home finance, Alaska AK

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home finance - Alaska AK: Loans & Mortgages :: Refinancing :: Bad credit loans :: First time buyers home loans :: Advice on the best loan for you :: Mortgage advisor.

What is refinancing, and when should I apply for it? Refinancing involves obtaining a new mortgage loan on a property already owned - often to replace existing loans on the property. When the mortgage rates are low, it may be a good time to refinance. Refinancing can save you money on your monthly mortgage payments.

Realtors have differing opinions and, as a group, their opinions have changed over time. In the past, most would often recommend portfolio lenders - because they almost always closed the deal. As time passed, mortgage bankers and mortgage brokers became more important, and agents switched along with the changing times.

Property Taxes These are taxes paid to local governments, usually charged as a percentage of the property value. Your lender collects the taxes through your monthly payments. The amount of tax will vary depending on the location of the home.

The correspondent may fund the loans themselves or funding may take place from the larger company. Either way, the loan is usually underwritten by the sponsor. It is almost like being a mortgage broker, except that there is usually a very strong relationship between the correspondent and their sponsor.

What happens after my loan is paid in full? A check for any remaining balance in your escrow account will be mailed to you or your closing agent usually within ten business days after the date your payoff funds are received. Your release papers will be mailed within 30 days after the date your payoff funds are received, or such shorter time as may be required in some states.

Normally, PMI may be removed if you have reduced the principal amount of your loan to 80% or lower than the original purchase price. It also may be removed if you have obtained an independent appraisal stating that the outstanding principal amount of the loan is 80% or lower than the appraised value. Some lenders do not require PMI. Instead, they may increase their origination fee and/or the interest rate on the loan. This can represent a significant advantage to the borrower since PMI premiums are not deductible for tax purposes and mortgage interest is usually deductible.

Principal The principal is the amount of money you borrowed. Each month when you make your mortgage payment, you are paying back a small portion of the principal. The longer the payments are amortized (over 30 years for example), the more the payments go to reduce the principal you owe; over time, interest will become a smaller part of your monthly payment. In the beginning, most of the mortgage payments made to the lender will be interest payments.

Usually, larger mortgage bankers are much better at promoting special first time buyer programs, cooperating with states and local governments. These programs will have slightly lower interest rates and costs than the current market rate. To qualify for these programs, your income must usually fall below a median average for the area and you must not have owned your residence for the last three years.

Some reverse mortgage products also involve the purchase of an annuity that can assure continued monthly income to the senior homeowner even after they sell the home.

Understand the difference between an equity loan and a credit line Equity loans are closed: You get all your money up front, then make payments on that fixed loan amount until the loan is paid. Equity credit lines are open: You can get an initial advance against the line, then reuse the line as often as you want during the period the line is open.

15, 30 Year Jumbo Programs A jumbo mortgage is a mortgage loan which is larger than the limits set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ($240,000 as of 1/1/99). Since these two agencies will not purchase these types of loans, they usually carry a higher interest rate (to enhance their value and marketability to investors).

Is my interest rate guaranteed? It is important to ask the lender how long they guarantee the quoted interest rate. Some lenders guarantee the rate for 20, 30, 45, 60 or 90 days. Other lenders may only agree to set a rate when the loan is approved. On occasion, lenders will not set a rate for the loan until just before closing. A longer guarantee period allows you to protect the rate for a longer length of time, which could be beneficial to you in a volatile interest rate market. Also, be sure to inquire whether long guarantee periods are available and what additional costs may be involved.

The Annual Percentage Rate is a good tool in comparing different lenders and the total costs involved in financing your new home. The APR takes into consideration all the costs involved in getting a mortgage and give a clearer picture of what you are paying in interest. When you look just at the interest rate this sometimes can be deceiving since their are so many ways and programs available for mortgages. A lower interest rate is always realized with Adjustable Rate Mortgages at first and then the interest rate will increase over the years. Also a lower interest rate cannot always be seen as a better deal because the lender could be charging more fees that will offset the benefit of the lower interest rate.

You may reach a day when you have to lock in -- because you cannot draw the loan documents without locking in a rate. That might be a day when rates are up, even though they are trending downward. Locking in your rate provides a nice safe guarantee -- providing you close on time. It makes sense to build in a cushion because no one can guarantee you will close on time, even though everyone tries their best.

Credit scoring helps lenders decide to fund a loan. As credit scoring has become more sophisticated, lenders now look at other factors in your credit history as well. Some lenders will also look at how many inquiries have been made into your credit report recently. They might believe that a large number of inquiries means that you have applied for a large amount of credit recently.