Archive for June, 2008

Getting a Colorado Mortgage Rate Quote

Saturday, June 21st, 2008
1st American Mortgage asked:


If you are looking for a Colorado mortgage rate quote for a Colorado mortgage loan, then there are many places to go. Of course there are many ads for different Colorado mortgage lenders that are based in the state and around the country. But for a better, more personal Colorado mortgage, it is best to go with an in-state Colorado mortgage lending professional.

Getting a Colorado mortgage loan from an in-state Colorado mortgage lending company has advantages, the key being that Colorado mortgage lending institutions know Colorado the best.

Colorado is unique, with a particular mix of modest private homes, second homes, luxury homes and other types. Because of this, the needs of would-be borrowers who are looking for a Colorado mortgage quote are unique as well. That necessitates a knowledgeable Colorado lender who can work with a borrower and fir their needs with the best type of Colorado mortgage loan.

Looking For a Colorado Mortgage Quote Provider

While shopping for a Colorado mortgage quote, a borrower will hope for a Colorado mortgage lender with a low rate. But that shouldn’t be the only determining factor to be considered than that part of the Colorado mortgage rate quote. The lowest bidder is not always the best place to get a Colorado mortgage loan. When deciding on the best Colorado mortgage quote, consider these other factors:

•The fees for Colorado mortgage loans

•The closing costs, which can range widely between Colorado mortgage lending companies

•Product diversity in the Colorado mortgage loans.

There are many different kinds of loan programs to choose from for borrowers and it is best to look around before a borrower decides on their Colorado mortgage quote. Aside from the Colorado mortgage rate quote itself, its best to consider fixed vs. variable loans and the different lengths of terms

•The Colorado mortgage lending companies with the best customer service. When borrowers are looking for a Colorado mortgage quote, there should be an expectation that the company will have excellent customer service, answering calls and returning them

•A Colorado mortgage lending company with experienced and informed associates. The broker working up your Colorado mortgage quote ought to be able to explain all parts of the different types of Colorado mortgage loans. They need to be able to search and return with any questions you have about your Colorado mortgage rate quote

Finding a Colorado Mortgage Loan

There are brokers nationwide you want to give a borrower a Colorado mortgage quote. Borrowers see their ads all over the place — in the yellow pages or newspaper; radio or TV. There are also many lenders who can provide Colorado mortgage rate quotes online who can also be a great resource.

Online Colorado mortgage quote providers can help you if you are looking to get many quotes with limited effort and be able to make a choice between the many Colorado mortgage quotes available. But that should not come as a replacement from real people. A borrower needs to do research; search for referrals online, check on the company to find the best Colorado mortgage quote that best suits their needs.



Chester

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Compare Fixed Mortgage Rates - How to Get the Best Rate From Your Lender

Friday, June 20th, 2008
Aubrey Clark asked:


When getting quotes from competing lenders it’s always hard to know who’s telling the truth and who is giving the real interest rate when they quote you. To be completely sure you really do need to ask several lenders to quote you to be sure you are getting the best deal. The first thing to understand when comparing fixed mortgage rates is that interest rates never change and are always constant.

What’s that you say? Rates change daily don’t they? Not really, a 5% rate on a 30 year fixed mortgage has always been available regardless of the market. What changes is the cost of that rate to the retailer (Mortgage Company) and eventually the borrower, these are called points. What we are seeking from the mortgage company is the par rate; this is the lowest interest rate that does not require us to pay points.

Everything revolves around the “Par rate”. The par rate has no cost to you and no profit for the lender. Very rarely will a lender quote this rate unless they are trying to “low-ball” you in hopes of raising it later. When a lender sells a rate above “par” she makes a profit. When she sells a rate below par it represents a cost to the lender that she usually passes along to the borrower in the form of points. These are the interest rates that are usually advertised on mortgage web sites, and that is why you are usually told you can’t have that rate.

Most borrowers are aware that the mortgage company needs to make a profit and to stay in business, after all they aren’t philanthropist. The intelligent shopper will seek to manage the amount of profit in the deal as opposed to having to argue about rates and closing costs. Most mortgage companies buy their money from the same sources, meaning their rates should almost be identical. Therefore, if you are reasonably sure you have the “par rate” then you have effectively narrowed the discussion down to the closing costs. Once you have the lender negotiating their profit you have the upper hand!

So how do we find this magical “par rate” from the lenders? It’s simple, you ask them. This is where having 3-5 lenders to work with pays off. When you speak with experienced lenders they are going to ask you a series of questions to pre-qualify you to a rate. Rates have add-ons so to speak. The lender begins with a par rate and then adds and subtracts from that rate depending on your specific loan situation. It will be a little tedious going over the same questions with 3-5 lenders but the payoff is worth it. Once the lender feels comfortable that she knows your situation she will usually quote you an interest rate.

Rest assured this rate will NOT be a par interest rate. You should respond to her verbal quote “is that the par rate?” She will probably be taken back that you know to ask this question. What you want to convey to the lender at this time is your willingness to pay higher closing costs to get the lowest rate. It should be sort of like this “I realize my closing costs may be a little higher but can you quote me the lowest rate that is available without having to pay points?” The lender should volunteer the information, if not, next!

After that, you want to repeat the same scenario with three to five lenders. Most of the interest rates you are quoted should be within a ¼ point or so. You will probably get one guy whose rate is considerably lower than the rest; this is usually the guy that is trying to low-ball you. If you follow through and get a full quote on a Good Faith Estimate his closing cost will almost always be considerably higher. I recommend discarding this lender from consideration; they are usually the tricksters you want to avoid.

The last step is to compare closing costs of the two top lenders you feel comfortable using. Ask them to send you a “Good Faith Estimate” (GFE) and do not accept anything that does not have those three words at the top of the page. The GFE is a legal document that is part of their RESPA package; most lenders have to re-disclose this document before closing if the numbers change. For whatever reason, if the lender refuses to send you this document ahead of time, next!

Once you have these GFE’s in your hand just simply compare the closing costs, (How to figure closing cost). If their rates are comparable the lender with the lowest closing costs wins. If you want to chip away at their profit you can play each lender off the other until you are certain you have your best deal. Use caution here, if you get a lender to work on too little profit and your deal hits a “bump in the road” they may simply turn the loan down. Believe it or not loans are a lot of work, and if the loan officer is not being fairly compensated SHE may very well say “next!”

Bradley

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Could it be that short term interests are used by the greedy as an excuse to increase mortgage rates?

Friday, June 20th, 2008
a a asked:


(in reference to my question) Short term interest rates only apply to installment loans such as credit cards, but they do not have any impact on mortgage rates because those are determined by Treasure Bond rates or long-term rates.

Lucy
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Mortgage Rates - How Low Can We Go?

Thursday, June 19th, 2008
Eileen McAdam asked:


Well, surely it can’t drop much lower? If you haven’t locked a mortgage rate in by now, or haven’t got yourself pre-approved, you had better hurry up. All those people who can remember the 11% mortgage interest rate will be trampling over each other to try and re-new at these rates.

Both the thirty year fixed rate mortgage and the fifteen year fixed rate mortgage have dropped by almost another half a point. Rates are really competitive for those who want to be able to budget and feel secure about their future. You can lock in the mortgage rate for fifteen years at an average 5.21% at the moment. This means that you will know exactly what your mortgage repayment will be for the next fifteen years. That’s security!

A survey taken this last week on mortgages, reports that the fifteen year fixed rate mortgages are at their lowest rate since July 2005 and that for the first time in seven years the rate is lower than the average rate offered on a one year adjustable rate mortgage.

These results were published by Freddie Mac in the Primary Mortgage Market Survey. An announcement from Freddie Mac vice president stated that the further mortgage decreases were in large part a reaction to the drop in consumer spending.

Figures have been published which show that December’s consumer spending was down by 0.4%. He added that sales of garden equipment and building materials were particularly hit, with the loss of sales in these areas dipping to an almost 3% loss from the previous month.

This explains why mortgage interest rates keep dropping. It doesn’t explain why everyone is fairly cautious about re-financing or getting a mortgage - even a fixed rate! Is it possible that people are not buying their dream home until they have seen the lowest edge of the mortgage rates?

Just how much money is involved for the average member of the public here? Well, for every one eighth point on a conforming loan, you will pay an extra $25.00 per month. This week the rate for a fifteen year fixed is averaging out at 5.21%. A 15 year fixed rate mortgage last week averaged 5.43% which was down from the week before when it averaged 5.68%.

In real money, you could have saved yourself around $50 per month in repayments by just one week’s difference in time. This means that the home you are hanging out for may be snapped up by someone else. A buyer who is who is prepared to pay the extra $50.00 per month; a buyer who has decided not to gamble on the ultimate lowest of the low rates, but rather to snap up the property that they want now.

It is anyone’s guess whether the mortgage rate will go up or down. Unemployment figures rose last month compared to the month before, but the inflation and economic data has already been calculated to reflect long term lending risks. Lenders anticipate the news and indications are pointing to the fact that rises in the rates are more likely than drops in the rate.

First time buyers must be encouraged to at least try to get approval at this rate. Approval is not a contract, and it does not need to be taken up and used, but at least this low-return mortgage rate will be available to them for a few weeks, if they wish to buy a home - before the rate inevitably creeps up!

Betty

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What to Expect From a Jumbo Mortgage Loan

Thursday, June 19th, 2008
1st American Mortgage asked:


Jumbo mortgages are not so different from standard mortgages but there are a few key things that are worth looking in to.

Jumbo Mortgage Loans

A jumbo mortgage loan is a loan taken for property that is high-priced.. In Colorado, as in most of the U.S., a jumbo mortgage loan is any mortgage that exceeds $417,000 - the limit set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for conforming loans.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two agencies that buy the majority of real estate mortgages, will not finance loans greater than $417,000 in most states; however Alaska, Hawaii, and a couple others are exceptions. Therefore, the large jumbo mortgage loans are sold to other investments, often banks and insurance companies, and so a jumbo mortgage loan falls into a different category. Rates for a jumbo mortgage are also higher than conforming loans because there is more risk involved.

What This Means for Jumbo Mortgage Interest

The size of a jumbo mortgage loan means there is more to lose. The size, coupled with other factors, results in somewhat higher jumbo mortgage rates than those carried by conforming loans. Since percentage points on jumbo mortgage rages can mean sizable payment differences, buyers should shop around for a good lender when applying for a jumbo mortgage loan in order to find the best rate. Buyers should shop around for a good lender when applying for a jumbo mortgage loan in order to find the best rate.

In truth, jumbo mortgage interest rates are only one thing to consider when shopping for a jumbo mortgage. There are additional fees and closing costs to be considered that could even out the difference in jumbo mortgage rates. Sometimes, the company with the jumbo mortgage rates is actually the cheapest, all things considered.

Also, buyers shopping for good jumbo mortgage interest rates need to consider their goals, plans, and all of their options. Like conforming mortgages, jumbo mortgages are offered in a variety product lines. Buyers have the option of taking out loans with adjustable jumbo mortgage rates with 3 or 5 year locked rates that adjust after that period, or 15 or 30 year fixed jumbo mortgage rates that never change.

Deciding which type of product (variable or fixed jumbo mortgage interest rate) is better for you depends on whether you plan to stay in the home for more than that locked 3-5 year period, or whether you will refinance the loan within 3-5 years anyway.

Buyers should not be scared off from higher jumbo mortgage rates; jumbo mortgage rates are higher only by a quarter of a point or so for well qualified buyers. What’s more, jumbo mortgages are the only option for home buyers in many parts of the country because $417,000 really isn’t that high a price in today’s housing market. As a matter of fact, jumbo mortgage loans are the only type available in many areas. The best way to find a good jumbo mortgage loan is the find a reputable and experienced lender with good rates. A great mortgage lender will take the time to understand your needs so they can help you select an appropriate product.



Ruben

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Home Loan Mortgage Rates: What You Need to Know

Thursday, June 19th, 2008
Miodrag Trajkovic asked:


For new home buyers the first thing to consider is the home loans mortgage rates. It is important to try to get the best deal as possible as you will spend a long time paying for your dream house based on the agreed home loans mortgage rates.

Before shopping for your dream home and checking out the different homes for sale, it is important to plan your budget way ahead. By doing this you can foresee what kind of mortgage payment that you can afford paying for a long tenure of time. Also it is a chance for you to narrow down your home choices to somewhat a few remaining but still great and affordable homes that will meet your budget.

The best way to figure out how much is the best house you can afford is by understanding the different home loans mortgage rates that prevails in your area. This way you can foresee what percentage you would pay each month for 6, 10 or 15 years.

Mortgage institution or a lot of lending companies generally uses a formula in computing their existing home loans mortgage rates this is of course depends on the economy, the federal rate, bank rates and interest rates that prevails in the present economy.

Home buyers should compute these home loans mortgage rates accordingly to their monthly income and it is recommended that the total rates for the home mortgage payments and other housing expenses should be at least fall into the 25-28% of your household monthly income.

When you avail a mortgage home, you will then be charged with the existing home loans mortgage rates which the mortgage company or lender charges you for purchasing a house using their money. This will determine how much money you would shelve every month for paying them. Make sure the total amount will be within reach of your total monthly income or you will risk non payment and foreclosure of your home. Generally putting it this way that the higher the home loans mortgage rates, the higher the monthly mortgage payment you will have to pay.

Home loans mortgage rates changes all the time, like everyday and even by hour. Make sure that you lock on with a mortgage loan facilitator if you think that the mortgage rate they are offering are acceptable because if you don’t and it increases the next day you risk paying for a bit higher mortgage rate.

Lenders naturally allows you to lock in for a specific home loans mortgage rates up to 60 days until both parties should agree on a deal with regards to purchasing a home using their money and afterwards it will be left for you to pay that amount through the agreed home loans mortgage rates every month.

Lisa

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Should we shop at around at diffrent banks for mortgage rates?

Thursday, June 19th, 2008
GirlNextDoor asked:


My husband and I are first time home buyer’s. We didn’t kow if it was better or worse to let several banks run pre-approvals. I wasn’t sure if it would hurt our credit for a bunch of diffrent people to pull up our history. I want the best rate but I don’t want to harm our rating. What is the best route to take when looking for a mortgage?

Jill
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The fed adjusts short term interest rates. What affects long term rates such as a 30 year fixed mortgage?

Wednesday, June 18th, 2008
jpod asked:


I am interested to find out what will make the 30 year mortgage rates rise and fall? I have heard that it is tied to the treasury note. Please help. Thank you.

June
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How does the unemployment rate affect mortgage rates?

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008
areusmarterthanafifthgrader asked:


from regression analysis I found that there is a strong positive relationship between the unemployment rate and mortgage rates. I can’t figure out why. Any thoughts?

Randall
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How will the fed rate cut to 3.5% affect mortgage rates?

Monday, June 16th, 2008
stylinauto asked:


Will the fed rate cut bring mortgage rates down even further?Freddie Mac said the rate on a 30-year fixed-rate loan averaged 5.69 percent for the week ending Jan. 17, down from 5.87 percent last week.

Lois
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