Mortgage Loans Guide

Debt consolidation mortgage loan is an advance that a debtor takes out on his home. This is similar to taking a second mortgage on your home. However, unlike the second mortgage that you take for usual purposes, this refinance is for paying off a consolidated debt.

Debt Consolidation

A debt cycle is vicious and ensures that the debtor never be able to move out of the debt situation. This happens because debts accumulate interest quickly, while the debtors income remains steady. The moment a debtor has enough to pay the loan; he discovers that the accumulated interest has snowballed into an amount that he cannot hope to pay. And the cycle continues, dragging him deeper into debt.

If you are a debtor and wish to avoid filing for bankruptcy, you need to think of options such as consolidating your debts. In all probability, a debtor has many loans that he took from various sources, and he is now finding it hard to repay the loans. This is partly because there are too many loans for him to repay.

By merging all debts into a single amount, he can manage the refinancing better. This means that he has less to worry about: lesser monthly payments, lesser interest, fewer threats of creditors showing up on his doorstep. Once the debts are merged into a single debt, and your credit advisor has talked on your behalf with your creditors and reached an agreement, you need to think about how to repay this debt.

Second Mortgage

A debt consolidation loan is used for two purposes:

1. To pay off the first mortgage

2. To pay off the consolidated debt

This is essentially a second loan that you take on your home. Once the first mortgage is repaid, you need to get to work on paying off your debts. There are many ways of doing this:

1. Use the mortgage loan to clear off all of your arrears.

2. Use the consolidation program to relieve part of your arrears, and make changes in your lifestyle to save for the rest of the amount that is due.

3. Find another source of income, or get a new job, to clear part of the loan.

How you repay the debts is entirely up to you. A debt consolidation mortgage loan is meant to help you out of the debt cycle. It must not become a habit, because each new debt will make your financial situation precarious.



By: Apurva Shree

About the Author:

Content

A home equity mortgage loan is a kind of loan you take against your home as a guarantee. It allows you to tap the accrued equity of your property where the equity is calculated as the difference between the worth of the home and the amount owed against it.

A home equity mortgage loan can be taken out only against that property which you use for your primary residence. Usually, it is taken for home improvement or to buy other assets such as car or to finance education; or, for any other financial reason when a large amount of capital is required for immediate need.

A home equity mortgage loan generates the best interest rate as the lenders consider real estate as a stable investment and it usually appreciate in value over time. You can also liquidate the home equity and earn benefits on it without having to sell the house. Home equity mortgage loan can be as high as 125% of the actual value. And it provides you with tax-deductible money without the need of refinancing.

Many a times, these loans are also used for debt consolidation. This reduces the loan rates and thus the payments on the overall debt. Also, the compounded interest on the credit card debts gets converted to simple interest rate, which gives long term financial benefits in most cases. Moreover, it converts the non-deductible interest into a tax-deductible one, providing significant tax benefits to the home owner.

It is true that the home equity mortgage loans have more favorable loan rates as compared to other loan types like auto loans or credit card loans but still the interest rate is higher than that in case of first mortgage. So, you must carefully weigh your options before selecting any one particular loan. Another risk involved in these loans is that if in the future the rate of interest increases, you may have to pay an amount higher than what you anticipated.



By: Lee Traupel

About the Author:

Content

With the current “mortgage meltdown” we hear so much about these days, your average consumer thinks that the days of 100% financing have gone by the wayside. True, you are hard pressed these days to find a bank or lender that will want to carry a second mortgage that combined with a first mortgage adds up to 100% financing. That’s because if there is a default, sitting in second lien position is particularly dicey. Too much risk is involved. And since, in recent history, that scenario of the 80/20 combo was the most common 100% financing vehicle available to a certain group of consumers (non first time homebuyers), there’s a misconception out there that 100% options are all but dried up.

But, a-ha! There is hope for someone who has great credit but prefers to invest his/her assets elsewhere when rates are so low. It’s called the Flex 100. And it can apply to purchases and refinance transactions.

I heard an analyst mention on television the other day that mortgage money is so cheap right now it’s like a sale at Macy’s. That made me chuckle, but it’s true. In which case, why not invest your money elsewhere if you qualify for 100% financing. After all, the homes are still appreciating in most areas, but not at the stellar rate we saw in the past.

The Flex 100 requires you to invest $500 of your own cash towards the transaction, so I guess it’s technically not 100% financing, but it’s pretty darn close. And no, you don’t have to be buying your first home to get this deal. You can actually have owned a home in the past three years! However, it does apply to financing your primary residence only. You can’t get this deal for that nice cabin in Gatlinburg you want to use on the weekends or for that great rental down the street you think you can get a good deal on. You’ve got to live in the house to qualify for this financing.

But you can do a refinance, as long as it’s not a “cash-out,” meaning you’re not paying off debt or taking equity out of the property. It must be a rate term refinance only. However, you can pay off that second mortgage or home equity line of credit you hate, IF you obtained that 2nd lien mortgage when you got your first mortgage (a piggy back closing, we call it). Or to make it clearer, you originally had that 80/20 combo mentioned earlier. If you got that home equity mortgage a month or two after your initial closing to build a deck or payoff a credit card, than it that won’t work for a Flex 100 refinance.

What about your credit score? Well, it will affect the price you get, but there is no “minimum” credit score required for this program. You just have to get an approval through the automated underwriting system required. But be realistic – if you’ve got “iffy” credit, you probably won’t get an approval. A borrower with a credit score below a 620 would probably have to have a low loan to value or debt to income ratio for a chance of an approval.

A Flex 100 may or may not make sense for you. But hey, at least you know it’s an option. Your lender should be able to help you determine if this opportunity to flex your mortgage muscle makes sense for you.



By: Kristin Abouelata - Home Loans

About the Author:

Content

Today it is becoming more and more popular to refinance your original mortgage. But, is this right for you? How do you know whether you’re taking advantage of a great deal or letting yourself in for financial problems? Read on for tips to help you make an educated decision.

First, understand that refinancing your mortgage means you take out a new loan on the amount of money you owe on the existing mortgage based on new terms and pay off the old loan with the proceeds from the new loan.

Depending on the terms you obtain for your refinanced mortgage you may be able to obtain a lower interest rate than your original loan. This can be advantageous in a number of ways. First, it means you may be able to lower your monthly mortgage payments, which can be handy if you need to lower your monthly debt obligations. If you wish to keep your monthly mortgage payments the same, you could also pay off your home sooner with a lower interest rate. Over the course of your loan this could translate to major savings.

In addition, with a lower interest rate you may also be eligible to receive cash back. This money can be used to make repairs on your home or consolidate higher interest credit cards.

Before you refinance your mortgage you should understand there will typically be closings costs involved in the process. Depending on the lender you go with you may be either required to pay for the costs up front or include them in your loan and pay them off in your new payments. Costs that may be included in these fees are an application fee, cost of a new survey and title search in addition to fees for an inspection and appraisal. In addition, if you have less than 20% equity in your home you may also be required to pay private mortgage insurance just as you would if this was your first mortgage.

Given these costs, at least in the beginning, you may actually end up paying more for your refinanced loan than you paid for your old mortgage. This is why it is important to do a comparison between the two loans and make sure you will really be coming out ahead with a refinanced loan. When you do the comparison make sure you figure in how long you think you’ll remain in the home because this can have a tremendous impact on your overall savings. This is important to help you determine where you will break even and begin to actually save money on your mortgage with the new refinanced mortgage loan. If you do not think you are going to be in your home for the length of time it will take to break even, it may not be worth it to refinance your mortgage.

Finally, don’t forget to check the terms of your first mortgage and make sure you won’t be penalized for paying off your loan early. In some cases, this can amount to as much as $1,500; which can seriously impact your break even point.



By: Joseph Kenny

About the Author:

2008.11.27 12:23 B C:\Documents and Settings\roxel\My Documents\blogsPlugins\Caffeinated Content 3.3.1\links\WS_FTP.LOG –> ftp.gofreeserve.com /htdocs/wp-content/plugins/Caffeinated Content 3.3.1/links WS_FTP.LOG

If used properly, there may not be a more effective financial option a homeowner can exercise than to take a second mortgage on their property. More and more American consumers have become aware of revolving debt and the implications it can have on them and their loved one - not just now but in the future.

Second mortgages can be used for practically anything, but they are most typically pay for outstanding education expenses, repairs of your home or property, to procure higher value real estate, and to pay off high interest rate credit cards as well as to consolidate or eliminate other debts.

Naturally, it wouldn’t be fiscally sound to take out a second mortgage if it would not be in your best interest as a homeowner. With so many refinancing, borrowing, and other transaction options available to the modern consumer, when is taking out a second mortgage the right way to go? A second mortgage is a good choice for the homeowner who has a need for a substantial amount of cash and also has sufficient equity in a home.

Essentially, a second mortgage is a second lien against the value of the property, one which is paid back in monthly installments exactly the same as was the case with your first mortgage. Unlike the interest on unsecured loans and credit cards, second mortgage interest is generally tax deductible, and is therefore a viable solution to rid yourself of high interest rates which is often associated with other forms of debt.

An often overlooked nuance of obtaining a second mortgage is the very same due process which was involved in the first. All too often homeowners will take out seconds from the same financial institution used to obtain the initial mortgage. This stands to reason, as the mere thought of mortgaging your home once is overwhelming enough for a surprising amount of individuals who might otherwise benefit from the act to avoid it altogether. A second mortgage, though, is a very important financial decision (just as, if not more important than the first) and should be treated with the same diligence and research as the first. Obtaining information through several lenders or brokers on the second mortgage regarding residential mortgage loans such as; how much can you afford, as well as ascertaining how much of a down payment you will need, and find out all the costs involved in the loan is as vital to the process the second time around as it is the first. Simply seeing the monthly payment or the interest rate on the lien itself is not enough. Knowing information about the same loan amount, loan term, and type of loan will allow you to compare the information from each lender and broker.

Do your homework; get a hold of the current mortgage rates and understand whether the rates are being quoted the lowest for that day or week. Question whether the rate is fixed or adjustable, keeping in mind all the while that interest rates for adjustable-rate loans go up, which will also make the monthly payment go up. If the rate is quoted for an adjustable-rate loan, determine how your rate payment will vary. Again, these factors are as important during the process of obtaining a second mortgage as they are during the first.

You might find that in considering a second mortgage, your financial situation would also lend itself to potentially refinancing a portion or even all of your existing debt. While serving essentially the same purpose as a refinance, a second mortgage can oftentimes be a more efficient and, ultimately inexpensive consolidation option. Of first and foremost concern to most with enough debt to consider a second mortgage on their home to pay off debt, a second mortgage enables you to eliminate high interest debt much more quickly than would be possible with a refinance alone.

The principle advantage of taking a second mortgage is its ability to allow the accomplishment of a specific goal, including but not limited to a reduction in the amount of interest being paid on credit cards (the principle reason homeowners choose a second mortgage as their most effective and efficient consolidation option). If the lien has a shorter pay-off term, the homeowner can look forward to one payment when the second mortgage is paid off. Once the decision is made that the goal is worth the investment, homeowners should shop for the right second mortgage lender, making sure that the one they select is reputable, responsive to their specific needs, and willing to discuss all of the costs up front. Keep in mind that these decisions have serious implications on your credit and foreseeable financial future. If your payments remain regular you’ll alleviate most of the interest rates pertaining to the loan and raise your credit rating.

Unfortunately, second mortgages are far from federalized; they vary widely from state to state and private institution to institution. Nearly as important to performing regular due diligence in observing and researching companies which you might do business with in obtaining a second mortgage is to ascertain the nature of state laws which may or may not limit the capabilities and rights you have as a consumer. In some states, for example, second mortgages do not require borrowers to have equity in their home and many new loans are available up to 125% of value of the security in question (of your home). Many consumers have also found these loans useful for paying off their bills, making home improvements, and taking out funds from the loan for personal use. In other areas, such policies are not possible. Ignorance of a state’s laws or financial regulations may not be used as an excuse and will not protect you from excessive obligations or pitfalls which may result from problems which arise down the road.

A second mortgage is more often than not the best option available for homeowners with large amounts of unsecured debt. Realizing the nuances of the mortgage process can not only help you to evade some of the problems you may have encountered during acquiring your first mortgage, but use the process to benefit you financially in the long run.



By: Gary Carraghan

About the Author: