Homeowners who went through difficult financial times in recent years, actually can still refinance their homes so long as their situations have changed for the better. Many banks offered loan modifications to homeowners who otherwise couldn’t refinance due to equity position or repayment ability. Two government programs have helped homeowners stay in their home and/or…
A program made popular in the height of the subprime lending environment was no-cost mortgages. No-cost loans have gained strong interest as consumers are savvy in deciphering loan terms, rates and how to qualify for credit in a constrictive lending environment. Whether buying a home or refinancing a mortgage, following are key differences between the…
With more home buyers entering the market, competition increasing, driving prices in most pocket areas up, consumers begin to place more emphasis on sustainable payment over time considering they could be paying more for the property than anticipated. Such real estate market conditions are also causing many buyers to switch mortgage loan programs during the…
Mortgage Insurance is like the plague to a monthly mortgage payment. It makes the cost of homeownership rise over time, only benefits one party… the lender. Mortgage insurance also known as private mortgage insurance (PMI) is an intergal component of many popular loan programs today; FHA Mortgages, USDA Mortgages and yes even standard Conventional Mortgages.…
As many now know, the Making Homes Affordable Program aka Harp 2 Refinance allows people to refinance if their loans are owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, with out any loan-to-value restriction. Successfully refinancing any occupancy home despite being underwater is quite common these days under this program. While this program, is helping many…
On January 10, 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau unveiled new rules to help protect consumers from unscrupulous mortgage lending. These rules implement underwriting criteria what constitutes a “qualified mortgage”. As long as the mortgage lender meets certain criteria, the consumer cannot sue a lender for not verifying income, providing a loan to a consumer…
People lining themselves up for home buying or even current homeowners who have not taken mortgage in a number of years, with all the different programs available in the marketplace today; Government Loans, Conventional Loans, Conforming Loans, it can be easy to get lost in the array of available programs. All mortgage loan programs breakdown…
In the last several years, many homeowners looking to take advantage of a lower monthly mortgage payments took out adjustable-rate mortgages to purchase or refinance their homes. As both mortgage rates and short-term interest rates, remain low it boils down to one financial decision at the end of the day; Keep or refinance your adjustable-rate…