It's generally a good time to refinance when mortgage rates are 2% lower than the current rate on your loan. It may be a viable option even if the interest rate difference is only 1% or less. Any reduction can trim your monthly mortgage payments. Example: Your payment, excluding taxes and insurance, would be about $770 on a $100,000 loan at 8.5%; if the rate were lowered to 7.5%, your payment would then be $700 – now you're saving $70 per month. The amount you save depends on your income, budget, loan amount, and interest rate changes. Your trusted broker can help you calculate your options.
A point is a percentage of the loan amount, or 1-point = 1% of the loan, so one point on a $100,000 loan is $1,000. Points are costs that need to be paid to a lender to get mortgage financing under specified terms. Discount points are fees used to lower the interest rate on a mortgage loan by paying some of this interest up front. Lenders may refer to costs in terms of basis points in hundredths of a percent; 100 basis points = 1 point, or 1% of the loan amount.
Possibly, if you plan to stay in the property for at least a few years. Paying discount points to lower the loan's interest rate can be a good way to lower your required monthly loan payment, and possibly increase the loan amount that you can afford to borrow. However, if you plan to stay in the property for only a year or two, your monthly savings may not be enough to recoup the cost of the discount points that you paid up front.
The annual percentage rate (APR) is an interest rate reflecting the cost of a mortgage as a yearly rate. This rate is likely to be higher than the stated note rate or advertised rate on the mortgage because it takes into account points and other credit costs. The APR allows homebuyers to compare different types of mortgages based on the annualized cost for each loan. The APR is designed to measure the "true cost of a loan." It creates a level playing field for lenders and prevents lenders from advertising a low rate and hiding fees.
The APR does not affect your monthly payments. Your monthly payments are strictly a function of the interest rate and the length of the loan.
Another way to compare loans is to ask for Loan Estimates for two loans with the same basic terms – e.g., type of loan (such as 30-year fixed) and the same interest rate. Ignore for a moment the fees that are independent of the loan such as homeowners insurance, title fees, escrow fees, attorney fees, etc. Now add up all the loan fees. The lender that has lower loan fees has a cheaper loan, in this comparison, than the lender with higher loan fees.
The following fees are generally included in the APR:
The following fees are normally not included in the APR for a mortgage:
Mortgage rates can change from the day you apply for a loan to the day you close the transaction. If interest rates rise sharply during the application process it can increase the borrower’s mortgage payment unexpectedly. Therefore, a lender can allow the borrower to "lock in" the loan’s interest rate guaranteeing that rate for a specified time period, often 30-60 days, and sometimes for a fee.
Below is a list of documents that are required when you apply for a mortgage. However, every situation is unique and you may be required to provide additional documentation. So, if you are asked for more information, be cooperative and provide the information requested as soon as possible. It will help speed up the application process.
Credit scoring is a system creditors use to help determine whether to give you credit. Information about you and your credit experiences, such as your bill-paying history, the number and type of accounts you have, late payments, collection actions, outstanding debt, and the age of your accounts, is collected from your credit application and your credit report. Using a statistical program, creditors compare this information to the credit performance of consumers with similar profiles. A credit scoring system awards points for each factor that helps predict who is most likely to repay a debt. A total number of points, known as a credit score, helps predict how creditworthy you are – that is, how likely it is that you will repay a loan and make the payments when due.
The most widely used credit scores are FICO scores, which were developed by Fair Isaac Company, Inc. Your score on an application will fall between 350 (high risk) and 850 (low risk). You do not have one single FICO score; Fair Isaac has developed many different models, used for different types of credit. These models change over time, and it’s hard to predict which version a given lender is using. Different credit bureaus may have slightly different information in their files on you, and those differences may or may not matter for a particular scoring model. Some companies will offer to sell you a credit score. It’s important to understand that the number you get from one of those companies is not necessarily the same number a lender will calculate when it reviews your mortgage application.
Because your credit report is an important part of many credit scoring systems, it is very important to make sure it's accurate before you submit a credit application. To get copies of your report, contact the three major credit reporting agencies:
Equifax: (866) 349-5191
Experian (formerly TRW): EXPERIAN (888) 397-3742
TransUnion: (800) 888-4213
These agencies may charge you for your credit report.
You are entitled to receive one free credit report every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This free credit report can be requested through the following website: https://www.annualcreditreport.com. No other website provides your once-a-year free report.
Credit scoring models are complex and often vary among creditors and for different types of credit. If one factor changes, your score may change – improvement generally depends on how that factor relates to other factors considered by the model. Only the creditor can explain what might improve your score under the particular model used to evaluate your credit application and taking account of how the details in your credit report are affecting your score.
Nevertheless, scoring models generally evaluate the following types of information in your credit report:
Scoring models may be based on more than just information in your credit report. For example, the model may consider information from your credit application as well: your job or occupation, length of employment, or whether you own a home.
To improve your credit score under most models, concentrate on paying your bills on time and managing your level of debt. It's likely to take some time to improve your score significantly.
An appraisal is an estimate of a property's fair market value. It's a document generally required (depending on the loan program) by a lender before loan approval to ensure the mortgage loan amount is not more than the value of the property. The appraisal is performed by an "appraiser," typically a state-licensed professional who is trained to render expert opinions concerning property values, its location, amenities, and physical conditions.
On a conventional mortgage, when your down payment is less than 20% of the purchase price of the home, mortgage lenders might require you to get private mortgage insurance (PMI) to protect them in case you default on your mortgage. Sometimes you may need to pay up to one-year's worth of PMI premiums at closing, which can cost several hundred dollars. The best way to avoid this extra expense is to make a 20% down payment, or ask about other loan program options.
With 80-10-10 financing, if you’re a borrower with a hefty income but less than a 20% down payment, a savings and loan association, bank or other institutional lender provides a traditional 80% first mortgage, and you get a 10% second mortgage and make a cash down payment equal to 10% of the home’s purchase price. By using this method, you are no longer obligated to take out PMI on your property.
The same principle applies if you can afford to make only a 5% down payment; 80-15-5 financing is also available. However, because a smaller cash down payment increases the lender’s risk of default, you may be asked to pay higher loan fees and a higher mortgage interest rate for 80-15-5 than for 80-10-10.
The property is officially transferred from the seller to you at "closing" or "funding."
At closing, the ownership of the property is officially transferred from the seller to you. This may involve you, the seller, real estate agents, your attorney, the lender’s attorney, title or escrow firm representatives, clerks, secretaries, and other staff. You can have an attorney represent you, especially if you can't attend the closing meeting, e.g., you’re out of state. Closing can take anywhere from one hour to several hours, depending on contingency clauses in the purchase offer or the need for any escrow accounts to be set up.
Most paperwork in closing or settlement is done by attorneys and real estate professionals. You may or may not be involved in some of the closing activities; it depends on who you are working with.
Prior to closing you should have a final inspection, or "walk-through," to ensure requested repairs were performed and items agreed to remain with the house are there, such as drapes, lighting fixtures, etc.
In most states, the settlement is completed by a title or escrow firm to which you forward all materials and information, plus the appropriate cashier's checks, so the firm can make the necessary disbursement. Your representative will deliver the check to the seller and then give the keys to you.