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Finding the right home loan is all about saving money. You took your time finding the right house – shouldn’t you also carefully evaluate the financing for that home?
When finding the right home loan, there are several factors to consider. What is your financial situation? How much of a down payment do you have? What are current interest rates? How long do you plan to stay in the new home? Consider these factors, plus others, to help you find the right home loan for you.
How long will this be your address?
Let’s start with how long you plan to stay in the home. While no one can know the future with certainty, you can probably make a good guess as to how long you’ll stay. If you know your job will require a transfer in a few years or if you’re self-aware enough to know that you’re part nomad, then this will affect what home loan you choose. If, however, your job doesn’t move you around and you are the type who likes to put down roots, then a different type of home loan may be better for you.
• If you may move soon
If you think you may move again within 4 to 5 years, you have may want to consider several different options for the right home loan. If rates are low, you may want to consider a short-term fixed rate mortgage (such as a 10 or 15-year fixed loan) to build up equity for your short time in the home. Another option to consider is an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) or a hybrid loan. An ARM gives you a lower interest rate than typically offered with a fixed rate mortgage. The catch is that the ARM’s interest rate changes. A hybrid loan gives you the benefit of an ARM’s lower interest rate, but the security of a fixed loan because there is a fixed period before the rate resets. If you plan to move relatively soon, it may turn out that you sell the house before your rate adjusts.
• If you’re in it for the long haul
If you won’t be moving again anytime in the near future, then a fixed rate mortgage may be the right loan for you, especially if interest rates are low. A 15-year or 30-year fixed rate mortgage can be the perfect fit if you plan to stay in the home for a long period of time and you prefer the security of knowing what your interest rate (and monthly payments) will be. You can lock in a good interest rate that is guaranteed to you for the 15 or 30-year term of the mortgage.
What about down payment options?
Finding the right home loan also means evaluating options for your down payment. The 20 percent down payment is not necessarily the standard these days.
• No-down-payment mortgage
Yes, you read that right. It is possible to get a mortgage without putting any money down. That means that you finance 100 percent of the purchase price of the home. Sounds pretty scary, right? But, sometimes it can be a viable option. If you live in a market with rapidly escalating prices, it may not be that possible for you to save 10 to 20 percent of the purchase price before being priced out of the market. With a no-down-payment mortgage, you’ll get a higher interest rate and you’ll have to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance). Also, it’ll take you longer to build up equity since you didn’t put any money down. Keep in mind that not having equity in your home can be dangerous if home prices fall.
• Piggy-back loan
Another way to finance a home if you don’t have enough for a 20 percent down payment is a piggy-back loan. Basically, A piggy-back loan is a combination of two loans that close at the same time to allow you to purchase a home. The most common types of piggy-back loans are an 80/20 mortgage, an 80/15/5, or an 80/10/10. An 80/20 means that you finance 80 percent of the home’s purchase price through a first mortgage, but the other 20 percent comes from a second mortgage. An 80/10/10 means that you finance 80 percent of the purchase price via a first mortgage, 10 percent from a second mortgage, and that you make a down payment of 10%. With a piggyback loan you avoid PMI, but your second loan often will have a higher interest rate. Still, this can be a good option if you don’t have enough for a 20 percent down payment.
• FHA loan
For the first-time homebuyer, the government runs a program to help you realize the dream of homeownership. An FHA loan lets you get in with as little as 3 percent down.
This really just scratches the surface for your options in finding the right home loan. Know your financial situation and investigate all of the mortgage options so that you can get the right home loan for you.
Published on August 03, 2007Read full article at realestate.com