Best Way to Buy Toys

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 26th, 2010 | No Comments

We all know that kids love toys. They really like toys more than food. Toys can make them forget all about that they have to do in a day. Well, as parents we have to be able in choosing the right toys for our kids. We have to be able in synchronizing the function and the materials toward the age of your kids. This is important to make sure that your kids get the proper toys. We also need to find the toys that contain educational elements. It will be good for your kid’s growth. There are so many stores that we can visit to get the toys that you want to buy.

But it is important for you to get the information about the toys itself before you buy them. To help you to find the toys for your kids, Shopwiki.com will be the best site for it. This site provides the best information about Classic Kids Toys. You can get the detail information there about classic toys for your kids. You can also find the Action Figures for your kids need. This site is the best site for you to get the information about so many kinds of toys for your lovely kids. This is very good for you to visit.

Well, this site also provides information about the Dolls and Dollhouses. You can find the best doll for your children and you can find the high quality materials so it will be safe for your kids’ health. Simply check this site and get the best for your kids.

What Are The Requirements For A Reverse Mortgage?

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 24th, 2010 | No Comments

Since the Reverse Mortgage for seniors program is all the rage these days, let’s take a look at what is required to qualify for and to get a reverse mortgage. In the United States, a person must be at least 62 years of age and own their home to qualify for a reverse mortgage.

A reverse mortgage allows you to convert the equity in your home into a lump-sum payment, monthly income, or a line of credit. Why would you want to do that? Well, it can be a useful strategy in retirement, if you want some extra income. It’s called “reverse” because it reverses the direction of the payments: instead of building up equity in your house by putting the money in, you actually reduce equity in the house by taking money out.

Like most loans, you will pay an origination fee, appraisal fee, title fee, escrow fee, recording fee, and a monthly servicing fee. These fees can be included in your loan balance, if there is enough equity available. No payments are made on the loan until you no longer occupy the home as your primary residence. When you move or sell your home, the loan balance is due and payable. However, the loan balance is never allowed to exceed the value of your home.

There are things that do not affect eligibility for a reverse mortgage, like Income, Credit History, Discharged bankruptcy and health of the homeowners. You might be asking, How is my equity determined? The allowable equity is calculated based on three factors. First the youngest borrower’s age, Secondly the appraised value of your home and third the FHA maximum loan limit for your country.

To ensure that you enter into a reverse mortgage with your eyes fully open and to ensure that you are not taken advantage of or scammed, there is a Federal requirement that you must obtain financial counseling from a source that is approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Do not discount this counseling. It is very valuable and can usually be obtained for free or at a very low cost. It is best that you get such counseling from an independent source.

Reverse mortgages have helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners improve their quality of life in retirement. A Reverse Mortgage can help you retire more comfortably. It can provide you with money when you need it most. No Monthly Mortgage Payments, Easy Qualification, Tax-Free Money and No cash needed for closing costs. Can it get any better? If you’d like to find out how much money you qualify for and if you’re eligible, give us a call at (800)630-0650 and we’ll be more than happy to answer all your questions.

Tim Jacobs
Golden Years Mortgage Solutions
Your Money…When You Need It
www.GoldenYearsMortgageSolutions.com
(800)630-0650
tim@goldenyearsmortgagesolutions.com

Tim Jacobs @ Golden Years Mortgage Solutions www.GoldenYearsMortgageSolutions.com  (800)630-0650 tim@goldenyearsmortgagesolutions.com Golden Years Mortgage Solutions is a reverse mortgage approved FHA Lender. We’ve helped thousands of senior homeowners solve their financial problems. Our agents and brokers collectively have over 60 years of experience in Reverse Mortgage Loans and general financial services, including managers who are industry pioneers with more than 12 years of reverse mortgage experience. Our dedication to providing financial solutions for seniors is evidenced by the number of referrals that come from our existing clients.

The Costs Of A Reverse Mortgage

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 24th, 2010 | No Comments

Many of the seniors have the same vacant reaction once they heard the term reverse Mortgage, but that’s not how it has to be. Reverse mortgages are not inherently complicated and scary, let me enlighten you with reverse mortgage.

The concept behind a reverse mortgage is simple, it enables senior to take the equity in their homes and convert it into cash. This concept is sometimes referred to as “The loan that pays you” A reverse mortgage does not require borrowers to make any payments to the lender until he or she sells the home or passes away.

There is no monthly payments, no annual payments, nothing due to the lender. Furthermore, instead of making a monthly payment to a lender, many borrowers choose to receive a monthly payment from the equity in their home. For example, a borrower might decide to receive $1,000 a month every month for the rest of her life. Other borrowers might choose to receive a large lump sum payment. Still others might keep the money in a credit line that they can draw upon as they need it. The method of payments to you is at the borrower’s discretion.

Like all loans, reverse mortgages have costs. A major cost is the interest you pay (or don’t pay) on borrowed money, and there may be other costs as well. Most costs can be bundled with the loan so you do not pay out of pocket. Many of the same costs that someone pays to obtain a home purchase loan, or to refinance their existing mortgage, apply to reverse mortgages too. You can expect to be charged an origination fee, up-front mortgage insurance premium (for the FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage or HECM), an appraisal fee, and certain other standard closing costs.

In most cases, these fees and costs are capped and may be financed as part of the reverse mortgage. Some of the most common reverse mortgage fees are lender fees, Origination fees are related to establishing your loan. The exact use can be unclear, but the fee ultimately compensates your lender or broker for putting your loan in place. The appraisal fee pays for somebody to do an appraisal on your home. An appraisal is an investigation into the value of your home. The appraiser gives the lender an idea of how much your home is worth. The home’s worth helps determine how much money you can receive. Next are mortgage insurance, title search and insurance, then Credit report fees and ongoing service fees

Everything has a cost. Just know your choices and the total price before committing. Reverse mortgages have helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners like you; improve their quality of life in retirement. A Reverse Mortgage can help you retire more comfortably. It can provide you with money when you need it most. No Monthly Mortgage Payments, Easy Qualification, Tax-Free Money and No cash needed for closing costs. Can it get any better? If you’d like to find out how much money you qualify for and if you’re eligible, give us a call at (800)630-0650.

Tim Jacobs
Golden Years Mortgage Solutions
Your Money…When You Need It
www.GoldenYearsMortgageSolutions.com
(800)630-0650
tim@goldenyearsmortgagesolutions.com

Tim Jacobs @ Golden Years Mortgage Solutions www.GoldenYearsMortgageSolutions.com  (800)630-0650 tim@goldenyearsmortgagesolutions.com Golden Years Mortgage Solutions is a reverse mortgage approved FHA Lender. We’ve helped thousands of senior homeowners solve their financial problems. Our agents and brokers collectively have over 60 years of experience in Reverse Mortgage Loans and general financial services, including managers who are industry pioneers with more than 12 years of reverse mortgage experience. Our dedication to providing financial solutions for seniors is evidenced by the number of referrals that come from our existing clients.

How to get an FHA Mortgage Loan, ((97% W 550 FICO))

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 23rd, 2010 | No Comments

How to Get an FHA Mortgage loan

Applying for an FHA home loan can be a confusing and complicating process. That is why we at http://www.FHAmortgageFHALoan.com have put together a display of mortgage tools and information here for you; so you can learn about the FHA mortgage process and what steps you need to take when getting an FHA Mortgage.

You can also get pre-approved for an FHA Mortgage before you shop for a Florida home! Getting pre-approved for a loan before looking at homes can help speed up the Florida home buying process and can help you avoid problems when making an offer. When faced with multiple offers on a Florida home, many sellers will go with a Florida home buyer that is pre-approved in order to avoid having the offer fall through due to contingencies and offers from Florida homebuyers who are not approved for enough money. Getting pre-approved for a Florida FHA mortgage can save you the hassle and frustration of losing the Florida home of your dreams!

How to get an FHA Loan home loan in Florida

By deciding to purchasing a Florida home with an FHA home loan mortgage is going to be the most affordable option for you and your family, the next step in the process is going to be applying for an FHA loan. What’s involved in getting an FHA home loan mortgage?

The first step, because the FHA does not actually make the FHA loans is to contact FHA mortgage lenders in your area to find out whether or not they originate FHA home loans. In addition to asking the FHA lenders whether or not they offer the FHA loans, it’s going to be important to focus on comparison shopping: when you find FHA mortgage lenders who do offer an FHA home loan, it’s important to ask them for the best FHA mortgage rates and terms associated with the loans as each FHA lending organization is able to set its own rates and terms for these FHA mortgage loans.

Once you have found the right FHA mortgage lender – an FHA mortgage lender who originates FHA home loans and offers the best rates FHA mortgage rates and terms for those loans, you’ll find that there are some details that the FHA mortgage lender will want from you. You’re going to be asked about you income, your expenses, your credit and payments history and other factors that affect your credit-worthiness and the amount of risk that a Florida FHA mortgage lender would take on by approving your FHA mortgage.

For the most part, what you will find when you apply for an FHA home loan, the process is fairly similar to that of applying for a more general FHA mortgage. You’re still going to want to make an effort to look at all of the costs associated with the FHA home loan, the benefits of working with one FHA lender rather than another.

The way in which an FHA mortgage loans work  for a Florida mortgage applicant is simple: rather than you insuring your FHA mortgage and guaranteeing the FHA loan in one way or another, the government makes the guarantee to the FHA lender for you (in other words, you aren’t going to receive a loan from FHA, the FHA loan will still come from the FHA mortgage lender. You’ll be able to make a low down payment on a home that you purchase with an FHA home loan mortgage – whether you are buying a single family property, multi-unit housing or even a condominium.

There are, of course, other benefits that you will find when you get an FHA home mortgage. For example, if you are looking to purchase a Florida that needs repairs or renovations, you will find that you are able to include those costs in the amount that you borrow; the same holds true if you will be making upgrades to the home that you buy in order to make it more energy efficient.

When you are ready to buy a Florida home of your own, taking advantage of an FHA home loan may be in your best interest. By finding the right lender and exploring your options, you will be able to learn more about the process of getting the loan and the requirements you’ll need to meet.

Minimal Down Payment and Closing Costs.

Down payment less than 3.5% of Sales Price 100% Financing options available No reserves or required. FHA regulated closing costs. Seller can credit up to 6% of sales price towards buyers costs.  

Easier Credit Qualifying Guidelines such as:

No minimum FICO score or credit score requirements. FHA will allow a home purchase 2 years after a Bankruptcy. FHA will allow a home purchase  3 years after a Foreclosure. 

Easier Debt Ratio & Job Requirement Guidelines such as:

Higher Debt Ratio’s than other home loan programs. Less than two years on the job is allowed. Self-Employed individuals o.k.

Apply today at www.FHAmortgagePrograms.com

www.FHAmortgageFHAloan.com

FHA Mortgages & Loans

What is an FHA mortgage? An FHA mortgage is a federal assistance mortgage loan in the United States insured by the (FHA)Federal Housing Administration. The FHA loan may be issued by federally qualified lenders.

FHA Loans for buying a new Florida home:  

Buying a Florida home can be a source of anxiety, frustration — and a huge sense of accomplishment for a new Florida homebuyer.  For most Florida mortgage applicants that want to have a low down payment, an FHA mortgage is the best solution. Did you know any Florida homebuyer  can qualify for down payment assistance with an FHA mortgage?  Trust our professionals to find the FHA mortgage loan that best fits your needs. “Less paperwork and more personal attention” means you enter a Stress free zone from the FHA mortgage application to decision. Getting the right Florida mortgage loan is like getting the keys to your new Florida house! We can help you get there.

Florida FHA loans for refinancing your current Florida mortgage:

Most Florida banks will tell you it is a tough time to refinance your Florida mortgage.  Refinancing has never been easier for the Florida homeowner. If you thought refinancing meant getting buried under mountains of paperwork, think again! The FHA Mortgage makes it easy and worry-free to reduce your interest rate and monthly payment.  FHA mortgage loans have simple guidelines that allow you to refinance your Florida home up to 97% of your Florida home  value.  Did you know that there are no prepayment penalties on FHA loans?  We can even help you pay down your balance more quickly for comparable Florida mortgage payment. Let our FHA mortgage professional  guide you to the very best refinanced loan! FHA loans for tapping into your home equity:

  FHA loans for Florida homeowners make it easier than ever to pull your equity out of your Florida house.  FHA loans may be used to pay credit cards or for any other type of debt consolidation.  They may also be used for Florida home improvements such as repairing a roof, foundation, or adding fencing.  You can use the cash from your FHA home loan refinance for whatever you choose.  You’ve been paying down your balance, and Florida home values have gone up! Tap into that wealth and reward yourself. We’ll help with the best program to fit your goals.

Our FHA mortgage professionals at FHA Mortgage FHA loan.com give you the personal attention you deserve and treat you with the respect due a valued customer. We understand you’re making a commitment in buying a new FHA home, refinancing and FHA mortgage or cashing out your home equity. So we make a commitment to you. We will help you qualify, apply and be approved for the right FHA mortgage loan for you.

     

 

Anything about Credit and Loan

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 22nd, 2010 | No Comments

Are you currently looking for a real solution to deal with your current financial issue? Well, the fact is there are a lot of solutions that are available for you but for the need of real financial solution there is only one site that you should give a visit in this matter; it is Creditloan.com. You must be surprised that actually kinds of site where you can find all of the solutions that you need to deal with your current financial issue. Especially for you, a person with bad credit history, you don’t need to worry about your bad credit anymore because this site provides you the best solution to deal with it.

What an ease of life when you are able to propose bad credit loans; it is a kind of loan system that is especially established for people with bad credit. So, no matter how bad your credit history is you are still able to propose any loan that you need and in the same time through their debt consolidation system you can improve your credit record or perhaps eliminate your bad credit history. In the same site you are also able to apply to any credit cards that you need since today credit card is one of the payment media that is safe and convenient to use.

Furthermore, for you who are looking for more information about how to propose personal loans online, don’t look further because you have entered the right site. Anything that you need to know about credit and loan is available in this site.

Mortgages and Remortgages – Which One Will Suit My Circumstances?

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 12th, 2010 | No Comments

If you’re using a mortgage to buy your home but are not sure which one will suit your needs best, read this handy guide to mortgage types in the UK. Taking out a mortgage has never been easier.

Fixed Rate Mortgages – the lender will set the APR (Annual Percentage Rate) for the mortgage over a given period of time, usually 2, 3, 5, or 10 years as an example. The APR for the mortgage may be higher than with a variable rate mortgage but will remain at this ‘fixed mortgage rate’ level, even if the Bank of England raises interest rates during the term of the mortgage agreement. Effectively, you could be said to be gambling that interest rates are going to go up, above the level of your fixed rate mortgage interest rate. If this happens, your mortgage repayments will be less than with a variable rate mortgage.

Variable Rate Mortgages – the lender’s mortgage interest rate may go up or down during the life of the mortgage. This usually happens (though not exclusively) soon after a Bank of England interest rate change. Most people consider that opting for a variable interest rate mortgage is best done when interest rates in general are likely to go down. They can then take advantage of these lower rates when they occur. It’s a bit of a gamble but if they are right, it could really work in their favour.

Tracker Mortgages – have a lot in common with variable interest rate mortgages in that the APR of the mortgage can go up or down over the term. The key difference between a tracker mortgage and a variable interest rate mortgage is that the lender will set a margin of interest to be maintained above the Bank of England base lending rate. So, as the Bank of England, in line with monetary policy, raises or lowers the base lending rate of interest, so the tracker mortgage interest rate will follow. Over the lifetime of the mortgage, it could be said that the borrower will neither be better off nor worse off because of interest rate fluctuations.

Repayment Mortgages – you will be required to pay a proportion of the capital element of the mortgage (how much you originally borrowed) together with a proportion of the interest that will have accrued on the capital element, with each monthly repayment. In recent years, repayment mortgages have become highly popular over the previous favourite – endowment mortgages. This is because, unlike endowment mortgages, as long as you keep up your monthly repayments, you are guaranteed to pay the mortgage off at the end of the agreed term. Monthly repayments may possibly be a little more expensive but many borrowers say that at least, they have peace of mind.

Interest Only Mortgages – very common amongst borrowers who are looking to secure a second property. The reason being, with an interest only mortgage, the borrower will only be required to make monthly repayments based on the interest element of the mortgage. The lender will require the capital element to be repaid at the end of the term of the mortgage. Again, as with variable rate mortgages, this could be regarded as being a little bit of a gamble because the borrower is hoping that the property will be worth at least as much at the end of the term of the mortgage, as it was at the beginning, allowing it to be sold and the capital element of the mortgage to be paid off. Any capital gain on the property (although possibly subject to tax) is yours. It could be argued that experience tells us that property prices rarely go down in the long term, but it can never be guaranteed.

Capped Mortgages – a combination of the fixed rate mortgage and the variable interest rate mortgage. A cap or ceiling is fixed for a set period of time. During this period, if interest rates in general rise, above the capped interest rate, the borrower will not pay anything above the capped level. Correspondingly, if interest rates fall, then the rate of interest charged by the lender, will also fall so it could be argued that the borrower gets the best of both worlds. It could also be said that a capped rate is like having a set of brakes on your mortgage, but beware, the lender is also likely to charge a redemption penalty on this type of mortgage, making it less portable than some of the other options available.

Discounted Rate Mortgages – here, the lender may offer a reduced level of interest to be charged over a set period at the start of the mortgage term. Many first time buyers or people who expect their salaries to rise considerably during the discounted rate period opt for this type of mortgage but it should be noted that the reduced rate period will come to an end and when it does, the monthly mortgage repayments to the lender may rise sharply. The lender may also charge a slightly higher rate of interest compared with other types of mortgage over the rest of the term of the loan in order to recoup the monies that they have foregone during the discounted rate period. There’s no such thing as a free lunch!

Offset Mortgages – an interesting newcomer to the UK mortgage market, although still comparatively rare in terms of choice and availability. The mortgage is linked to the borrower’s current account. Every month, the minimum mortgage repayment is paid to the lender but where there is a surplus of cash in the account after other uses and debts have been paid, this is also paid to the lender. Over the months and years, the borrower can potentially pay off their mortgage much quicker and have accrued much less interest than with other types of mortgage provided that a reasonable surplus is maintained in the current account.

So, to sum up, the UK mortgage market has many types of mortgage; any or all of which may be open to the potential borrower, dependent on their circumstances. If you’re looking to take out a mortgage, remember that whilst your broker will take care of the vast majority of the work on your behalf, it may still take around 3 months to complete as there is an enormous amount of work that goes on behind the scenes with solicitors and searches, valuations etc. At least now you’re armed with all of tehinformation you need on each type of mortgage available to you.

This article is free to distribute however, please ensure that all links remain as in the original.

First Time Buyer Mortgages

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 12th, 2010 | No Comments

In times gone by, there hasn’t been a specific type of mortgage known as a ‘first time buyer mortgage’. But, as property prices have raised so much in the UK over the last five years, leaving first time buyers out of the market, mortgage lenders have had to come up with some new and creative ways of lending to help people onto the first rung of the property ladder.

Ten years ago, first time buyer mortgages were easily calculated by simply multiplying your annual salary by two and a half. Nowadays it’s a lot more complicated than that!

Now there are hundreds of lenders offering thousands of first mortgages – all vying for your first time buyer mortgage business. Along with the competitive situation there are a great number of first time buyer mortgage deals to be had!

So, how should you go about deciding on your first mortgage?

If you have time and are fairly numerate, it’s possible to research the offering in magazines and on-line. You can compare first time buyer mortgages in terms of their promotional offers, costs, interest rates, fees, pay-back terms and how much the lenders might lend.

There are an enormous number of variables to consider. For that reason, consulting a mortgage broker or advisor can offer significant financial benefits. It is important to seek appropriate first time buyer mortgage advice. Probably of all the different types of mortgages, 1st time buyer mortgages offer the most variables – as the area has become more competitive.

Mortgage brokers or mortgage advisors who are independent will have access to and knowledge of all the mortgages on the market. They will not only know the differences between the lenders – how responsive they are, how flexible, how generous, but they will be up to date with the rates and offers. They will probably also be able to sell you other relevant ancillary products like life and property insurance should you need them.

When seeking first time buyer mortgage advice, you will find that many first time buyer mortgage advisors and brokers offer a free consultation, taking their earnings from the commission they earn when they sell a mortgage. Others will charge, possibly up to £800 for a consultation. You always have the right to ask how they are being paid.

Plenty of first mortgage information is readily available and in the public domain, in magazines or on the internet. If you want your mortgage broker to advise on a particular range of products that they feel suit your circumstances you will need to actively approve this. Offering mortgage advice is governed by the Financial Services Act and has to be carried out according to very strict guidelines and rules.

The main differences between mortgages are how much they cost and how you are charged. There can be quite a difference!

The main way in which the mortgage lender charges you for the loan is through interest payments. The interest charged is based upon the interest rates set by the Bank of England.

There are two main types of first time mortgages. The difference is determined on whether you pay for the interest and also pay back the loan, or just pay the interest on the loan. It’s a big difference that really needs to be understood when you are considering your 1st mortgage.

A repayment mortgage is one where you pay off part of the loan as well as interest on that loan every month. At the end of the term of the mortgage, usually between 25 and 35 years, you will have paid off the interest on the loan and you will have paid off the loan. The property will be yours.

With an interest only mortgage, you only pay the interest each month on the loan. Thus you are paying less out each month for your mortgage. You must be aware that at the end of the term, whilst you might have paid off the interest on the mortgage, you will still owe all the money to the value of the mortgage. With an interest only mortgage you will need to find some other way (typically some sort of policy) to pay off the mortgage if you want to own your home at the end of the term.

When you add up the interest you will pay on your mortgage you may be shocked to see what an enormous sum it is. There are ways of reducing it, the main one being by shortening the mortgage term when you are able to pay more into the mortgage each month. From two or three years after you take out your first mortgage, you should look into remortgaging.

There are also many other variables like fixed, tracker, discounted, variable, capped, offset – your first time buyer mortgage advisor will be able to help you choose between all the different 1st mortgages.

With the property crisis for first time buyers, the lenders have launched a number of first time buyer mortgages designed to help out. They often mean unconventional ownership options which will become more widely used as time goes by.

We have put together a list of popular first time buyer mortgages:

Guarantor mortgages: parents guarantee to pay your mortgage payments if you can’t.

Cash-back mortgages: purchase the house and receive a lump sum from the lender to pay some costs like stamp duty and furnishings.

Mortgages based on parents’ residual borrowing capacity: borrow more because your parents can help you with the payments.

Family offset mortgages: your family’s savings interest is offset against your mortgage interest.

Graduate and professional mortgages: bigger mortgages are offered to those who are dammed to have careers where salaires are expected to rise quickly.

Shared ownership mortgages: own part of a property, pay rent to the co-owner (usually a housing association) and get a shared ownership mortgage out for the part you are buying.

Extended term mortgages: start out with a repayment term of up to 40 years. It makes the monthly payments more affordable but you would pay a lot more interest overall if you didn’t shorten the term at some point.

High Loan-to Value mortgages: lenders might lend up to 130% of the value of the property. You start with negative equity but all your costs will be covered. These mortgages are only available to the rare few.

Joint mortgages: you team up with a friend or family member to borrow more, share the costs but have joint mortgage payment liability.

‘Renting a room’ mortgages: if there’s a spare room in the house, the rental revenue is taken into account when deciding how much to lend to you.

Rent to Buy mortgages: the amount of monthly rent you’ve been paying is taken as the account. It demonstrates affordability.

Shared appreciation mortgages: in exchange for a mortgage and an additional cheap ‘equity loan’ with which to buy a first home, you would have to give up some of the increase in value of your property to the lender when you sell it.

There are now so many options, the best thing to do is to seek first time buyer mortgage advice.

The 50 Year Mortgage-pros and Cons

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 11th, 2010 | No Comments

With the 40 year mortgage becoming increasingly common in states such as California, where high home prices make mortgages less affordable for the average home-buyer, the latest mortgage product has been rolled out-the 50 year mortgage.

During the 1980s, mortgage interest rates in America topped 18%, prompting the introduction of the 40 year mortgage. The 40 year mortgage increased in popularity again in 2005, when Fannie Mae introduced a program to offer these extended-term mortgages. In 2007, approximately five percent of all mortgages are 40 year mortgages, with that figure reaching 25% in high-cost housing markets such as on the West Coast. With the 40 year mortgage becoming a more main-stream product, the 50 year mortgage has been introduced. While this type of mortgage further reduces the monthly cost of loan repayments, there are some definite disadvantages involved.

The Pros

The main advantage of choosing a 50 year mortgage is a fairly obvious one-the extended terms of the mortgage make monthly repayments lower, and it means that owning a home becomes more affordable. There’s not always a huge difference between the monthly repayment on a 40 year mortgage and on a 50 year mortgage, but those few dollars can mean the difference between affording your own home now and having to wait a few more years to save a larger down-payment.

One of the important things to note about the 50 year mortgage is that after the first five years, the interest rate is adjustable. That means after the fixed-rate period is over, your interest rate can increase and decrease along with current market rates. This is one of the aspects of the 50 year mortgage that keeps that initial interest rate so low. If you’re looking for a low-cost mortgage with a view to refinancing within five years, the 50 year mortgage can be a good way of approaching this.

Finally, the 50 year mortgage is typically a safer way of affording a home if you’re unable to afford a conventional 30 year fixed-rate mortgage. Options such as interest only loans or balloon mortgages offer initial lower payments, but these come with some very risky drawbacks. Unlike other low-initial-cost mortgage options such as the interest-only mortgage, there’s no possibility that you’ll end up with negative amortization with a 50 year mortgage. This makes it a much safer way of achieving a lower-cost mortgage.

The Cons

Of course, the 50 year mortgage has some drawbacks of its own. Tacking that extra ten years onto the terms of the loan means you add a big chunk of interest, making the total cost of the loan significantly higher. That 50 year long will reduce the amount you must pay each month, but over the life of the loan it’s going to cost you. In addition, the interest rate on a 50 year mortgage is typically slightly higher than with a 30 year or even a 40 year mortgage. Longer terms mean increased risk for the lender, and you pay for that risk with extra percentage points on your interest rate. It may not be much-less than 1%-but even that adds several thousand dollars to your loan total.

Another disadvantage with the 50 year loan is a result of the way in which mortgage payments are structured. All conventional mortgages are front-loaded with interest, meaning that the first years of repayments are almost all interest, and you don’t start paying off a significant amount of principle immediately. The longer the terms of the mortgage, the longer it takes to build up equity in your home-more than twice as long to build up just 20% equity in comparison to a 30 year mortgage.

A related problem with this very slow build-up of equity occurs in cases where your down-payment is less than 20% of the home’s appraised value. In these cases your lender typically requires you pay for private mortgage insurance until you reach that 20% equity figure. With a 50 year mortgage, it’ll take much longer to reach 20%, so you’ll be paying extra for private mortgage insurance for much longer than with any other type of loan.

What does this mean for Home-Buyers?

For people who find that the 30 or 40 year mortgages aren’t affordable, the 50 year mortgage can make the dream of home-ownership a reality, but these mortgages are best used with a view to refinancing as soon as possible. The 50 year mortgage shouldn’t be considered a long-term loan, simply because those extended terms are so expensive in the long run. As long as you’re planning to refinance within five to ten years, the 50 year mortgage is a good alternative to riskier low-cost products such as the interest-only mortgage.

What is a Reverse Mortgage? Q & a

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 11th, 2010 | No Comments

Q. What is a reverse mortgage?

A. A reverse mortgage is a loan that enables senior homeowners, age 62 and older, to convert part of their home equity into tax-free* income ”without having to sell their home, give up title to it, or make monthly mortgage payments. The loan only becomes due when the last borrower (s) permanently leaves the home.

Q. How is a reverse mortgage like a home equity loan? How is it different?

A. Both a reverse mortgage and a home equity loan use the equity you have built up in your home to provide you with readily available cash. They differ in that with a home equity loan you must make regular monthly payments of principal and interest. However, with a reverse mortgage you do not make any monthly mortgage payments for as long as you stay in the home.

Q. Can my current income influence my ability to get a reverse mortgage?

A. No. Since reverse mortgage borrowers need not make monthly repayments, there are no income qualifications.

Q. What are the advantages of a reverse mortgage?

A. There are many. Here are a few of the most significant: * Remain independent. A reverse mortgage allows you to remain in your home and retain home ownership. * Stay in your home. It allows you to remain in your home and retain home ownership. * No monthly mortgage payments. You need not pay back the reverse mortgage loan nor make any monthly mortgage payments until you permanently move out of the home. * Tax-free money. Because the money you receive from a reverse mortgage is not considered income, it is tax free* and will not affect your Social Security or Medicare benefits. * Freedom and flexibility. The money you get from a reverse mortgage is yours to use in any way you choose.

Q.I heard that with a reverse mortgage the lender would own my home. Is this true?

A. Totally false. The borrower retains title to the property. The reverse mortgage lender is merely extending a loan to the borrower. Because the homeowners retain title, they remain responsible for the payment of property taxes, insurance, utilities, home maintenance, and other expenses — just as they would with a standard first mortgage or home equity loan.

Q. Can I refinance a reverse mortgage, as I would be able to do with a traditional home mortgage?

A. Yes. Re financing can make sense if your home increases in value or interest rates drop.

Q. Is it possible for my loan balance to become greater than the value of my home?

A. No. You can never owe more than what your home is worth. What’s more, since the reverse mortgage is what is known as a “non-recourse” loan, the lender cannot seek repayment from your income, your other assets, or your estate. In other words, the house stands for the debt.

Q. Can a reverse mortgage lender take my home away if I outlive the loan?

A. No they cannot. And the loan is not due at that time either. In fact, you don’t need to repay the loan as long as you or another borrower continues to live in the house and keep the taxes paid and insurance in force.

Q. How do you determine the amount of cash I am eligible for?

A. The amount you can borrow depends on several factors, including your age, the type of reverse mortgage you select, current interest rates, the location of your home, and the appraised value of your home and FHA’s lending limits for your area. In most cases, the older you are, the more valuable your home, and the less you owe on it, the more money you can get.

Q. Are there any limits on how I use the money I receive from a reverse mortgage?

A. You can use the money for anything you choose, from daily living expenses, home improvements, health care expenses, paying off existing debts, or simply enhancing your retirement years. For many people, the money provides a “financial security blanket,” in case unexpected expenses arise.

Q. Is there a choice in how I receive the cash from my reverse mortgage?

A. Most definitely. With most reverse mortgages you have a wide range of payment options, one of which should be ideal to meet your financial needs. * You can choose to receive the money all at once, as a lump sum. * You can receive equal monthly payments as long as one of the borrowers lives and continues to occupy the property as a principal residence. * You can choose to receive equal monthly payments for a fixed period of months. * You can get a line of credit*; which allows you to take funds at times and in amounts of your choosing until the line of credit is exhausted. This is the most popular option, chosen by more than 60% of reverse mortgage borrowers. * You can opt for a combination of line of credit with monthly payments for as long as the borrower remains in the home. * Or, finally, you can choose a combination of the above. * Note: in Texas, lines of credit are not permitted by state law.

Q. Who can qualify for a reverse mortgage? A. Seniors 62 years of age or older qualify. There are no income, health or credit qualifications. Q. I still owe money on a first or second mortgage. Can I still get a reverse mortgage?

A. Yes. You may be eligible for a reverse mortgage even if you still owe money on a first or second mortgage. The funds you would receive in the reverse mortgage would be used to pay off whatever existing mortgages you have on the property.

Q. Can I get a reverse mortgage on a second home or resort property I own? A. Unfortunately no. Reverse mortgages may only be taken out on your primary residence.

Q. What kinds of homes are eligible for a reverse mortgage?

A. First and foremost, the reverse mortgage must be on the borrower(s) primary residence, that is, where they live most of the year. Most reverse mortgages are taken on single family, one-unit homes. Some programs also accept two-to-four unit buildings that are owner-occupied. Some programs grant reverse mortgages on condominiums and manufactured homes built after June 1976. Mobile homes and cooperatives are generally not eligible for a reverse mortgage. Click here to contact the Financial Freedom representative nearest you to determine if your home is eligible.

Q. Would a home that is in a “living trust” be eligible for a reverse mortgage?

A. Yes. In most cases a homeowner who has put his or her home in a living trust can usually take out a reverse mortgage. A review of the trust documents would be made by the reverse mortgage lender to determine if anything in the living trust would be unacceptable.

Q. When will I have to pay the principal and interests cost of this loan? A. Your reverse mortgage loan becomes due and must be paid in full when one or more of the following conditions occurs: (a) the last surviving borrower passes away or sells the home; (b) all borrowers permanently move out of the home; (c) the last surviving borrower fails to live in the home for 12 consecutive months due to physical or mental illness; (d) you fail to pay property taxes or insurance; (e) you let the property deteriorate, beyond what is considered reasonable wear and tear, and do not correct the problems.

Q. What has to be repaid when the loan becomes due?

A. When the last surviving borrower permanently moves out of the home or dies, the reverse mortgage loan becomes due. The reverse mortgage principal, interest charges, and service fees (such as closing cost fees) are paid from sale of the house or other assets of the estate.

Refinancing Your Mortgage Loan to Save Money

Posted by admin in MortgageJul 11th, 2010 | No Comments

 

Most people refinance their mortgage loan when it is up for renewal from its term. Mortgage loans come in a variety of terms, anywhere from six months to 10 years at a time, amortized over 25 to 50 years. Each term of a mortgage loan is its own mortgage loan – meaning that you can change the mortgage loan type you have as well as the term when your mortgage loan renews. If your mortgage loan is up for renewal, it’s a good time to see if you can get a better interest rate on your new mortgage loan by shopping around. However, there are other times when refinancing your mortgage loan makes sense.

 

Renewal Time

 

Term renewal on mortgage loans is, obviously, the time when most mortgage loans are renewed. It is a time when you can search for a different lender for your mortgage loan or stay with the same lender. However, refinancing your mortgage loan is similar to taking out a new one to begin with, except that you’re not required to have a down payment.

 

Refinancing your mortgage loan means having a new mortgage loan – you can use this opportunity to change the type of mortgage loan you have, such as going from an adjustable rate mortgage loan to a fixed rate mortgage loan, or vice versa. You can also change the term of your mortgage loan, make it longer or shorter, depending upon your wants and needs.

 

If you’re term mortgage loan is up for renewal and the interest rates are low, it’s a good time to lock in the good interest rate for a longer period of time with a fixed rate, long term mortgage loan. However if your renewal comes up and the interest rates are high, it’s a good time to go with either a short term fixed rate or an adjustable rate mortgage loan. Adjustable rate mortgage loans’ interest rate changes at various points in the term, which means you could end up with a much lower interest rate, and therefore lower payments when the rate changes.

 

Need extra money?

 

Mortgage loan refinancing is also a good time to take out some of the equity you’ve been saving. You can refinance your mortgage loan for higher than is owed to the previous mortgage loan and get cash from your equity to spend as you see fit. The most common uses for equity cash is home improvements, consolidating high-interest debts (such as loans and credit cards), and paying for college tuition for children.

 

Other times it’s a good idea to refinance

There are other times throughout the term of your mortgage loan that you may want to consider refinancing. If the interest rates plummet, it’s a consideration to refinance your mortgage loan with a longer term, fixed rate mortgage loan. Locking in a low interest rate on your refinanced mortgage loan could mean that you save tens of thousands of dollars in interest payments to your lender.

A word of caution about refinancing mid- mortgage loan term – prepayment penalties come with some mortgage loans and if you have a prepayment penalty on your mortgage loan, talk with your loan officer before you begin the refinancing process.

 

There’s an easy way to figure out if it’s worth refinancing your mortgage loan mid term and paying the prepayment penalties – find out what your yearly interest payments will be with a new mortgage and compare them to what they are with your current mortgage. Subtract the new mortgage interest from the old mortgage interest – this is how much interest you’re saving in a year. Compare this number with the amount you’ll pay in prepayment penalties. If it is less than half (which means it would take two years to “pay” for the refinancing), then it’s not worth refinancing your mortgage loan. However if you can “pay” for the refinancing within two years on a five year term or more mortgage loan, then it may be worth paying the prepayment penalty.

 

You can ask your mortgage loan lender if they will waive the prepayment penalty if you refinance your mortgage loan with the same company. Prepayment penalties are in place from some lenders because they’re losing your business and thusly the thousands of dollars of interest payments you were to make to them for the remaining term on your mortgage loan. Most prepayment penalties are six months interest on 80 per cent of the total of your mortgage loan. However, some lenders may be willing to waive the prepayment penalty if you’re staying with them for the longer term mortgage you want to lock in with lower interest rates. While the interest they’re receiving is lower, it can add up to much more than the prepayment penalty amount they will receive if you refinance early.

 

In order to make paying a prepayment penalty worth it to refinance your mortgage loan, you shouldn’t take any longer than two years in saved money to make up the amount you pay out to the old mortgage loan company in penalties. Be sure that if you do make the payment that your new mortgage doesn’t have prepayment penalties attached to it.

 

Refinancing your mortgage loan is a good opportunity to seek out better interest rates and terms. Many people choose to use a mortgage broker to find a new lender to refinance their mortgage loan. The reason for this is because mortgage brokers work with several lenders and can submit the single application you fill out to many lenders at the same time. They then enter a ‘bartering stage’ with the lenders who are willing to refinance your mortgage loan. By using a mortgage broker, you can get great interest rates from lenders vying for your business.

 

Don’t underestimate some of the mortgage loan refinancing companies as well – because they are online and don’t have as much overhead as standard lenders, they can sometimes offer even better deals on interest rates and terms.