The process of applying for a mortgage, finding a home, and closing the deal can be a very stressful time, which is filled with a great deal of paperwork. Often, the process begins with you providing the lender an outline of your available funds and your salary. They will initially use these numbers to get an idea of how much of mortgage to offer you and the value of this mortgage. While initially they may only require your word, the mortgage lender will ultimately require proof of your employment and a number of other financial details, so it is a good idea to prepare as much of this information ahead of time as possible.
One of the most tedious parts of purchasing a new home is doing all the paperwork, but by spending some time getting your financial records in order before visiting a mortgage lender, you can greatly simplify the process of getting a mortgage and greatly reduce your stress.
Below, you will find some of the information that is usually required by a bank or other mortgage lender in order to approve your loan.
By having the above information ready before begin visiting lenders, you can make the entire mortgage approval process much simpler and quicker.
Just when you thought that mortgage interest rates were as low as they could go, they drop even lower making those in the industry wonder just when we will actually see the bottom. According to the weekly mortgage survey conducted by Freddie Mac , interest rates on 30 year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.85% the week of March 26th. This is down from last weeks average of of 4.98%. Rates for 15 year mortgages were averaging 4.58%.
Many critics say that even this drop is not enough to stimulate sales of new homes in the current economy. Tighter credit restrictions and buyer insecurity mean that even at the current low rates, home sales are unlikely to improve. Could we see mortgage interest rates as low as 3% in the next year? It has already happened for some IndyMac borrowers after the FDIC took control of the failing bank. Indeed, the Fed has been actively encouraging banks to lower rates for distressed borrowers in an effort to stem the rising tide of US foreclosures. Whether lowering the rates will have any effect on those borrowers already verging on foreclosure remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that low interest rates will encourage refinancing and stimulate home sales. All of which is great for customers and the economy but not so great for banks unless the rate changes signicantly prevent additional foreclosures.
Buying a new home is a big step and for some is the largest investment they have ever made. Most people can not afford to buy a home outright, so they get a loan instead. This loan is called a mortgage and there are two main kinds.
With a fixed rate mortgage you are guaranteed by the lender to maintain the same interest rate during the entire length of your loan. The major advantage to this type of loan is that if the federal interest rates go up, you are locked in at a lower rate that can not be changed by the bank. There is a flip side to this though, because if the federal interest rate goes down, your interest rate will not.
Most people that finance their home with a fixed rate mortgage, do so over the course of 30 years. The advantage to this is that you get a larger tax advantage and because it is spread out over 30 years a lower monthly payment.
Others opt for a shorter mortgage of 15 or 20 years. Generally the shorter the loan, the lower the interest rate. This means you pay less interest, but because you are paying over a shorter time the monthly payments will be higher.
Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM)
An adjustable rate mortgage, as the name implies, is a mortgage that does not have a fixed interest rate. The interest rate is set to be re-evaluated at a predetermined period. The interest rate can go up or down and a cap is placed on the percent it can change each time.
The frequency that the interest rate adjusts is set by the bank, as is the amount the interest rate can change each time. For example say you are offered a 4.9% 3/1 ARM. This means that the first 3 years, the interest rate will stay at 4.9%. After that your interest rate will adjust every 1 year. The percent that the interest rate can go up or down is set at the time of the loan, but it is often 1%. So in 4 years when the interest rate change, you would probably be paying 5.9%. The next year it would be re-evaluated and would either raise or lower 1%.
The advantage to this type of loan is that your initial interest rate will be generally less expensive than a fixed rate mortgage. If you keep the loan without refinancing though, you will likely end up with a much higher interest rate because except in times of recession, your interest rate will not typically go down. An adjustable rate mortgage is perfect if you intend to refinance or sell your home within a few years before the interest rate changes.