Refinance Mortgage Loan: Solution Or Complication?

Rony Walker asked:


Falling interest rates are often the prelude to home owners rushing to avail of a refinance mortgage loan. Most of the time, there is not much thought given to the merits or financial implications of that idea. It is a very attractive option, much the same as an open flame is attractive to a moth.

At first glance, a refinance mortgage loan does not seem to be minatory at all. But being burned by one is not something most people would count as a pleasant experience. In fact, rates are just a small part of the bigger equation. Some people take out a refinance mortgage loan every time rates go down, even by just a little. A common scenario is a refinance mortgage loan once every year for about five years running. That is clearly disadvantageous. Every refinance mortgage loan means adding more principal to the end of the loan as well as extending its duration.

But What Is A Refinance?

Purchase-money loans are the original loans secured by buyers to buy a house. On the other hand, a refinance loan is a new loan utilized by the borrower to pay off the original loan. Obviously, for borrowers with multiple refinance loans, the current loan pays off the last refinance loan. The refinance loan is usually prioritized but a home equity loan can also be refinanced.

What’s Your Flava?

If you are currently paying a fixed-rate mortgage, it is still possible for you take out a different mortgage loan when you get a refinance loan. Before you switch from a fixed-rate mortgage, you must be sure that you understand all of the terms of the new refinance mortgage loan. Let’s take a look at some common mortgage loan types.

Interest-only mortgages are loans that are backed by real estate. They contain an option to make interest payments. They are often portrayed as risky and disadvantageous to the borrower. This is often not the case at all.

Another mortgage product is called the Option Adjustable Rate Mortgage. It is perhaps the most complex loan program in real estate mortgage financing. Without proper management, it could cost a home owner his or her entire equity. For the knowledgeable borrower, it could be the optimal solution. Option Adjustable Rate Mortgages contain negative amortization. This is a key concept that is often misunderstood. That is why Option Adjustable Rate Mortgages are generally disdained.

FHA loans are gaining again in popularity. The Federal Housing Administration does not give out loans. Instead, it insures them. This insurance eliminates or alleviates the risk lenders face when buyers only pay a small percentage. Borrowers with less than perfect credit histories might want to consider them. They may qualify even if they have had financial problems in the past. Also, the rates are competitive and the terms are very straightforward. Today’s FHA loans also require fewer repairs on the home. They are available to everyone. However, first time and low to moderate income buyers are their most frequent users.



SHELBY

Refinance Mortgage Potential Pitfalls

Tom Allen asked:


There has been a lot of talk about mortgage refinancing over the last couple of years. One thing that you need to bear squarely in mind when considering doing this is that you must be prepared to pay your costs at closing. This is very similar to what happened when you initially purchased your home. Despite all of the advertising when it comes down to the nitty-gritty you will find that there’s very little difference between what you have to pay in a refinancing situation and what you had to pay when you took out your original mortgage.

It’s important to remember that there are a number of fees charged by the mortgage provider for different jobs during the application process and before a loan approval. These will include payments for certificates, necessary reports and various other paperwork attached to the loan process. It is virtually impossible to avoid paying these expense so it’s very important to factor them into your calculations.

Something that you also may not be aware that the is that a new appraisal of the property will be necessary. Any money owing for this service will usually be paid at the point of settlement. There will also be title and escrow fees attached to the deal. This is not necessarily a definitive list of all the costs that may be involved but is just to give you an outline of what possible charges you may encounter. Lot of the advertising attached to refinance mortgages will give the impression that all of this type of work that you did when you originally bought your home and took at your original mortgage will still be applicable and not necessary to repeat. For the most part, that is simply not the case and a lot of this work will have to be done again

.

Chances are, mortgage products and the terms and conditions attached to them have changed significantly since you originally took out your mortgage loan so there are possibly significant savings that can be made in this area if you shop around and you compare all of the terms and conditions from the different lenders very carefully. At the same time, it’s also very important to be aware that a lot of these fees that you may have thought that you had paid once at your original mortgage will come to you again with your refinancing deal. You must factor these financial elements into the equation so as to make sure as to not leave yourself with financial difficulties in the short term.

Just one other item, your old friend property taxes will rear its ugly head again here in this situation so it’s important to also factor that into the equation.

All in all, refinancing your existing mortgage can be a very smart financial move and you may very well get a better set of terms and conditions than you originally had when you took out your mortgage. But like anything, it also comes with potential pitfalls. It is very important that you look at all of the terms and conditions attached to any particular deal from a given mortgage provider and that you also factor in the type of cost that we’ve dealt with in this article.



TAYLOR

Today’s Fha Refinance Mortgage Requirements

Robert asked:


Are you presently considering refinancing your home? possibly you have heard how interest rates are at 5 year lows or that FHA refinance loans and their updated programs have become vastly admired. fortunate for you, both of those things are true making for an excellent refinance opportunity. And it is no more hard to apply for an FHA mortgage than it is for a Conventional mortgage.

Before you elect to refinance, you should know the basic requirements for FHA Mortgages. To be eligible for FHA refinance loans, your monthly housing costs (mortgage principal and interest, property taxes and insurance) must meet a specific percentage of your gross monthly income. This is called the “Top Ratio” and it should be below 31%. You must also have enough proceeds to pay your housing costs plus all additional monthly debt. This is called the “Bottom Ratio” and it needs to be below 43%. These percentages may be exceeded with compensating factors.

Your credit background will also be fairly considered. FHA refinance credit requirements are not entirely credit score driven, while it is helpful to have at least a 580 FICO score to obtain a quicker approval. FHA guidelines are written in a way that provides the borrower the benefit of the doubt that there had been, at some point in their past, circumstances outside their control, and as long as the borrower has improved from those circumstances in a reasonable method, they’re usually going to be credit-eligible for an FHA refinance loan.

If you have had a preceding bankruptcy, it may still be doable to get an FHA Refinance. If you have been discharged from a chapter 7 bankruptcy for two years or more, you are eligible to apply for an FHA refinance mortgage. If you are in a chapter 13 bankruptcy and have made all court approved payments on time and as arranged for at least one year, you are also eligible to make an FHA mortgage application.

FHA Refinance Loans multiple options to meet the needs of your current home equity scenario. If your home has positive equity, you may be able to refinance up to 98.75% or 97.75% of the appraised value of the home or the amount you are refinancing plus closing costs, whichever is lower. If you want to take cash out of the property, then the maximum financing amount is either 95% or 85% of the current appraised value, depending on the borrowers qualifications. If you do not have sufficient equity in your home to pay off your current mortgage or cover your refinancing closing costs, then you should ask your lender to consider a “Write Down”. A “Write Down” is when your lender writes off the excesss balance owed for the purposes of refinancing a mortgage. The Housing bill that goes into effect on October 1st provide for a Write Down to 90% of the current appraised value for delinquent mortgage FHA refinances. Offering this option is at the discretion of the lender.



SANTIAGO

If I owe more on my home than its worth, do I now qualify for mortgage relief?

Bob asked:


PHOENIX – President Barack Obama’s plan to tackle the foreclosure crisis will spend $75 billion in an effort to prevent up to 9 million Americans from losing their homes.

The plan, which Obama is releasing later Wednesday, is more ambitious than initially expected — and more expensive. It aims to aid borrowers who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are currently worth, and borrowers who are on the verge of foreclosure.

The initiative is designed to help up to 5 million borrowers refinance, and provides incentive payments to mortgage lenders in an effort to help up to 4 million borrowers on the verge of foreclosure.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090218/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_home_foreclosures

One of my properties appraised at $230,000 last year. A comp home sold for $175,000 due to foreclosure. My loan is greater than $175,000 and less than $230,000. Do I now qualify for mortgage assistance? If I do, should I take it?
I just want the program to be fair. If I can get a new mortgage from 6% to 4% or less, I will do it in a heart beat.

So should I stop paying my bills so I qualify?

JAKE

Should a mortgage lender be held responsible when a past due homeowner commits suicide?

mike_alegend asked:


I just had a friend commit suicide because he could no longer pay his mortgage. His lender refinanced his home five years in a row with his payments going from 600 per month to over 1400 per month. The house was biult in the 1940’s and was only 800 sq feet. The lender knew he was on disability and had fixed income with no other assets.
Yes, there were other issues like his disability and his cancer, but when he could no longer afford his home he just gave up.

VERNON

Can someone explain the difference between using a mortgage broker, mortgage lender, & a bank for refinancing?

bayleigh789 asked:


What are the benefits and drawbacks to each? We are refinancing our home.

ROLANDO

The Essentials of Home Loan Refinance

Alan Lim asked:


Home loan refinance has been one of the most reliable means that you can use to lighten up your financial burden. The promise of lowered interest and decrease in monthly payment is a very attractive idea. More and more people are also drawn to the concept of getting some extra money through home loan refinance to pay for renovation, education or to pay off other debts.

No matter how attracting refinancing sounds, it is not a strategy that will make sense to everyone in all financial circumstances. You need to do your own homework to make sure that you are making a financially sound decision. In addition, remember that refinancing is a way for you to get out of debt. Never make the mistake of refinancing in order to make another consumer purchase that is not really necessary, such as a new car or a dream vacation. You might end up in more debt than you have ever been.

The old rule of thumb in home loan refinance is that it only makes sense if you can lower your rate by at least 2%. However, what actually matters with refinancing is not just the rate but how long it will take for you to reach your break even point and whether you intend to stay in your home for a long time to be worth the long term payment. A home loan refinance will be a wise idea if you are sure that the monthly payments you need to make for a couple of years is worth it.

The good thing about refinancing is that there are various options for you to choose from. Practically, there are important factors you need to consider before taking on a home mortgage refinance. You have to know the interest rate, the term of the mortgage, the variability of the interest rate (whether it is fixed or variable), and the points that you are willing to pay up to close the deal. Mortgages now come in all forms and sizes; lenders are literally everywhere waiting to offer you their affordable terms. With the tight competition, many people usually get great deals which relieve most of their financial dilemmas.

Your goal is to come up with mortgage terms that will get you a better deal than you have with your existing loan. This may not be easy to do, most especially if your credit standing is not all that good. You must have a good understanding of what is going on with your finances; plan how to solve your problems, and set-up financial goals. Based on where you are, you can look for a home loan refinance program that is in line with your requirements.



It will take some effort and a good amount of research on your part. If you deal with the right lender and get a home loan refinance at the right time, you can be pretty sure that you will save thousands of dollars with refinancing. All the effort and time will surely be worth it.



ELLIOT

Refinance Mortgages

Patrick Flouster asked:


Any person who possesses any real property does never want to part with it if not really there is a need of it as the real property serves as a security to them. When you are in a need of additional funds and there is no source other than the loan facilities from where you can manage to arrange for the required amount then you opt for a mortgage loan as you can place your property as a guarantee against the loan and get back your asset after the total repayment of the loan has been completed. But sometimes it gets difficult to repay the mortgage loan due to deficiency of funds or you may require more funds to cater your additional expenses.

Refinance mortgage is the facility which is so arranged that it takes over the earlier loan and provides you with a second one with the altered terms and conditions of the previous loan or it is altogether a new loan with new rate of interest. Since refinance mortgage is a secured loan it would enable you to obtain a large amount but you should keep the fact always in your mind that your asset is kept with the lender which has to be released on repayment of the loan. So the amount of loan should be as much as it can be repaid easily and on time. To acquire a refinance mortgage loan you would have to survey the market to know all the availabilities and their respective terms and conditions like the amount of loan, the rate of interest at which the loan can be acquired, the time period to repay the loan and other applicable charges if there are any. After the survey you would be capable to choose the best among them that would suit your budget and your requirements. The best selection would be the one with minimum rate of interest and smallest monthly installments so as to make it easy and comfortable for you to repay.

Refinance mortgage can be acquired by complying with all the requirements which can be either done online or by going to the lender in person. If you are the one among those who hold a bad credit status then you need not worry as to how to arrange for the necessary funds, as refinance mortgage would also provide you with a loan if complied with their requirements and after a credit check is done by the lender. It is not necessary for you to be a homeowner as you can acquire the loan against any property not necessarily a house. It is very simple to acquire a refinance mortgage as you only have to provide your personal and work details along with the requisite form filled in. Sometimes with these you would be required to submit the documents related to the earlier loan so as to make it easy for the lender to grant a refinance mortgage loan. After all the details submitted by you are confirmed the loan would be sanctioned and the amount shall be transferred to the bank account as specified by you. So you should have an active bank account for an easy access to the loan obtained.

Since refinance mortgage takes over your earlier loan it would be easy to repay on time, but in case if this not possible then you would be required to inform the lender at least ten to fifteen days in advance so that an extension can be facilitated to you.



DELMAR

I need to refinance my 2 homes, but I have a high debt to income ratio. Are there any serious lenders to help?

angiemcp2 asked:


My credit score is average but not bad. I’m having a hard time trying to refinance my ARM’s into fixed rate mortgages because my debt to income ratio is high. Are there any serious lenders that specialize in these situations?

JAIME

Effective Home Loan Refinance – Things That You Should Know

Alan Lim asked:


No matter what you do, there will always be time when you wish you can have more funds to pay your mortgage that is almost going on default or lower down your interest rates. Fortunately, you have the answer for that. The most effective solution is to settle for a home loan refinance.

However, it is not going to be easy as you probably think. There are several things that you need to keep in mind, such as closing costs, your new interest rates, and the length of the refinance loan, to name a few. To ensure that you do not go wrong with your home refinancing, consider the following tips:

1. Know if you need the home loan refinance. It is important that you know the importance of home refinancing to your personal finances. Hence, before you even consider applying for a home loan refinance, know first if it is really what you need. You have to assess if you have plans of staying at your home for a certain period of time. To help you out, you can do this basic calculation. You divide the refinancing cost by 12. This way, you will know how many more years you need to live at your home before you can say that you have made a wise investment. If the result does not appeal to you, as you may be moving to another location by then, then a home refinancing is not something for you.

2. Talk to your present lender first before looking for another provider. If you are thinking of refinancing your home loan, you need to talk to your present mortgage lender first. This will definitely cut the time of processing your application, as you already have your records, and you can even save something from your closing costs. Nevertheless, do not be afraid to ask your provider to lay everything on the table. If after calculations you realize that the new loan appears to be almost as high as your previous one, you may have to look for another lending company for your mortgage refinance.

3. Determine the total costs of your refinance. It is not enough that you know how much you are going to pay monthly. You also have to take into consideration the costs associated with your new loan, such as the closing, transaction, and appraisal costs. This is to help you evaluate if you are getting the best deal when it comes to interest rate and monthly payment for your new loan.

4. Try to shorten the payment term of your new mortgage. If you are going for home loan refinance, ensure that you can at least limit the new term to what is left of your old mortgage. This way, you will not have to actually extend the number of months that you will be paying for your loan.

In the end, it is always good if you can learn to shop around. It is only when you do some research in the market that you will understand your different options.



CLAUDE

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