Finance related articles, information and resources.
In: Loans
2 Jul 2009Most people who dream of buying their own house usually look to financing to help themselves own a home. But owning a home isn’t as simple as shopping around for a house, applying for a loan then paying off the mortgage. Even as banks and lending institutions are aggressively attracting customers by offering lower interest rates, you should still give this enough thought before making a final decision.
It is best to also shop around for the different kinds of loans available. People buy homes for different reasons and you should evaluate your own as well as your needs and preferences to make sure you choose the right housing loan.
Low Income House Hunter
If you want to purchase a house but you don’t qualify for a loan because you currently have low income, then a temporary buydown may be the right loan for you. A temporary buydown is ideal for people who are cash-strapped for the moment but expect to enjoy an increase in income in the near future.
The most popular types of temporary buydowns are the 3-2-1 buydown loan and the two-to-one buydown mortgage. In a 3-2-1 buydown, the interest rate increases by one point each year for the period of three years. After that, the rate becomes fixed throughout the life of the loan. The same is the case for two-to-one buydowns except you lower the interest rates for a period of two years.
When you apply for a buydown, you are going to be required to pay extra money in advance in exchange for the lower rate. The lending agency will then “allow” you to be eligible for the loan.
Move In, Move Out Buyer
If you want to own a home, but you’re not sure you’ll be staying in any one place for good, then the best loan for you may be the delayed adjustable rate mortage (or delayed ARM). Delayed ARM’s are suitable for individuals who move between cities frequently, or those who plan to sell their homes after paying for them completely.
In delayed ARMs, borrowers pay fixed monthly payments for a longer period of time before the loan starts to adjust. For example, if you take out a 5-1 ARM then the interest rate on your loan stays the same for the next five years. The interest rate starts to adjust on year six and every year after that for the rest of the term. How much your interest changes will depend on market conditions.
For those looking to settle down
If you’re planning to settle down somewhere for good, then a fixed-rate mortgage is best for you. Fixed-rate mortgages have interest rates that won’t change for the lifetime of the loan, meaning you’ll be paying a fixed amount every single month. Getting a fixed-rate mortgage with low interest rates is a great idea, since you won’t have to pay more even when market rates rise.
There are 30- and 15-year fixed rate mortgages available. You end up paying the same amount of money in bo h schemes, but a 30-year mortgage will obviously have lower monthly payments.
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