Sunday, June 29, 2008

Home Loan Programs

You have found that dream home, now which of the home loan programs is right for you? There is no simple answer to that question; home loan programs need to be studied to choose what is best. This all depends upon your individual family preferences and financial circumstances.

Some factors to consider when choosing from the different home loan programs. Your current financial situation, do you expect this situation to change? How comfortable are you with a changing mortgage payment? A fixed rate mortgage can save you thousands in interest over the period of the loan, but it will also give you higher monthly mortgage rates. An adjustable rate will start you out with lower monthly payments but you could face higher monthly payments if the rates change.

You have decided which type of loan is best for you, now you need to choose which of the more popular home loan programs, is the best one for you.

Conventional loans are secured by government sponsored lenders. They are also known as government sponsored entities (GSE’s). They can be used to purchase or to refinance single family or 4 plex homes with a first or a second mortgage. There are limits that are adjusted annually if needed based on the national average of new homes. You would need to check what the current year’s limits are for an accurate amount if you were to choose this type of home loan program.

FHA loans are programs to helping low income families become home owners. By protecting a mortgage company from default they encourage companies to make loans to families that many not meet normal credit guidelines. Some of the highlights of these loans are. Lower down payments can be as low a 3% versus the normal 10% requirements. Closing costs of up to 2 or 3 per cent of the home value can be financed, this reduces the up front money needed. The FHA also imposes limits on the fees from the mortgage company such as the loan origination fee can not be more than 1% of the amount of the mortgage.

VA loans are available to military veterans who served on active duty and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. The dates for eligibility are WWII and later. World War II (September 16, 1940 to July 25, 1947), Korean conflict (June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955), and Vietnam era (August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975) veterans must have at least 90 days service. Veterans with service only during peacetime periods and active duty military personnel must have had more than 180 day’s active service. There are other eligibility requirements. If you think you may be eligible contact your local or state veterans’ administration representative.

The biggest factor in a VA loan is that no down payment is required in most cases. There is no mortgage insurance payments needed, closing costs to the buyer are also limited. You can negotiate rates with the lender and you then have a choice of payment plans with up to a 30 year loan.

The last loan program we will mention is called a subprime loan. This is a loan for people with poor credit who would not qualify for a conventional loan or a VA or FHA guaranteed loan. These loans normally will require a higher down payment and have a larger interest rate. This is because of the risk involved to the mortgage company. These loans should normally be considered for a limited amount of time such as 2 to 4 years. It is a good way to improve your credit situation and then refinance with more favorable terms.

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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Home equity loan

Home equity loan refers to the loan which is granted on the basis of the equity involved in home, i.e. taking loan using the residential asset of the individual as collateral. Home equity loan is the highest demanded loan, because of its various salient features, which make it more and more accessible and affordable. This type of loans is available to any individual who owns a house, which is the only criterion to be fulfilled to have this loan. This loan has been so much appreciated because it is easily assessable with not much formalities involved and also that the repayment procedure is really easy. These loans are available for different purposes like debt consolidation, education, renovation of the house and other things as well.

The repayment of the loan is made really easy, where the debtor needs to repay the principal along with the meager amounts of interest. The debtor is at benefit when he is taking up home equity loan since the loan amount is decided at the face value of the house and also at times it is extended up to 125% of the face-value of the house. The debtor, after having the limit of credit, can withdraw money from the loan amount according to his needs and is needed to pay the interest on the amount he has withdrawn and not the amount that has been fixed as his credit limit. These easy payment schemes along with easy interest payments has made this kind of loan the most popular among the masses, who prefer taking loan through home equity loans.

The best way of leveraging the pecuniary value that is invested in the house is by going for home equity loans. Many imperative purposes are solved by utilizing the money involved in the house, which is left not for much of productive utilization. By taking up a loan through home equity loans, the amount invested in the house, which has not much liquidity is put to good use without much hassles, since it involves easy repayment and low interest rates.

Also the interest of these loans is tax-deductible and does not involve bringing in many tax hassles. The loan is very friendly which keeps the debtor away from many problems that are faced by the individuals taking loan through the traditional ways of taking loans. The best part of this is, any individual of any background, having the worst of credit records can also manage to procure a loan through home equity loan, provided he owns a house of his own and that house has got some value, on which the creditor reckons the limit of credit for the debtor. This loan involves revolving line of credit which is very beneficial for the debtor taking up to loan.

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Thursday, June 5, 2008

Guide For Bad Credit Home Loans

A "bad credit home loan" is a loan that one can get despite having a bad credit rating. Many lenders offer a bad credit home loan knowing fully that their loan is secure, since it is taken on mortgage of your home.

A bad credit home loan is an instrument of opportunity for those who have bad credit rating and would like drop out of their debt and start on the road to good credit building. By availing of a bad credit home loan you can lower your monthly payments by consolidating all your debts and also enjoy a lower interest rate on the current debt. The consolidation and paying off your current debts by availing of a bad credit home loan is a major step towards credit repair. Moreover, if you can keep up the payments on your second home loan for about six months to a year, you will see a remarkable change in your credit score.

Most popular options available on bad credit home loans are cash out mortgage refinance and home equity loans. Both options allow you to cash in on the equity already paid into your home mortgage and use it to get yourself out of debt. It’s best to deal with a mortgage company online to avoid bank associate’s talk around and skepticism. Its also easier to compare various offers form different lenders to make sure you are not being cheated. Please keep in mind the following while filling up forms for online mortgage:

a. Make sure you read the articles on online mortgage at the bad credit home loan lender’s websites. By this you can educate yourself on various types of financing and be informed and up to date on fees and current lending rates

b. While applying for online quotes, do not opt for a generic estimate which is based on you monthly income and bills, fill out detailed information whereupon you can get a real accurate quote.

c. Try and get to the total bad credit home loan cost i.e. including the closing fees, application fees, any other charges, interest charged, amortization and loan fees etc.

d. After applying, do not forget to keep all records received from the lender and follow up with weekly phone calls to make sure things are moving on time.

e. After completion of bad credit home loan, plan to refinance in about three years, by which you should be back in good credit, if you have kept up regular repayments. This will help in reducing your short time debt and maximize your future credit rating.

Use your bad credit home loan to the maximum advantage to get your credit rating back in line. This will help you plan a secure future for you and your family.

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