Where to start!
1)
QUESTIONS to expect from mortgage lenders
2) Here is some information on some of the most common financing options:
Fixed Rate MortgageThe interest rate on a fixed rate mortgage stays the same throughout the term of the loan, usually 15 or 30 years. This means the principal interest portion of your payment remains the same. Payments are stable but initial rates tend to be higher than adjustable rate loans and often cannot be assumed by a subsequent buyer.
Balloon Mortgage
A balloon mortgage is a loan that must be paid off after a certain period. The advantage they offer is an interest rate that is lower than a mortgage that is made for 30 years.
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM)
This interest rate is linked to a financial index, such as a Treasury security or a cost of funds, so your monthly payments can vary up or down over the life of the loan, usually 25 to 30 years. Interest rates can change monthly, annually, or every 3 or 5 years. Some ARM's have a cap on the interest rate increase, to protect the borrower.
Terms relating to adjustable-rate mortgages:
Adjustment period: The length of time between interest rate changes. An example would be one year ARM-interest changes annually.
Cap: The limit on how much an interest rate or monthly payment can change at each adjustment or over the life of the loan.
Conversion clause: A provision in some loans that enables you to change an ARM to a fixed rate loan, usually after the first adjustment period. This may require additional fees.
Index: A measure of interest rate changes used to determine changes in the loan's interest rate over the term of the loan.
Margin: The number of percentage points a lender adds to the index rate to calculate the ARM's interest rate at each adjustment.
VA LoanThe VA does not lend money; it guarantees a portion of the loan so that lenders who originate the loan feel comfortable with their risk. Qualified veterans can obtain loans up to $203,000 with no down payment. VA-guaranteed loans can be combined with second mortgages and are assumable upon qualifying by any future buyer.
FHA LoanFHA does not lend money or make a loan; rather, it insures loans. The down payment can be as low as 2.25%. Either buyer or seller may pay discount points. FHA charges a 2.25% up front Mortgage Insurance Premium (or as little as 2% for a first time home buyer) that can be financed in the mortgage amount or paid in cash (no premium is required for condominiums). The borrower must also pay an annual Mortgage Insurance Premium or .5%, which is collected monthly.
Seller Assisted Second MortgageThe seller of the house lends the buyer enough to make up the difference between the purchase price and the down payment plus first-mortgage balance (a commercial lender may also make this kind of loan). The terms including the interest rate are based on buyer/seller agreement. It is often a short-term (5 to 15 year) loan; sometimes "interest only" payments until the term date when the balance is due in full. A buyer can then refinance the home.
Assumable MortgageBuyer "takes over" or assumes the mortgage obligation of the seller (with concurrence of the lender). The interest rate doesn't change and is sometimes lower than current rates. Often the loan fees are less as well.
3) Mistakes you can't afford:
DON'T Choose the Wrong Mortgage: With the advent of instant refinancing, home loans are no longer the lifetime obligations they used to be. Still, you don't want to be saddled for even a short period of time with the wrong one. Investigate all your options, then lay your choices side-by-side and do the math, making sure to compare worst-case scenarios. Be sure to look at initial interest rates, future interest rates and payments (if different), and the possibility of prepayment penalties.
DON'T Confuse "Pre-Approved" and "Pre-Qualified" with a Loan Commitment: These are debatable terms in real estate because not all lenders apply the same definition to each expression. In fact, one leading real estate dictionary contains neither expression because their definitions are uncertain. According to one school of thought, however, when you are "pre-qualified," the lender is making an educated guess about how much you can borrow based on information you've provided. When you are "pre-approved," the lender has verified everything you have told him or her and is offering to lend you up to a given amount at current interest rates -- under certain conditions. Whether pre-qualified or pre-approved, final clearance and a check at closing -- a loan commitment -- are subject to an appraisal satisfactory to the lender, good title, a last-minute credit check, and other verifications. When meeting with lenders, always ask how they define each term and what additional steps will be required to obtain a loan.
Have Too Much Credit: Excessive credit is almost as bad as no credit or even bad credit. Even if you pay your bills on time, lenders tend to focus just as much on how much credit you have available to you as they do on timeliness. So being up to your ears in car loans and credit cards is a sure way to be turned down for a mortgage. Postpone any big ticket purchases until after you buy your house.
DON'T Lie on Your Loan Application: Exaggerating your income on a mortgage application or putting down other untruths can be a federal offense. Lenders rarely prosecute liars. But if they find out later, they can call your loan due and payable. Don't ever sign your name to a loan application that is not completely filled out, either. Loan officers have been known to stretch the truth to get a client approved, but it's the borrower who ends up paying the price, often in the form of monthly loan payments he can't afford.
