounts are generally administered or sponsored in whole or in part by your employer. In addition to serving as excellent documentation of your earnings and savings, your 401K or 403B accounts can be used in a variety of ways to help finance your new home purchase. Depending on the specific restrictions applied to your account, you may have the option of withdrawing money directly from the account or “borrowing” money in the form of a loan (against your own funds) which is repaid at a generally low rate of interest. Regardless of whether you cash money out of your account or take a loan against it, be sure to thoroughly document any details of the transaction, including any withdrawal or loan application paperwork, demand drafts, cashier’s checks, deposit tickets, etc. for the purpose of substantiating this source of funds to your lender.

Lenders do treat down payment money from retirement accounts differently from program to program and state to state, sometimes from case to case. In particular, borrowing money in the form of a loan may increase what the lender’s perceives as your monthly debt obligations, because even though you are borrowing money from your own account, you are still obligated to make a payment every month which you wouldn’t have to make otherwise, and lenders will often consider this to be detrimental to your qualifying DTI or Debt to Income Ratio, making it harder to borrow as much money as you may need. On the other hand, cashing out any type of retirement account will always create a taxable event and sometimes also a penalty fee, which generally accounts to more than the nominal interest rate common to the loan option. Speak with your loan officer about the requirements of your individual program and weight the options with him/her or another trusted financial professional.

You may also consider speaking to your employer about any down payment assistance programs which may be available to you as part of your benefits package. These can come in many forms, but it is important to clarify with your employer that any down payment assistance granted does not amount to a loan and that there is no expectation of payment. Why would an employer want to help you make a down payment? Call them old fashioned, but most companies do want their employees to stick with them, and if your employer helped you achieve ownership of your dream home, how would you feel about them? As with the 401K, 403B or other retirement account options, down payment assistance from your employer should be documented in detail and all copies of communication, checks, deposit tickets and statements of account, along with signed records stipulating that the funds are given freely and not to be repaid, should be kept for submission to your lender.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

3 Tips For Refinancing Home Mortgage Loans Online

Save even more on your refinancing by going online for your next mortgage lender. By searching for refinancing quotes online, you can tap into a larger pool of lenders.

Online financing companies also offer special deals to remain competitive, so you could potentially save thousands with a better offer. While online lenders can save you time and money, follow these tips to be sure you are getting the best deal.

1. Compare Many Lenders

It may be tempting to simply look at your favorite financing company. But to get the best rate, you need to look at many lenders, even ones that aren’t nationally known.

To make the process a little bit easier, start with a mortgage broker site. They bring together dozens of lenders for the most competitive financing packages. They will give you multiple bids that you can compare side by side. The other option is to start your search with recommended lenders.

2. Look At All The Numbers – Not Just The Rate

Many different numbers make a loan a good deal, not just the interest rate. Closing costs and fees can sometimes make a cheap loan very expensive. For a general idea of a loan’s cost, compare the APR, which includes both the closing costs and interest rates.

Also look at the fees, which can add up to hundreds. There may be annual, cash out, or early payment fees. With a typical mortgage, you shouldn’t have these fees. It is only with a home equity loan or subprime mortgage where you may run into these. And in most cases you can get them removed.

3. Give Yourself Plenty Of Time

Searching for a refinance lender isn’t a process that should be rushed. With so much money on the line, give yourself plenty of time to sort through all the numbers. By searching online, you can keep your search to just a couple of hours.

When you are actually ready to apply for your refinancing, the application takes less than fifteen minutes to complete. In a couple of days, you’ll receive your loan contract. And in two weeks you can be enjoying lower rates on your new mortgage.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Fixed Rate vs. Adjustable Rate Home Mortgage Refinance Loans

When is a good time to refinance your mortgage to a fixed rate loan?

The very best time to refinance is when the interest rates are at an all time low. If you're waiting for this option, you'll want to follow the market and keep an eye on what direction our financial leaders are heading. Usually it's based on the status of our economy and there is a lot of discussion about it before the prime interest rate moves in either direction. Keep your ear to the ground.

It's also a good idea to refinance to a fixed rate if you plan on living in your home for the life of the loan. Ninety percent (90%) of our population moves to a new or different home for one reason or another within 5-7 years. But, there are those who stay put and want the stability of steady payments. It makes financial planning much easier to know for certain how much your expenses are from month to month. If you are one of these people, your best refinance option is a fixed rate mortgage.

By all means... if you can't sleep at night worrying about the ups and downs of your mortgage payment, then contact a good mortgage broker and start the refinance process right away. It's not worth the stress!


When is a good time to consider an ARM?

When you DON'T qualify for the purchase of a home or refinance to a fixed rate mortgage. Sometimes this is the only way to qualify for a purchase due to credit history, debt to income ratio or not enough income. Later on you can refinance into a fixed rate loan if the ARM loan makes you nervous.

When your monthly payment, after the refinance, will be significantly less than the total of your current payment plus the payments of all your credit cards and loans. If you're in a home for 5-7 years and you are paying 10, 15 or even 20% interest rate on consumer debts, refinance your mortgage and use your equity to pay off your high interest debts. This will make a significant impact on your monthly cash flow and may give you the necessary breathing room you need.

When you DON'T plan on staying in your home for more than 5-7 years due to family size increasing, kids going off to college, job relocation, etc. Why pay for a higher fixed rate long term mortgage if you are only going to move or refinance in a few years anyway.

Homeowners who refinance with long term fixed rates pay between 1.00-2.00% higher than those who refinance with an ARM. That may not seem like a lot but when you have a $250,000 mortgage, it makes a BIG difference in your payment.

When you CAN anticipate increases in your income due to promotions and raises. Some employees receive a raise each year based on a percentage of their current income and can come relatively close to determining what their raise will be. If you're due for and expect to get a promotion, you'll probably know ahead of time what that new position will pay you. These are perfect opportunities to consider a refinance.

When you ARE comfortable with moderate adjustments in your mortgage payment. Some people are just more relaxed about finances than others. Most often this is due to not having to worry about their basic survival needs and having a steady, generous income.

What it all boils down to is level of risk. If you can't sleep at night unless you know your mortgage payment is $XXX.00 every month, then a long term fixed rate mortgage is the best option for you.

If you can sleep at night taking some calculated risks, other options may be available to you.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Cut Costs Down by Refinancing Your Home Mortgage Loan

Typically home refinancing is done when you have a mortgage on your home and apply for a second loan to pay off the first one. While taking the decision to go for the home refinancing option, it is important to first determine whether the amount you save on interest balances the amount of fees payable during refinancing. More notably, in the current climate, it allows you to tap into equity in your property and off-set this against any credit card debts and loan repayments you are currently making. The result is a single, lower monthly repayment. After all, a mortgage is still the cheapest loan you'll ever get!

Refinancing your mortgage is not as hard as you think, but in the current climate it may be too late to get a really good deal. Interest rates have been at their lowest for many decades and the lure of cheap money has propelled scores of families into action. Cash-out, bill consolidation, and home improvements, all with lower monthly payments, have convinced people to take advantage of the equity that’s lain dormant in their homes. However, with a credit crunch on the horizon, many home-owners are tightening their belts for lack of a better word, simply because they know that cheap money may be a thing of the past (at least for a while). Saying that, there are a few deals to be had, particularly if your circumstances have changed and you have moved from a high risk lending category into a lower risk one (ie into full time employment or a higher paid job).

Deciding when or if to refinance your home depends primarily on your own unique financial situation. There really is no clear-cut rule for when or when not to do it. There are times when it makes economic sense to refinance. In order to ascertain what's best for you, it’s important that you take stock of your own financial circumstances in relation to your financial objectives and goals. With interest rates continuing to rise and the Federal Reserve tightening the belt on credit across the board (especially for sub prime loans), the slowdown in the housing market doesn't look as though it will turn into a buyers frenzy anytime soon. However, the standard market influences of supply and demand are still very much in effect. Mortgages are still being written, and many homeowners are still in the market to refinance.

When it comes to refinancing, there's a few positive and similarly negative aspects you need to take into account. The negative includes refinance fees, the positive may be lower interest rates. The two need to be off-set against each other long term to see if the venture is viable. Saying all that, if you have an equity greater than 20 percent in your property, you can also get rid of the Private Mortgage Insurance policy you pay each month. You can also cash-out on your property, raising capitol from equity you've locked up in your property through an increase in value and mortgage repayments. This cash can be off-set against other financial obligations such as store and credit cards, reducing your monthly outgoing's to a single payment.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

3 Reasons To Refinance Your Home Mortgage Loan While Rates Are Low

Before mortgage interest rates begin to rise, homeowners should consider the advantages of refinancing now. Although we’re witnessing record low rates, these rates will not last forever. Unfortunately, many homeowners will delay refinancing and miss out on the savings. There are many reasons to refinance. Here are the top three reasons to refinance while rates are low.

1. Reduce Your Monthly Mortgage Payment

Interest rates greatly effect mortgage payments. Individuals with poor credit can get approved for home loans. However, the lender will charge higher fees or interest. If you receive a high interest rate, you may pay a couple of hundred dollars more than a good credit applicant who applied for the same mortgage amount.

If you purchased your existing home with poor credit, refinancing for a lower rate may decrease your monthly payments, especially if your credit has improved. Obtaining a home loan is a great way to boost your credit rating. In fact, many homeowners notice an increase in their credit score after establishing a good payment history with their mortgage lender. Thus, if you received a bad credit mortgage, make an effort to better your credit, and then refinance for a low rate.

2. Get a Fixed Rate Mortgage Loan

Furthermore, many homeowners choose to refinance their existing mortgage to take advantage of a low fixed rate. When interest rates were higher, many home buyers opted for adjustable rate mortgages because they carried lower rates. Although homeowners with an adjustable rate mortgage also benefit from decreases in interest rates, these low rates are not promised.

Every so often, mortgage rates rise and fall. If rates begin to climb, so do the rates for an adjustable mortgage. Hence, mortgage payments will increase. To avoid increased payments, refinance and secure a low fixed rate that will remain the same throughout the duration of the loan.

3. Take Advantage of Cash-Out Refinancing

Cash-out refinancing is a very attractive feature to refinancing your current home loan. With this option, you can refinance for a better rate, and borrow from your home’s equity. At closing, you will be given a lump sum of cash. Funds may be used to consolidate debts, remodel your home, take a nice vacation, or pay for a child’s education expense.