If you look at the most stressful events in a person’s life, buying a home is on the top ten list. After all, it’s a big decision – both emotionally and financially. Many home buyers go through an anxious period after they’ve arranged for their mortgage and get ready to move into their new home. Knowing you’ll get a pocketful of cash would sure help, wouldn’t it?

That’s a big part of the attraction of cash-back mortgages. A plump cheque is a psychological boost to home buyers who have just made one of the biggest financial commitments of their lives. As mortgage brokers, we like to work with our clients to ensure that they look beyond the temporary “feel good” of the cash, and weigh their options wisely.

Remember that the cash-back option comes with a trade-off: if you choose not to take the cash back, you can get a lower interest rate. Over time, you could see substantial savings in interest payments.

So, start with the most important question: What will the cash be used for? Is this purchase a priority, and is it worth the difference in the rate? Perhaps you have a plan to take advantage of the cash-back to purchase the household appliances for your new home. The extra $3,000 for new kitchen or laundry appliances may be an urgent immediate need and a higher priority overall than the lower interest rate for your mortgage term.

But here is the second question to discuss with your mortgage broker: What will be the impact of the rate difference over time? You’ll need real-life figures to work out the details for your personal situation, but let’s look at an example*:

Let’s say that your cash-back option pays 1% of the mortgage amount on a two-year deal, 3% on five years, and 5% cash back on a ten-year closed mortgage. And let’s assume that you’re looking at borrowing $100,000 for a 5-year term, amortized over 25 years. Not long ago, you might be looking at the difference between cash back and a rate of 6.60%, or a discounted interest rate of 5.29%.

So what’s the bottom line? Your cash-back option would give you $3,000 up-front, but over your 5-year term, you would pay a little over $6,300 more in interest costs than you would have with the discounted rate. The exact cost of the cash-back option in this example is $3,330.44 – paid out over 5 years.

Is that a good deal? It depends. Did you get the much-needed appliances for your home… or use the funds to manage a high-priority expense? Then you probably got good value from the option. If – five years later – you can’t remember where the money went, then perhaps you didn’t make the best trade-off.



Sell and Rent Back

100% Mortgage – This is when you borrow the full property value from a mortgage broker. This type of mortgage requires no deposit or down payment, and is therefore popular with first-time buyers. However, because of the credit crunch, 100% mortgages are hard to come by.

Adverse (or bad) Credit Mortgages – These are, as the name suggests, available to people with a low, or nonexistent, credit score. These are increasingly hard to come by, and usually have a very high interest rate attached. It’s better to rent and work on improving your credit score before applying for a mortgage. They are also known as sub-prime mortgages.

Base Rate Tracker – Interest rates on all mortgages fluctuate, but a Tracker mortgage will vary depending on the base rate set by the Bank of England. For example; if the deal you find offers base rate plus 0.75% for life, you will always pay exactly 0.75% over the base rate, whatever it is. The advantage of this is that if the base rate goes down, so do your repayments, and quicker than with a standard variable mortgage (covered below).

Capped Rate Mortgage – Another rare deal, the capped mortgage guarantees that you will not pay more than a pre-determined amount of interest on your repayments over a set period of time, no matter how much they go up. The admin fees on this type of mortgage are usually higher than on more standard deals, but there is the advantage of knowing, at least for a few years, that your payments won’t rise above a certain level.

Current Account Mortgages – Relatively new on the mortgage market, this type of mortgage, often called a combined mortgage, works like a bank account. You get a fully functioning bank account with direct debit facilities, chequebook and statements, and your earnings are paid into this account. The amount of the mortgage is also paid into this account, and it works like a big overdraft – you can borrow money from it to pay for holidays etc, but this theoretically gets repaid as your wages are paid in. the temptation is to borrow a little too much when faced with such a large amount of cash, so this is only really good for those who can manage their money well!

Divorced Mortgages – Some lenders recognise that a couple in the midst of divorce, or a newly divorced homeowner, may need special assistance. Therefore, certain mortgages come with a fixed interest rate for up to 5 years, with an interest free period for the first few months. For the new divorcees buying a home, alimony payments can be calculated into the income when determining a mortgage limit. These mortgages are often 100% deals, and are only offered to divorcees.

Endowment Mortgage – These mortgages are linked to the Stock Market. Often called an ‘interest-only’ mortgage, your monthly repayments only cover the interest due; the idea being that your investments will do well enough to pay off the whole capital at the end of the term. Of course, if your investments fail to make you money, you could be faced with a huge debt at the end of the term.

Fixed Rate Mortgage – Like all mortgages, this has good and bad points. You get a fixed monthly payment amount for a set term – usually between 1 and 5 years – and during this time you are guaranteed to pay that amount no matter what happens to interest rates. It’s good because you know exactly what you’ll be paying for that term but at the end, you might be in for a nasty shock if rates have risen substantially. In addition, if rates drop below the rate you’re paying during your fixed term, you’ll be paying more than you would on a different type of mortgage.

Flexible Mortgage – This type of mortgage deal has massive benefits as it allows you to vary your mortgage payment amounts, under- or over-pay as needed, and even miss payments altogether if you need cash for a holiday or Christmas. Potentially you could save thousands in interest if you pay off this type of mortgage early, as there are no repayment penalties as with other deals. But again, you need to be responsible with this as the interest will keep mounting up during a payment holiday.

Guarantor Mortgages – A guarantor is a person who acts as a kind of financial backup for a borrower. In the case of mortgages, the guarantor would be responsible for repayments should the borrower default. It’s a huge responsibility which involves a lot of trust on both sides, but for a first-time buyer it can be a good solution to a first mortgage. A guarantor needs to prove that they could afford your repayments as well as their own commitments in the event of a default. Most lenders will look favourably on an applicant with a guarantor, so it’s worth securing one even if you don’t foresee any problems.

This concludes part one of the mortgages guide. Part two will cover more mortgages such as offset mortgages and the classic repayment mortgage.



Rent Back

Reports have been bandied about in the press recently of the impending credit crunch that is expected to hit the US and will be swiftly followed the UK. Mortgage brokers are enjoying being inundated with home owners and buyers looking for the best information.

Financial institutions are doing what they can to counteract the possibility of a credit crisis with the main concern being interest rates. The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has cut the base rate by 0.25%. It may not sound much but it is enough to help restore some confidence in the market.

A mortgage broker will offer advice to current home owners to use the savings afforded by this drop in interest rates to pay back into their mortgage and lower the whole life time. On a 100,000 pounds mortgage, a 0.25% cut in interest rates could mean your mortgage being paid off 15 months early if the savings are ploughed back into it.

For anyone in doubt when it comes to financial matters, a mortgage broker is always a good option. They will be able to advice on all types of mortgages to suit your budget and circumstances. It is a fact that a large proportion of house sale enquiries have been made by first time buyers of late, who have had their confidence boosted by the drop in interest rates and who have had the financial sense to consult a mortgage broker.

With interest rates at their lowest levels in just over a year, it’s now a good time to get on the property ladder. A mortgage broker can advice on whether the rates are likely to increase or decrease in the near future with their inside knowledge.

Staying with the theme of first time buyers, new build houses are a sound investment as your mortgage broker will reassure you. New houses are built with much better energy efficiency than old houses, thus giving you long term savings.

They are also designed with our modern lifestyles in mind. With the contemporary look that everybody is striving for these days, you are more likely to get a simply designed house that has better use made of the space than an older style house.

Older style houses appeal to many people for comfort but for the younger generation, thinking of our hectic lifestyles with families, work commitments and relatives spread far and wide across the country, a simple home life is essential. It is the new build house that is more likely to be open plan. Buy an old house with separate dining room and you are likely paying out for a room that will hardly ever get used.

En-suites are virtually expected in new build houses and this is a god send when you are contending with a young family early in the morning, as is a utility room.

Looking at the prospect of these home owners being able to sell on in the future, you are much more likely to have success in this field with a new build house as opposed to an older house. It is easier to see the new build as a blank canvas to make your own mark on rather than all the changes that an old house would take to make it your own home.

Despite a slowdown in the property market towards the end of 2007, it would seem things are definitely picking up and now is the time to snap up a bargain.



Repossession

Mortgage Brokers In Australia most people go to mortgage brokers to get access to a greater range of mortgage options, for better service and for the mortgage broker’s ability to negotiate with lenders. A mortgage broker offers loans from a panel of financial institutions, including banks and non-banks. In Australia there are literally hundreds of lenders with many options, that were traditionally available in the past and competition amongst lenders for customers is fierce with new home loan products available every day. Using a mortgage broker is now an essential part of sourcing the market for the right home loan. In plain terms, mortgage brokers evaluate your situation against the 20 or 30 lenders on their panel for the best deal. Specialised mortgage lenders offer competitive products to first home buyers, self employed and business people, retirees, new Australians and immigrants, previous bankrupts and people with a bad or poor credit history. One of the great advantages of using a good mortgage broker is that they have access to many of these lenders and their products. The mortgage broker should be able to provide you with the cheapest home loan to the most competitive home loan in the current financial market. The mortgage broker should be able to provide you with at least three options of which lender suits you best. The mortgage broker should be able to explain in detail each home loan product he/she is offering and why they have chosen these home loan options for you. The options the mortgage broker provided is from the information that you have provided to them. This will show if the mortgage broker has done their homework correctly. Mortgage Brokers usually run their own businesses. Lenders work with mortgage brokers because they effectively give the lender a bigger “shop front” without carrying a traditional employee or “bricks and mortar” overhead. Some lenders like Citibank, ING, Macquarie Bank and Heritage have few or no branches and partly rely on mortgage brokers to represent their products. Other lenders like CBA, Westpac, ANZ, NAB and St George have their own branch networks, but simply extend their access to Customers through the mortgage broker network. The lender pays the broker fees or commissions for your business. Just as if you were dealing with a bank manager or lender, these fees do not change the interest rate you pay on a home loan. To be sure you are being recommended to the right lender, just ask your mortgage broker to show you all the lenders on their panel, and what your loan options would be, against each lender’s criteria. What a Broker should do for you When you first meet with a broker, they should always start by asking you to explain your entire finance situation, including future plans. Little things can make a big difference to making sure you get the right home loan for your situation now and with flexibility for future changes. Have your key documents on hand to refer to when meeting with the broker so you can give the most accurate details to ensure you get the right home loan. Your Mortgage Broker should: Discuss and confirm loan scenarios and options in writing Explain all documents of the loan application and assist in completing the loan application Explain the loan process, from start of the application to closing Explain all associated costs, fees and disbursements of the loan application Communicate with you throughout the loan process Follow up the lender for you from application through conditional and on to unconditional approval Negotiate with their lender or lenders to achieve the best deal How do I know a mortgage broker is any good? Establish the right mortgage broker for you and check his/hers experience and qualifications. A good mortgage broker will be committed to the industry’s code of practice. It is vital to ensure you’re getting the best loan for your needs. Below is a checklist that will help you know if your mortgage broker is a good person For residential loans, all of the mortgage broker’s services should be free – remember mortgage broker’s are paid commissions from the lenders The right mortgage broker will take the time to really understand your entire finance situation, both now and into the future Your mortgage broker should have a range of home loans from a wide variety of lenders, for example, banks and non-banks, conforming and non-conforming lenders Check that your mortgage broker is not just an agent for one lender Check the qualifications and experience of your mortgage broker, even ask for references from previous borrowers Is the mortgage broker a member of MFAA – Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia / FBAA – Finance Brokers Association Australia Ensure your mortgage broker discloses all commission and payments received by the lenders Ask your mortgage broker to show you how the loans they offer compare to your own situation (on a computer). Good mortgage brokers should have the appropriate software and be able to clearly outline options requested by you Ask your mortgage broker how they comply with the Privacy Act to ensure security of your personal and financial details Your mortgage broker should have appropriate insurances (for example Public Indemnity Insurance Cover) A good mortgage broker should be able to explain the most complex loans in simple plain English In conclusion you would like to have trust in the Mortgage Broker that you will use. It is important that you take your “gut instinct” when you are choosing a Mortgage Broker. You want to make sure that you like the person and ensure that the Mortgage Broker will do the ring thing for you. It does not hurt to ask the Mortgage Broker for testimonials (what other customer have said about them)



Repossession

Mortgage is the financial term used in terms of money. Mortgage is a method used to obtain loan on behalf of any collateral security. Mortgage plays the dominant role in the world financial market for the purpose of obtaining money from the mortgage lenders. Mortgage broker is the other important person who helps the people to obtain mortgages from the lenders by securing a collateral security. Mortgaging is the business which fetches more demand among the people and huge number of people are engaged in the activity of providing mortgages for the public.

Generally, mortgages will be provided based on securing any real or personal property for payment of debt obtained. Nowadays, mortgage and mortgage dealers play the important and essential role in the world market. Mortgages are provided by the financial institutions, banks and many other financial sources. Mortgage dealers are available in the market in more numbers and nowadays most of the people are interested in mortgage business. Real and personal properties can be secured as the collateral security to obtain payment debt.

There is standard method of obtaining mortgages loan and each institutions formality differs. Generally, mortgage loan are obtained for construction of residential and commercial properties and for purchase of different kinds of house property. Mortgages are the instrument used for the purpose of obtaining loan or financial sources which can be obtained for different interest rates. Mortgage loans will be issued for different interest rates and the interest rate varies as per the institution and banks issued. Most of the people obtain mortgages for their houses, business, marriage, education or for any other kind of issues.

Arranging mortgage from the financial institution is not the difficult task and for the purpose only mortgage brokers are exist in the market. To arrange credit loans and advances, mortgage brokers provides excellent, unique and uncreditable performance to the customers. Over the past years mortgage brokers were finds to be listed in few numbers. But now due to increase in population and requirement of the people more number of mortgages and mortgage institutions has been started. To perform excellent performance in mortgage business, proper experience and knowledge is required for the business.

Because of the extensive performance and demand of the mortgage brokers, more number of mortgages is provided. Nowadays, mortgage loans are provided for reasonable interest rate to enable customers to obtain mortgages from this kind of banks, financial institutions. The profession of mortgage business broker differs according to each state and his style. Mortgage broker of each state is required to obtain mortgage broker license from the state and federal government to engage in the business. Without mortgage broker license, the mortgage broker cannot able to perform the mortgage broker business.



Repossession