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Saturday, February 16, 2008

Mortgage Refinancing Secrets Revealed

By Clement Idahosa

Refinancing means applying for a secured loan intended to replace an existing loan secured by the same assets. Refinancing may be done by any issuer of debt, such as corporations and governmental bodies, as well as holders of real estate, including home owners. Many owners of both commercial and residential real estate used certain analysis in their refinancing decisions known as the "2-2-2" rule.

What this means is that: if interest rates have fallen two points below the existing mortgage, if the owner has already paid two years of the mortgage, and if the owner plans to live in the house another two years, then refinancing is feasible.

Benefits of Refinancing

Refinancing a mortgage can lower the monthly payments owed on the loan. This is done by changing the loan to a lower interest rate, or by extending the period of loan, thereby spreading the re-payment out over a long period of time. The benefit of this is that the money saved can be applied to paying down the principal of the loan, and this will further reduce payments.

Refinancing an adjustable rate mortgage into a fixed rate one help to remove the risk of interest rates increasing exponentially. This will further help in stabilizing the interest rate over a long period of time and reduce the risk associated with an existing loan.

Refinancing a loan can help in paying off high interest debt such as credit card debt, with lower interest debt such as that of a fixed rate home mortgage. However, non-tax Deductible debt, like credit card or car loan debt can be transformed into tax deductible debt such as home mortgage, resulting in lowering one's taxes.

In addition, refinancing is also used to liquidate some or all the equity that has accumulated in real property during the tenure of ownership.

Facts You Should Know Before Refinancing

Credit score: if your credit score is low, you must improve on it first before considering refinancing otherwise your interest rate is going to be high. But those with a high credit score will not encounter any problem in terms of high interest rate.

Planning your budget before refinancing will enable you to know the cost of the mortgage, the benefits and savings. If the savings will help paying other debts such as credit card bills and unsecured loans, then refinancing can be a good decision.

You should know if your current mortgage is the best deal for you and for how many years do you intend to keep or stay in your home. If you intend to sell your house in less than three years time then refinancing may not be good for you. But if you intend to keep your home for a very long time then refinancing can help you pay off your home sooner with some savings added.

If you believe that refinancing is a good decision for you then shop for a good lender. Compare the total costs you need to pay off with your existing mortgage, also add or consider fees and charges you may incur when you take on a new mortgage. Finally, make sure that the interest rate is lowered, say about two to three percent lower than your current mortgage.

Clement Idahosa is a writer. For more information on Mortgage Refinancing visit:

http://home-mortgagebuy.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clement_Idahosa

Mortgage Refinancing – How to Qualify for the Best Mortgage Rate

By Louie Latour

Qualifying for the lowest interest rate when mortgage refinancing will save you thousands of dollars, even lower your monthly payment amount. There are several steps you can take to improve your financial situation before applying. Here are several tips to help you qualify for the lowest mortgage rate and avoid costly mistakes when mortgage refinancing.

Mortgage Refinancing: ARMs Can Save You Money

If you fully understand the risk associated with variable interest rates the easiest way to qualify for a low rate is with an Adjustable Rate Mortgage. When interest rates are falling, homeowners with Adjustable Rate Mortgages are able to take advantage of lower payment amounts. The risk you take with this type of mortgage is that when interest rates are rising your monthly payment will go up as well.

Mortgage Refinancing: Check Your Credit First

You can also qualify for a lower mortgage rate by improving your credit. If your financial situation is better now than when you purchased you home, you may qualify for a better rate just by applying. If you have credit problems, investing some time rebuilding your credit could be worth thousands of dollars with a lower mortgage rate. The first thing you should do is request your credit reports from the three credit agencies.

Once you have your credit reports look for any mistakes or negative information. If you find mistakes you need to dispute the mistake with each credit reporting agency; if you have negative information you need to settle with the creditor to have that information removed. Having mistakes or negative information in your credit reports will damage your credit score and the mortgage rate you qualify.

Mortgage Refinancing: Term Length Affects Your Interest Rate

Term length is the amount of time you have to repay the mortgage loan. Traditional mortgage loans come with a term length of thirty years; however, there are also forty and fifty year terms available. The longer your term length the riskier the lender considers your loan, and the higher your interest rate. Short term mortgages usually come with lower rates because there is less risk for the lender.

No matter which type of mortgage rate you choose it is important to shop for the most competitive mortgage rate. When you compare mortgage offers make sure you take lender fees and closing costs into consideration before choosing a lender. You can learn more strategies for mortgage refinancing, including costly mistakes to avoid by registering for a free mortgage tutorial.

To get your free mortgage tutorial visit RefiAdvisor.com using the link below.

Louie Latour specializes in showing homeowners how to avoid costly mortgage mistakes and predatory lenders. For a free copy of "Mortgage Refinancing - What You Need to Know," which teaches strategies to find the best mortgage and save thousands of dollars in the process, visit Refiadvisor.com.

Claim your free mortgage refinance information guide today at: http://www.refiadvisor.com

Mortgage Refinancing Information

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louie_Latour

Mortgage Refinancing – Questions You Need to Ask Potential Mortgage Lenders

By Louie Latour

If you are in the process of mortgage refinancing, careful comparison shopping will help you avoid 90% of the mistakes homeowners make. Lenders have clever ways of disguising their markup and junk fees; if you learn to recognize these, you can save yourself thousands of dollars when mortgage refinancing. Here is a list of several questions you need answered when comparison shopping for the best mortgage loan.

I. What is the Guaranteed Interest Rate?

Your mortgage company guarantees an interest rate for you based on your credit and the details of your mortgage application. What your mortgage company isn’t telling you is that the interest rate guarantee you receive is not the interest rate the wholesale lender qualified you for. Mortgage companies routinely mark up mortgage rates to boost their revenues. This markup of your mortgage interest rate by the retail mortgage company is called Yield Spread Premium and you can avoid paying it. Ask to see the interest rate guarantee from the wholesale lender and compare it to the written guarantee from your mortgage company.

II. Will I be required to Pay Points on the Loan?

Many lenders may require you to pay a certain number of points in order to qualify for a loan. Ask the mortgage lender if your mortgage approval depends on paying points. Points are usually paid in exchange for more favorable loan terms or a lower interest rate. If the lender does not require you to pay points to qualify for the loan, you might try negotiating for a lower interest rate by paying a point or two if you plan on staying in your home.

III. What is the Loan Processing Fee?

One of the fees you will be required to pay when mortgage refinancing is the loan processing fee. If the figure the mortgage company quotes you is greater than $400 it is considered excessive. Ask the lender why they are charging you a higher amount.

IV. Is There a Pre-Payment Penalty

Mortgage lenders often include pre-payment penalties in their loan contracts to discourage refinancing. If you have good credit there is no reason to accept a mortgage that includes this penalty. Prepayment penalties can be expensive and could become a problem when you are ready to refinance again.

You can learn more about comparison shopping for the best mortgage while avoiding costly mistakes by registering for a free mortgage tutorial.

To get your free mortgage tutorial visit RefiAdvisor.com using the link below.

Louie Latour specializes in showing homeowners how to avoid costly mortgage mistakes and predatory lenders. For a free copy of "Mortgage Refinancing - What You Need to Know," which teaches strategies to find the best mortgage and save thousands of dollars in the process, visit Refiadvisor.com.

Claim your free mortgage refinance information guide today at: http://www.refiadvisor.com

Mortgage Refinancing Costs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louie_Latour

Mortgage Refinancing: Protecting Yourself When Using an Adjustable Rate Mortgage

By Louie Latour

When used correctly, Adjustable Rate Mortgages have the potential to save you a lot of money. It is important to know what you are getting into before mortgage refinancing with an Adjustable Rate Mortgage. Here are several tips to help you protect yourself when choosing an Adjustable Rate Mortgage loan.

Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM) typically come with lower interest rates than fixed interest rate loans. These loans often come with an introductory period where the initial interest rate is significantly lower than the actual interest rate. At the end of the introductory period the lender will convert your loan to the actual interest rate and depending on the type of ARM you choose your payment amount will change.

Depending on your tolerance for risk, using an interest only or payment option Adjustable Rate Mortgage could help meet your short-term financial needs. Before choosing an Adjustable Rate loan when mortgage refinancing, find out which index your interest rate is based on. Depending on the adjustment interval of your loan, the lender will adjust your interest rate to this index plus markup. Some indexes are more volatile than others; it pays to shop around and choose the most favorable financial index.

You can minimize the risks of mortgage refinancing with an Adjustable Rate Mortgage with caps. There are two types of caps that protect borrowers with Adjustable Rate Mortgages and you need to ensure your loan has both of them. Rate caps protect your interest rate by limiting the amount the interest rate can change when the lender makes an adjustment. Periodic caps limit the amount your payment amount can change when the interest rate changes. Make sure your Adjustable Rate Mortgages has both periodic and rate caps. Adjustable Rate Mortgages that do not have properly structured caps can experience negative amortization; this results in a mortgage balance that grows over time.

You can learn more about your mortgage refinancing options including common mistakes to avoid by registering for a free mortgage tutorial.

To get your free mortgage tutorial visit RefiAdvisor.com using the link below.

Louie Latour specializes in showing homeowners how to avoid costly mortgage mistakes and predatory lenders. For a free copy of "Mortgage Refinancing - What You Need to Know," which teaches strategies to find the best mortgage and save thousands of dollars in the process, visit Refiadvisor.com.

Claim your free mortgage refinance information guide today at: http://www.refiadvisor.com

Mortgage Refinancing Information

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louie_Latour

Mortgage Refinancing – That Convertible Adjustable Rate Mortgage Could be a Clunker

By Louie Latour

If you are considering mortgage refinancing with a convertible Adjustable Rate Mortgage to limit your risk, the added convenience of converting your loan to a fixed interest rate could cost you a bundle. There are certainly no free lunches when it comes to mortgage refinancing and convertable options are no exception. Here are three tips to help you avoid overpaying for a convertible adjustable rate loan when mortgage refinancing.

Many mortgage companies push convertible Adjustable Rate Mortgages because they can qualify homeowners at a lower interest rate claiming when interest rates drop you can convert your mortgage to a fixed interest rate. When it comes to convertible Adjustable Rate Mortgages, the cost outshines the horsepower. You will pay a higher interest rate and very few borrowers every exercise their option to convert. Here’s why convertible Adjustable Rate Mortgages are a bad deal.

I. You get a higher mortgage rate.

Most homeowners think they can convert at the prevailing market rate. This simply isn’t true; when converting your Adjustable Rate Mortgage to a fixed interest rate, you’ll pay a rate premium of .25 to 1 percent or more.

II. You’ll pay a conversion fee.

In addition to not getting the market interest rate, you’ll have to pay your lender a conversion fee ranging from $100 to as much as 1% of your loan balance. Another hidden fee buried deep in your loan’s disclosure statement.

III. You’ll pay up front costs.

You will usually have to pay for the “conversion option” at the time you close on your Adjustable Rate Mortgage. If the lender doesn’t charge you an up-front fee, you’ll pay with a higher starting mortgage rate or higher loan origination fees.

Suppose you’ve got the convertible loan option. Can you convert the loan whenever you want to? Probably not, most often you can only convert your mortgage between the thirteenth and sixtieth month (up to the fifth year) of a 30 year loan. This is why most homeowners never convert their Adjustable Rate mortgages. If your mortgage company is offering a convertible option at no cost, consider what they are marking up before jumping on the offer. Otherwise avoid paying up-front costs as your convertible option will most likely be a clunker.

You can learn more about your mortgage refinancing options including costly mistakes to avoid by registering for a free mortgage tutorial.

To get your FREE six-part Mortgage Refinancing Video Tutorial, visit RefiAdvisor.com using the link below.

Louie Latour specializes in showing homeowners how to avoid costly mortgage mistakes and predatory lenders. For a free "Mortgage Refinancing Tutorial," which teaches strategies to find the best mortgage and save thousands of dollars in the process, visit Refiadvisor.com.

Claim your free mortgage tutorial today at: http://www.refiadvisor.com

Mortgage Refinancing Information

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louie_Latour

Mortgage Refinancing - Avoiding the High Cost of 30 Year Mortgage Loans

By Louie Latour

The traditional 30 year fixed interest rate mortgage is still the most popular mortgage option as it allows homeowners to qualify for larger amounts. When mortgage refinancing, a 30 year mortgage doesn’t always make sense and often results in overpaying. Here are several tips to help you choose the mortgage refinancing option that is right for your financial situation.

When comparing the interest paid on a 30 year loan compared to a 15 year mortgage, you pay an astonishingly higher amount with the longer term length. Choosing a 15 year loan when mortgage refinancing, will also reduce your interest rate anywhere from .375 to .6 percent. Here’s an example to illustrate the difference in finance charges.

Suppose you apply for mortgage refinancing with a $200,000 fixed rate loan. With a 15 year term you could qualify for 5.9% interest rate. The same loan at 30 years would get you a 6.5% mortgage rate. The extra 15 years on your mortgage results in paying a whopping $153,252 in additional finance charges than if you had chosen a 15 year mortgage loan!

15 Year Mortgage Loan:

Loan Amount: $200,000
Mortgage Rate: 5.9%
Monthly Payment: $1,676.92
Total Interest Paid: $101,846.91

30 Year Mortgage Loan:

Loan Amount: $200,000
Mortgage Rate: 6.5%
Monthly Payment: $1,264.13
Total Interest Paid: $255,088.92

Your monthly mortgage payment might be $412 less per month for a 30 year mortgage loan; however, is it really worth the additional $153,252? Mortgage refinancing with a 15 year term length is becoming increasingly popular with homeowners that do their homework and run the numbers.

You can learn more about your mortgage refinancing options, including costly mistakes to avoid by registering for a free mortgage tutorial.

To get your FREE six-part Mortgage Refinancing Video Tutorial, visit RefiAdvisor.com using the link below.

Louie Latour specializes in showing homeowners how to avoid costly mortgage mistakes and predatory lenders. For a free copy of "Mortgage Refinancing - What You Need to Know," which teaches strategies to find the best mortgage and save thousands of dollars in the process, visit Refiadvisor.com.

Claim your free mortgage refinance information guide today at: http://www.refiadvisor.com

Mortgage Refinancing Information

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louie_Latour

Mortgage Refinancing: When to Lock In Your New Mortgage Interest Rate

By Louie Latour

If you are in the process of mortgage refinancing, understanding interest rate locks can save you a lot of money. Locking in your mortgage interest rate protects you from the loan originator raising your interest rate; however, you should know the mortgage rate on the guarantee you receive is almost never the one you qualified. Here are several tips to help you lock in the mortgage interest rate you were qualified and avoid overpaying for your new mortgage loan.

Mortgage interest rates change on a daily basis. To get your hands on the ideal mortgage rate you should ask your loan representative for a rate lock. The interest rate lock you receive also needs to allow enough time for you to complete all of the necessary documentation and close on the mortgage. If you are unable to close before the rate lock expires, rest assured your loan originator will raise your mortgage interest rate.

Is the interest rate your loan representative gives you the one you were actually qualified? Probably not; mortgage companies and brokers routinely markup wholesale mortgage interest rates to receive a kickback from the lender. This markup is called Yield Spread Premium and could cost you thousands of dollars in unnecessary mortgage interest each year. You can avoid paying Yield Spread Premium by learning how to recognize the markup and negotiating with your loan representative to have this markup removed.

If your loan representative agrees not to include Yield Spread Premium with your mortgage interest rate, ask to see the rate lock from the wholesale lender. Comparing this rate lock with the interest rate guarantee you receive from your Mortgage Company or broker will confirm that your loan representative is not charging you Yield Spread Premium.

You can learn more about mortgage refinancing while avoiding costly mistakes with a free, six-part video tutorial.

To get your FREE six-part Mortgage Refinancing Tutorial, visit RefiAdvisor.com using the link below.

Louie Latour specializes in showing homeowners how to avoid costly mortgage mistakes and predatory lenders. To get your hands on this free video tutorial: "Mortgage Refinancing - What You Need to Know," which teaches strategies for finding the best mortgage and saving thousands of dollars in the process, visit Refiadvisor.com.

Claim your free mortgage refinancing tutorial today at: http://www.refiadvisor.com

Mortgage Refinancing Information

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louie_Latour

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