Mortgage & Refinancing Information

Tips for Getting Home Loans from the Right Lenders


Getting home loans is possibly the biggest step in an adult's life. It's up there with having kids, landing that big job, starting your own business. Actually, the whole point of those big three landmarks is so you can be able to afford your piece of the American Dream.

But you don't want that dream to turn into a nightmare. Ask around. For many people, buying a house can turn into one of worst mistakes in their life. It's not because their home was a bad idea. More than likely, they signed up for a faulty mortgage. To avoid making the same mistake, follow these steps to signing the right mortgage for you.

First off, home loans come in fixed rates or variable rates. A fixed rate mortgage makes perfect sense at a time such as right now, when the interest rates are so dramatically low. You can buy a house that's worth much more than you could normally afford. However, just because your lender says it's a fixed rate mortgage, don't take him on his word. Be sure to get that rate, and the fixed status, on paper.

The benefit of a rate lock can be explained further by describing exactly how the investment works. First, in a locked interest rate, the lender guarantees a loan at that rate for exchange for payments and fees handed over by the buyer at certain points. The buyer and the lender work their best to close the house before the specified date. Otherwise, the mortgage expires without going into effect.

These locks usually last for one to two months. You'll typically have to pay more for a longer lasting lock. That makes sense, considering that the lock is like taking out insurance on the low rate that you want. Even if the interest rates go up in that month or two, the lock ensures you will have your agreed upon, lower rate. The lender looks at it as insurance, too, that you will borrow the money that you agreed to.

Of course, the trickiest part of these home loans is deciding when to lock. The decision, part intuitive guesswork and part research, comes down to weighing when you will need to pay the lock, how long your mortgage will be, and your "guestimate" of where rates are going.

Mike Long is the successful web publisher of Home-Loan-SuperGuide.com providing valuable tips, advice, and info about a multitude of relevant topics including home loans.

  


MORE RESOURCES:

Suddenly, Stricter Appraisals
New York Times, United States - 16 hours ago
Thus, said Mr. Grace, the Westport mortgage broker, when it comes to refinancing, anyone who bought a home in the last three years and put less than 10 ...


Commercial mortgage values hit by ongoing crisis
Atlanta Journal Constitution,  USA - 8 hours ago
... projections and loose lending standards will, like the residential market, give way to missed mortgage payments and a tough refinancing environment. ...


When refinancing mortgage makes sense
Chicago Tribune, United States - Nov 14, 2008
But you don't have to be in financial trouble to benefit from mortgage refinance, real estate experts say. "At this point, there are thousands of good ...


The Money Times

US MBA’s Mortgage Applications Index Decreased 6.2% Last Week
Bloomberg - Nov 19, 2008
The Mortgage Bankers Association’s index of applications to purchase a home or refinance a loan fell 6.2 percent to 398.6 for the week ended Nov. ...
Week-to-week mortgage applications off 6.2%: MBA MarketWatch
Mortgage Applications Down 6.2 Percent; Near 8-Year Low RTT News
US mortgage purchase applications near 8-yr low-MBA Reuters
VillageSoup Belfast - North County Times
all 144 news articles


Shedding debt, sharing wisdom
Baltimore Sun, United States - 35 minutes ago
I carry no credit card debt at all, no car loans, and my good credit secured me a good, quick refinance when I needed it. My daughter, 20, now working in ...


Boston Globe (registration)

Center for Responsible Lending and Industry Groups Urge HUD to ...
MarketWatch - Nov 20, 2008
... to help the largest possible numbers of at-risk borrowers. This is not the appropriate time to permit the lapse of a viable mortgage refinance option.
Mortgage aid falls short, Bush admin official says BusinessWeek
US tries new tack on housing CNNMoney.com
Major Revamp Of Two HUD Mortgage Relief Programs To Be Pushed AHN
North American Press Syndicate - Housing Wire
all 95 news articles


The Free Lance-Star

Columbia Bank is an Approved FHA Mortgage Lender
MarketWatch - Nov 21, 2008
Existing homeowners wanting to refinance their current mortgage having only limited home equity. -- Homebuyers who would benefit from allowable seller ...
FHA sets limits on home mortgages The Free Lance-Star
all 21 news articles


LendingTree Loans Selects IBM for Loan Fulfillment Services
MarketWatch - Nov 21, 2008
The company, which also works with lenders and servicers to help refinance and modify loans in their portfolios, is a licensed mortgage lender authorized to ...
LendingTree Loans Selects IBM for Loan Fulfillment Services International Business Times
all 18 news articles


Plans change as some owners get upside down on loans
Austin American-Statesman, TX - 17 hours ago
But we should all thank goodness that they continue to send in those mortgage checks. If people who could afford their payments were to abandon their ...
The Next Subprime Crisis Looms - FHA-Backed Loans Free Internet Press
all 3 news articles


Should you refinance your mortgage?
Vail Daily News, CO - Nov 20, 2008
Many homeowners are finding it increasingly difficult to afford the mortgage payments on the loans they have taken out in the last several years. ...

mortgage refinance - Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.