ARM vs Fixed-rate Mortgages

ARM vs Fixed-rate Mortgages
The mortgage market is constantly changing, and smart consumers keep a close eye on those changes to determine the most strategic time to apply for a mortgage. At this point, the difference in interest rates between an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) and a fixed-rate loan has narrowed significantly. Therefore, more applicants are opting for a fixed-rate mortgage when purchasing a home. And an increasing number of homeowners are refinancing their existing ARM with a new fixed-rate mortgage. The most recent economic indicators show that inflation is, indeed, being held in check, said Freddie Mac s Frank Nothaft. That news allowed long-term mortgage rates to drift a little lower in recent weeks. Shorter-term rates, however, rose in reaction to comments by Chairman Bernanke, of the Federal Reserve Board, that hinted at continuing rate hikes this year. The housing industry remains fundamentally fit as we continue to progress into the spring home buying season, Nothaft said. Fortunately, mortgage interest rates are still at historic low levels, while home prices continue to rise. An increasing number of applicants are applying for 35 and 40 year term mortgages as a means of reducing their monthly payments while staying with a fixed-rate loan. This also makes it easier to qualify for a needed mortgage. The concern about an ARM loan s increasing interest rates and payments in future months and years is understandable. Many recent applicants are seeking more peace of mind by applying for a fixed-rate loan when purchasing a home or refinancing their mortgage.Copyright 2006 TheLow Quote.com Syndicated real estate columnist and feature writer Mortgage / Real Estate Update Report www.TheLowQuote.com
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Mortgage Length ? Calculating Which Is Best
For many people, purchasing a home is one of the largest and most important investments they will make after their education. It is important to make sure you choose the right mortgage, one you will be able to pay off within a reasonable amount of time. You also want to make sure you choose a mortgage which has the right length of time. The length of your mortgage should depend on your financial circumstances. It should also depend on your future goals. How much can you afford to pay each month on a mortgage while still maintaining a healthy amount of savings? Being able to save a reasonable amount of money each month will protect you in the event of an emergency. You will also want to save money for the education of your children and your retirement. These are things you will want to take into consideration when choosing the length of your mortgage. Most mortgages have a length of 15 or 30 years. While some companies do offer 20 year mortgages, the interest rates for 15 and 30 year mortgages are fixed. Because of this they are used more often than mortgages which last 20 years. If you choose to take a 15 year mortgage, your monthly payments will be much higher. This will mean that you will have less income available to save. A 30 year mortgage will give you lower monthly payments, and will allow you to save more money than you would save with a shorter mortgage. It is important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of both options before making a decision. Long term loans will give your more disposable income to spend on whatever you wish. They are flexible, and will also allow you to invest money. You can pay more money on the mortgage when you have it available so that the total amount can be reduced. You are also given tax benefits by the government because you are paying interest for a long period of time. These loans are also the easiest to be approved for. At the same time, long term mortgages also have higher interest rates. Because you are paying a large amount on the interest, you will pay more money in the long term. It also takes a long time to build up equity in the home. Long term loans also require long term commitments. You will want to make sure you have stable employment. Short term mortgages are able to be paid off much faster. They have much lower interest rates and equity can be built up very quickly. Because the interest rate is low you will pay less over the long term when compared to a long term mortgage. At the same time, your purchasing power will be low and you will not have many tax benefits. Short term mortgage loans are also hard to get approved for. These loans tend to have higher monthly payments. Whether you decide to get a short term loan or a long term one, you will be able to refinance to change the length of the mortgage. If you decide a few years after setting up a 30 year mortgage that you earn enough to pay it off much faster, you can refinance the mortgage for a shorter length of time. If you have a short term loan and it is difficult to make the monthly payments, you can refinance it to a 30 year mortgage. The most important thing is to sit down and figure out which option suits you best. You should look at your current income, how stable it is, and how much you will have left over after paying the mortgage every month. You should choose a home which evenly matches your level of income. Joseph Kenny writes for various sites including <a href="http://www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk/">http://www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk/</a> who offer <a href="http://www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk/secured_loans.html">secured loans comparison</a> online.
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Best Inexpensive Mortgage Leads
Some loan officers have had tremendous amount of success buying mortgage leads, while others have wasted tremendous amount of money. Some of the best lead sources are kept secret - wouldn’t you, if you have found a good lead source?Surely, it is nice to spend money on mortgage leads that convert well into customers, but buying leads is often a risk not many people are willing to take. What is even better is to generate your own leads that convert well and are also inexpensive to generate.Here is one technique that you can use to generate free mortgage leads. In summary, you want to find online forums and discussion boards that talks about real estate and or mortgages. You would then register as an user to these forums and establish yourself as a mortgage expert.Here is how you do it: Pull up a web browser and head to Google search engine and type in “mortgage forum” and that should give a plenty of online discussion boards related to mortgage. Before signing up for any of the forums, study the forum topics and see what people are talking about in these forums. Are they mostly home owners? Are they mostly real estate professionals like you? Now, do not disregard mortgage forums where many real estate professionals or loan officers hang out, because sometimes they can be your best mortgage lead source. Sometimes you will find posts and requests from other loan officers for co-op opportunities.Once you have come up with a few forums you would then go ahead and register for a forum account. If you have a website, make sure you put that website in your signature profile if the forums allow - and most of them do. Here is what not to do: Do not simply sign up to a forum and start blasting your ad all over! It may be helpful that you introduce yourself to the discussion board telling people who you are and what services you provide. Make sure you observe the rules of each forum. Start breaking into the forum by responding to other people’s posts and provide valuable views and advices. Once you do that, you establish ground in the forum and you will build a reputation around you.This technique, although free because you do not need to spend money on advertising, may take a while before you see some qualified leads coming your way. However, it is probably one of the best inexpensive mortgage leads generation techniques. Steven Chang is an editor for <a href="http://www.iglossary.net/cat/4/Real_Estate/" title="Best Inexpensive Mortgage Leads">Best Inexpensive Mortgage Leads</a> which details other mortgage lead generation techniques.
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