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Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Types of Mortgage

Types of Mortgage

Option 1: Fixed vs. Adjustable Rate

As a borrower, one of your first choices is whether you want a fixed-rate or an adjustable-rate mortgage loan. All loans fit into one of these two categories, or a combination "hybrid" category. Here's the primary difference between the two types:

Fixed-rate mortgage loans have the same interest rate for the entire repayment term. Because of this, the size of your monthly payment will stay the same, month after month, and year after year. It will never change. This is true even for long-term financing options, such as the 30-year fixed-rate loan. It has the same interest rate, and the same monthly payment, for the entire term.
Adjustable-rate mortgage loans (ARMs) have an interest rate that will change or "adjust" from time to time. Typically, the rate on an ARM will change every year after an initial period of remaining fixed. It is therefore referred to as a "hybrid" product. A hybrid ARM loan is one that starts off with a fixed or unchanging interest rate, before switching over to an adjustable rate. For instance, the 5/1 ARM loan carries a fixed rate of interest for the first five years, after which it begins to adjust every one year, or annually. That's what the 5 and the 1 signify in the name.

Pros and cons: adjustable V/S fixed-rate mortgages

As you might imagine, both of these types of mortgages have certain pros and cons associated with them. Use the link above for a side-by-side comparison of these pros and cons. Here they are in a nutshell: The ARM loan starts off with a lower rate than the fixed type of loan, but it has the uncertainty of adjustments later on. With an adjustable mortgage product, the rate and monthly payments can rise over time. The primary benefit of a fixed loan is that the rate and monthly payments never change. But you will pay for that stability through higher interest charges, when compared to the initial rate of an ARM.

Option 2: Government-Insured vs. Conventional Loans

So you'll have to choose between a fixed and adjustable-rate type of mortgage, as explained in the previous section. But there are other choices as well. You'll also have to decide whether you want to use a government-insured home loan (such as FHA or VA), or a conventional "regular" type of loan. The differences between these two mortgage types are covered below.

A conventional home loan is one that is not insured or guaranteed by the federal government in any way. This distinguishes it from the three government-backed mortgage types explained below (FHA, VA and USDA).

Government-insured home loans include the following:

FHA Loans
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance program is managed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is a department of the federal government. FHA loans are available to all types of borrowers, not just first-time buyers. The government insures the lender against losses that might result from borrower default. Advantage: This program allows you to make a down payment as low as 3.5% of the purchase price. Disadvantage: You'll have to pay for mortgage insurance, which will increase the size of your monthly payments.

See also: Pros and cons of FHA vs. conventional

VA Loans
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a loan program to military service members and their families. Similar to the FHA program, these types of mortgages are guaranteed by the federal government. This means the VA will reimburse the lender for any losses that may result from borrower default. The primary advantage of this program (and it's a big one) is that borrowers can receive 100% financing for the purchase of a home. That means no down payment whatsoever.
Learn more: VA loan eligibility requirements

USDA / RHS Loans
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers a loan program for rural borrowers who meet certain income requirements. The program is managed by the Rural Housing Service (RHS), which is part of the Department of Agriculture. This type of mortgage loan is offered to "rural residents who have a steady, low or modest income, and yet are unable to obtain adequate housing through conventional financing." Income must be no higher than 115% of the adjusted area median income [AMI]. The AMI varies by county. See the link below for details.
Learn more: USDA borrower eligibility website

Combining: It's important to note that borrowers can combine the types of mortgage types explained above. For example, you might choose an FHA loan with a fixed interest rate, or a conventional home loan with an adjustable rate (ARM).

Option 3: Jumbo vs. Conforming Loan

There is another distinction that needs to be made, and it's based on the size of the loan. Depending on the amount you are trying to borrow, you might fall into either the jumbo or conforming category. Here's the difference between these two mortgage types.

A conforming loan is one that meets the underwriting guidelines of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, particularly where size is concerned. Fannie and Freddie are the two government-controlled corporations that purchase and sell mortgage-backed securities (MBS). Simply put, they buy loans from the lenders who generate them, and then sell them to investors via Wall Street. A conforming loan falls within their maximum size limits, and otherwise "conforms" to pre-established criteria.
A jumbo loan, on the other hand, exceeds the conforming loan limits established by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This type of mortgage represents a higher risk for the lender, mainly due to its size. As a result, jumbo borrowers typically must have excellent credit and larger down payments, when compared to conforming loans. Interest rates are generally higher with the jumbo products, as well.

What is Mortgage ?

A mortgage is a debt instrument, secured by the collateral of specified real estate property, that the borrower is obliged to pay back with a predetermined set of payments. Mortgages are used by individuals and businesses to make large real estate purchases without paying the entire value of the purchase up front. Over a period of many years, the borrower repays the loan, plus interest, until he/she eventually owns the property free and clear. Mortgages are also known as "liens against property" or "claims on property." If the borrower stops paying the mortgage, the bank can foreclose.

In a residential mortgage, a home buyer pledges his or her house to the bank. The bank has a claim on the house should the home buyer default on paying the mortgage. In the case of a foreclosure, the bank may evict the home's tenants and sell the house, using the income from the sale to clear the mortgage debt.

Mortgages come in many forms. With a fixed-rate mortgage, the borrower pays the same interest rate for the life of the loan. Her monthly principal and interest payment never change from the first mortgage payment to the last. Most fixed-rate mortgages have a 15- or 30-year term. If market interest rates rise, the borrower’s payment does not change. If market interest rates drop significantly, the borrower may be able to secure that lower rate by refinancing the mortgage. A fixed-rate mortgage is also called a “traditional" mortgage.

A mortgage loan, also referred to as simply a mortgage, is used either by purchasers of real property to raise funds to buy real estate; or alternatively by existing property owners to raise funds for any purpose, while putting a lien on the property being mortgaged. The loan is "secured" on the borrower's property through a process known as mortgage origination.
This means that a legal mechanism is put in place which allows the lender to take possession and sell the secured property ("foreclosure" or "repossession") to pay off the loan in the event that the borrower defaults on the loan or otherwise fails to abide by its terms. The word mortgage is derived from a "Law French" term used by English lawyers in the Middle Ages meaning "death pledge", and refers to the pledge ending (dying) when either the obligation is fulfilled or the property is taken through foreclosure.^[1] Mortgage can also be described as "a borrower giving consideration in the form of a collateral for a benefit (loan)."

Mortgage borrowers can be individuals mortgaging their home or they can be businesses mortgaging commercial property (for example, their own business premises, residential property let to tenants or an investment portfolio). The lender will typically be a financial institution, such as a bank, credit union or building society, depending on the country concerned, and the loan arrangements can be made either directly or indirectly through intermediaries.

Features of mortgage loans such as the size of the loan, maturity of the loan, interest rate, method of paying off the loan, and other characteristics can vary considerably. The lender's rights over the secured property take priority over the borrower's other creditors which means that if the borrower becomes bankrupt or insolvent the other creditors will only be repaid the debts owed to them from a sale of the secured property if the mortgage lender is repaid in full first

Secured V/S Unsecured Loan

What Are Secured Loans?

Secured loans are loans that are backed by an asset, like a house in the case of a mortgage loan or a car with an auto loan.This asset is collateral for the loan. When you agree to the loan, you agree that the lender can repossess the collateral if you don't repay the loan as agreed.

Even though lenders repossess property for defaulted secured loans, you could still end up owing money on the loan if you default. When lenders repossess property, they sell it and use the proceeds to pay off the loan. If the property doesn't sell for enough money to completely cover the loan, you will be responsible for paying the difference. Secured debt financing is typically easy for most consumers to obtain. Lenders take on less risk by lending on terms that require an asset held as collateral.

As this type of loan carries less risk for the lender, interest rates are usually lower for a secured loan. A prime example of a secured debt is a mortgage, where the lender places a lien, or financial interest, on the property until the loan is repaid in full. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the bank can seize the property and sell it to recoup the funds owed. Lenders often require the asset be maintained or insured under certain specifications to maintain the asset's value. For example, a mortgage lender requires the borrower to protect the property through a homeowner's insurance policy. This secures the asset's value for the lender until the loan is repaid. For the same reason, a lender who issues an auto loan requires certain insurance coverage so that in the event the vehicle is involved in a crash, the bank can still recover most, if not all, of the outstanding loan balance.

What Are Unsecured Loans?

The same isn't true for an unsecured loan. An unsecured loan is not tied to any of your assets and the lender can't automatically seize your property as payment for the loan. Personal loans and student loans are examples of unsecured loans because these are not tied to any asset that the lender can take if you default on your loan payments.You typically need to have a good credit history and solid income to be approved for an unsecured loan.

Loan amounts may be smaller since the lender doesn't have any collateral to seize if you default on payments.

Unsecured debt is the opposite of secured debt, and, like its name, it requires no security for the loan. Lenders issue funds in an unsecured loan based solely on the borrower's creditworthiness and promise to repay. In days past, loans were issued this way with a simple handshake. If a borrower fails to repay the loan, the lender can sue the borrower to collect the amount owed, but this can take a great deal of time, and legal fees can add up quickly. Therefore, banks typically charge a higher interest rate on these so-called signature loans.

Also, credit score and debt-to-income requirements are usually stricter for these types of loans, and they are only made available to the most credible borrowers. Other examples of unsecured debts outside of loans from a bank include credit cards, medical bills and certain retail installment contracts such as gym or tanning memberships. Credit card companies issue consumers a line of credit with no collateral requirements but charge hefty interest rates to justify the risk.

What is Loan?

What is Loan?

In finance, a loan is the lending of money from one individual, organization or entity to another individual, organization or entity. A loan is a debt provided by an entity (organization or individual) to another entity at an interest rate, and evidenced by a promissory note which specifies, among other things, the principal amount of money borrowed, the interest rate the lender is charging, and date of repayment. A loan entails the reallocation of the subject asset(s) for a period of time, between the lender and the borrower.

In a loan, the borrower initially receives or borrows an amount of money, called the principal, from the lender, and is obligated to pay back or repay an equal amount of money to the lender at a later time.

The loan is generally provided at a cost, referred to as interest on the debt, which provides an incentive for the lender to engage in the loan. In a legal loan, each of these obligations and restrictions is enforced by contract, which can also place the borrower under additional restrictions known as loan covenants. Although this article focuses on monetary loans, in practice any material object might be lent.

Acting as a provider of loans is one of the principal tasks for financial institutions such as banks and credit card companies. For other institutions, issuing of debt contracts such as bonds is a typical source of funding.

A loan is the act of giving money, property or other material goods to another party in exchange for future repayment of the principal amount along with interest or other finance charges. A loan may be for a specific, one-time amount or can be available as an open-ended line of credit up to a specified limit or ceiling amount.

The terms of a loan are agreed to by each party in the transaction before any money or property changes hands. If the lender requires collateral, that is outlined in the loan documents. Most loans also have provisions regarding the maximum amount of interest, as well as other covenants such as the length of time before repayment is required. A common loan for American consumers is a mortgage. The mortgage calculator below illustrates the various types of mortgages and their different terms.

Loans can come from individuals, corporations, financial institutions, and governments. They offer a way to grow the overall money supply in an economy as well as open up competition and expand business operations. The interest and fees from loans are a primary source of revenue for many financial institutions such as banks, as well as some retailers through the use of credit facilities.