Archive for the 'Finance' Category
Saturday 8 August 2009 @ 8:26 pm
Clive Patterson asked:
A flexible mortgage is a secured loan, which can be paid back in differing amounts while providing access to the housing equity (within pre-agreed limits).
There are five key features with a flexible mortgage: the ability to pay the mortgage off early through overpayments or lump sum payments, the ability to borrow money back by withdrawing lump sums, making underpayments, and having payment holidays. A flexible mortgage gives you more control than with a traditional type of mortgage, and the overpayment feature can significantly save money on your mortgage, for example:
Example 1: £140,000 mortgage, interest rate 6%, mortgage term 25 years.
Monthly mortgage payment was £902 and increased by £50 to £952 – the overall cost saved would be £16,193 and the adjusted mortgage term would be 22.2 years.
Example 2: £100,000 mortgage, interest rate 7%, mortgage term 30 years.
Monthly mortgage payment was £665 and increased by £50 to £715 – the overall cost saved would be £31,193 and the adjusted mortgage term would be 24.2 years
Lump sum payments can also make a significant difference to your mortgage. For example, £150,000 mortgage, interest rate 7%, mortgage term 25 years – if you made a £10,000 lump sum payment after 5 years of having the mortgage, the interest saved would be £26,576.81 and the time saved would be 2 years and 10 months. If you made the £10,000 lump sum payment after 1 year of having the mortgage, the interest saved would be £36,949.05 and the time saved would be 3 years and 8 months (all figures are approximate).
Two additional reasons for making overpayments on your debt with a flexible mortgage are:
Save interest – the interest charged on your mortgage is normally higher than the average savings account. Consequently, it is better to pay off your mortgage with an interest rate of 6.9%, than putting your money into a savings account with an interest rate of 4.3%.
Reduce the capital debt – all the extra payments reduce the capital debt rather than just paying the interest on your flexible mortgage; in the beginning, up to 95% of your monthly mortgage payments goes on paying the interest and only a small amount of your monthly payment is paid on the capital debt.
A flexible mortgage can be tailored to a borrower’s lifestyle and needs as there are different types of flexible mortgages in the market place. Some flexible mortgages can be quite restrictive with no underpayment facility and limited access to overpayments, whereas another type of flexible mortgage can give enormous scope for borrowers’ to deposit and withdraw sums of any amount at any time.
A flexible mortgage has a higher interest rate than a conventional mortgage, but the key selling point for a flexible mortgage is the longer-term savings on interest that can be made by making overpayments and lump sum payments to get ahead in the repayment schedule, thus paying off the mortgage early. In a recent survey of borrowers’ who had a flexible mortgage: 32% had used the overpayment facility, and 90% who had overpaid would do so again. 51% who had not made overpayments were planning to do so in the future. 69% of borrowers’ who had made overpayments had been doing so for more than six months, and 87% intended to continue overpaying until the mortgage was paid off. Most overpayers looked upon overpayments as a long-term plan for clearing their mortgage debt and saving money in the long run.
Although the flexible mortgage is a fairly new type of mortgage on the market, it is becoming an increasingly popular choice for borrowers’, and lenders predict that the flexible mortgage will become more accommodating for borrowers’.
A flexible mortgage is a secured loan, which can be paid back in differing amounts while providing access to the housing equity (within pre-agreed limits).
There are five key features with a flexible mortgage: the ability to pay the mortgage off early through overpayments or lump sum payments, the ability to borrow money back by withdrawing lump sums, making underpayments, and having payment holidays. A flexible mortgage gives you more control than with a traditional type of mortgage, and the overpayment feature can significantly save money on your mortgage, for example:
Example 1: £140,000 mortgage, interest rate 6%, mortgage term 25 years.
Monthly mortgage payment was £902 and increased by £50 to £952 – the overall cost saved would be £16,193 and the adjusted mortgage term would be 22.2 years.
Example 2: £100,000 mortgage, interest rate 7%, mortgage term 30 years.
Monthly mortgage payment was £665 and increased by £50 to £715 – the overall cost saved would be £31,193 and the adjusted mortgage term would be 24.2 years
Lump sum payments can also make a significant difference to your mortgage. For example, £150,000 mortgage, interest rate 7%, mortgage term 25 years – if you made a £10,000 lump sum payment after 5 years of having the mortgage, the interest saved would be £26,576.81 and the time saved would be 2 years and 10 months. If you made the £10,000 lump sum payment after 1 year of having the mortgage, the interest saved would be £36,949.05 and the time saved would be 3 years and 8 months (all figures are approximate).
Two additional reasons for making overpayments on your debt with a flexible mortgage are:
Save interest – the interest charged on your mortgage is normally higher than the average savings account. Consequently, it is better to pay off your mortgage with an interest rate of 6.9%, than putting your money into a savings account with an interest rate of 4.3%.
Reduce the capital debt – all the extra payments reduce the capital debt rather than just paying the interest on your flexible mortgage; in the beginning, up to 95% of your monthly mortgage payments goes on paying the interest and only a small amount of your monthly payment is paid on the capital debt.
A flexible mortgage can be tailored to a borrower’s lifestyle and needs as there are different types of flexible mortgages in the market place. Some flexible mortgages can be quite restrictive with no underpayment facility and limited access to overpayments, whereas another type of flexible mortgage can give enormous scope for borrowers’ to deposit and withdraw sums of any amount at any time.
A flexible mortgage has a higher interest rate than a conventional mortgage, but the key selling point for a flexible mortgage is the longer-term savings on interest that can be made by making overpayments and lump sum payments to get ahead in the repayment schedule, thus paying off the mortgage early. In a recent survey of borrowers’ who had a flexible mortgage: 32% had used the overpayment facility, and 90% who had overpaid would do so again. 51% who had not made overpayments were planning to do so in the future. 69% of borrowers’ who had made overpayments had been doing so for more than six months, and 87% intended to continue overpaying until the mortgage was paid off. Most overpayers looked upon overpayments as a long-term plan for clearing their mortgage debt and saving money in the long run.
Although the flexible mortgage is a fairly new type of mortgage on the market, it is becoming an increasingly popular choice for borrowers’, and lenders predict that the flexible mortgage will become more accommodating for borrowers’.
Saturday 8 August 2009 @ 5:45 am
Phillip Gilliam asked:
Even people that know virtually nothing about finance and Wall Street are talking about the serious impact the subprime mortgage catastrophe has had on our economy. While the incredible number of failed subprime mortgages may have started the economic tumble, the continued financial problems and people’s inability to obtain a mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their home is exacerbated by poor credit scores.
To make matters worse, with the horrifying increase in foreclosures across the country, the mortgage, and mortgage refinancing problem for mortgage brokers is just going to grow.
When an individual’s credit score goes down, so does their choices for mortgages and mortgage refinancing options. Also, tell your clients to beware of untrustworthy credit repair companies and other scams in the marketplace today promising to “repair bad credit”.
Good credit is an absolute must for a loan originator to be able to put through most reasonable mortgage and mortgage refinancing deals, and with the problem not going away anytime soon, it behooves the loan originator the help their clients with ideas for the credit repair process of improving their credit scores.
This type of credit repair advice is the way that a mortgage broker can turn a potential client into the “real deal” and close their mortgage or mortgage refinancing deal. Also, if done properly, more often than not, the process can take place in a relatively short time span.
Step 1
Realize that rebuilding an individual’s credit score is an ongoing process and requires thoughtful preparation to successfully rebuild his or her credit to an acceptable level to obtain a well structured mortgage or mortgage refinancing product.
Encourage your client to be conservative on any new monthly credit score building budget that they will be able to make the payments and never be late on anything. Caution your client not to structure a program with monthly payments that they cannot comfortably make, because being late on any payments will further reduce their credit score and may make a new mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their home impossible.
If there are extenuating circumstances such as divorce, insist that they review their credit program with their attorney before agreeing to anything.
Step 2
If your client’s credit card companies have not reported or have understated their credit limits on their credit cards, it can hurt their credit score. For this reason, have your client determine if their credit card companies are understating their credit limits on their cards. Often credit limits are reported as lower than they actually are and frequently may not be reported whatsoever.
While we are on the subject of credit cards, make sure that your client has a minimum of three credit cards or other sort of revolving credit. Many people mistakenly believe that if they have credit cards it actually hurts their credit score and because of this, they cancel some or all of their cards. Their credit score can be more harmed and the possibilities of not obtaining new mortgage refinancing on their home or a new mortgage is greater by simply canceling existing credit cards.
Furthermore, if they do not have any credit cards, have them obtain at least three. If they have trouble with getting typical cards like Visa, Master Card, Amex etc, tell them to try a local department store, or a Home Depot or Lowes. Quite often these types of stores are more lenient in granting revolving charge accounts.
Step 3
Make sure that your client reduces any outstanding credit card balances to under 30% of their credit limit on each of the individual cards. Some people mistakenly think that the 30% figure is based on their overall revolving credit card balance, but this is false. A single card over the 30% balance can nullify the benefit of the effort of having the revolving credit cards in the first place.
If your client has one card over the limit and several others under the limit, if they are limited on cash and cannot pay down the high card, have them see it they can transfer some of the higher card’s balance to the lower cards. Have them check first before doing this to see if this type of transfer creates a higher interest rate or any other adverse effects on their credit.
Thus, if an individual has 3 credit cards with a total of $12,000 credit, but two of them have a $2,000 limit and the other has an $8,000 limit, make sure that they keep the $2,000 limit cards under $600 each and the $8,000 card to under $2,400.
Implementing this simple process will cause credit scores to rise, along with the possibility of obtaining that desired mortgage or mortgage refinancing program.
Step 4
When helping your client to raise their credit scores, make it a point to frequently pull their credit reports for them to determine their status as well as any errors on their reports.
Errors are so common on credit reports that over 75% of all credit reports have a minimum of one or more mistakes on them. Just by their being diligent and carefully insuring that any incorrect reporting information is removed, their credit score will quite often go up incredibly. This is certainly one of the easiest and most effective things that your client can do immediately to improve their score dramatically along with the possibility of them obtaining a new mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their existing mortgage.
Step 5
If your client’s credit has been damaged to the point of having been sent to a collection agency, they probably will not want to immediately pay off the credit card debt. As incredible as it may seem, this situation can actually be more harmful than having credit card debt sent to a collection agency on their credit record.
When one of your clients have been sent to a credit collection agency, the effect on their credit is low after about two years and is virtually wiped out after four years.
Insure that your client receives a written promise from the collection agency for a “letter of deletion” before they do anything toward satisfying the old credit card debt, because without a letter of deletion, they may hurt their credit problem more than help it. Stress to your client that they should not pay anything on the bill until they receive in writing the agreement for the letter of deletion from the collection agency.
Most people trying to improve their credit to obtain a mortgage or mortgage refinancing on their home think that they need to pay off everything as quickly as possible, but this is one case that paying before you obtain the proper documents protecting your situation can actually seriously hurt your credit. People have in reality completely paid off a debt or negotiated a settlement to learn to their dismay that they now have no leverage to get the collection agency to send the letter of deletion.
Step 6
Finally, if your client does not make paid installments on a car or a boat, have them take out some sort of installment loan with someone like Best Buy or Sears on some needed appliance or with Staples or Office Depot for some business equipment. Credit bureaus look carefully not only at the fact that you have credit, but also the blend of the types of credit that you have. Having just credit cards only is not as advantageous as having credit cards and some sort of installment payment loan.
Be sure that your client watches out for the rates on their new installment loan. Some of these rates can be “out of the roof” and create undo stress on the monthly budget.
Also, unlike the credit cards which you should keep in perpetuity, obviously, revolving credit comes to some point at which the loan is satisfied and the monthly payment ceases. Your client should not buy just for the sake of buying, but if they are trying to improve their credit scores, planning a purchase that they might have paid in full with cash, would be better if they put a substantial amount down in cash and then financed the balance on an installment loan. Financing a smaller amount can actually lower loan interest payments thus lowering the monthly payment; all of which makes your client more likely to improve their credit score and get a new mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their home.
Even people that know virtually nothing about finance and Wall Street are talking about the serious impact the subprime mortgage catastrophe has had on our economy. While the incredible number of failed subprime mortgages may have started the economic tumble, the continued financial problems and people’s inability to obtain a mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their home is exacerbated by poor credit scores.
To make matters worse, with the horrifying increase in foreclosures across the country, the mortgage, and mortgage refinancing problem for mortgage brokers is just going to grow.
When an individual’s credit score goes down, so does their choices for mortgages and mortgage refinancing options. Also, tell your clients to beware of untrustworthy credit repair companies and other scams in the marketplace today promising to “repair bad credit”.
Good credit is an absolute must for a loan originator to be able to put through most reasonable mortgage and mortgage refinancing deals, and with the problem not going away anytime soon, it behooves the loan originator the help their clients with ideas for the credit repair process of improving their credit scores.
This type of credit repair advice is the way that a mortgage broker can turn a potential client into the “real deal” and close their mortgage or mortgage refinancing deal. Also, if done properly, more often than not, the process can take place in a relatively short time span.
Step 1
Realize that rebuilding an individual’s credit score is an ongoing process and requires thoughtful preparation to successfully rebuild his or her credit to an acceptable level to obtain a well structured mortgage or mortgage refinancing product.
Encourage your client to be conservative on any new monthly credit score building budget that they will be able to make the payments and never be late on anything. Caution your client not to structure a program with monthly payments that they cannot comfortably make, because being late on any payments will further reduce their credit score and may make a new mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their home impossible.
If there are extenuating circumstances such as divorce, insist that they review their credit program with their attorney before agreeing to anything.
Step 2
If your client’s credit card companies have not reported or have understated their credit limits on their credit cards, it can hurt their credit score. For this reason, have your client determine if their credit card companies are understating their credit limits on their cards. Often credit limits are reported as lower than they actually are and frequently may not be reported whatsoever.
While we are on the subject of credit cards, make sure that your client has a minimum of three credit cards or other sort of revolving credit. Many people mistakenly believe that if they have credit cards it actually hurts their credit score and because of this, they cancel some or all of their cards. Their credit score can be more harmed and the possibilities of not obtaining new mortgage refinancing on their home or a new mortgage is greater by simply canceling existing credit cards.
Furthermore, if they do not have any credit cards, have them obtain at least three. If they have trouble with getting typical cards like Visa, Master Card, Amex etc, tell them to try a local department store, or a Home Depot or Lowes. Quite often these types of stores are more lenient in granting revolving charge accounts.
Step 3
Make sure that your client reduces any outstanding credit card balances to under 30% of their credit limit on each of the individual cards. Some people mistakenly think that the 30% figure is based on their overall revolving credit card balance, but this is false. A single card over the 30% balance can nullify the benefit of the effort of having the revolving credit cards in the first place.
If your client has one card over the limit and several others under the limit, if they are limited on cash and cannot pay down the high card, have them see it they can transfer some of the higher card’s balance to the lower cards. Have them check first before doing this to see if this type of transfer creates a higher interest rate or any other adverse effects on their credit.
Thus, if an individual has 3 credit cards with a total of $12,000 credit, but two of them have a $2,000 limit and the other has an $8,000 limit, make sure that they keep the $2,000 limit cards under $600 each and the $8,000 card to under $2,400.
Implementing this simple process will cause credit scores to rise, along with the possibility of obtaining that desired mortgage or mortgage refinancing program.
Step 4
When helping your client to raise their credit scores, make it a point to frequently pull their credit reports for them to determine their status as well as any errors on their reports.
Errors are so common on credit reports that over 75% of all credit reports have a minimum of one or more mistakes on them. Just by their being diligent and carefully insuring that any incorrect reporting information is removed, their credit score will quite often go up incredibly. This is certainly one of the easiest and most effective things that your client can do immediately to improve their score dramatically along with the possibility of them obtaining a new mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their existing mortgage.
Step 5
If your client’s credit has been damaged to the point of having been sent to a collection agency, they probably will not want to immediately pay off the credit card debt. As incredible as it may seem, this situation can actually be more harmful than having credit card debt sent to a collection agency on their credit record.
When one of your clients have been sent to a credit collection agency, the effect on their credit is low after about two years and is virtually wiped out after four years.
Insure that your client receives a written promise from the collection agency for a “letter of deletion” before they do anything toward satisfying the old credit card debt, because without a letter of deletion, they may hurt their credit problem more than help it. Stress to your client that they should not pay anything on the bill until they receive in writing the agreement for the letter of deletion from the collection agency.
Most people trying to improve their credit to obtain a mortgage or mortgage refinancing on their home think that they need to pay off everything as quickly as possible, but this is one case that paying before you obtain the proper documents protecting your situation can actually seriously hurt your credit. People have in reality completely paid off a debt or negotiated a settlement to learn to their dismay that they now have no leverage to get the collection agency to send the letter of deletion.
Step 6
Finally, if your client does not make paid installments on a car or a boat, have them take out some sort of installment loan with someone like Best Buy or Sears on some needed appliance or with Staples or Office Depot for some business equipment. Credit bureaus look carefully not only at the fact that you have credit, but also the blend of the types of credit that you have. Having just credit cards only is not as advantageous as having credit cards and some sort of installment payment loan.
Be sure that your client watches out for the rates on their new installment loan. Some of these rates can be “out of the roof” and create undo stress on the monthly budget.
Also, unlike the credit cards which you should keep in perpetuity, obviously, revolving credit comes to some point at which the loan is satisfied and the monthly payment ceases. Your client should not buy just for the sake of buying, but if they are trying to improve their credit scores, planning a purchase that they might have paid in full with cash, would be better if they put a substantial amount down in cash and then financed the balance on an installment loan. Financing a smaller amount can actually lower loan interest payments thus lowering the monthly payment; all of which makes your client more likely to improve their credit score and get a new mortgage or mortgage refinancing of their home.
Friday 7 August 2009 @ 6:22 pm
Bruce Owens asked:
On July 9th, the Department of Finance moved to tighten Canada’s mortgages markets by announcing changes to the requirements for federally-backed mortgage insurance. The changes set minimum credit scores that home purchasers must meet to qualify for mortgage insurance on so-called ‘high-ratio mortgages” while restricting amortization terms to 35 years and requiring a minimum 5% down payment on mortgages insured through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) or other government-backed private mortgage insurers.
The tightening of Canada’s mortgage insurance rules, which will take effect on October 15th, is widely seen as a measure to further tighten Canadian mortgages market and forestall the credit problems that have crippled the U.S housing market. In announcing the changes, the Department of Finance characterized them as “a responsible and measured approach by the government to ensure Canada’s housing market remains strong and to reduce the risk of a U. S.-style housing bubble developing in Canada.”
Under the Bank Act, mortgages from federally-regulated lenders, including banks, credit unions, and caisses depots, must be insured where the value of the mortgage exceeds 80% of the value of the property or home being purchased or financed. Such high-ratio mortgages are insured primarily through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, a federal Crown Corporation, but also through a handful of private mortgage insurers – Genworth Financial Canada, AIG and PMI Mortgage Insurance. The federal government guarantees the obligations of these mortgage insurers to lenders in the event of their not covering the costs of defaulted mortgages.
Effective October 15th, new federal rules will require that the loan-to-value ratios for federally-backed mortgages not exceed 95%, that amortization periods not exceed 35 years and that prospective borrowers have a minimum credit score of 620 and a debt service ratio (the percentage of income that goes to servicing existing debts and housing costs) of no more than 45%. The new rules will also require evidence of the reasonableness of the mortgaged property’s value and of the borrower’s source and level of income.
The new rule changes come at a time when Canadian real estate markets are already cooling off. Growth in housing prices showed a very moderate 1.1% year-over-year gain in May, according to the latest numbers from the Canadian Real Estate Association, as Canadian markets and consumer expectations have adjusted in response to the constant barrage of bad news about the worst U.S. housing market slump since the Great Depression and sobering forecasts about the state of a Canadian economy that is coming to grips with escalating energy and commodity prices.
The tightening of amortization periods and loan-to-value ratios will likely have a further dampening effect on Canadian housing markets, which already have sharply increased levels of resale and new home listings. However, this dampening effect may not be felt until after October 15th when the new rules come into effect. In the short term, the move to tighten mortgage lending standards could have the opposite effect – providing an impetus for Canadians to take the plunge into highly leveraged, no-money-down mortgages before the October 15th deadline.
(An October 15th implementation date was chosen to give home purchasers with mortgage pre-approvals the opportunity to exercise their options before the pre-approvals expire at the end of their usual 90-day term. Note, also, that the mortgages of existing home owners with high-ratio mortgages, amortization periods in excess of 35 years and substandard credit scores will be grandfathered under the new rules so that they will not be precluded from obtaining mortgage insurance when it comes time to refinance their homes.)
Industry feelings have been mixed about this latest move to ensure the solidity of Canada’s mortgages and housing markets. Most industry analysts applaud the move to ensure that Canadian home purchasers do not get ****** into the same speculative frenzy that fueled the meltdown of U.S housing prices when the sub-prime mortgage market unraveled. Other analysts seem to be expressing the view that this is a case of too-little-too-late or mere window dressing.
Derek Holt, Scotiabank’s vice president of economics, acknowledged that mortgage lending rules had been “modestly tightened” but noted that, “The changes are more about optics.” Meanwhile, a more pessimistic analysis came from BMO Nesbitt Burn’s deputy chief economist, who observed that the rule change is “a bit like closing the barn door after the horse has already run down the road.”
Canada’s mortgages and housing markets have not experienced the wild speculative bubble that erupted and burst south of our border, largely due to much more conservative lending practices here at home. Canadians were not privy to such innovative and speculative mortgage products as the so-called NINJA mortgages (”no income, no job, no assets), where borrowers could qualify for mortgages without adequate proof of income or employment that would enable then to afford the requisite mortgage payments, and only a small percentage of Canadians took out the sub-prime mortgages that scuppered U.S. markets. As a result, the percentage of Canadian mortgages in arrears are at the lowest levels – 0.27 per cent – they have been at since 1990, whereas Americans are facing mortgage foreclosures at a rate not seen since the Great Depression. This tightening of Canada’s mortgage insurance rules seem to be largely a pre-emptive move to reassure Canadian markets and ensure that Canadian home buyers do not go down the same path trodden by snake-bitten home buyers south of the border.
On July 9th, the Department of Finance moved to tighten Canada’s mortgages markets by announcing changes to the requirements for federally-backed mortgage insurance. The changes set minimum credit scores that home purchasers must meet to qualify for mortgage insurance on so-called ‘high-ratio mortgages” while restricting amortization terms to 35 years and requiring a minimum 5% down payment on mortgages insured through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) or other government-backed private mortgage insurers.
The tightening of Canada’s mortgage insurance rules, which will take effect on October 15th, is widely seen as a measure to further tighten Canadian mortgages market and forestall the credit problems that have crippled the U.S housing market. In announcing the changes, the Department of Finance characterized them as “a responsible and measured approach by the government to ensure Canada’s housing market remains strong and to reduce the risk of a U. S.-style housing bubble developing in Canada.”
Under the Bank Act, mortgages from federally-regulated lenders, including banks, credit unions, and caisses depots, must be insured where the value of the mortgage exceeds 80% of the value of the property or home being purchased or financed. Such high-ratio mortgages are insured primarily through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, a federal Crown Corporation, but also through a handful of private mortgage insurers – Genworth Financial Canada, AIG and PMI Mortgage Insurance. The federal government guarantees the obligations of these mortgage insurers to lenders in the event of their not covering the costs of defaulted mortgages.
Effective October 15th, new federal rules will require that the loan-to-value ratios for federally-backed mortgages not exceed 95%, that amortization periods not exceed 35 years and that prospective borrowers have a minimum credit score of 620 and a debt service ratio (the percentage of income that goes to servicing existing debts and housing costs) of no more than 45%. The new rules will also require evidence of the reasonableness of the mortgaged property’s value and of the borrower’s source and level of income.
The new rule changes come at a time when Canadian real estate markets are already cooling off. Growth in housing prices showed a very moderate 1.1% year-over-year gain in May, according to the latest numbers from the Canadian Real Estate Association, as Canadian markets and consumer expectations have adjusted in response to the constant barrage of bad news about the worst U.S. housing market slump since the Great Depression and sobering forecasts about the state of a Canadian economy that is coming to grips with escalating energy and commodity prices.
The tightening of amortization periods and loan-to-value ratios will likely have a further dampening effect on Canadian housing markets, which already have sharply increased levels of resale and new home listings. However, this dampening effect may not be felt until after October 15th when the new rules come into effect. In the short term, the move to tighten mortgage lending standards could have the opposite effect – providing an impetus for Canadians to take the plunge into highly leveraged, no-money-down mortgages before the October 15th deadline.
(An October 15th implementation date was chosen to give home purchasers with mortgage pre-approvals the opportunity to exercise their options before the pre-approvals expire at the end of their usual 90-day term. Note, also, that the mortgages of existing home owners with high-ratio mortgages, amortization periods in excess of 35 years and substandard credit scores will be grandfathered under the new rules so that they will not be precluded from obtaining mortgage insurance when it comes time to refinance their homes.)
Industry feelings have been mixed about this latest move to ensure the solidity of Canada’s mortgages and housing markets. Most industry analysts applaud the move to ensure that Canadian home purchasers do not get ****** into the same speculative frenzy that fueled the meltdown of U.S housing prices when the sub-prime mortgage market unraveled. Other analysts seem to be expressing the view that this is a case of too-little-too-late or mere window dressing.
Derek Holt, Scotiabank’s vice president of economics, acknowledged that mortgage lending rules had been “modestly tightened” but noted that, “The changes are more about optics.” Meanwhile, a more pessimistic analysis came from BMO Nesbitt Burn’s deputy chief economist, who observed that the rule change is “a bit like closing the barn door after the horse has already run down the road.”
Canada’s mortgages and housing markets have not experienced the wild speculative bubble that erupted and burst south of our border, largely due to much more conservative lending practices here at home. Canadians were not privy to such innovative and speculative mortgage products as the so-called NINJA mortgages (”no income, no job, no assets), where borrowers could qualify for mortgages without adequate proof of income or employment that would enable then to afford the requisite mortgage payments, and only a small percentage of Canadians took out the sub-prime mortgages that scuppered U.S. markets. As a result, the percentage of Canadian mortgages in arrears are at the lowest levels – 0.27 per cent – they have been at since 1990, whereas Americans are facing mortgage foreclosures at a rate not seen since the Great Depression. This tightening of Canada’s mortgage insurance rules seem to be largely a pre-emptive move to reassure Canadian markets and ensure that Canadian home buyers do not go down the same path trodden by snake-bitten home buyers south of the border.
Friday 7 August 2009 @ 4:25 pm
1st American Mortgage asked:
Ask Denver mortgage loan providers what would-be borrowers want to know and the answer is simple. Those who are shopping for mortgage loans in Denver want to know what their rate would be for a Denver mortgage.
But for the average mortgage lender, the answer is hard to come up with at a moment’s notice. There are no two borrowers who are exactly alike, so no two Denver mortgages would be exactly alike. There are many factors in the Denver mortgage quote equation, like:
• The type of properties for needed Denver mortgages
• The applicant’s credit score for Denver mortgages
• The future plans of a borrower applying for a Denver mortgage
• Whether the Denver mortgage loan quote is needed
for a first home or subsequent home
•The size of a mortgage loan and whether the Denver property will need a jumbo loan (more than $417,000)
• Other debt obligations of the applicant for Denver mortgage loan
• Applicants income for Denver mortgage loan quote
With these factors, a mortgage lender in Denver will find the best product for mortgage loans in Denver. To get the best rate for the borrower looking for a Denver mortgage quote, the mortgage lender in Denver will look at all of their products to see how they can best obtain the Denver mortgage loan quote and which of the Denver mortgages they have available will be most affordable for a customer.
Getting Beyond the Denver Mortgage Quote Rate
In addition to the mortgage loan rates in Denver, there are other factors that can impact the affordability and final amounts owed for Denver mortgages. These need to be carefully considered. Some mortgage lenders in Denver will offer good, low rates for Denver mortgages but have high fees and closing costs that makes up for the difference. Denver is not immune to such dealings in Denver mortgages. Be sure to ask about closing costs and other fees for Denver mortgages early in the process. These kinds of mortgage lenders in Denver want a borrower to get to the “point of no return” before they realize how high the true cost of the lower Denver mortgage quote can be.
How to Assess a Good Mortgage Lender in Denver
What a borrower should aim for is the best mortgage loan in Denver with the best total package including reasonable rates, closing costs, and frees, along with excellent customer service from the lender. A borrower should expect a mortgage lender in Denver to provide good service that is helpful, informative and, most importantly, professional in providing a Denver mortgage loan quote. A borrower should be able to ask questions they want about the Denver mortgage, product, the borrower’s Denver mortgage quote, or any other nformation about options and terms. When a borrower asks, they should get a professional and detailed answer. A borrower should never leave a conversation about the Denver mortgage loan quote wondering to what they are agreeing or feeling disrespected. If they do feel that way, then they should go elsewhere for a mortgage loan in Denver.
Ask Denver mortgage loan providers what would-be borrowers want to know and the answer is simple. Those who are shopping for mortgage loans in Denver want to know what their rate would be for a Denver mortgage.
But for the average mortgage lender, the answer is hard to come up with at a moment’s notice. There are no two borrowers who are exactly alike, so no two Denver mortgages would be exactly alike. There are many factors in the Denver mortgage quote equation, like:
• The type of properties for needed Denver mortgages
• The applicant’s credit score for Denver mortgages
• The future plans of a borrower applying for a Denver mortgage
• Whether the Denver mortgage loan quote is needed
for a first home or subsequent home
•The size of a mortgage loan and whether the Denver property will need a jumbo loan (more than $417,000)
• Other debt obligations of the applicant for Denver mortgage loan
• Applicants income for Denver mortgage loan quote
With these factors, a mortgage lender in Denver will find the best product for mortgage loans in Denver. To get the best rate for the borrower looking for a Denver mortgage quote, the mortgage lender in Denver will look at all of their products to see how they can best obtain the Denver mortgage loan quote and which of the Denver mortgages they have available will be most affordable for a customer.
Getting Beyond the Denver Mortgage Quote Rate
In addition to the mortgage loan rates in Denver, there are other factors that can impact the affordability and final amounts owed for Denver mortgages. These need to be carefully considered. Some mortgage lenders in Denver will offer good, low rates for Denver mortgages but have high fees and closing costs that makes up for the difference. Denver is not immune to such dealings in Denver mortgages. Be sure to ask about closing costs and other fees for Denver mortgages early in the process. These kinds of mortgage lenders in Denver want a borrower to get to the “point of no return” before they realize how high the true cost of the lower Denver mortgage quote can be.
How to Assess a Good Mortgage Lender in Denver
What a borrower should aim for is the best mortgage loan in Denver with the best total package including reasonable rates, closing costs, and frees, along with excellent customer service from the lender. A borrower should expect a mortgage lender in Denver to provide good service that is helpful, informative and, most importantly, professional in providing a Denver mortgage loan quote. A borrower should be able to ask questions they want about the Denver mortgage, product, the borrower’s Denver mortgage quote, or any other nformation about options and terms. When a borrower asks, they should get a professional and detailed answer. A borrower should never leave a conversation about the Denver mortgage loan quote wondering to what they are agreeing or feeling disrespected. If they do feel that way, then they should go elsewhere for a mortgage loan in Denver.
Friday 7 August 2009 @ 3:54 pm
Donna Elizabeth Lewczuk asked:
a residential mortgage in today’s market can seem like a daunting task. The borrower can be faced with a myriad of choices. Each lending institution presents their respective claims to the enquiring borrower in an attempt to entice them to use their residential mortgage product. Each one assures the borrower that their product is the best residential mortgage that they can get.
This is not always the case. Terms for residential mortgages can vary widely between lending institutions, even for those with bad or less than perfect credit. There is also often latitude in interest rates for residential mortgages, depending again upon the lending institution and what terms the borrower is looking for.
Here are some of the considerations for borrowers looking for a residential mortgage: A loan for no more than 80% of the appraised value or purchase price of the property (whichever is less) is a conventional residential mortgage. The remaining 20% required for a purchase is referred to as the down payment and comes from your own resources. If you have to borrow more than 80% of the money you need, you’ll be applying for what is called a high-ratio residential mortgage. If you are self-employed or don’t have verifiable income, most traditional lending institutions won’t go over 75% on a conventional residential mortgage.
If high ratio, the residential mortgage must then be insured by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Genworth Financial Canada (Genworth), or AIG. The fee that the insurer will charge for this insurance will depend on the amount you are borrowing and the percentage of your own down payment. Whethor or not you are self-employed and have verifiable income or if you have a bad credit history will also determine the amount the insurer will charge. Typical fees range from 1.00% to 7% of the principal amount of your residential mortgage.
With a fixed-rate residential mortgage, your interest rate will not change throughout the entire term of your mortgage. The benefit of this is that you’ll always know exactly how much your payments will be and how much of your mortgage will be paid off at the end of your term. With a variable-rate residential mortgage, your rate will be set in relation to the prime rate at the beginning of each month. The interest rate may vary from month to month (although your payment remains the same). Historically, variable-rate residential mortgages have tended to cost less than fixed-rate residential mortgages when interest rates are fairly stable. You can potentially pay off your residential mortgage faster with a variable rate residential mortgage.
The term of a residential mortgage is the length of the current mortgage agreement. A residential mortgage typically has a term of six months to 10 years. Usually, the shorter the term, the lower the interest rate. Two years or less equals a short-term mortgage. Three years or more is usually a long term mortgage. Short-term mortgages are appropriate for buyers who believe interest rates will drop at renewal time. Long-term mortgages are suitable when current rates are reasonable and borrowers want the security of budgeting for the future. The key to choosing between short and long terms is to feel comfortable with your mortgage payments.
After a term expires, the balance of the principal owing on the mortgage can be repaid, or a new mortgage agreement can be established at the then-current interest rates. Open mortgages can be paid off at any time without penalty and are usually negotiated for a very short term. Homeowners who are planning to sell in the near future or those who want the flexibility to make large, lump-sum payments before maturity will find this type of residential mortgage helpful. Closed mortgages are commitments for specific terms. If you pay off the mortgage balance before the maturity date, you will pay a penalty for breaking the term. The good news is, refinancing a residential mortgage for a lower rate or more attractive terms can often offset any penalty incurred by breaking the term.
Residential mortgages are available through banks, mortgage companies and private lenders. Mortgage rates vary widely. Traditional banks offer some very low rates. However, due to their restrictive lending criteria, they are prevented from providing residential mortgages in many instances. Previous bankruptcy, bruised credit (bad or less than perfect credit), or even owning multiple properties can make it difficult or even impossible to obtain residential mortgages through traditional banks.
Hard money residential mortgages are available through private lenders. Unlike traditional banks, private lenders have more flexible lending criteria. Also known as hard money lenders, private residential mortgage companies focus more on a clear method of repayment and the current value of a property rather than looking exclusively on your personal financial package, which may indicate bad credit.
Private lenders are often able to fund a residential mortgage if there is a clear picture of how the loan will be paid back. When determining whether to fund a residential mortgage, private lenders will often look at the ratio of income to expenses. Unless a borrower has repeated defaults and bankruptcies, private lenders are not as concerned if the borrower has bad or less than perfect credit.
When applying for a residential mortgage, be prepared to provide your residential mortgage company, be it a bank or a hard money private residential mortgage lender, with the following:
- A completed standard residential mortgage loan application, which includes a personal balance sheet
- A description of the use of proceeds of the residential mortgage you are seeking (strictly refinance, debt consolidation, home improvements, etc.)
- A description of the property
- The current value/purchase price of the property
- An estimate of the property’s value after improvements, if any
- For a hard money loan, provide an exit strategy for the residential mortgage
- Will you refinance this mortgage with a traditional bank after making improvements or alterations to the existing property or some other scenario?
Owners considering a residential mortgage refinance will find many unique loan programs. Specialists of commercial and residential mortgage refinancing offer some of the best loan options available, most of which your local bank simply does not have. Refinancing your residential mortgage is not an act exclusively reserved for the time your residential mortgage matures. There are some great reasons for refinancing your residential mortgage prior to this. If you have selected a private hard money lender who is a good match for your loan scenario, you will be able to speak directly with the decision makers, avoiding the ‘run around’ that so many hard money borrowers fall prey to. You are told that your loan is going through, only to hear the next day that the lender has elected not to take on your hard money loan and now your loan is on another desk in yet another private lender’s office – or worse, on the desk of another broker who may know a broker who knows a lender who may want to fund your loan. Sometimes, the choice of direct lender is based more on the commission the broker will get than on your best interests.
By working with a private hard money lender, you can avoid the ‘run-around’ and may be able to close more rapidly. After all, no one knows your situation like you do, no one can explain any extenuating circumstances better than you can, and no one is as committed to your hard money loan as you are.
The advantage of working with a mortgage broker is also clear: a seasoned, well-informed, honest mortgage broker will have the knowledge of and direct access to the private hard money lenders in Ontario, Canada, and the United States. A mortgage broker will know where your loan has the best fit. A good mortgage broker will help you ‘package’ your loan to your best advantage, helping you determine how much to expect based on the equity in your property, how soon you need to close the deal, and more. A good mortgage broker will be able to assist you through the lengthy application process and submit your loan request to the best privatelenders for your situation. More often than not, working with a mortgage broker will save time. By representing you and presenting your loan request to the best private lenders, it often makes the transaction run more smoothly and take less time than if you were to take on this task yourself. This often saves you time and trouble in the long run and be well worth the cost of using a mortgage broker.
a residential mortgage in today’s market can seem like a daunting task. The borrower can be faced with a myriad of choices. Each lending institution presents their respective claims to the enquiring borrower in an attempt to entice them to use their residential mortgage product. Each one assures the borrower that their product is the best residential mortgage that they can get.
This is not always the case. Terms for residential mortgages can vary widely between lending institutions, even for those with bad or less than perfect credit. There is also often latitude in interest rates for residential mortgages, depending again upon the lending institution and what terms the borrower is looking for.
Here are some of the considerations for borrowers looking for a residential mortgage: A loan for no more than 80% of the appraised value or purchase price of the property (whichever is less) is a conventional residential mortgage. The remaining 20% required for a purchase is referred to as the down payment and comes from your own resources. If you have to borrow more than 80% of the money you need, you’ll be applying for what is called a high-ratio residential mortgage. If you are self-employed or don’t have verifiable income, most traditional lending institutions won’t go over 75% on a conventional residential mortgage.
If high ratio, the residential mortgage must then be insured by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Genworth Financial Canada (Genworth), or AIG. The fee that the insurer will charge for this insurance will depend on the amount you are borrowing and the percentage of your own down payment. Whethor or not you are self-employed and have verifiable income or if you have a bad credit history will also determine the amount the insurer will charge. Typical fees range from 1.00% to 7% of the principal amount of your residential mortgage.
With a fixed-rate residential mortgage, your interest rate will not change throughout the entire term of your mortgage. The benefit of this is that you’ll always know exactly how much your payments will be and how much of your mortgage will be paid off at the end of your term. With a variable-rate residential mortgage, your rate will be set in relation to the prime rate at the beginning of each month. The interest rate may vary from month to month (although your payment remains the same). Historically, variable-rate residential mortgages have tended to cost less than fixed-rate residential mortgages when interest rates are fairly stable. You can potentially pay off your residential mortgage faster with a variable rate residential mortgage.
The term of a residential mortgage is the length of the current mortgage agreement. A residential mortgage typically has a term of six months to 10 years. Usually, the shorter the term, the lower the interest rate. Two years or less equals a short-term mortgage. Three years or more is usually a long term mortgage. Short-term mortgages are appropriate for buyers who believe interest rates will drop at renewal time. Long-term mortgages are suitable when current rates are reasonable and borrowers want the security of budgeting for the future. The key to choosing between short and long terms is to feel comfortable with your mortgage payments.
After a term expires, the balance of the principal owing on the mortgage can be repaid, or a new mortgage agreement can be established at the then-current interest rates. Open mortgages can be paid off at any time without penalty and are usually negotiated for a very short term. Homeowners who are planning to sell in the near future or those who want the flexibility to make large, lump-sum payments before maturity will find this type of residential mortgage helpful. Closed mortgages are commitments for specific terms. If you pay off the mortgage balance before the maturity date, you will pay a penalty for breaking the term. The good news is, refinancing a residential mortgage for a lower rate or more attractive terms can often offset any penalty incurred by breaking the term.
Residential mortgages are available through banks, mortgage companies and private lenders. Mortgage rates vary widely. Traditional banks offer some very low rates. However, due to their restrictive lending criteria, they are prevented from providing residential mortgages in many instances. Previous bankruptcy, bruised credit (bad or less than perfect credit), or even owning multiple properties can make it difficult or even impossible to obtain residential mortgages through traditional banks.
Hard money residential mortgages are available through private lenders. Unlike traditional banks, private lenders have more flexible lending criteria. Also known as hard money lenders, private residential mortgage companies focus more on a clear method of repayment and the current value of a property rather than looking exclusively on your personal financial package, which may indicate bad credit.
Private lenders are often able to fund a residential mortgage if there is a clear picture of how the loan will be paid back. When determining whether to fund a residential mortgage, private lenders will often look at the ratio of income to expenses. Unless a borrower has repeated defaults and bankruptcies, private lenders are not as concerned if the borrower has bad or less than perfect credit.
When applying for a residential mortgage, be prepared to provide your residential mortgage company, be it a bank or a hard money private residential mortgage lender, with the following:
- A completed standard residential mortgage loan application, which includes a personal balance sheet
- A description of the use of proceeds of the residential mortgage you are seeking (strictly refinance, debt consolidation, home improvements, etc.)
- A description of the property
- The current value/purchase price of the property
- An estimate of the property’s value after improvements, if any
- For a hard money loan, provide an exit strategy for the residential mortgage
- Will you refinance this mortgage with a traditional bank after making improvements or alterations to the existing property or some other scenario?
Owners considering a residential mortgage refinance will find many unique loan programs. Specialists of commercial and residential mortgage refinancing offer some of the best loan options available, most of which your local bank simply does not have. Refinancing your residential mortgage is not an act exclusively reserved for the time your residential mortgage matures. There are some great reasons for refinancing your residential mortgage prior to this. If you have selected a private hard money lender who is a good match for your loan scenario, you will be able to speak directly with the decision makers, avoiding the ‘run around’ that so many hard money borrowers fall prey to. You are told that your loan is going through, only to hear the next day that the lender has elected not to take on your hard money loan and now your loan is on another desk in yet another private lender’s office – or worse, on the desk of another broker who may know a broker who knows a lender who may want to fund your loan. Sometimes, the choice of direct lender is based more on the commission the broker will get than on your best interests.
By working with a private hard money lender, you can avoid the ‘run-around’ and may be able to close more rapidly. After all, no one knows your situation like you do, no one can explain any extenuating circumstances better than you can, and no one is as committed to your hard money loan as you are.
The advantage of working with a mortgage broker is also clear: a seasoned, well-informed, honest mortgage broker will have the knowledge of and direct access to the private hard money lenders in Ontario, Canada, and the United States. A mortgage broker will know where your loan has the best fit. A good mortgage broker will help you ‘package’ your loan to your best advantage, helping you determine how much to expect based on the equity in your property, how soon you need to close the deal, and more. A good mortgage broker will be able to assist you through the lengthy application process and submit your loan request to the best privatelenders for your situation. More often than not, working with a mortgage broker will save time. By representing you and presenting your loan request to the best private lenders, it often makes the transaction run more smoothly and take less time than if you were to take on this task yourself. This often saves you time and trouble in the long run and be well worth the cost of using a mortgage broker.
Friday 7 August 2009 @ 2:05 pm
The House Team Of Mortgage Intellingence asked:
“A penny saved is a penny earned”… or so the old proverb goes. Of course, the value of a penny has changed somewhat from the time when your mother offered her wisdom on the value of keeping what you earn. Today, you could save thousands of dollars by simply making the right mortgage decision. If you’re like most Canadian homeowners, your mortgage is a goldmine of potential savings.
In the past few articles, we’ve talked about the importance of your mortgage as one of your most significant financial decisions. We’ve explored the value of seeking the advice of a mortgage professional -whether you’re buying a home or renewing an existing mortgage.
Today, let’s take a look at the bottom line: the savings you can enjoy by making the right mortgage decisions.
It is the primary role of a mortgage broker to find you the right product for your personal situation. A mortgage broker is a financial professional and – like your investment advisor – he or she will want to understand your personal situation and payment preferences. Your mortgage broker has access to a broad spectrum of lending institutions, so you can do some valuable comparison shopping for the right combination of features, rates and mortgage options.
All these choices offer you substantial opportunities to save money over the life of your mortgage.
If you are like most homeowners, you are focused -for good reason – on finding the best possible rate for your mortgage. Your mortgage broker can offer you the best range of rate options and terms. If a mortgage broker can get you one per cent off the posted rate, that could translate into more than $13,000 in interest per $100,000 borrowed over a 25-year amortization schedule. If, however, you believe that most mortgage rates are basically the same from one institution to the next, then consider the fact that even an eighth of a point difference in the rate can offer significant savings over the duration of your mortgage.
But it’s also important to look beyond the rate. There are other ways to find savings in your mortgage. Your mortgage broker is up-to-date on market trends and new opportunities… as well as some of the tried-and-true ways to save money in a mortgage.
Do you get an annual bonus in your job? You may want to use that bonus to pay down the principal of your mortgage. If you pursue this strategy consistently over the life of your mortgage, you could save thousands of dollars in interest by paying your mortgage off sooner.
Are you paid bi-weekly or bi-monthly? Consider a change from the usual monthly mortgage payment. Set up your mortgage payment schedule to coincide with your pay period. Again, you can shave years off your mortgage, and enjoy thousands of dollars in savings.
In the coming weeks, we’ll look at some of these savings opportunities in more detail. In the meantime, consider the old penny proverb again. How much is your time worth? Time savings is one of the key, unexpected benefits that clients say they have enjoyed when they choose to work with a mortgage broker. Above all, a mortgage broker is an expert in customer service, and that means that your broker looks after every detail of your mortgage research and negotiations on your behalf.
“A penny saved is a penny earned”… or so the old proverb goes. Of course, the value of a penny has changed somewhat from the time when your mother offered her wisdom on the value of keeping what you earn. Today, you could save thousands of dollars by simply making the right mortgage decision. If you’re like most Canadian homeowners, your mortgage is a goldmine of potential savings.
In the past few articles, we’ve talked about the importance of your mortgage as one of your most significant financial decisions. We’ve explored the value of seeking the advice of a mortgage professional -whether you’re buying a home or renewing an existing mortgage.
Today, let’s take a look at the bottom line: the savings you can enjoy by making the right mortgage decisions.
It is the primary role of a mortgage broker to find you the right product for your personal situation. A mortgage broker is a financial professional and – like your investment advisor – he or she will want to understand your personal situation and payment preferences. Your mortgage broker has access to a broad spectrum of lending institutions, so you can do some valuable comparison shopping for the right combination of features, rates and mortgage options.
All these choices offer you substantial opportunities to save money over the life of your mortgage.
If you are like most homeowners, you are focused -for good reason – on finding the best possible rate for your mortgage. Your mortgage broker can offer you the best range of rate options and terms. If a mortgage broker can get you one per cent off the posted rate, that could translate into more than $13,000 in interest per $100,000 borrowed over a 25-year amortization schedule. If, however, you believe that most mortgage rates are basically the same from one institution to the next, then consider the fact that even an eighth of a point difference in the rate can offer significant savings over the duration of your mortgage.
But it’s also important to look beyond the rate. There are other ways to find savings in your mortgage. Your mortgage broker is up-to-date on market trends and new opportunities… as well as some of the tried-and-true ways to save money in a mortgage.
Do you get an annual bonus in your job? You may want to use that bonus to pay down the principal of your mortgage. If you pursue this strategy consistently over the life of your mortgage, you could save thousands of dollars in interest by paying your mortgage off sooner.
Are you paid bi-weekly or bi-monthly? Consider a change from the usual monthly mortgage payment. Set up your mortgage payment schedule to coincide with your pay period. Again, you can shave years off your mortgage, and enjoy thousands of dollars in savings.
In the coming weeks, we’ll look at some of these savings opportunities in more detail. In the meantime, consider the old penny proverb again. How much is your time worth? Time savings is one of the key, unexpected benefits that clients say they have enjoyed when they choose to work with a mortgage broker. Above all, a mortgage broker is an expert in customer service, and that means that your broker looks after every detail of your mortgage research and negotiations on your behalf.
Friday 7 August 2009 @ 12:04 pm
anonymous asked:
province controls the mortgage and its rates in Canada. Canadian banks play a vital role in the mortgage industry. A study made in 2004 revealed that, these banks cover around 63% of the entire mortgage industry in Canada. These yearly surveys help the people to understand about the mortgage rates in Canada.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation or the CMHC conducts yearly surveys to revise the picture of mortgage market. The CMHC is a recognized bureau of Canadian Government, which guarantees for the best and the lowest mortgage rates offered to Canadians. Various types of mortgage programs with distinctive features and technologies are available in Canada mortgage industry. Canadians may go for any type of mortgage matching their interests.
Mortgage seekers can use the Internet to make a thorough study on the mortgage rates in Canada. Many mortgage web sites offer mortgage rate calculators to compute and compare different rates. This comparison procedure helps to select the lowest mortgage rate.
Various Types of Mortgage Rates in Canada:
Below mentioned are the three major types of mortgage rates available in Canada:
1.Variable mortgage rate: The primary cost of the variable mortgage rate is less than 0.25%. It is very much possible to modify the variable mortgage rates every month. Individuals may capitalize the lowest possible mortgage rate in Canada with variable mortgage rate.
Variable mortgage rate provides two distinctive modes of payment. First, is the fixed mode and second is the variable mode. Fixed mode of payment does not fluctuate for five years. On the other hand, the variable mode of payment fluctuates every month with respect to interest rates and the principal amount.
2.Fixed mortgage rate: This is a traditional type of mortgage, which offers 75% rate of the mortgage benefit. It involves various terms and period options to provide higher flexibility.
3.The Capped mortgage rate: Capped mortgage rate offers long-term security features with flexible term rates. It also offers variable and relevant interest rate per month in concern with the principal amount. The 5-year term in this mortgage rate decides the capped or maximum mortgage rate. It guarantees the best rate to mortgage buyers. Finally, it offers optional payment mode as such variable and fixed payments.
Brief Summary:
Apart from all these various types of mortgages and their rates, one more type of mortgage is available in Canada it’s the money saver mortgage, which also offers lowest mortgage rates. Money saver mortgage is a 5-year plan with variable interest rates based on the principal amount.
Here, it is possible to regulate the mortgage rates and payments in every three month, based on the variations of principal amount. Hence, individuals may save money and pick the lowest rate with the help of money saver mortgage.
Finally, people can gain access to the best mortgage rates in Canada by using the Internet. Mortgage buyers can browse through several mortgage web sites, which offer the complete information regarding the best and affordable mortgage rates in Canada.
province controls the mortgage and its rates in Canada. Canadian banks play a vital role in the mortgage industry. A study made in 2004 revealed that, these banks cover around 63% of the entire mortgage industry in Canada. These yearly surveys help the people to understand about the mortgage rates in Canada.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation or the CMHC conducts yearly surveys to revise the picture of mortgage market. The CMHC is a recognized bureau of Canadian Government, which guarantees for the best and the lowest mortgage rates offered to Canadians. Various types of mortgage programs with distinctive features and technologies are available in Canada mortgage industry. Canadians may go for any type of mortgage matching their interests.
Mortgage seekers can use the Internet to make a thorough study on the mortgage rates in Canada. Many mortgage web sites offer mortgage rate calculators to compute and compare different rates. This comparison procedure helps to select the lowest mortgage rate.
Various Types of Mortgage Rates in Canada:
Below mentioned are the three major types of mortgage rates available in Canada:
1.Variable mortgage rate: The primary cost of the variable mortgage rate is less than 0.25%. It is very much possible to modify the variable mortgage rates every month. Individuals may capitalize the lowest possible mortgage rate in Canada with variable mortgage rate.
Variable mortgage rate provides two distinctive modes of payment. First, is the fixed mode and second is the variable mode. Fixed mode of payment does not fluctuate for five years. On the other hand, the variable mode of payment fluctuates every month with respect to interest rates and the principal amount.
2.Fixed mortgage rate: This is a traditional type of mortgage, which offers 75% rate of the mortgage benefit. It involves various terms and period options to provide higher flexibility.
3.The Capped mortgage rate: Capped mortgage rate offers long-term security features with flexible term rates. It also offers variable and relevant interest rate per month in concern with the principal amount. The 5-year term in this mortgage rate decides the capped or maximum mortgage rate. It guarantees the best rate to mortgage buyers. Finally, it offers optional payment mode as such variable and fixed payments.
Brief Summary:
Apart from all these various types of mortgages and their rates, one more type of mortgage is available in Canada it’s the money saver mortgage, which also offers lowest mortgage rates. Money saver mortgage is a 5-year plan with variable interest rates based on the principal amount.
Here, it is possible to regulate the mortgage rates and payments in every three month, based on the variations of principal amount. Hence, individuals may save money and pick the lowest rate with the help of money saver mortgage.
Finally, people can gain access to the best mortgage rates in Canada by using the Internet. Mortgage buyers can browse through several mortgage web sites, which offer the complete information regarding the best and affordable mortgage rates in Canada.
Friday 7 August 2009 @ 9:40 am
Marcel Ford asked:
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs) sometimes referred to as Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (REMICs), are one of few innovative investment methods available in today’s investment world. CMOs offer relative safety, regular payments and notable yield advantages over other better known fixed-income securities of comparable credit quality.
A wide variety of CMO securities with different cash flow and expected maturity characteristics have been designed to meet specific investment objectives. While CMOs offer advantages to investors, they also carry certain risks which will be further explained in this document. To determine if CMOs fit within your investment portfolio, you should first understand the distinctive features of these securities.
CMOs were first introduced in 1983. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 allowed CMOs to be issues in the form of REMICs, creating certain tax and accounting advantages for issuers and for certain large institutional and foreign investors. Today, almost all CMOs are issued in REMIC form. Remember that throughout this CMO explanation, REMICs and CMOs are interchangeable.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CMOS Mortgage Loans and Mortgage Pass-Throughs When a CMO is created, it begins with a mortgage loan extended by a financial institution (such as a savings and loan, commercial bank or mortgage company) to finance a borrower’s home or other real estate. The homeowner usually pays the mortgage loan in monthly installments composed of both interest and “principal”. Over the duration of the mortgage loan, the interest component of payments in the early years gradually declines as the principal component increases. To obtain funds to generate more loans, lenders either “pool” groups of loans with similar characteristics to create securities or sell the loans to issuers of mortgage securities. The securities most commonly created from pools of mortgage loans are “mortgage pass-through securities” (MBS) or “participation certificates” (PCs). MBS represent a direct ownership interest in a pool of mortgage loans. As the homeowners whose loans are in the pool make their mortgage loan payments, the money is distributed on a pro rata basis to the holders of the securities. Several factors can affect the homeowners’ payments.
Typically, the homeowner will “prepay” the mortgage loan by selling the property, refinancing the mortgage or otherwise paying off the loan in part or whole. Most mortgage pass-through securities are based on fixed-rate mortgage loans with an original maturity of 30 years, but experience shows that most of these mortgage loans will be paid off much earlier. While the creation of MBS greatly increased the secondary market for mortgage loans by pooling them and selling interests in the pool, the structure of such securities has inherent limitations. MBSs only appeal to investors with a certain investment horizon – on average, 10-12 years.
CMOs were developed to offer investors a wider range of investment time frames and greater cash-flow certainty than had previously been available with MBS. The CMO issuer assembles a package of these MBS and uses them as collateral for a multiclass security offering. The different classes of securities in a CMO offering are known as tranches, from the French word for slice. The CMO structure enables the issuer to direct the principal and interest cash flow generated by the collateral to the different tranches in a prescribed manner, as defined in the offering’s prospectus, to meet different investment objectives.
THE HIGH CREDIT QUALITY OF CMOS The Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA, or Ginnie Mae) an agency of the U.S. government, along with U.S. government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA, or Fannie Mae) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC, or Freddie Mac), guarantee most MBSs. Ginnie Mae is a government-owned corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have federal charters and are subject to some oversight by the federal government, but are publicly owned by stockholders.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac issue and guarantee pass-through securities. Ginnie Mae only adds its guarantee to privately issued pass-throughs backed by government issued (FHA and VA) mortgages. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have issues CMOs for quite some time; the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began to issue CMOs in 1992, and Ginnie Mae initiates its own CMO program which began in 1994. Securities guaranteed or guaranteed and issues by these entities are known generically as “agency” mortgage securities. The agency guarantees enhance their credit quality for investors. In addition, the mortgages backing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage securities must meet strict quality criteria. Those backing GNMA pass-throughs are underwritten in accordance with the rules and regulations of the FHA and the VA, which insure them against default.
The extent of the agency guarantee depends on the entity making it. Ginnie Mae, for example, guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest on all of its mortgage securities, and its guarantee is backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government. Holders of Ginnie Mae mortgage securities are therefore assured of receiving payments promptly each month, regardless of whether the underlying homeowners make their payments. They are guaranteed to receive the full return of face-value principal even if the underlying borrowers default on their loans. Mortgage securities issued by the VA carry the same full faith and credit U.S. government guarantees.
Fannie Mae guarantees timely payment of both principal and interest on its mortgage securities whether or not the payments have been collected from the borrowers. Freddie Mac also guarantees timely payment of both principal and interest on its Gold PCs and CMOs. Some older series of Freddie Mac PCs guarantee timely payment of interest, but only the eventual payment of principal. Although neither Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac securities carry the additional full faith and credit U.S. government guarantee, the credit markets consider the credit on these securities to be equivalent to that of securities rated triple-A or better.
Some private institutions, such as subsidiaries of investment bank, financial institutions and home-builders, also issue mortgage securities. When issuing CMOs, they often use agency mortgage pass-through securities as collateral; however, their collateral may include different or specialized types of mortgage loans and/or pools, letters of credit and other types of credit enhancements. These private-labeled CMOs are the sole obligation of their issuer. To the extent that private-label CMOs use agency mortgage pass-through securities as collateral, their agency collateral carries the respective agency’s guarantees. Private-label CMOs are assigned credit ratings by independent credit agencies based on their structure, issuer, collateral and any guarantees or outside factors. Many carry the highest AAA credit rating.
As an additional investor protection, the CMO issuer typically segregates the CMO collateral or deposits it in the care of the trustee, who holds it for the exclusive benefit of the CMO bondholders.
A DIFFERENT SORT OF BOND Prepayment Rates and Average Lives Although CMOs entitle investors to payments of principal and interest, they differ from corporate bonds and Treasury securities in significant ways. Corporate and Treasury bonds are issued with stated maturities. The purchase of a bond from an investor is essentially a loan to the issuer in the amount of the principal, or face amount, of the bond for a prescribed period of time in return for a specified annual rate of interest. The bondholder receives interest, generally in semiannual payments, until the bond is redeemed.
When the bond matures, or is called by the issuer, the issuer returns face value of the bond to the investor in a single principal payment. With a CMO, the ultimate borrower is the homeowner who takes who takes on a mortgage loan. Because the homeowner’s monthly payments include both interest and principal, the mortgage security investor’s principal is returned over the life of the security, or amortized rather than repaid in a single lump sum at maturity.
CMOs provide monthly or quarterly payments to investors which include varying amounts of both principal and interest. As the principal is repaid (or prepaid), the interest payments become smaller because they are based on a lower amount of outstanding principal. A mortgage security “matures” when the investor receives the final principal payment. Most CMO tranches have a stated maturity based on the last date on which the principal from the collateral could be paid in full. This date is theoretical, because it assumes no prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage securities are more often discussed in terms of their average life rather than their stated maturity date. Technically, the average life is defined on the average time to receipt of each dollar of principal, weighted by the amount of each principal payment.
In simpler terms, the average life is the average time that the principal dollar in the pool is expected to be outstanding, based on certain assumptions about prepayment speeds.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs) sometimes referred to as Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (REMICs), are one of few innovative investment methods available in today’s investment world. CMOs offer relative safety, regular payments and notable yield advantages over other better known fixed-income securities of comparable credit quality.
A wide variety of CMO securities with different cash flow and expected maturity characteristics have been designed to meet specific investment objectives. While CMOs offer advantages to investors, they also carry certain risks which will be further explained in this document. To determine if CMOs fit within your investment portfolio, you should first understand the distinctive features of these securities.
CMOs were first introduced in 1983. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 allowed CMOs to be issues in the form of REMICs, creating certain tax and accounting advantages for issuers and for certain large institutional and foreign investors. Today, almost all CMOs are issued in REMIC form. Remember that throughout this CMO explanation, REMICs and CMOs are interchangeable.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CMOS Mortgage Loans and Mortgage Pass-Throughs When a CMO is created, it begins with a mortgage loan extended by a financial institution (such as a savings and loan, commercial bank or mortgage company) to finance a borrower’s home or other real estate. The homeowner usually pays the mortgage loan in monthly installments composed of both interest and “principal”. Over the duration of the mortgage loan, the interest component of payments in the early years gradually declines as the principal component increases. To obtain funds to generate more loans, lenders either “pool” groups of loans with similar characteristics to create securities or sell the loans to issuers of mortgage securities. The securities most commonly created from pools of mortgage loans are “mortgage pass-through securities” (MBS) or “participation certificates” (PCs). MBS represent a direct ownership interest in a pool of mortgage loans. As the homeowners whose loans are in the pool make their mortgage loan payments, the money is distributed on a pro rata basis to the holders of the securities. Several factors can affect the homeowners’ payments.
Typically, the homeowner will “prepay” the mortgage loan by selling the property, refinancing the mortgage or otherwise paying off the loan in part or whole. Most mortgage pass-through securities are based on fixed-rate mortgage loans with an original maturity of 30 years, but experience shows that most of these mortgage loans will be paid off much earlier. While the creation of MBS greatly increased the secondary market for mortgage loans by pooling them and selling interests in the pool, the structure of such securities has inherent limitations. MBSs only appeal to investors with a certain investment horizon – on average, 10-12 years.
CMOs were developed to offer investors a wider range of investment time frames and greater cash-flow certainty than had previously been available with MBS. The CMO issuer assembles a package of these MBS and uses them as collateral for a multiclass security offering. The different classes of securities in a CMO offering are known as tranches, from the French word for slice. The CMO structure enables the issuer to direct the principal and interest cash flow generated by the collateral to the different tranches in a prescribed manner, as defined in the offering’s prospectus, to meet different investment objectives.
THE HIGH CREDIT QUALITY OF CMOS The Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA, or Ginnie Mae) an agency of the U.S. government, along with U.S. government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA, or Fannie Mae) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC, or Freddie Mac), guarantee most MBSs. Ginnie Mae is a government-owned corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have federal charters and are subject to some oversight by the federal government, but are publicly owned by stockholders.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac issue and guarantee pass-through securities. Ginnie Mae only adds its guarantee to privately issued pass-throughs backed by government issued (FHA and VA) mortgages. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have issues CMOs for quite some time; the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began to issue CMOs in 1992, and Ginnie Mae initiates its own CMO program which began in 1994. Securities guaranteed or guaranteed and issues by these entities are known generically as “agency” mortgage securities. The agency guarantees enhance their credit quality for investors. In addition, the mortgages backing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage securities must meet strict quality criteria. Those backing GNMA pass-throughs are underwritten in accordance with the rules and regulations of the FHA and the VA, which insure them against default.
The extent of the agency guarantee depends on the entity making it. Ginnie Mae, for example, guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest on all of its mortgage securities, and its guarantee is backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government. Holders of Ginnie Mae mortgage securities are therefore assured of receiving payments promptly each month, regardless of whether the underlying homeowners make their payments. They are guaranteed to receive the full return of face-value principal even if the underlying borrowers default on their loans. Mortgage securities issued by the VA carry the same full faith and credit U.S. government guarantees.
Fannie Mae guarantees timely payment of both principal and interest on its mortgage securities whether or not the payments have been collected from the borrowers. Freddie Mac also guarantees timely payment of both principal and interest on its Gold PCs and CMOs. Some older series of Freddie Mac PCs guarantee timely payment of interest, but only the eventual payment of principal. Although neither Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac securities carry the additional full faith and credit U.S. government guarantee, the credit markets consider the credit on these securities to be equivalent to that of securities rated triple-A or better.
Some private institutions, such as subsidiaries of investment bank, financial institutions and home-builders, also issue mortgage securities. When issuing CMOs, they often use agency mortgage pass-through securities as collateral; however, their collateral may include different or specialized types of mortgage loans and/or pools, letters of credit and other types of credit enhancements. These private-labeled CMOs are the sole obligation of their issuer. To the extent that private-label CMOs use agency mortgage pass-through securities as collateral, their agency collateral carries the respective agency’s guarantees. Private-label CMOs are assigned credit ratings by independent credit agencies based on their structure, issuer, collateral and any guarantees or outside factors. Many carry the highest AAA credit rating.
As an additional investor protection, the CMO issuer typically segregates the CMO collateral or deposits it in the care of the trustee, who holds it for the exclusive benefit of the CMO bondholders.
A DIFFERENT SORT OF BOND Prepayment Rates and Average Lives Although CMOs entitle investors to payments of principal and interest, they differ from corporate bonds and Treasury securities in significant ways. Corporate and Treasury bonds are issued with stated maturities. The purchase of a bond from an investor is essentially a loan to the issuer in the amount of the principal, or face amount, of the bond for a prescribed period of time in return for a specified annual rate of interest. The bondholder receives interest, generally in semiannual payments, until the bond is redeemed.
When the bond matures, or is called by the issuer, the issuer returns face value of the bond to the investor in a single principal payment. With a CMO, the ultimate borrower is the homeowner who takes who takes on a mortgage loan. Because the homeowner’s monthly payments include both interest and principal, the mortgage security investor’s principal is returned over the life of the security, or amortized rather than repaid in a single lump sum at maturity.
CMOs provide monthly or quarterly payments to investors which include varying amounts of both principal and interest. As the principal is repaid (or prepaid), the interest payments become smaller because they are based on a lower amount of outstanding principal. A mortgage security “matures” when the investor receives the final principal payment. Most CMO tranches have a stated maturity based on the last date on which the principal from the collateral could be paid in full. This date is theoretical, because it assumes no prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans. Mortgage securities are more often discussed in terms of their average life rather than their stated maturity date. Technically, the average life is defined on the average time to receipt of each dollar of principal, weighted by the amount of each principal payment.
In simpler terms, the average life is the average time that the principal dollar in the pool is expected to be outstanding, based on certain assumptions about prepayment speeds.
Friday 7 August 2009 @ 9:38 am
Bruce Owens asked:
Understanding what mortgages are and how they work can be mystifying for first-time homebuyers faced with the need to get financing to purchase their first home. Technically, the type of mortgage that home buyers use to get a loan to purchase a home is a contractual instrument that gives the lender, known as the “mortgagee”, an interest and certain rights in the property purchased by the borrower, or “mortgagor” (When it comes time for you to read and review the documents setting out your mortgage, the easy way to keep the terms straight is to remember that the “e” that ends “mortgagee” is the same “e” at the beginning of “lender”, while the “or” at the end of “mortgagor” is the same “or” at the beginning of “borrower”.)
Like many legal terms, such as lien or trespass, the word “mortgage” has its origins in the Law French that heralds back to the beginning of British (and American) common law. A “mortgage” – from the French “morte”, meaning death – was known as a “death pledge”. That is, when the debt was repaid the interest and rights of the mortgagee or lender in the borrower’s land or property expires, or dies. The mortgagor then has clear title without any rights, interests or “encumberances” remaining with the mortgagee.
Amortization, Interest Rate and Term
There are three main terms that will apply to all mortgages – the amortization period, the interest rate, and the term of the mortgage. The “amortization period” is the total amount of time (usually expressed in years) which it will take for the mortgagor to pay off his or her mortgage given the terms of the mortgage. The most typical amortization period when an individual is purchasing a home is 25 years, although longer amortization periods of up to 40 years have become more common and commercially available.
The “amortization period” is not to be confused with the “term” of a mortgage. Most usually a mortgage agreement will be for a specific number of years, but for less than the full amortization period. Formerly, the longest term available for mortgage financing was five years, However, some longer term mortgages of up to ten or even twenty-five years have now become available from some commercial lenders.
The difficulty with longer term mortgages, for both mortgagor and mortgagee (borrower and lender), is determining what is a fair and reasonable interest rate to be charged on the mortgage over the duration of such a long period of time. Interest rates fluctuate over time, and forecasting interest costs over an extended period is exceedingly difficult.
The interest rate is the percentage of interest that a lender will charge on an annual basis for the mortgage loan. On a $100,000 mortgage loan, a 5% interest rate would mean that the borrower is paying $5,000 per year in interest.
Mortgages payments are most often made in equal installments paid on a monthly basis over the term of the mortgage. Each monthly payment will go first towards paying the interest on the mortgage loan, and then towards paying off the principal, or outstanding balance, of the loan according to a fixed formula. As the principal of the loan is reduced, less money is owed in interest and consequently more of each payment goes towards paying off the interest.
Each mortgage payment is thus a blended payment, consisting of both an interest payment and a payment towards the mortgage principal. Because the principal amount (and thus the money owing under the mortgage) is reduced over time. the first payments during the term of the mortgage will go mostly towards paying interest, while a greater proportion of principal will be paid off in payments made at the end of the mortgage term.
Fixed-Rate and Variable-Rate Mortgages
Mortgages are also distinguished on the basis of how the interest rate is set. There are two main types of mortgages a fixed-rate mortgage and an open-rate or variable rate mortgage. Under a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate is specified for the entire term of the mortgage. Under an open-rate or variable mortgage, the interest rate will vary based on market conditions, usually specified in terms of the mortgagor bank or trust company’s prime lending rate.
Whether to choose a fixed-rate or variable rate mortgage is one of the biggest decisions facing the first-time homebuyer, and anyone seeking mortgage financing. If interest rates are relatively low historically speaking, the interest rates that fixed-rate mortgages are offered at will be higher than the rate offered for a variable rate mortgage. Here the bank or other lender assumes that rates are likely to go up, and charges a higher interest rate for a fixed-rate mortgage to assume that risk.
When interest rates are relatively high – say 9% to 10% – fixed-rate mortgages are typically offered at a lower rate than is being offered for variable rate mortgages. Here, the borrower is assuming the risk that interest rates will not go down from historically high levels. Consequently he or she can usually borrow money at a better fixed-rate than variable rate.
Open Mortgages versus Closed Mortgages
The other significant differentiation between mortgage types that will be of great interest to first time homebuyers is whether their mortgage is an open mortgage or a closed mortgage. An open mortgage can typically be paid off without penalty at any time durng the term of the mortgage without penalty. Under a closed mortgage, on the other hand, there will be a sometimes quite significant monetary penalty for paying off the mortgage before the term of the mortgage expires (although, a closed mortgage may allow for periodic lump sum payments that will go directly towards paying off the principal of the mortgage).
Open mortgages are most often preferable where the homebuyer wants to avoid being locked into his or her mortgage arrangements, thinks interest rates may decrease during the mortgage term or thinks he or she may be selling the mortgaged property before the expiration of the mortgage’s term. Closed mortgages are usually preferable where the homebuyer is operating on a tight budget and needs the security of knowing that mortgage payments will be unaffected by rising interest rates.
Refinancing
Following the expiration of the initial mortgage term, the remaining principal that is outstanding on the mortgage will have to be paid to the lender. This will usually entail refinancing a mortgage for a new term with the same or a different lender. Again, on refinancing the principle variables will be the amortization period, the interest rate and the term of the refinancing. The same considerations will also apply: fixed-rate versus variable rate, open mortgage versus closed mortgage.
Importantly, refinancing may also be available during the term of your mortgage. As your home’s principal is paid off your home equity – or the difference between what is owed on a home and its market value – increases. Mortgage refinancing is also generally available that will enable you to access that home equity through a second mortgage or line of credit secured against the equity in your home, even during the term of your first mortgage.
Your realtor, financial advisor or an independent mortgage broker should be able and willing to walk you through the different mortgages that are available to you, so that you can determine the mortgage product that is right for your circumstances – whether you are purchasing your first home or refinancing.
Understanding what mortgages are and how they work can be mystifying for first-time homebuyers faced with the need to get financing to purchase their first home. Technically, the type of mortgage that home buyers use to get a loan to purchase a home is a contractual instrument that gives the lender, known as the “mortgagee”, an interest and certain rights in the property purchased by the borrower, or “mortgagor” (When it comes time for you to read and review the documents setting out your mortgage, the easy way to keep the terms straight is to remember that the “e” that ends “mortgagee” is the same “e” at the beginning of “lender”, while the “or” at the end of “mortgagor” is the same “or” at the beginning of “borrower”.)
Like many legal terms, such as lien or trespass, the word “mortgage” has its origins in the Law French that heralds back to the beginning of British (and American) common law. A “mortgage” – from the French “morte”, meaning death – was known as a “death pledge”. That is, when the debt was repaid the interest and rights of the mortgagee or lender in the borrower’s land or property expires, or dies. The mortgagor then has clear title without any rights, interests or “encumberances” remaining with the mortgagee.
Amortization, Interest Rate and Term
There are three main terms that will apply to all mortgages – the amortization period, the interest rate, and the term of the mortgage. The “amortization period” is the total amount of time (usually expressed in years) which it will take for the mortgagor to pay off his or her mortgage given the terms of the mortgage. The most typical amortization period when an individual is purchasing a home is 25 years, although longer amortization periods of up to 40 years have become more common and commercially available.
The “amortization period” is not to be confused with the “term” of a mortgage. Most usually a mortgage agreement will be for a specific number of years, but for less than the full amortization period. Formerly, the longest term available for mortgage financing was five years, However, some longer term mortgages of up to ten or even twenty-five years have now become available from some commercial lenders.
The difficulty with longer term mortgages, for both mortgagor and mortgagee (borrower and lender), is determining what is a fair and reasonable interest rate to be charged on the mortgage over the duration of such a long period of time. Interest rates fluctuate over time, and forecasting interest costs over an extended period is exceedingly difficult.
The interest rate is the percentage of interest that a lender will charge on an annual basis for the mortgage loan. On a $100,000 mortgage loan, a 5% interest rate would mean that the borrower is paying $5,000 per year in interest.
Mortgages payments are most often made in equal installments paid on a monthly basis over the term of the mortgage. Each monthly payment will go first towards paying the interest on the mortgage loan, and then towards paying off the principal, or outstanding balance, of the loan according to a fixed formula. As the principal of the loan is reduced, less money is owed in interest and consequently more of each payment goes towards paying off the interest.
Each mortgage payment is thus a blended payment, consisting of both an interest payment and a payment towards the mortgage principal. Because the principal amount (and thus the money owing under the mortgage) is reduced over time. the first payments during the term of the mortgage will go mostly towards paying interest, while a greater proportion of principal will be paid off in payments made at the end of the mortgage term.
Fixed-Rate and Variable-Rate Mortgages
Mortgages are also distinguished on the basis of how the interest rate is set. There are two main types of mortgages a fixed-rate mortgage and an open-rate or variable rate mortgage. Under a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate is specified for the entire term of the mortgage. Under an open-rate or variable mortgage, the interest rate will vary based on market conditions, usually specified in terms of the mortgagor bank or trust company’s prime lending rate.
Whether to choose a fixed-rate or variable rate mortgage is one of the biggest decisions facing the first-time homebuyer, and anyone seeking mortgage financing. If interest rates are relatively low historically speaking, the interest rates that fixed-rate mortgages are offered at will be higher than the rate offered for a variable rate mortgage. Here the bank or other lender assumes that rates are likely to go up, and charges a higher interest rate for a fixed-rate mortgage to assume that risk.
When interest rates are relatively high – say 9% to 10% – fixed-rate mortgages are typically offered at a lower rate than is being offered for variable rate mortgages. Here, the borrower is assuming the risk that interest rates will not go down from historically high levels. Consequently he or she can usually borrow money at a better fixed-rate than variable rate.
Open Mortgages versus Closed Mortgages
The other significant differentiation between mortgage types that will be of great interest to first time homebuyers is whether their mortgage is an open mortgage or a closed mortgage. An open mortgage can typically be paid off without penalty at any time durng the term of the mortgage without penalty. Under a closed mortgage, on the other hand, there will be a sometimes quite significant monetary penalty for paying off the mortgage before the term of the mortgage expires (although, a closed mortgage may allow for periodic lump sum payments that will go directly towards paying off the principal of the mortgage).
Open mortgages are most often preferable where the homebuyer wants to avoid being locked into his or her mortgage arrangements, thinks interest rates may decrease during the mortgage term or thinks he or she may be selling the mortgaged property before the expiration of the mortgage’s term. Closed mortgages are usually preferable where the homebuyer is operating on a tight budget and needs the security of knowing that mortgage payments will be unaffected by rising interest rates.
Refinancing
Following the expiration of the initial mortgage term, the remaining principal that is outstanding on the mortgage will have to be paid to the lender. This will usually entail refinancing a mortgage for a new term with the same or a different lender. Again, on refinancing the principle variables will be the amortization period, the interest rate and the term of the refinancing. The same considerations will also apply: fixed-rate versus variable rate, open mortgage versus closed mortgage.
Importantly, refinancing may also be available during the term of your mortgage. As your home’s principal is paid off your home equity – or the difference between what is owed on a home and its market value – increases. Mortgage refinancing is also generally available that will enable you to access that home equity through a second mortgage or line of credit secured against the equity in your home, even during the term of your first mortgage.
Your realtor, financial advisor or an independent mortgage broker should be able and willing to walk you through the different mortgages that are available to you, so that you can determine the mortgage product that is right for your circumstances – whether you are purchasing your first home or refinancing.
Friday 7 August 2009 @ 9:25 am
Aileene Woul asked:
Mortgage is the most widespread industry that offered to loan borrowers with real estate as collateral. Mortgage has so many innovations and opportunities that a loan borrower can exploit them for their own benefit. You must have heard and read it elsewhere that mortgage rates are at an all time low. That is true. With growing competition in the mortgage industry getting lowest rates for mortgage in UK is not that difficult.
Yes that is true, but how does one find lowest mortgage rates in UK. Many borrowers are practically clueless the criteria to decide on whether the mortgage rates are lowest or not. When you are looking for Lowest mortgage rates in UK, you will see that there is not any one single rate. There is a list of rates. And when you go to different loan lenders for rates, they will give to you several mortgage rates list, sometimes identical sometimes different. “What is going on”? – You think in your mind. Is there any thing as lowest mortgage rates in UK? Yes, there is.
You will come across this message everywhere – ‘go look around lowest mortgage rates’. Look around how? – nobody tells you that. It is like standing on the start line not knowing this way you have to run. Calling loan lenders and asking for lowest interest will be practically useless. Also calling for lowest mortgage rates at different days will give you different rates for mortgage rates are changing everyday.
Who is responsible for getting you lowest rate for your mortgage in UK? Economy? President? Government? Inflation? Discard all the high words! It is you and you are one of the most fundamental factor responsible for finding lowest interest rate on your mortgage. With mortgage borrowers absolutely flooding the market place, mortgage lenders are lowering the mortgage rates to attract more and more customers. How can one attract customers for mortgage? By offering lowest interest rates.
However, it is not that easy. Every homeowner wants lowest interest rates for its mortgage in UK. Lowest rates on mortgage in UK are subject to a borrower’s personal financial condition. Therefore, different mortgage borrowers will have different lowest rate for mortgage. One way to figure it out is to apply for mortgage quotes at different loan lenders. But are these quotes really consistent keeping in mind the fact that mortgage rates are continually changing. Most loan lenders will give you a correct quote for mortgage. A mortgage borrower looking for lowest rate should use APR to compare rates. APR will enable you to know true interest rates on mortgage including the interest, discounts, mortgage insurance and other related fees. This will enable you to get a true quote without any hidden fee which the lender might be concealing behind the lowest mortgage rate claim.
Prequalification is a way of discovering whether for mortgage will also enable you to know whether you are getting lowest interest rates or not. A lender will see your present current income, debt and basic credit history situation in order to qualify you for a maximum mortgage amount. When you find lowest interest rate for mortgage in UK, you can lock in your interest rate. A lock means the lender will lock in the lowest interest rate and points for a specific period of time that is usually the time during which the loan application is processed.
Lowest interest rates in UK are possible if you have good credit history. A good credit history has innumerable benefits in the loan market. Also lowest interest rates are possible adjustable rate mortgage. Adjustable interest rate mortgage in UK have interest rates lower than traditional mortgage. Also loan term of a mortgage should be lesser. A 15 year mortgage will mean lower rate of interest than a 30 year mortgage. A shorter loan term will always save money.
No other single factor has so much effect on your mortgage as mortgage rates. Getting a mortgage in UK at lowest rates will mean that you have agreed to all those who asked you to get the “best mortgage deal”. A little decrease in interest rates would mean big in terms of savings. There is loads of information available on internet to know how the market is currently fairing. Don’t settle for the first mortgage rate you stumble upon because they seem lowest. Go to different mortgage lenders. And then decide. Lowest rate for mortgage is not the only factor to look out while mortgaging for but it certainly is one of the deciding factors.
So while you are jumping frantically from one site to another in order to get lowest interest rate, you forget that it will need some patience and hard work. Like all good things it won’t come easily. Lowest rates for mortgage in UK won’t be served on a platter. No way. If you had enjoyed doing homework in school, looking for lowest interest rate won’t be a problem. Look around, study research, read and you will find mortgage rates not only lowest but surpassing your own mortgage rate arithmetic.
If finding the right loan was easy, Aileen Woul would not have been writing articles. Read her articles to take advantage of her expertise for your advantage.He works for mortgage web site cheapest mortgage uk.To find a cheapest mortgage,adverse credit mortgage,residential mortgage that best suits your need please visit http://www.cheapestmortgageuk.co.uk
Mortgage is the most widespread industry that offered to loan borrowers with real estate as collateral. Mortgage has so many innovations and opportunities that a loan borrower can exploit them for their own benefit. You must have heard and read it elsewhere that mortgage rates are at an all time low. That is true. With growing competition in the mortgage industry getting lowest rates for mortgage in UK is not that difficult.
Yes that is true, but how does one find lowest mortgage rates in UK. Many borrowers are practically clueless the criteria to decide on whether the mortgage rates are lowest or not. When you are looking for Lowest mortgage rates in UK, you will see that there is not any one single rate. There is a list of rates. And when you go to different loan lenders for rates, they will give to you several mortgage rates list, sometimes identical sometimes different. “What is going on”? – You think in your mind. Is there any thing as lowest mortgage rates in UK? Yes, there is.
You will come across this message everywhere – ‘go look around lowest mortgage rates’. Look around how? – nobody tells you that. It is like standing on the start line not knowing this way you have to run. Calling loan lenders and asking for lowest interest will be practically useless. Also calling for lowest mortgage rates at different days will give you different rates for mortgage rates are changing everyday.
Who is responsible for getting you lowest rate for your mortgage in UK? Economy? President? Government? Inflation? Discard all the high words! It is you and you are one of the most fundamental factor responsible for finding lowest interest rate on your mortgage. With mortgage borrowers absolutely flooding the market place, mortgage lenders are lowering the mortgage rates to attract more and more customers. How can one attract customers for mortgage? By offering lowest interest rates.
However, it is not that easy. Every homeowner wants lowest interest rates for its mortgage in UK. Lowest rates on mortgage in UK are subject to a borrower’s personal financial condition. Therefore, different mortgage borrowers will have different lowest rate for mortgage. One way to figure it out is to apply for mortgage quotes at different loan lenders. But are these quotes really consistent keeping in mind the fact that mortgage rates are continually changing. Most loan lenders will give you a correct quote for mortgage. A mortgage borrower looking for lowest rate should use APR to compare rates. APR will enable you to know true interest rates on mortgage including the interest, discounts, mortgage insurance and other related fees. This will enable you to get a true quote without any hidden fee which the lender might be concealing behind the lowest mortgage rate claim.
Prequalification is a way of discovering whether for mortgage will also enable you to know whether you are getting lowest interest rates or not. A lender will see your present current income, debt and basic credit history situation in order to qualify you for a maximum mortgage amount. When you find lowest interest rate for mortgage in UK, you can lock in your interest rate. A lock means the lender will lock in the lowest interest rate and points for a specific period of time that is usually the time during which the loan application is processed.
Lowest interest rates in UK are possible if you have good credit history. A good credit history has innumerable benefits in the loan market. Also lowest interest rates are possible adjustable rate mortgage. Adjustable interest rate mortgage in UK have interest rates lower than traditional mortgage. Also loan term of a mortgage should be lesser. A 15 year mortgage will mean lower rate of interest than a 30 year mortgage. A shorter loan term will always save money.
No other single factor has so much effect on your mortgage as mortgage rates. Getting a mortgage in UK at lowest rates will mean that you have agreed to all those who asked you to get the “best mortgage deal”. A little decrease in interest rates would mean big in terms of savings. There is loads of information available on internet to know how the market is currently fairing. Don’t settle for the first mortgage rate you stumble upon because they seem lowest. Go to different mortgage lenders. And then decide. Lowest rate for mortgage is not the only factor to look out while mortgaging for but it certainly is one of the deciding factors.
So while you are jumping frantically from one site to another in order to get lowest interest rate, you forget that it will need some patience and hard work. Like all good things it won’t come easily. Lowest rates for mortgage in UK won’t be served on a platter. No way. If you had enjoyed doing homework in school, looking for lowest interest rate won’t be a problem. Look around, study research, read and you will find mortgage rates not only lowest but surpassing your own mortgage rate arithmetic.
If finding the right loan was easy, Aileen Woul would not have been writing articles. Read her articles to take advantage of her expertise for your advantage.He works for mortgage web site cheapest mortgage uk.To find a cheapest mortgage,adverse credit mortgage,residential mortgage that best suits your need please visit http://www.cheapestmortgageuk.co.uk
Friday 7 August 2009 @ 6:06 am
1st American Mortgage asked:
How to Find Honest Advice About Colorado Mortgages
It’s safe to say there are many places to find a deal for a Denver mortgage or Colorado mortgages these days. But the mortgage crisis has made things a little more complex. It’s not just about finding the best deal, but finding someone to work with who will give you honest advice and help you get into a mortgage that you can afford. But are there experts out there you can give you that sort of Colorado mortgage advice? Is there someone who will get you into the best Denver mortgage product, while still remaining ethical? The answer is yes.
Watch Out When Colorado Mortgage Experts Offer The World
One of the problems that got so many people into a mortgage mess is that their Denver mortgage expert or Colorado mortgage expert made them an offer that would fix all of their problems. These mortgage experts put customers into deals that just didn’t work out and now people are liable to lose their homes. If you want to get into the right mortgage product now, then you need to look for someone who will look at the Colorado home loans available and tell you the ones you can’t have.
Sounds strange, doesn’t it? But that’s the way you can tell a Denver mortgage lender with credibility from one who is more unethical.
In the recent past, when it seemed like everyone was buying a home, too many Colorado mortgage professionals weren’t being honest with their clients and the result was bad loans that have turned into foreclosures. The lenders involved weren’t looking out for their clients, instead they were just interested in getting them started on a loan which may have been low at first, but now has turned into trouble. Instead, a mortgage pro has to look at what will happen to a customer now and in the future.
How do Ethical Denver Mortgage Professionals Work?
In the midst of this crisis, ethical Denver mortgage professionals are working hard to gain back the reputation lost by bad lenders. Unfortunately, the names of everyone working in the business were hurt by the people who worked on bad loans. It will take hard (and ethical) work to repair that.
If you are a potential customer, then you need to be looking out for the professionals who are out there, coming up Colorado mortgages while fighting to be ethical. They have good products that will help a homeowner and they are working in that person’s best interest. Seek out the Colorado mortgage experts who are client-focused and who have been in business for a long time thanks to that philosophy. You want an expert whose business focuses on:
• Selling reasonably priced Denver mortgage products
• Finding many good options in Colorado mortgages for customers that will last throughout the years
• Making sure the clients remain credit-worthy homeowners
• Putting customer service first, so their business grows thanks to referred and repeat customers
The mortgage crisis may have knocked some bad mortgage providers out of the business, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still traps for customers. They need to keep looking for reliable home loan experts. The key is the kind of Denver mortgage advice you get and whether it’s honest enough to really tell you what kind of program you can get into. If an offer is too good to be true, it probably is.
This article is written by J.B. of 1st American Mortgage and Loan, LLC, a Colorado mortgage lender who offers access to information on obtaining a Colorado mortgage loan as well as other information on loans in Colorado online mortgage quotes, and rates through his website TrueMortgageQuote.com http://www.truemortgagequote.com).
How to Find Honest Advice About Colorado Mortgages
It’s safe to say there are many places to find a deal for a Denver mortgage or Colorado mortgages these days. But the mortgage crisis has made things a little more complex. It’s not just about finding the best deal, but finding someone to work with who will give you honest advice and help you get into a mortgage that you can afford. But are there experts out there you can give you that sort of Colorado mortgage advice? Is there someone who will get you into the best Denver mortgage product, while still remaining ethical? The answer is yes.
Watch Out When Colorado Mortgage Experts Offer The World
One of the problems that got so many people into a mortgage mess is that their Denver mortgage expert or Colorado mortgage expert made them an offer that would fix all of their problems. These mortgage experts put customers into deals that just didn’t work out and now people are liable to lose their homes. If you want to get into the right mortgage product now, then you need to look for someone who will look at the Colorado home loans available and tell you the ones you can’t have.
Sounds strange, doesn’t it? But that’s the way you can tell a Denver mortgage lender with credibility from one who is more unethical.
In the recent past, when it seemed like everyone was buying a home, too many Colorado mortgage professionals weren’t being honest with their clients and the result was bad loans that have turned into foreclosures. The lenders involved weren’t looking out for their clients, instead they were just interested in getting them started on a loan which may have been low at first, but now has turned into trouble. Instead, a mortgage pro has to look at what will happen to a customer now and in the future.
How do Ethical Denver Mortgage Professionals Work?
In the midst of this crisis, ethical Denver mortgage professionals are working hard to gain back the reputation lost by bad lenders. Unfortunately, the names of everyone working in the business were hurt by the people who worked on bad loans. It will take hard (and ethical) work to repair that.
If you are a potential customer, then you need to be looking out for the professionals who are out there, coming up Colorado mortgages while fighting to be ethical. They have good products that will help a homeowner and they are working in that person’s best interest. Seek out the Colorado mortgage experts who are client-focused and who have been in business for a long time thanks to that philosophy. You want an expert whose business focuses on:
• Selling reasonably priced Denver mortgage products
• Finding many good options in Colorado mortgages for customers that will last throughout the years
• Making sure the clients remain credit-worthy homeowners
• Putting customer service first, so their business grows thanks to referred and repeat customers
The mortgage crisis may have knocked some bad mortgage providers out of the business, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still traps for customers. They need to keep looking for reliable home loan experts. The key is the kind of Denver mortgage advice you get and whether it’s honest enough to really tell you what kind of program you can get into. If an offer is too good to be true, it probably is.
This article is written by J.B. of 1st American Mortgage and Loan, LLC, a Colorado mortgage lender who offers access to information on obtaining a Colorado mortgage loan as well as other information on loans in Colorado online mortgage quotes, and rates through his website TrueMortgageQuote.com http://www.truemortgagequote.com).
