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  • Explanation on the Different Sorts of Mortgages

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    Interest Only Mortgages

    Interest Only Mortgage is a means to payback a certain mortgage. On availment of interest-only mortgage, monthly amortization does not include any partial payment of the loan. The borrower has to pay only the fixed monthly interest of the loan. The principal amount of the loan is payable at one time and based on borrowers and lenders terms of agreement.

    In Interest only mortgage, it is a must to determine how the loan payment should be made. Most borrowers are advice before engaging in this Mortgage to at least save consistently. The purpose of savings is to allow the borrower to come up with a lump sum to pay off the principal obligation. The completion of savings must also be made available before the maturity of terms of mortgage arrives.

    Another option a borrower may do to effectively secure the mortgage is to make a conversion to a repayment mortgage. It is ideal for the type of a borrower who does not have big income at the time of engagement to the mortgage but expect an increase on the future income. By means of interest only mortgage the borrowers can enjoy low monthly payments. And when financial condition of the borrower increases, he may pay higher monthly payments for the repayment of mortgage.

    Interest only mortgage are usually recommended by lenders and brokers but future borrower should be aware that interest only mortgage is beneficial only to particular type of person. Ideally interest only mortgage are good for workers who earn based on commissions or who expect high earnings in the coming year. Investors who expect big return of investment may also effectively acquire this type of mortgage.

    Financial experts advise regular wage earners who opt to choose moderate size home loan not to apply for interest only mortgage. A borrower who cannot make a good plan for investing their savings is likewise not ideal for interest only mortgage.

    Repayment Mortgages

    Repayment Mortgage is a way of paying a mortgage wherein monthly repayments comprises of repaying the principal amount of obligation including the accrued interest. In simple terms, the borrower has to pay monthly part capital and part-interest. In repayment mortgage, at the end of the mortgage the full amount of the debt obligation will be repaid.

    During early years of paying, the charges of the mortgage repayments consist mostly of the interest and because of this, less of the capital is actually paid off.

    To determine the applicability of this type of mortgage to a person in need, the borrower must assure repayment of the full amount of the loan at the expiration of the term. The borrower must also consider that interest rate are subject to increases and will also affect the monthly payment premiums.

    In repayment of mortgage, the borrower may ask the lender to extend the term of payment in case he is unable to pay the amortization or to allow interest only payments until the borrower can update the payment. This request for changes on the terms will increase the full principal obligation of the loan. But nevertheless, the same must be approved by the lender.

    Most lenders provide flexible repayment mortgages to allow the borrowers to pay more than the required monthly premiums when their financial capacity improves. Holiday payments are also given to borrowers when they cannot meet the monthly dues.

    Ideally, repayment mortgage is the efficient way to pay off the loan. When the mortgage value reduces, the amount of interest payable is likewise decreases. Hence, after few years of paying your dues the monthly repayment will now consist of an increasing amount of capital and a decreasing amount of interest. Tax relief will likewise decrease. This means that the borrowers will unlikely experience negative equity because the mortgage prevailing balance will also reduce. In the long run, the high equity percentages of the borrower’s property will also increases.

    Reverse Mortgages

    A Reverse Mortgage is a loan that enables homeowners to convert part of the equity of their home into a tax-free income. In this type of mortgage, homeowners do not have to sell their homes, give up the title, or take on a new monthly mortgage payment. It is termed as reverse mortgage because instead of making monthly payments to a lender as with a regular mortgage, the lender is the one that makes payments to the homeowners.
    But not all can avail a reverse mortgage. In order to qualify in this mortgage, the homeowner must be at least 62 years of age. The older the applicant, the higher the loan amount can be. Also, the home to be subjected in reverse mortgage must be the applicant’s principal residence, meaning the applicant is currently residing in that particular house for more than half a year.

    Elderly homeowners often use reverse mortgage as an additional source of income since most of them are already retired. Payment proceeds from a reverse mortgage can be also used to pay for the applicant’s health care, home repair or modification, paying off existing debts, taking a vacation and paying property taxes or just get some cash in case of emergencies.

    The amount of cash one can have depends on several factors like the age of the home, its value, age at the time of closing, and interest rates. The qualified applicant may choose to receive the money from a reverse mortgage all at once as a lump sum, as a line of credit, fixed monthly payments or a combination of both.

    The lump sum is the cash paid to you on the first day of the loan as immediate cash. A line of credit lets you take cash advances whenever you want during the life of the loan and until you use it all up. The mortgage becomes due once the home is passed on to the heirs. The heirs then, had an option to pay the mortgage and keep the home or sell the home and pay off the mortgage. They can keep any excess sales proceeds. The homeowner can never owe more than the value of the home in which time the loan is repaid.

    Balloon Mortgages Explained

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    A balloon mortgage is a loan that is provided for a short period of time for a set amount of money. Balloon mortgages will often involve periodic payments that are made at a fixed interest rate. During this period, the loan may not be amortized. The balance of the loan has to be paid in full at a specific time.

    Another feature of balloon mortgages is that they will combine many of the features seen in adjustable rate mortgages and fixed mortgages. The interest rate will remain fixed for a certain period of time, which may be from 5 to 7 years. The payments will be based on an amortization cycle that lasts 30 years. If homeowners can’t pay the balance by the end of the term, the lender will decide how the payments will be made. The sum is usually converted into a fixed rate mortgage.

    Advantages?

    A balloon mortgage can be good because it offers an interest rate that is much lower than standard 30-year mortgages. If you are buying a larger home, a balloon mortgage can help you. Larger homes tend to have interest rates that are high, and this can make them difficult to pay off if you don’t have a large income. Balloon mortgages can make things easier. They are also good for people who plan on refinancing the home before the term ends.

    Despite this, balloon mortgages can be much more complex than standard mortgages. Some homeowners who use them end up running into problems. You will need to make sure you have solid documents before signing up for a balloon mortgage. You will want to make sure you choose the right lender and read all contracts carefully for hidden fees or other terms. Balloon mortgages can be risky for people who don’t understand them.

    Extra Charges For Balloon Mortgages

    One problem that customers run into with these mortgages is prepayment penalties. These penalties will often be placed on people who choose to pay off the mortgage early. If you refinance your existing mortgage or sell the home, this can lead to prepayment penalties. The problem with these penalties is that they greatly increase the chances that your home could become foreclosed. Mortgages that have balloon payments are highly susceptible to foreclosure.

    Pre Payment Penalties

    The cost of prepayment penalties can be large. They are usually calculated as a percentage of the total balance owed. This could be as high as 12% and many homeowners have found themselves paying thousands of pounds more than they expected. If you choose to get a balloon mortgage you should make sure there are no prepayment penalties. If you get into a situation where you can’t afford the home, prepayment penalties can keep you from being able to refinance the home in order to get out of debt. These mortgages can be risky, and should only be used by those who fully understand the risks involved.

    Short Term Mortgage Long Term Problems

    A mortgage is a serious financial endeavor that you should take seriously. They involve large amounts of money that most people simply don’t have on hand. If you get into a situation where you can’t make your payments, you could end up losing your home and your credit could be ruined. Many people have made the mistake of getting involved with balloon mortgage without doing their research. They chose not to read the fine print on the applications. They often end up in situations that can haunt them for the rest of their lives.

    While balloon mortgages may have low interest rates at first, you should have a plan to make your monthly payments after the first term ends. This can keep you from defaulting on your payments.

    Adjustable Rate Mortgages and Negative Amortization

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    For many borrowers, adjustable rate mortgages are an attractive means of qualifying for a home. Fewer borrowers realize the potential negative amortization problems these loans can create.

    Adjustable Rate Mortgages

    Adjustable rate mortgages are very popular with home buyers. The popularity arises from the fact the initial interest rate on such loans is typically much less than one finds with fixed rate loans. As a result, home owners can squeeze into homes that they might not otherwise be able to afford with fixed rate mortgages.

    The potential risk with adjustable rate mortgages is well known. A borrower runs the risk the interest rates will increase over the years, resulting in financial hardship when month mortgage payment amounts go up. If the rates and payments go up to much, the borrower can run into serious problems trying to make payments and may even lose the home.

    To overcome the fear of rising rates, many lenders use caps on rate increases to entice home owners. These caps essentially limit the amount the monthly payment can increase for any fixed time period. For many loans, the period is one year and the rate increase is one percentage point. While this makes borrowers feel more secure, there is one little thing lenders fail to point out.

    Negative Amortization

    On many adjustable rate mortgages, the caps apply only to the monthly payments due on the loan. The caps do not apply to the actual interest rate being charged on the loan. This situation leads to a financial disaster wherein you are making the monthly payments, but actually seeing the principal of your loan increase. This situation is known as negative amortization and should be avoided at all costs.

    Negative amortization is best explained using good old credit cards for an example. If you have credit card debit, and everyone does, you know that making the minimum monthly payment may not make a dent in the total balance. In fact, it may be less than the interest charged for the month. This becomes apparent when you receive the next bill and your balance has increased! Welcome to the world of negative amortization.

    On an adjustable mortgage, you need to read the fine print to full understand how any caps apply to your loan. Whatever you do, try to stay away from negative amortization whenever possible.