Mortgage Guide

Brad H asked:


I just saw that a 30 year fixed mortgage is 6.07% and a 5/1 ARM is 5.91%. What are the reasons why these rates differ by nearly .2%?

Joann

muipotu asked:


If you go to bankrate.com or any other place that gives you mortgage rates they always ask what state you are in. Why does the rate depend on which state you are in?

Colleen

Ki Gray asked:


After falling for most of the month of July Mortgage interest rates jumped up. And not only did they move up they jumped to the highest levels we have seen in 2008. 30 Year rates jumped from 6.26 to 6.63 last week. To put that in perspective for the entire month of May mortgage rates fluctuated between 5.98 to 6.08. The increases were not confined to 30 Year rates, 15 year rates went from 5.78 to 6.18, 5 Year Arms went from 5.80 to 6.16 and 1 Year Arms went from 5.10 to 5.49. The interest rates we saw this week for all the major 4 mortgage products were the highest numbers we have seen for all of 2008. When was the last time we saw mortgage rates this high? I looked back through 2007 to find the last time we saw rates this high for the different mortgage products.

30 year - August 2 , 2007
15 Year - August 16, 2007
5 Year - September 20, 2007
1 Year - December 27, 2008

Below are mortgage rates for the last few weeks.

July 24,2008
30-yr 6.63 15-yr 6.18 5-yr ARM 6.16 1-yr ARM 5.49

July 17,2008
30-yr 6.26 15-yr 5.78 5-yr ARM 5.80 1-yr ARM 5.10

July 10,2008
30-yr 6.37 15-yr 5.91 5-yr ARM 5.82 1-yr ARM 5.17

July 3,2008
30-yr 6.35 15-yr 5.92 5-yr ARM 5.78 1-yr ARM 5.17

June 26,2008
30-yr 6.45 15-yr 6.04 5-yr ARM 5.99 1-yr ARM 5.27

Ok so mortgage rates are one thing. But what does this mean for an actual mortgage. using our free mortgage calculator and pulling a number out of a hat we looked at how these rate increases would affect a 200k mortgage.

July 24th
30-yr $1281.28
15-yr $1707.22
5-yr ARM $1219.75
1-yr ARM $1134.32

July 17th
30-yr $1232.73
15-yr $1664.03
5-yr ARM $1173.5
1-yr ARM $1085.89

So starting off the monthly payment on a 200k mortgage with 30 Year loan would be $48.55 more this week compared to last (1232.73 to 1281.28). A 15 Year mortgage would have increased $43.19, a 5 year mortgage increased $46.25, and a 1 year mortgage would have increased $48.43.

So why have rates risen so dramatically. A few bank closures have probably caused some uncertainty in the market. Additionally the FED spent the early part of the year trying to keep rates down and basically ignoring the risk of inflation. That has changed as inflation signs have started to crop up. So now the FED is worried more about the risk of inflation.

So usually when one mortgage product rises I advise potential home buyers to look at the other mortgage products. But this week all the mortgage products rose more or less equally. Therefore my advice would be to start looking at putting down more cash. With interest rates moving up near 7 it might be a good idea to evaluate other investments and consider putting a large down payment on a house. If you are thinking of buying a house in the next few months its probably a good idea to start paying more attention to savings.

So what is going to happen next week? Usually after we see a sudden large increase or decrease the next week we see rates move a little bit in the opposite direction. But what happens with mortgage interest rates over the next week and the next few months to a large extent is going to be based on what happens with the banks and the mortgage industry and at this point with all the turmoil in the markets its a little hard to predict what is going to happen next.

Bill

Rene Graeber asked:


Who doesn’t want low mortgage rates? A low mortgage rate means spending on monthly payments during the course of a mortgage. A low mortgage rate can save homebuyers like you several thousands of dollars. A low mortgage rate means having more funds to spend on investments that might prove profitable.

Despite the reported increase of previously low mortgage rates, rates today are still low enough to consider a mortgage refinance for your home. The Internet provides you with the perfect portal to start applying for those low mortgage rates. Below is a list of websites where you can apply for low mortgage rates.

Low Mortgage Rates at Interest .com

Interest.com offers you an opportunity to compare rates of several lending companies in your state so you can have a better chance at getting a low mortgage rate. For instance, you want to apply for a low mortgage rate on a 30-year fixed rate refinance mortgage in Georgia. The amount you wish to borrow is $100,000 with no discount points and a standard loan type. After clicking on the search button, the page will display the low mortgage rates of several lending companies in Georgia, including Sterling Home Mortgage Corporation whose low mortgage rate is 5.375%. There are several other lending companies that offer low mortgage rates and all you have to do is choose the one offering the lowest rate.

The Low Mortgage Rates of MortgageRatesUSA .com

Mortgage Rates USA is yet another company that offers choices and options for costumers who are on the look out for low mortgage rates. Their online low mortgage rate quote request is free and secure. The information you provide so the website could generate your low mortgage rate quote request is only shared with the lender and not with any third party.

The Low Mortgage Rates of ELoan .com

E-Loan is one of the top lending companies offering low mortgage rates. The reason for their low mortgage rates is that they do not charge you with any lender fees or any other hidden costs which is the main culprit to an increased mortgage rate. For example, a 5-year adjustable rate mortgage with E-Loan has a low mortgage rate of 4.625% and an APR of 5.078%.

How to take advantage of low mortgage rates

Refinancing is something that all homebuyer should consider when the market offers low mortgage rates. When you refinance, you take advantage of low mortgage rates by paying off your first mortgage with a new mortgage with low mortgage rates. This move can help you lower down your monthly payments and save on your overall interest bill.

For example, you have a year into a $150,000 loan for 30 years. The interest rate is 8.5 per cent and fixed for the duration of the loan period. You can refinance your first loan with a new 30-year loan with a low mortgage rate of 7 per cent. By doing this, you can cut down on your monthly payment by $155 to $998. The low mortgage rate of the new loan can also help you reduce your overall interest bill by $42,200 to $223,000.

Andre

J.David S asked:


I had heard a few weeks ago that the government was trying to implement a program to temporarily freeze adjusting mortgage rates to help home owners from potential foreclosures. Any news on that, and what is the process to apply for this freeze if applicable

Steven

John S asked:


I have an 80/15 loan for 30 years and am looking to refinance into a 15 year loan and have a %80 loan to value. Does anybody thing the rates will continue to decline?
My current rate is 6.6% for the 80 and a variable for the 15 which has ranged from 8-10%.

Ryan

Martin Lukac asked:


There are going to be many factors which affect your mortgage rate, some of which are under your control and others which you can do nothing about. You should be aware of all of the factors which might affect your mortgage rate and take them into consideration before applying for a mortgage loan. You can take steps to improve some of the factors which affect your mortgage rate and make decisions about when is best to apply based on basic knowledge about your mortgage.

What is a mortgage?

Most people understand the basic definition that the mortgage is a loan which is used to purchase a home. There is slightly more to the mortgage than this. The mortgage is a loan which uses the property itself as collateral. If you fail to make the payments on your mortgage, the property may be taken over by the lending institution who has given you the mortgage.

You want the best mortgage rates

The mortgage is a long-life loan meaning that it is not going to be fully repaid for many, many years. A standard home mortgage is often a fifteen or twenty year loan. This means that you want the best mortgage rate possible because you are going to be needing to pay this rate for a long, long time.

Factors affecting mortgage rates

Major factors affecting mortgage rates include:

• Amount of down payment on mortgage

• Consideration of closing costs

• Income of mortgage borrower

• Life of mortgage loan

• Life of mortgage rate

• Total mortgage loan amount

• Whether or not the mortgage rate is adjustable

Factors making up a desirable mortgage rate

The basic premise of the desirable mortgage rate is that it is within your budget, has a low interest rate and is paid back as quickly as possible. How all of this plays out in terms of each individual mortgage depends upon the independent factors of each borrower. For example, you might prefer a fifteen-year mortgage loan to one that is paid over thirty years. This will allow you to save money over time because you pay less in interest. However, if you can not afford the higher monthly payments and you default on the mortgage loan, you have not helped yourself out any.

Negotiating a desirable mortgage rate

The simplest method of achieving a desirable mortgage rate is to work with a mortgage broker. You will have to pay up front fees to the mortgage broker, usually at the time when all of the closing costs are paid on the home purchase, but you will save money and time in the long run. The mortgage broker plays the role of assessing your personal financial situation and working with lending institutions to negotiate the best possible mortgage rate for your situation. The mortgage broker has experience with all of the factors and terms used in the mortgage loan negotiation and can use this expertise to your benefit.

Repayment of the mortgage loan

When you are working out a plan of repayment for the mortgage loan, you should look at the amount of money available for down payment, the amount you can reasonably pay on the loan each month, the grace period of any adjustable mortgage loan interest rates and any fees owed for early repayment of the mortgage. Working with the mortgage broker, you should be able to develop a repayment plan for your mortgage which allows you to purchase and remain in your home through the life of the loan.

Shirley

batman253 asked:


I do not understand why the Treasury Department has to step in to negotiate the freezing of mortgages rates.

Why cant the banks/mortgage companies use their own discretion by doing it themselves?

You would think it would make good business sense to freeze the rate and having a mortgagee continuing paying the mortgage than having the loan forclosed altogether…

An explanation to why these companies are not already doing this would be helpful. Thanks.

Julio

mama bear27 asked:


I have an adj mortg rate, that’s set to renew in september, and with mortg rates being low right now, could it go lower than it is now? Right now it’s high, and that’s what my mortgage started with…not a low int rate.
one has a ARM(Libor index), and the other is a fixed rate.

Brenda

Jay Moncliff asked:


Buying a home is an expensive endeavor so getting the best possible mortgage rate should be one of your main priorities. By deciding to get the best mortgage rate possible you will be making a positive decision to help you for many years to come. However, just deciding to get the best mortgage rate available is not going to get you the best mortgage rate available. Instead, you will need to learn the tips and tricks for negotiating with your mortgage lender in order to receive the best possible mortgage rate for your personal situation.
Mortgage Rate Tip #1 Origination Fee
Your mortgage rate might be low in your mind, but you must take the origination fee into account as well because this can increase your APR. Lenders frequently charge 1%, but you can always negotiate the mortgage rate origination fee lower. Also, if the origination fee is much higher than 1% you need to either negotiate it down, or find another lender with a more favorable overall mortgage rate.
Mortgage Rate Tip #2 Lock in the Rate
When negotiating your mortgage rate, make sure your lender is prepared to lock in your rate for at least 30-60 days. This way you will be guaranteed a particular rate even if rates skyrocket the next day. Another not trick many individuals are not aware of is to include a clause that also will allow you to take a lower rate if rates fall during this period. This is a great mortgage rate tip because you get your mortgage rate locked in so it can’t go any higher, but if the average mortgage rate goes lower you receive the lower rate.
Mortgage Rate Tip #3 Fight
If the mortgage rate drops significantly and you have already signed a deal locking in a particular mortgage rate and don’t have a clause that ensures you will receive the lower rate, then you need to fight. You simply need to call your lender and say that while you signed the lock in agreement you want the lower rate. This will take some negotiating, but your lender wants you business and might be willing to negotiate the mortgage rate with you.

Ramon