The first two considerations you have when arranging a mortgage are what type of mortgage rate is required along with how the mortgage will be repaid. The following article looks at the different mortgage rate options such as fixed rates, discounted rates, capped, variable and tracker rates, along with the main advantages and disadvantages for each option.

When considering which type of mortgage product is suitable for your needs, it pays to consider your attitude to risk, as those with a cautious attitude to risk may find a fixed or capped rate more appropriate, whereas those with a more adventurous attitude to risk may find a tracker rate that fluctuates up and down more appealing.

Following is a description of the different mortgage rate options along with a summary of the main advantages and disadvantages for each option.

Fixed Rate Mortgages

With a fixed rate mortgage you can lock into a fixed repayment cost that will not fluctuate up or down with movements in the Bank of England base rate, or the lenders Standard Variable Rate. The most popular fixed rate mortgages are 2, 3 and 5 year fixed rates, but fixed rates of between 10 years and 30 years are now more common at reasonable rates. As a general rule of thumb, the longer the fixed rate period the higher the interest rate. This is also applicable when considering the percentage loan to value, where borrowing below 75% of the property value will attract a lower fixed rate in comparison to an 85% or 90% loan to value which will attract a higher fixed rate percentage.

Advantages

Having the peace of mind that your mortgage payment will not rise with increases in the base rate. This makes budgeting easier for the fixed rate period selected, and can be advantageous to first time buyers or those stretching themselves to the maximum affordable payment.

Disadvantages

The monthly repayment will remain the same even when the economic environment sees the Bank of England and lenders reducing their base rates. In these circumstances where the fixed rate ends up costing more, remembering why the initial decision was made to select a fixed rate, can be helpful.

Discount Rate Mortgages

With a discount rate mortgage, you are offered a percentage off of the lenders Standard Variable Rate (SVR). This takes the form of a reduction in the normal variable interest rate by say, 1.5% for a year or two. The common mistake of those considering a discount rate, is to assume the higher the percentage discount offered, the better the deal. The key bit of information missing however, is what the lenders SVR is, as this will dictate the actual pay rate after the discount is applied.

As with a fixed rate, the longer the discount rate period the smaller the discount offered, and the higher the rate. Shorter periods such as 2 years will attract the highest levels of discount. In addition when considering the amount to be borrowed, the increased risk to the lender of providing a 90% loan will be reflected in the pay rate, with lower borrowing amounts attracting more competitive rates.

Advantages

Should the lender reduce their standard variable rate your interest rate and monthly payment will also reduce.

Disadvantages

When the lender or Bank of England increases their base rate, your mortgage payment will also increase. However in some circumstances lenders do not always pass on the full amount of a Bank of England base rate reduction.

Affordability of the mortgage at the end of the discount rate period should be considered at outset. There are no guarantees that follow on rates will be available, and so you should make certain that you are able to afford the monthly payment at the lenders standard variable applicable upon expiry of the discount rate period. Allowing for an increase in interest rates above the SVR would be prudent to avoid a ‘Payment shock’.

Tracker Rate Mortgages

Tracker rate mortgages guarantee to follow the Bank of England base rate when it moves up or down. Tracker rates are expressed as a percentage above or below the Bank of England base rate such at +0.5% over BOE base rate for 2 years.

The most popular tracker rate mortgages have been 2 and 3 year products, but there is now an increasing demand for lifetime tracker rates as borrowers are starting to realise that the Bank of England base rate has been reasonable competitive, and having a mortgage product linked to it could be beneficial in the long term.

Advantages

A tracker rate guarantees to follow the Bank of England base rate for however long the tracker rate is set up for. This means that as soon as the Bank of England cuts rates, a tracker rate mortgage guarantees to reflect the new lower rate and repayment.

The overall cost calculation of a Lifetime tracker rate can be significantly lower than taking shorter term mortgage products with the ongoing costs of remortgaging such as valuation fees, legal fee and lender arrangement fees. Lifetime tracker rates often have no early repayment penalty restrictions.

Disadvantages

The mortgage payment will go up if the Bank of England increases the base rate. Early repayment charges are likely to be applicable during the benefit period, and as with other types of mortgage rate are likely to be 6 months interest or 3% - 5% of the loan.

Variable Rate Mortgages

Variable rate mortgages are more commonly known as the lenders Standard Variable Rate (SVR), and are the rate that you come onto after the expiry of a fixed, discounted, tracker or capped rate mortgage. A variable rate is similar to a tracker rate in as much as the lender will base their SVR on the Bank of England base rate plus a loading of between say 2.5% and 3.5%. That is where the similarity ends however.

Advantages

The main advantage of being on the lenders Standard Variable Rate (SVR) is that there will be no early repayment charge for redeeming the loan in full. This provides a certain amount of flexibility when there is uncertainty in the market about where rates are moving. For those wishing to fix their mortgage rate, an SVR with no early repayment charge can provide the breathing space required to just wait and see before committing.

Whilst not always the case lenders do tend to pass on reductions in the Bank of England base rate through their SVR, and so those on the SVR will benefit from a reduction in the mortgage payment.

Disadvantages

Generally the SVR will be a higher rate of interest and so your mortgage payment will be greater than if you were on a tracker rate, fixed rate or discounted rate mortgage product. In addition, as has been seen in the past, some lenders do not pass on any or all of a reduction in the Bank of England base rate which results in a higher monthly payment in comparison to other mortgage options.

Capped Rate Mortgages

The capped rate is a variable rate mortgage which has a fixed limit to how far the interest rate can increase (the cap), and provides the option to know the maximum level of mortgage payment from outset. Capped rate mortgages offer the best of both worlds for those with a cautious attitude to risk, but who still wish to benefit from interest rate reductions. For example if the cap is set at 6% and the banks rates go below this rate, then your repayments will go down to reflect the reduction, with the guarantee that should rates go above the 6%, your payments will remain based on the maximum 6% because of the cap.

Advantages

If the Bank of England base rate falls resulting in a fall in the lenders standard variable rate below the level of the capped rate, then your monthly repayment will reduce. For many this provides the peace of mind and certainty for ease of budgeting offered by a know maximum monthly payment.

Disadvantages

Because a capped rate offers the best of both worlds to the borrower, the capped rate is usually uncompetitive as lenders need to price in the risk of rate reductions, leaving those such as first time buyers or those stretching their affordability, exposed to a higher rate than would be available with a fixed rate. This means that UK lenders generally don’t offer capped rate mortgages with any sort of competitive rate, preferring to market fixed rates instead.



Quick Property Sale

s particularly easy to find and choose the lowest mortgage loan. The internet makes research into a mortgage loan as easy as clicking a button. Here are some tips on how to find the best mortgage loan and the mortgage loan that is right for you.

1. Choose the right type of mortgage loan

Decide if you want a fixed rate mortgage loan or a variable rate loan. A fixed rate loan is where the payments are fixed for a certain period of time or for the entire loan period. A variable rate loan is where the repayments fluctuate with the interest rate.

A fixed rate mortgage loan is best when bank interest rates are low. Then you can protect yourself against higher payments when the interest rate increases.

A variable rate loan is best when interest rates are higher.

Today, applying for a mortgage loan is made extremely easy by the advent of the internet. There are a multitude of brokers and mortgage loan companies who offer home mortgage loan and loans online. They also offer a host of information, mortgage calculators and tools online to calculate the lowest home mortgage loan rates.

Before you choose a mortgage loan company or broker though, be sure to shop around for the lowest mortgage loan rate and make sure you ask about those hidden costs. Using a mortgage broker, instead of a loan company can be a great way of getting extra quotes, which can save you some time in shopping for the lowest home mortgage rates.

A mortgage loan company will review your application and will either deny or approve the loan, but a brokerage will send your application to several home mortgage companies and you will then receive multiple offers for lowest mortgage loan rates from various loan companies, so when searching for the lowest mortgage loan rates, it is advisable to choose a mortgage loan broker, rather than going directly to a mortgage company. But before you send your details to just anyone, make sure that the broker you’re using is an accredited home mortgage broker.

Before you shop, you need to decide if you are looking for the lowest mortgage loan rates for a fixed home mortgage loan or the lowest mortgage rates for a variable interest home mortgage loan. There are pro’s and con’s to both types of loans.

A fixed rate mortgage loan is a loan where the interest rate is fixed – therefore payments on the loan are fixed for a period of time or for the entire loan period. This mortgage loan is good for when interest rates are expected to climb, since if the rate climbs, you are protected from higher repayments. The downside is that if rates fall below you rate, you payments do not decrease. This type of loan does however make it a lot easier to budget and can be a godsend when the rates suddenly fly up.

A variable rate mortgage loan is a loan where the interest and therefore the payment fluctuate along with the mortgage loan interest rate. This home mortgage loan is good where you are taking out a mortgage loan and the current mortgage rate is very high. If the rate falls, then your payments will fall accordingly. The downside is that if the rate climbs then your repayments will climb as well, and you may be out of pocket if you did not budget correctly.

But whether you’re looking for a fixed rate mortgage loan or variable rate home mortgage loan, be sure to shop around for the lowest home mortgage rates. The lowest mortgage rates could save you thousands in the long run.

To find the lowest mortgage loan rates search for a broker in your area.



Passive Income

An adjustable rate mortgage, commonly referred to as an ARM, is a mortgage where the interest rate on the mortgage changes periodically, on a schedule, according to an index. The most common indexes used to determine the interest rates are:

One-year constant maturity treasury securities (CMT)

Cost of Funds Index (COFI)

London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)

A lending institution’s own costs of funds.

The mortgage payment that you pay will thusly change, either up or down, to ensure a steady margin for the lending institution.

For many people who are looking at mortgages, the adjustable rate mortgage can seem like a great idea, however there are many pros and cons to an adjustable rate mortgage - items that need to be weighed over the short and long term to decide whether an adjustable rate mortgage is right for you or not.

The Pros of an Adjustable Rate Mortgage

The initial interest rate on an adjustable rate mortgage looks great on paper. Most often, the adjustable rate mortgage inserts rate is much lower than a fixed rate mortgage, which also means that the payment is lower. As a borrower, this lower interest rate can also mean that they can qualify for a higher loan amount if the lender is willing to base their ability to pay on the initial monthly payment amount. It’s important to do some research on the interest rates and see where they are sitting at in comparison to the six months to a year prior.

An adjustable rate mortgage is a good idea for people who only plan on staying in a house for a few years - from three to five years. Taking advantage of the lower interest rate that accompanies an adjustable rate mortgage is a good idea in this case. It means that you will ‘pay less’ for the home that you will be living in over the period of the three to five years, and gain more in equity in your home.

The Cons of an Adjustable Rate Mortgage

The biggest issue with an adjustable rate mortgage is that the interest rate will rise and thusly, so will your monthly mortgage payments. You have to decide whether the gamble is worth it or not. If you are looking at getting a raise in the next year from your job, then you may be able to handle an increase in your mortgage payments.

Some of the adjustable rate mortgages that are offered by lending institutions have a prepayment penalty, which you incur if you pay the mortgage off early. By having this prepayment penalty, you could be opening yourself up to a lot of strife - having a prepayment penalty on your mortgage contract is never a good idea because you simply just do not know what the future will bring.

You must also consider the payment cap. A payment cap sounds great - your mortgage payment can not go above “x” amount of dollars, however, that doesn’t mean that the interest charge is capped. If the interest rate raises high enough that you go over your payment cap, the lender adds the interest to your mortgage debt, which then finds you in the position of paying interest on the interest. This can translate to you paying much more for your home than you did when you bought it - this is called negative amortization. Many lenders have a cap on negative amortization that you can have, and if you reach that point, your payment cap goes out the window and your mortgage’s monthly payments are adjusted to begin repaying the negative amortization debt.

Factors that can go either way

There are a few factors of adjustable rate mortgages that can fall on either side of the pro/con debate. Due to the fact that there are many different types of adjustable rate mortgages available from different lenders, it’s important that you research the adjustable rate mortgage and find out whether it is right for you. Some of the ‘ambiguous’ factors that you have to consider can make or break the decision to go with an adjustable rate mortgage.

One of the first things you need to consider is the lifetime interest rate cap on the mortgage. This is the maximum amount that the interest rate can raise through the period of the mortgage. There are also the periodic adjustment caps that limit the amount that your mortgage interest rate can raise from one adjustment period to the next. The law states that adjustable rate mortgages have some type of lifetime cap.

Most lenders use one of the index rates to base their interest rates on. The index rates change and fluctuate with the movement of the economy. To determine the interest rate that you will be charged, the lender adds a margin (profit percentage) to the index rate. The margin that the lender will add is also important - it determines your future interest rates with an adjustable rate mortgage. The margin is different from lender to lender, so it’s important to find out what the margin is.



Real Estate Professionals

You’ve found a beautiful piece of property in one of the upscale areas of Pennsylvania and you’re wondering if you can get the best mortgage loan that’s available in the market.

If you’re new to the area, you might want to study the local market, meet with some real estate agents and mortgage brokers, speak to a few financial institutions and do comparison shopping for mortgage loans in Pennsylvania. Don’t be in a rush to settle for the first mortgage loan that’s offered to you. It pays to do a bit of due diligence and to acquaint yourself with local conditions. Only a reputable real estate expert can clue you into the best type of mortgage loan that will suit your budget and lifestyle.

Types of mortgage loans in Pennsylvania

Like most American states, Pennsylvania offers homebuyers many types of mortgage loans:

ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) - the one thing to remember about ARMs is that they have a low initial rate and a low payment, but they last for one, three or five years. There are different types of ARMs and are usually ideal for people with special circumstances; that is, they have varying income levels during the year and only want to engage in short term borrowing. Pennsylvania borrowers who require low mortgage payments but expect to be able to make larger payments later choose ARMs.

Fixed rate mortgage - unlike adjustable rate mortgages, fixed rate mortgages have a fixed interest rate and can go for as long as 10, 20, 25, 30 and even 40 years. This is the perfect mortgage loan for people who have steady incomes and stable jobs and want to pay a fixed amount every month. They can’t tolerate variable rate mortgages because they want to stick to their budget and want the security of one regular payment either weekly or monthly.

Interest only mortgage - this is a type of mortgage loan that is becoming popular among people who cannot afford to make payments towards the principal and interest of a mortgage loan. As the name suggests, homebuyers pay only the interest on the mortgage. This type of loan, however, cannot go on indefinitely as there is a fixed time period for making interest payments - usually five to ten years. In this type of mortgage loan, the borrowers only pay interest leaving the principal amount unchanged. This means that if you borrow $200,000.00 at 5% for 2 years, you will only pay the interest of $10,000 divided over 12 months, but your mortgage loan remains at $200,000.00, even if you choose to pay more interest than the 5%.

Fixed rate second mortgages - these are also called home equity loans. Borrowers borrow money against the equity of their first home if they have certain expenses to meet such as their children’s university education or a kitchen renovation they’ve been wanting to undertake. An alternative to a home equity loan is a refinanced mortgage, but note that home equity loans may have lower closing costs but higher interest rates.

Mortgage loans: a few pointers

When shopping for the best mortgage loan rates, consider the following:

Study the APR (annual percentage rate). This allows you to compare different mortgage loans in Pennsylvania with different closing costs; Amortization - this is important because it pays to know how the payments are applied to the debt balance over a period of time.

Term - people are tempted to stretch their mortgage loans to 30 or 35 years because monthly payments are lower. Remember, however, that while monthly payments would be lower, you could be paying higher interest rates in the end. Some people like a short mortgage - say 10 years - and while they do end up paying larger monthly amounts, they at least save on interest charges.

Low payments - be wary when a mortgage lender offers you very low payments. Consider it within the context of the amortization. While low payments may be affordable in the next 24, 36 or 48 months, the loan could cost you an arm and a leg in terms of interest. Second mortgages - remember the rule of thumb: second mortgages have higher rates than refinanced mortgages.

Before you make a final decision on the mortgage loan you’re obtaining in Pennsylvania, do some research on local mortgage lenders and compare their rates to national lenders. Find out as much as you can about the Pennsylvania housing market and lastly, compare terms and rates and convince lenders to come up with a better offer.



Quick House Sale