June 7, 2010
Home Equity Loan Comparison – Access Your Home’s Equity Through A Second Mortgage Or Equity Loan
You can access your home equity without the cost of refinancing with two financing options. A second mortgage will give you a lump sum check with a fixed or adjustable rate. A home equity
line lets you tap into your equity when you want to. Both options allow you to write off interest on your taxes and avoid high financing costs.
Benefits Of A Second Mortgage
A second mortgage allows you to borrow up to 90% of your homes value. The lender, which doesnt have to be your primary mortgage lender, writes you one check. You can choose to pay off credit cards or make a major purchase.
Fees are none to minimal with a second mortgage. Rates are usually fixed and last 15 or more years. A 15 year loan lets you pay off the debt quicker, saving you cash on extended interest payments.
Benefits Of A Home Equity Line
A home equity line is like a secured credit card, only you are borrowing against your homes equity. You can choose to borrow a lump sum or only as needed. Most lenders issue checks and a credit card.
Rates are adjustable and are based on when you borrow the money. You can choose to never use the equity, but just know it is there in case of an emergency.
One option for new homebuyers is to put down a large down payment, securing low rates, and then apply for a home equity line. Its like a safety net, ensuring that you can still access your cash if needed.
Picking The Right Financing
Each type of home equity loan has its own advantages. A second mortgage offers secure fixed rates with small payments over a longer period. It makes sense for large projects, such as remodeling or paying off credit cards. A home equity line offers flexibility, better suited for smaller purchases.
With both types of programs, you still want to investigate lenders before applying. Be sure to look at financing companies other than your current mortgage lender. You want to find the lowest rates with the best terms by asking for quotes on both rates and fees. By investing a little bit of time, you will save yourself hundreds.
May 24, 2010
First Time Home Buyer Loans – How To Apply For A Mortgage Loan
For a first time home buyer, applying online for a mortgage loan makes the experience easy. You have plenty of time to compare rates and terms to find the best financing for your situation. With
just a few steps, you can secure financing for your home with the lowest possible rates.
1. Select Your Terms
Mortgage terms affect both your interest rate and payment. With a large amount of flexibility, lenders allow you to tailor your loan to fit your budget needs. So if your goal is to purchase the most with your income, look into an adjustable rate mortgage with initially low payments.
For security, fixed rates can also have reasonable rates. For even lower rates, you can purchase reductions by paying points at closing. One point equals one percent of the principle. Paying points is affective if you keep your mortgage for at least seven years in order to recoup the cost of buying the rate reduction.
The length of the loan will also affect your rates and payments. 15 year mortgage provides you with a cheaper loan, but payments are about a third higher than a 30 year mortgage.
2. Research Your Lender
Even a difference of an eighth of a point in rates can save you thousands of pounds. The easiest way to save money on your homes purchase is by finding the lowest costing loan.
With online mortgage companies, in just a few minutes you can request loan quotes without hurting your credit report. Every time a potential creditor accesses your report, it temporarily hurts your score.
Rates are one way to evaluate loans. But closing costs can also add up to thousands. Thats why the APR number is important. It gives you the total cost of the loan. But if you plan to move or refinance, focus on low closing costs rather than low rates.
3. Apply Online
When you have found the right lender, you can start your home loan application online. Even if you havent found the right house, you can still get pre-approved and lock in your rates.
With online financing companies, your paperwork is expressed mailed to you. You complete the forms with a notarys seal. Working with your real estate agent, escrow company, and seller, the date of sale can then be finalized.
April 12, 2010
In today’s plastic savvy times, it is just so easy to fall into debt. The great thing about credit cards is that you don’t need to pay anything upfront making it so much easy for all of us to shop for our favorite products. But the flip side of it is that most people do not realize that the credit card companies levy exorbitant interests if you do not pay the bills on time. The result: you are thrust neck deep into debt.
So what options do you have? Declaring bankruptcy or just hiding yourself under the bed? Hardly a solution! The first thing to do is to accept and admit that you are in debt. There is no need to be ashamed of your financial crisis. With UK’s current deficit touching the 1 trillion mark, there are a lot of UK residents who are facing similar situations.
The next thing that is likely to pop up in your mind is whether you should hide your debt status from your lenders or disclose it. Your first instinct is going to tell you to let thing be the way they are. But that is not a correct approach. Most companies will be willing to work out an agreement with you as long as you keep them informed about your inability to keep up with the payments. So go ahead and tell them about your financial crisis.
That’s done; now you must draw out a list of your debts and outstanding payments. Compile a financial statement of sorts and find out to what extent your outgoings are exceeding your income. Leaving aside the bare necessities like gas, food, water and electricity, can you cut down on any of your other expenses? Check if you are missing out on any benefits that you may be eligible for.
If status still seems abysmal, what you can do is draw out a debt consolidation loan. This loan basically wraps up all your debts into a single loan. So, now you don’t have to worry about several monthly payments. A single monthly payment will do for all other payments.
What’s great about debt consolidation loans is that they come at an interest rate that is a lot lower than the cumulated interests of your credit card bills and other outstanding payments. Add to this, you no longer have to deal with the harrowing calls of your creditors. Your consolidation loan lender will take care of all that. He will negotiate with your creditors and you have to just worry about paying this single loan and nothing else.
A debt consolidation loan will not only help you get out of your debt swamp, but also help you in improving your credit score. This is a far better option than declaring bankruptcy wherein your credit score goes straight for a nosedive. However, you must remember to pay your debt consolidation loan installments on time, lest you end up facing a legal action.
March 15, 2010
3 Things To Watch Out For With A Cash Out Refinance Mortgage Loan
A cash out refinance mortgage loan is a great option if you have accrued a lot of equity in your home. If you owe 75,000 on a home that is worth 125,000, you could refinance the amount you owe and take up to 50,000 in a cash loan against the equity in your house. The money can be used to consolidate debts, do a remodeling project, or even invest. As great as a cash out refinance can be, there are a few things to think about before you decide to take out this type of loan.
How high are the fees to refinance?
Taking out a home equity loan usually costs less in fees than a refinance. Refinancing your home can cost you quite a bit when you consider higher loan fees and the possibility of points. If you already have a good interest rate on your loan, refinancing so that you can get a cash out option, might mean paying a higher interest rate on a new loan. In that situation, you might want to consider taking out a home equity loan instead of a cash out refinance mortgage loan.
How fast do you need the money?
When you take out a home equity loan, it takes less time to see your money. Often, it only takes 5 days to close. Cash out refinance mortgage loans can take a lot longer, so if you need the money immediately, it probably isnt the best option.
Protect yourself from scam artists.
There are lenders that practice something called loan flipping. They convince you to refinance your house, taking out a bit of equity for a project or two. A few months later they approach you to refinance again, convincing you to take out more cash from the equity in your house. Their scheme is to keep having you refinance, tacking on large fees and possibly increasing your interest rate until you are so far in debt that you end up losing your house. This particular scam has been played against many elderly homeowners with devastating results.
Taking cash against the equity in your house can be a wise move, but always compare taking a cash out refinance mortgage loan against the option of taking out a home equity loan and choose the plan that is best for you.