First Time Home Buyers
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"Mortgage 101"
A 100% mortgage is a mortgage loan that requires no borrower downpayment; the loan amount covers the full purchase price of the property. The borrower may be required to provide another source of collateral, in addition to the property itself, to secure the mortgage loan.
Continue Reading →The amount of a loan for which you qualify is based on two different calculations. Using what are known as qualification ratios, lenders evaluate your income and long-term debts to determine a “safe” amount for your mortgage payments. A fairly standard ratio is 28/36. Certain mortgage plans sometimes use more liberal ratios-for example, the Fair [...]
Continue Reading →Most lenders offer financing programs that allow the borrower to finance up to 100% of the sales price of a new home. However, if no down payment is made, the borrower will be required to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI), see question ten, below,
Continue Reading →An Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) is a loan under which the interest rate is periodically adjusted to more closely coincide with current rates. The amounts and times of adjustment are agreed to in the Adjustable Rate Note signed by the homeowner.
Continue Reading →Interest rates are usually expressed as an annual percentage of the amount borrowed. You can choose a mortgage with an interest rate that is fixed for the entire term of the loan or one that changes throughout. A fixed-rate loan gives you the security of
Continue Reading →Annual Percentage Rate (APR) factors interest plus certain closing costs, any points and other finance charges over the term of a loan. The APR must be disclosed to you according to federal Truth-in-Lending laws within three business days of when you appl
Continue Reading →If you put less than 20% down on most loans, you’ll be asked to protect the lender by carrying private mortgage insurance (PMI). Carrying PMI ensures that the debt is repaid if you default on the loan. This charge adds approximately an extra half a percen
Continue Reading →Even if you’re sure you have excellent credit, it’s wise to double-check at the outset. Straightening out any errors or disputed items now will avoid troublesome holdups down the road when you’re waiting for mortgage approval.
Credit bureaus are required
Any reputable Mortgage Banker will “pre-qualify” you for a mortgage before you start house hunting. This process includes analyzing your income, assets, and present debt to estimate what you may be able to afford on a house purchase. Real estate brokers can also calculate the same sort of informal estimate for you.
Obtaining mortgage “pre-approval” [...]
Continue Reading →On the day you actually buy your new home, in addition to your down payment, the prepaid property tax and homeowners insurance premiums, you’ll need cash for various fees associated with the purchase. These expenses are known as closing costs and are paid
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