Private Mortgage Insurance Tax Deductible

The private mortgage insurance allows the borrower to acquire a mortgage in which the down payment is less than twenty percent. The borrowers pay the private mortgage out of their pocket. Now, the private mortgage insurance is tax deductible for US residents.

Actually, the mortgage insurance is either government or private. Whether the mortgage insurance is government or private, the mortgage insurance is tax deductible.

To acquire the mortgage insurance is an alternative for piggyback second mortgage. The piggyback second mortgage is plain simply a second mortgage. The borrower acquires another mortgage on top of the first mortgage for down payment.

The tax deductible applies for modest income earners. That means the borrower earns up to $100,000. In case the borrower earns over the $100,000, the borrower can only write off the private mortgage insurance partially.

Additionally, the tax deductible only applies to new mortgage. The mortgage financing must have happen in the calendar year 2007. Unless the borrower made a mortgage refinancing for the mortgage on or after the calendar year 2007, the tax deductible will not be allowed.

This is good news to the millions of Americans. Millions of Americans pays for the mortgage insurance. The mortgage insurance only cancels out when the home equity or total amount paid goes over twenty percent of the principal amount.

More importantly, the mortgage insurance will be made affordable with this turn of event.

Like the mortgage interest tax deduction, the mortgage insurance tax deduction benefits millions of American. Now, the borrowers or home owners have a choice between mortgage interests of second mortgage or mortgage insurance premiums as tax deduction.

Dennis Estrada is a webmaster of mortgage calculators, mortgage refinancing, and piggyback second mortgage website which calculate the monthly payment, bi-weekly payment, affordability, refinance, annual percentage rate, discount points, and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Estrada

Tage : Mortgage , Insurance , Private , Tax

Uncle Sam Wants To Pay 10% Of Your New Home Loan

If 2009 is the year of your first home purchase, then Uncle Sam is ready to give you a gift that equals up to 10% of your entire purchase price. Known as the homeowner tax credit, the Obama Administration has finally figured out a way to make home buying a much more delectable proposition. Add this to the falling mortgage loan interest rates, the drop in home prices, and it would appear that Uncle Sam not only found a great way to sweeten the deal for aspiring home owners, but also tied it neatly with an irresistible ribbon.

This 10% gift is actually an outcropping for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Consumers are undoubtedly familiar with the wrangling that had lawmakers debate the intricacies of this unprecedented bailout package in the media and also behind closed doors. As the discussions began to draw to a close, speculations about the actual nature of the mortgage credit were rampant and a lot of misinformation or soon outdated information would hit the blogs, forums and also news websites. Prospective homeowners have been cautiously optimistic that this could finally spell an end to the slow moving real property market.

Finally, upon passage of the act, the details of Uncle Sam’s new mortgage plan became known. Prospective homeowners may qualify for the tax credit if the home was purchase in 2009 as a primary residence. In addition, consumers need to be able to prove that it is their very first home purchase. The scope of the tax credit is 10% of the actual purchase price, but it is capped at $8,000. Unlike previous tax incentives under the Bush Administration, the Obama Administration has shied away from making this a repayable incentive loan.

There are of course some limitations; for example, if a single taxpayer seeks to qualify for the new mortgage loan credit but earns more than $75,000 as adjusted gross income, she or he may not be able to take the full amount.

Nevertheless, the $8,000 tax gift has gotten the calculations and speculations going of those who want to maximize their home loan advantage. Some are looking to keep their down payment to a reasonable minimum and then turn around and use the tax credit to pay it toward the outstanding principal balance, cutting down on a significant amount of interest debt. Others see the credit as a useful way of lowering their overall tax bill.

Even those who are not too worried about positioning their tax liabilities in the most advantageous light realize that no matter what, they could end up ahead of the game by $8,000. This is a lot of money, especially for those who had already decided that 2009 would be the year in which they are going to buy their first primary residence. At this juncture the only open questions that remain are where to find a great deal on a home, and also how to find financing in a lending market that seems to have greatly clamped down on offering consumer loans.

By: Lender411

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Obama Mortgage Plan For First Time Homebuyers And Mortgage Refinancing

First-time homebuyers and current homeowners now have unprecedented access to home purchasing power under the Obama Economic Recovery Act of 2009 to help jumpstart the US housing market and the flagging economy. Because of this recently enacted legislation, potential home buyers and current homeowners now have the opportunity to either receive a one-time home purchasing tax credit or refinance their current mortgages.

These new programs, in addition to existing tax credits and grants, can provide much needed help to those who require it during these trying economic times, regardless of past or current credit situations. The program is meant to help people find homes but to also stay in their current homes and enjoy the security of the biggest, best investment they will make in their lives.

Buying Your First Home under Obama Legislation

Qualified first time homebuyers, under the housing stimulus component of the Obama economic plan can now take advantage of a refundable income tax credit of up to 10% of the total home purchase price, up to $8,500. Once you file your annual income taxes, this credit will be refunded to you. However, if you file before the deadline, you can receive this refund almost instantly once you file an amended tax return for the current tax year.

In addition to this home-buying credit, lenders are even advancing qualified homebuyers the value of their credit to put towards the down payment on their new home. Another way first time homebuyers can save is to purchase foreclosed homes through banks that own the properties now and through property auctions. Often, qualified buyers can get historically low interest rates on new mortgages. To avoid a mortgage meltdown, seek out a lender that will offer a fixed rate mortgage instead of an adjustable rate mortgage. This will give you the security of knowing your monthly mortgage payment and the interest will remain the same throughout the life of your mortgage.

Refinancing Your Current mortgage

Existing homeowners also stand to benefit from this portion of President Obama's economic plan with the Home Affordability Program or HAP. Under HAP, current qualified homeowners can refinance their existing mortgages to a historically low rate of 4.5%. This program is a great help to those owners who have seen their property values lose such significant value that they would not otherwise qualify for traditional home mortgage refinancing programs.

Many of these homeowners who are stuck in these underwater mortgages typically had adjustable rate mortgages with balloon payments or monthly payments that doubled or tripled upon the resetting of these mortgages. Often, these new payments, coupled with the unstable housing market, were simply unaffordable for most of these homeowners.

Determining Eligibility

Determining whether you qualify for either the new homeowner tax credit or the Home Affordability Program is as simple as contacting a reputable qualified lender. Your new lender should be able to inform you of any available government grants, programs and also let you know of what your new interest rate and monthly payment will be, in addition to savings over your existing mortgage.

The 15 Year Mortgage Plan To Pay Off Your Home

Home appreciation is not a realistic motive for owning a home, nor a means for achieving personal wealth. Now, a more practical view is to see your home as a long term place to live, while thinking ahead to prepare for a financially secure future.

When buying or refinancing a home, most people will take the path of low payment over a plan to eventually pay off the mortgage. The idea of owning a home free and clear of any mortgage may be a low priority to many people, but it’s only a matter of time, 15 years, or maybe even less.

A 15 year fixed rate mortgage can provide a realistic goal of being mortgage free, while saving thousands of dollars on interest payments, instead of a 30 year mortgage. For example, on a $200,000 loan, a 15 year mortgage could save as much as $120,000 over the life of the loan when compared to a 30 year mortgage term.

There has been an ongoing debate about the pros and cons of paying off a mortgage. Behind the argument for not paying off your mortgage is the reasoning that you could invest the extra money and earn a higher return, while keeping your money more liquid. That may have been a good reason in the past, but the rate of return on investing is questionable, compared to the fact that every dollar paid to reduce a mortgage balance provides a guaranteed return equal to the interest rate on the mortgage.

Another debating point about keeping a mortgage has been the tax deduction benefit. In order to get an accurate picture of the tax benefit, compare the standard deduction allowed to itemized deductions with mortgage interest. If you paid $20,000 in mortgage interest for the year and received a $2,000 net tax write off, is that a good reason to prolong your mortgage?

What are the benefits of a 15 year mortgage?

• Provides a fixed term strategy to eliminate your monthly mortgage expense.
• Incorporates the retirement of your mortgage into your overall retirement plan.
• Long term investment that guarantees a rate of return by reducing your debt.
• A future with less financial stress and the security of really owning your home.
• Saving a large amount of interest expense on a 15 year term instead of 30 years.

The goal of living without a house payment is attainable. If you can afford a 15 year mortgage, you set a timetable to one day enjoy the benefits owning your home free and clear. You also have the option of shaving a few years off the term by paying a little extra towards the principal balance each month. By the way, 15 year mortgage rates are usually lower than 30 year rates.

By: Rick Smith

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Types Of Mortgages Available In Canada

In Canada there are two types of mortgages available to residential borrowers, one being a conventional mortgage and the other is a high-ratio mortgage. Within both types of mortgages there are two sub-types, which are either open or closed mortgages.

To clarify the various options one can be presented with when shopping for a mortgage this article is divided into two parts;

Part one deals with the difference between a conventional mortgage and a high-ratio mortgage and part two deals with the different sub-types of mortgages available within the two types. However, these are fairly generic explanations - just as there are many different lending institutions, so there are almost as many different varieties of mortgages available. This is another good reason to consult a mortgage broker. Depending on your situation, one type of mortgage may be better for your circumstance than another.

CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGE:

If you have at least 20% of the purchase price (or appraised value if this is lower than the purchase price) as a down payment, you can apply for a conventional mortgage.
Some lenders may require either CMHC, Genworth or AIG insurance as well because of the property's location or type, even though you have 20% or more equity.

LOAN TO LENDING:

to 65% 0.50%

65.1 to 75% 0.65%

75.1 to 80% 1.00%

80.1 to 85% 1.75%

85.1 to 90% 2.00%

90.1 to 95% 2.90%

95.1 to 100% 3.10%

Please note: Insurance premiums are higher when the amortization is greater than 25 years or if there is more than one advance. This usually happens if you are building your house or having it built for you. Check with your Mortgage Broker to learn what the applicable premiums will be.

The insurance premium is calculated by multiplying the mortgage amount needed by the applicable percentage.

For example:

If the purchase price is $112,000 and the required mortgage is $100,000. You divide 100,000 by 112,000. This equals 89.29%.

Looking at the above chart - the premium is 2.00% when the lending ratio is 89.29%.
The next step is to multiply the mortgage amount by the insurance premium. Using our example this means $100,000 X 2.00% = $2,000. Your actual mortgage loan will therefore be $102,000.

CMHC's 5% DOWNPAYMENT PROGRAM was originally for first-time homeowners, but was expanded in May 1998 and is now available to all purchasers (principal residence only) who meet the normal requirements. Furthermore, borrowers can now even borrow up to 100% of their purchase price under new CMHC's Flex Down Insurance Program.

CMHC may set maximum purchase prices under these programs depending on the city so check with your Mortgage Broker to learn what the price limits are in your area.

If the property is a duplex (and you are buying both sides), with one side being owner occupied, the minimum down payment is 5.0%.

Mortgage brokers and lenders must verify that the borrower has the 5% down payment and 1.5% of the purchase price to cover closing costs. The only exception to the 1.5% is when the purchaser qualifies for an exemption of the Land Transfer Tax (Ont.) or Property Transfer Tax (B.C.), or similar provincial tax exemption. In these cases the mortgage broker or lender must ensure that there are sufficient funds available to cover all remaining closing costs.

OPEN MORTGAGES:

An open mortgage allows you to pay off part or the entire mortgage at any time without penalties. Open mortgages usually have short terms of six months or one year. The interest rates are higher than those for closed mortgages with similar terms.

VARIABLE RATE MORTGAGES / ARM (ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGES):

At the start of a variable rate mortgage, the lender will calculate a mortgage payment that includes principal & interest. For the term of the mortgage your payments usually do not change. However, as the prime rate changes so will your mortgage rate.

If interest rates are dropping, less of each payment will go toward interest and more will go toward principal. If interest rates rise, more of your payment will be interest and less money will be reducing your principal.

Some of these mortgages are completely open (you can pay off all or part of your mortgage at any time without penalties). Others that offer a 'prime minus' interest rate (e.g. prime - 0.375%) may charge a penalty.

The interest rate on most variable rate mortgages is compounded monthly.

CAPPED RATE MORTGAGES:

These are variable rate mortgages that the lending institution has rate 'capped'. In other words, the rate will fluctuate with prime, but the institution guarantees that you will not pay more than a certain interest rate, set by them.

These mortgages often have a penalty for early 'payment in full' and are often not portable.

CLOSED MORTGAGES / FIXED RATE MORTGAGES:

The expression 'closed mortgage' originates from the 1980's when this type of mortgage was literally 'closed'. You contracted to the lender to make your payments for the term chosen, you could not pay anything additional, nor could you pay off the entire amount for any reason except the sale of your property.

These days, there are many ways to pay down your mortgage principal quicker, though the name 'closed' mortgage still remains. See pre-payment options for ways to pay off your mortgage quicker.

Fixed rate mortgages are the most popular type of mortgage. You benefit from the security of locking in your mortgage interest rate, for lengths of time ranging from 3 months up to 25 years. The rates are slightly lower than for an open mortgage for the same term.

If you think interest rates could rise, you may want to choose a longer term, such as a 5 or 10 year term. If you think that rates are going lower, you may want to gamble on a shorter length of time. Discuss this with your Mortgage Broker.

The major lending institutions have different pre-payment options allowed under their contracts. These options allow you to pay off your mortgage faster. It is also possible to pay off most closed mortgages prior to the end of the term or pay down a portion of the balance owing. However, lenders charge penalties for doing so.

Please note that some lending institutions will not give any pre-payment options. It is wise to find out what options are available before entering into any mortgage contract.

CONVERTIBLE MORTGAGE:

These are fixed rate mortgages for terms of 6 months or 1 year. Not all lending institutions offer convertible mortgages. With a convertible rate mortgage you can lock into a longer term during the current term of your mortgage without penalty - but only with the same lender. For example, if after a couple of months you hear that interest rates are going to increase, you may change to a longer term mortgage such as the 5 year term.

REVERSE MORTGAGE:

CHIP - Canadian Home Income Plan is the name of the company providing reverse mortgages in Canada.

A reverse mortgage allows homeowners to convert equity in their homes into cash, without selling the property or having to make monthly payments.

To qualify, homeowners must be at least 62 years old, have significant equity in their property and live in B.C. or Ontario.

The amount that can be borrowed depends on the homeowner's age. Reverse mortgages are for between 10% and 40% of the appraised value of the home. The older the homeowners, the more they can borrow.

The homeowner retains ownership and possession of the house. The lending company registers a reverse mortgage against the property. At death, or when the house is sold, the loan and the accrued interest must be repaid.

The biggest disadvantage to reverse mortgages, is that the interest keeps building on the amount of money borrowed (hence the maximum 40% loan). This means that if you borrow $50,000 this year and your interest bill is $5,000, next year your interest will be charged on $55,000 and so on. The longer the loan is in place, the greater the interest bill that has to be paid.

It is possible that when the house is sold, 100% of the proceeds from the sale may be required to pay off a loan.

If the homeowner dies the estate will have to pay off the loan and the accrued interest. This may wipe out any inheritance for the homeowner's heirs.

An alternative is to establish an equity credit line. This allows you to take funds only as you need them, thereby owing the least interest possible, with no surprises.

Consult with a financial advisor for more alternatives.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Borges

4 Steps To Achieving The Largest Mortgage Possible On Your Circumstances.

Many mortgage lenders in the Uk have moved to ‘affordability based lending’ from the traditional ‘income multiple’ Essentially, the lender will subtract your total monthly expenses away from your total monthly income - the amount that is left must be enough to cover the monthly payment according to their calculations.

For many, the maximum mortgage available from a particular lender may be difficult to establish – some lenders have tried to improve certainty by publishing ‘affordability calculators’ on their websites, but to get the right result you need to know what to put in the boxes in the first place.

1 – Credit Commitments

Always declare the exact amount you have outstanding on loans and credit cards (remember HP agreements and car loans), the monthly payment and how long is left to run on your agreement.

The monthly payment on a loan or minimum payment on your credit card (assuming a rate of around 5% of the balance per month) can have a major affect on the affordability calculation. If your loan has less than 6 months to run, or you are able to settle in full some lenders will not include the payment in their calculations

2 – Income - if you are Employed

Being as precise as possible on your income is very important, overstating is never wise and not being accurate is just as bad. Always use the numbers off your payslips, bank statements and your and P60 as this is where the lender will look for evidence of your income.

If there are deductions from your salary other than tax & NI (season ticket loan or a pension) make sure you mention these at the point of application - some lenders may deduct these from your income and some don’t. Being accurate at the outset will reduce the chances of a lower mortgage offer than you expected which could cause problems if you are aiming for your maximum mortgage.

Bonuses, overtime, commissions and second jobs are used at different rates by different lenders. Most will only accept 50% (less for annual bonuses) and there will need to be a track record of usually a couple of years. Again speak to your broker or lender for advice.

3 – Income – if you are self-employed

You may be surprised to hear that self certification and fast track mortgages have become slightly more difficult to find. All this means in reality is that you will have to do a little more work than finding a broker who was stupid enough to make up your income for you!

If you are self-employed lenders will want to see at a minimum your last 2 years tax returns and SA302s (as your accountant if you don’t know what this is.) Typically they will average the last 2 years taxable income and use this figure as the start point on their affordability calculation.

If you are a director of a limited company (or partner in an LLP) the lender will, in most circumstances, use your salary and dividend (or net drawings) not your share of net profit. This distinction is very important (unless you own more than 51% of the shares in which case the rules are different).

Our advice is get your accounts before you apply and read through them. Alternatively, ask your accountant to write down your net profit, salary, dividends or drawings for the last 3 years on one page so you can see them.

If you are self-employed, getting advice from a good broker will make all the difference – many of the lenders we speak too still cannot read a simple set of accounts and some of the better ones will be able to convince a lender to use retained profit or accountant’s tricks in their calculations/

4 – The Mortgage Term

How much you can borrow depends on how much you can pay back per month. Your monthly payment depends on how long you arrange your mortgage over. Lenders (almost) always base their calculations on a repayment basis to your retirement age. Before you apply find a mortgage payment calculator and find out how much your mortgage will be over various terms and find the one which is most suitable to you.

Remember – the longer the term, the more you can borrow. The shorter the term, the less it will cost you in interest. The latter is the most important.

Mortgage Refinancing Points Guidelines

In case you are buying a house, you may be coming into queries concerning points. These are the fees from the interest of mortgage that are disbursed at the front end, to decrease preliminary rates of interest. For most of the time they are frequently appointed as the points of mortgage, the origination fees or points of discount. The lender you have will possibly get you offered the choice to disburse them at closing or not. The lender you have will deliver you an estimation of good faith. By the time you think of that estimation, you may realize that the down payment you possess is bigger in case you disburse closing`s points. Prior to disregarding the choice of disbursing points, consider the circumstance a little more deeper seeing that in the closing, it will cost you more. Continue reading for more information about the mortgage refinancing points.

In the most fundamental explanation probable, disbursing for them is a decree of disbursing later or disbursing now. To the amount of your loan, one point is similar to one percent. Therefore, in case the loan you have is for $200,000, and you were to disburse one point, it would make you disburse $2000. For disbursing points at closing, lenders will frequently decrease the rate of interest of your mortgage. In case you disburse one point, get your lender asked the amount they will decrease the interest that you have.

Making a decision of whether or not you will disburse is uneasy, but it primarily depends upon the length you expect to live in the house. The common rule is that in case you make a plan to live in a house for five years or not, you don`t have to disburse for them. The reasons in this is that this is going to cost you more in points compared to what it could in interest in that short period of time. Interest versus points equal the equation. You have to make certain if disbursing the upfront for them will make you save in interest in the long run. Here, the common rule is that in case you arrange to stay in your house to ten years or more, disbursing points is a move that can save money.

The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) consider points as pre-disbursed interest. So, they are tax deduction, in case you get them disbursed in closing. In reality, you are able of getting them deducted even if the seller disbursed the points that you have. You`re gonna have this deduction claimed for the tax year in which you buy your home. You are able of having the total sum of points disbursed claimed in that return of the year.

Anyway, if, you are having a home refinanced, this deduction has to be amortized in the loan`s term.

Therefore, never give in on the idea of disbursing points in closing. More than that, think of the way their disbursement apply to the situations of yours and whether or not disbursing them, or a drawback, maybe, an advantage.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacklyn_Young

Long-Term Mortgage Rates Hit All Time Low!Long-Term Mortgage Rates Hit All Time Low!

Long-term mortgage rates hit new lows this week, on signs inflation remains in check.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in the week ending Oct. 7 was 4.27 percent, down from 4.32 percent last week. A 15-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to an average of 3.72 percent, down from 3.75 percent last week.

Both are the lowest long-term rates have been since Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) began keeping track.

“The 12-month growth rate in the core price index for personal consumption, which the Federal Reserve closely tracks, has been drifting lower over the last six months ending in August and suggests inflation is running at a tepid pace at best,” said Freddie Mac chief economist Frank Nothaft. “This allowed mortgage rates to ease to new or near record lows.”

A report this week from the National Association of Realtors showed pending sales of existing homes rose for the second consecutive month in August, up 4.3 percent. The group also revised July’s pending sales figures higher, indicating housing sales continue to recover even without the now expired homebuyer tax credit.

The hopeful news nationally is that this could spur sales after the recent tax credit expiration slump. Austin home sales fell 15 percent year-over-year in August, while sales so far this year have outperformed 2009, the Austin Board of Realtors reported. The Multiple Listing Service data showed total homes sold fell to 1,490 homes in August, while the year-to-date total increased 2 percent from the same eight months in 2009.

What Do Lenders Consider During The Home Mortgage Approval Process?

This article will give you a perspective through the eyes of a bank or financial institution so that you can know what they are looking for when it comes to deciding whether or not somebody is considered a trustworthy borrower, and what goes into the mortgage preapproval process.

The Difference Between Prequalified and Preapproved

While people will sometimes use the words prequalification and preapproval interchangeably, these two words do not mean the same thing and it is important to understand the difference.

Prequalification means that you have met with someone at a financial institution and discussed the particular issues of your personal finances such as your income, assets, commissions, and debts, and from that discussion the lender has offered an educated opinion as to how much money you are qualified to borrow.

Preapproval is a much more in-depth evaluation where the financial advisor will actually go over your paperwork such as past paychecks and pay stubs, tax forms such as W2's and 1099's, bank statements, credit reports, and any assets that are owned. After this evaluation you will receive a letter from the lender that specifies how much money you are allowed to borrow pending a good review of the property to be purchased.

What Type of Paperwork Does The Lender Look For?

One important thing that your financial institution will look for when deciding whether they should or shouldn't give you a loan is your credit score and past credit history. If you have a good history of paying back you credit cards on time, especially if you can spend $10,000 or more in a month and then pay it off rapidly, this is a good signal of financial competence.

So what to do if you have a low credit score or an unattractive credit history? Start by not charging anything more, and then pay off all your credit card balances down to zero. From then on, only charge on your credit cards what you have the money in the bank to pay off immediately.

Lenders will also consider your income over the past months and years by reviewing your paychecks and pay stubs, and they will also look for your tax forms to verify your income. They will want to see the paperwork for your other bank accounts or investment accounts so that they can verify your current assets and work that number into the total evaluation.

Also important is your current outstanding liabilities such as credit card debt or other loans. With all of this information, plus any other information deemed appropriate to your personal financial picture, your bank will decide how much money they would be willing to lend you for a home loan.

About the Author

Nathan Navachi is an expert in the mortgage industry and specializes in mortgage refinancing information. You can read more of his expert advice at http://MortgageRefinancingSolution.com

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Applying For a Home Mortgage Refinance Loan

Have you been thinking about applying for a home mortgage refinance loan?

Perhaps you are in an adjustable rate mortgage, looking to consolidate debt, or even just lower your rate to a lower, fixed monthly payment. No matter what goal you are seeking to obtain at closing, one thing that you should stay focused on is how to save time and money when applying for a refinance of your home. However, all too often, many home owners make the common mistake of not being fully prepared.

Being prepared, what does that mean?

When applying for a refinance loan, you will want to be able to lock in your interest rate as quickly as possible when you see a low rate you want. Unfortunately, many homeowners lack the organization of the required documents and end up fumbling for them when they see a low rate, only to miss their chance to lock it in before the market changes, and even delay the closing of their loan which costs even more time, money, and heartache. Here's how to avoid losing your precious time and money:

Gather Your Employment and Income Information

Always have one month of your pay stubs and spouse on hand, and if you are self-employed you will need to have your tax returns for the past two years. You should also have your W-2's from your employers for the past two years also. If you haven't been working at the same place of employment for at least two years consistently, have your work history and employer contact information along with payment history available as well. This will allow you and the lender to quickly and accurately calculate a monthly average of income.

Obtain Most Recent Bank Statements and Other Asset Statements

Typically most homeowners will only need to show two months worth of statements from your bank accounts, IRA's, 401k, and any other investment accounts when applying for your home mortgage refinance. Documenting assets is a vital part of loan application which can also position you to get the lowest rate possible. Your lender will typically ask for the last 3 months of these statements to evaluate.

Get Your Homeowner Documents Organized

In many cases your lender will ask for the title insurance and home owner's insurance policy and may even inquire about the property taxes you pay on the home. In some instances they may also ask for to see the note to your home if you have an adjustable rate mortgage or prepayment clause. Also be prepared to show the lender the most recent appraisal and survey of your home in case they ask. One other important document to have on hand is also the most recent mortgage statement that shows the balance and monthly payments of any and all loans on your home.

You've got everything Together, Now What?

Good! Now that you've got all the necessary paperwork together, you're going to find that when you're applying for your home mortgage refinance, you're going to feel very confident and in control. You'll notice that nearly every possible question on the loan application will be easily answered because you are prepared with the necessary information and you're lender will be happy too! So get started and apply for your loan today knowing that you just saved yourself a great deal of headache, time, and especially money by simply getting organized!

About The Author:
An author on refinancing. For additional articles and an extensive resource for everything about mortgage refinance rates and bad credit mortgage refinance . Please visit us for more info.

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Mortgage Refinance Closing Cost

Mortgage refinance closing cost is cost at the end of the mortgage application. When the borrower refinances a mortgage, the borrower also pays the same closing cost to start a mortgage.

Some mortgage lenders offer low or no cost mortgage. It means the mortgage lenders pay for all or most of the non-recurring closing cost. Non-recurring closing cost means the borrower only pay one time. Non-recurring closing cost excludes interest, insurance, and property taxes.

The closing costs may include escrow fee, underwriter, document preparation, origination fee, appraisal, administrative fee, processing fee, wire transfer, mortgage broker fee, tax service fee, and flood certification.

Mortgage lenders charge a slightly higher interest rate. Then, the mortgage lenders get a mortgage rebate. Mortgage rebate is a certain percentage of the mortgage that goes to the borrower, or mortgage lenders. In return, the mortgage lenders use the mortgage rebate to pay off the closing cost. The interest rate may be 0.25%, 0.50%, or 1.00% higher than the regular mortgage.

In a no closing cost mortgage refinance, there are no discount points. Discount points are upfront fee to lower the mortgage. With a regular mortgage, the borrower has the option to lower the mortgage with the purchase of discount points. Each points represents one percent of the principal.
It takes time for mortgage lender to get the money back on mortgage rebate. The mortgage might take as long as 40 months to fully recover the mortgage rebate. So, the mortgage lenders are banking on the borrower to stay more than 40 months.

Since it takes time to recover the mortgage rebate, some mortgage lenders ask for a minimum mortgage principal. For example, the mortgage principal must be a minimum of $300,000.

In some state, the mortgage rebate is ban. So, some state may not have no closing cost mortgage refinance. For example, the mortgage rebate are ban on Alaska, New Jersey, Kansas, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Louisiana, South Carolina, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Missouri. Consult your mortgage lender or broker.

To many borrowers, the no closing cost mortgage refinance provides an extra flexibility. The borrowers can take on a mortgage without paying for the closing cost. If a great mortgage refinance deal comes, the borrower can refinance again.

Dennis Estrada is a webmaster of mortgage calculators, mortgage rebate, and mortgage refinance website which calculate the monthly payment, bi-weekly payment, affordability, refinance, annual percentage rate, discount points, and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Estrada

Economic Stimulus Help Seniors with Reverse Mortgages

Depending on your political persuasion, you may be expecting this Bill to be one of the best things to come along since sliced bread or one of the worst possible disasters since the dropping of the atomic bomb.

Americans are split deeply about this legislation and as one might expect, much of the split does run along party lines, but also along the lines of those who support big government spending and those who believe that unchecked government spending is exactly what got us to the deficit and mess in which we find ourselves today.

There is no doubt about the severity of the stake riding on the outcome of this Bill which passed the House of Representatives and now has a version in the Senate.

With one of the worst economic recessions since the Great Depression upon us, with unemployment rising weekly along with record home foreclosures, Congress has set about to make a plan which has been billed a "stimulus package", designed to stimulate the economy and create jobs. Proponents of the package claim that it is needed and needed now to start projects to put Americans to work.

Opponents are quick to point out that most of the projects don't have an immediate impact and question just how many will receive employment as a result of many of the provisions contained in the Bill, calling them "Pork" or pet projects. Critics say they will serve only one purpose, spending money or paying back political backers and contributors but will not create massive jobs.

The package was originally sold as infrastructure improvement (roads, bridges, energy, etc) putting millions of Americans to work on much needed projects which would not only stimulate the economy but also improve the nation.

But when reading over the Bills crafted at both the House and Senate, one can find tax dollars going to programs such as $50 Million for the promotion of the arts; $335 Million for education about sexually transmitted diseases; $600 Million for new "green friendly" cars for government workers (even though the infrastructure of gas pumps to run these cars is not currently in place);

$600 Million for grants for diesel emission reduction; $650 Million foralternative energy technologies, energy efficiency enhancements, and deferred maintenance at Federal Facilities; $1.5 Billion for construction of :Green Cars"; $800 Million to clean up Superfund sites; $400 Million for NASA scientists to study climate change; $1 Billion to the controversial union Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program;

$2.75 Billion in stem cell research; $83 Billion for an earned income credit for those who do not pay taxes; $4.19 Billion to groups like ACORN and other larger dollar amounts for plug in car stations, $246 Million for Hollywood, $75 Million for smoking cessation programs, bike and walking trails and even ATV trails (those All Terrain Vehicles that you see people enthusiastically riding with the three or four wheels).

In fact, only a little over 3% appears to be going to tangible road and bridge construction. There are projects for many federal agencies. Billions of dollars are slated to go to federal programs overseen by the Office of Management and Budget or the Government Accountability Office ($54 Billion), repairs to the Smithsonian Institution Facilities; for agricultural research.

How about $1 Billion for the follow up to the 2010 Census (just try to figure how that will stimulate the January 2009 economy)? And then there is the ever-popular $227 Million for over-sight of pork barrel spending we have pork to over-see the pork!

When looking at all these billions of dollars, surely it will mean some jobs, but in the grand scheme of things, not many Americans will go to work based on the list above. So what are some of the things coming from this Bill that WILL help Americans? Right off the top is a proposed limit increase to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (Reverse Mortgage or Heck-um) to $625,500.

The limit was just increased to a national limit of $417,000 in 2008 which did help many areas where the old limits were considerably lower but didn't do much for the higher cost areas which already had a limit of $362,790. This proposed increase will help senior borrowers with higher valued homes, especially those who have mortgages to retire when the old limits just didn't get them enough cash to pay off their existing mortgage.

Realtors are currently urging congress to increase FHA funding. FHA's market share has increased from 2% in 2006 to what many believe will be 30% in 2009. Many are concerned that FHA does not become the new sub-prime, but FHA does play a vital role in serving customers such as first-time homebuyers, borrowers with little to put down and those with less than perfect credit. But FHA will really have to grow to accommodate the new demand.

As people still scratch their heads and wonder where the first $350 Billion of TARP funds were spent (since it seems that all the banks are still plagued by the troubled assets and there was no relief), we can only hope that this new stimulus bill actually does put American workers back to work and helps American Homeowners.

If the government is going to put the money into programs that don't really put people to work but will hopefully have an ancillary benefit to the economy, we would love to see it going to reduce Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premiums for Senior Reverse Mortgage borrowers and FHA borrowers alike;

release the Reverse Mortgage for purchase program as they announced in their 2008-33 Mortgagee Letter where they were going to determine eligibility based on appraised value (not the lower of appraised value or sales price which the latest indications from HUD are that they will soon issue the clarification to include); and that HUD would bring back the DPA (down Payment Assistance) programs.

There are good and bad things that can be said about each of these things as well but hey, by the time they include interest we're talking about a $1.1 Trillion Package so there has to be a little room for home owners and home purchasers!

About the Author

Michael G. Branson (CEO All Reverse Mortgage Company)is a Mortgage Broker who has over 31 years of mortgage banking experience. Toll Free (888) 801-2762 Reverse Mortgage Reverse Mortgage Calculator Reverse Mortgage Rates

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No Cost Mortgage Refinancing

Most people look for no cost mortgage refinancing when interest rates are sliding and they want to take advantage of a lower rate without paying any up-front costs. Although new home purchasers can also find no or low-cost mortgages, they’re for more common in the refinance market.

Unfortunately, a no cost mortgage isn’t really cheaper over the long term. Instead of paying fees out-of-pocket, closing costs, or other costs at the time of the loan, the interest rate is .25 to .5 percent higher to cover the lender’s costs and any third-party fees the lenders promises you aren’t paying. The lender isn’t giving anything away for free.

No cost mortgages come in three flavors:

No points, but you pay lender fees and third-party fees

Zero lender fees, but you pay third-party fees

No cash up-front, but all the fees and costs are bundled into the loan’s interest rate.

A true no-cost mortgage would have the same interest rate as other loans and no payments to the lender or third parties. Understandably, these loans are nearly impossible to find.

Is No Cost Mortgage Refinancing Right for Me?

This type of mortgage is best for people who plan to sell or refinance in a few years. If interest rates are steadily falling, then you can move from no cost refinance to no cost refinance without spending a dime on closing costs. If you want to stay in your home and never refinance again, then the higher interest rate will cost you more over the life of the loan.
For people who plan to stay in their homes for more than five years and don’t plan to refinance again, the best bet is to save up the money to cover the closing costs and fees on your mortgage and get a lower interest rate. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but the difference between 6.25% and 6.5% can really add up. On a $100,000 loan paid over 30 years, that totals $6,000 more in interest.

If you don’t plan to sell or refinance in three-to-five years and your closing costs are less than the additional interest, more than likely they will be, then it’s worth it to pay the closing costs up front. Even factoring in your tax deduction, paying the closing costs would still save you money over the long-term. The higher your mortgage balance, the more that extra quarter point will cost you.

Where Can I Get a No-Cost Mortgage?

You can find these types of mortgages at most lenders. Bills.com can connect you to several no cost mortgage lenders. You can also find them at most of the major banks and mortgage lenders. To avoid being overcharged for your mortgage, compare their interest rates and then research each potential mortgage lender’s reviews and customer comments on consumer websites and at the Better Business Bureau’s website.

No cost mortgage refinancing is a popular way to take advantage of falling interest rates. Just be sure to refinance to a lower rate and pay the closing costs before that additional interest really starts to add up.

By: Justin narin

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Mortgage Life Insurance

Mortgage life insurance repays the entire or most part of the mortgage, when the borrower becomes critically ill from disease or accident, or suffers from death. So, the mortgage life insurance protects the family, co-borrowers, or co-guarantors from repaying the entire mortgage.

Depending on the insurance policy, the insurance company pays for the entire mortgage or maximum amount. For example, the insurance company pays up to maximum of $600,000. If the mortgage went over the maximum amount, the insurance company repays the portion of the mortgage up to the maximum amount.

The borrower usually purchases home thru mortgage. It takes a huge amount income to pay off the mortgage. In case of critical illness, debilitating accident, or depressing death of the borrower, the family needs to replace the loss of income to pay off the mortgage. With mortgage life insurance, the family does not need to worry about repaying the mortgage.

Mortgage life insurance differs from private mortgage insurance also known as PMI. The PMI protects the mortgage lenders in case of default of mortgage payment. The mortgage lenders risk the inability to re-sell the property high enough to pay off the mortgage. When the borrower lacks enough money for twenty percent down payment, the mortgage lenders requires PMI. As soon as borrower pays off or the home equity reaches twenty percent, the mortgage lenders automatically cancel the PMI premiums.

Mortgage life insurance is voluntarily. It is the decision of the borrower to sign up for the mortgage life insurance. In order to see the need, the borrower must sit with a certified insurance agent. The insurance agent will analyze the overall financial picture of the borrower.

The insurance policy starts at the same day of the approval on mortgage. Even though the borrower has not paid the first mortgage payment, the borrower still gets the benefit.

As the borrower pays off the mortgage, the mortgage decreases. Naturally, the coverage decreases as well. When the borrower paid in full amount of mortgage, the coverage is gone. And, the borrower no longer needs to pay the premiums.

When the borrower engages in mortgage refinancing, the borrower needs to qualify to the new mortgage for mortgage life insurance again.

Dennis Estrada is a webmaster of mortgage calculators, Mortgage Refinance Closing Cost, and Private Mortgage Insurance Tax Deductible website that gives access to many resources

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Identifying and Avoiding Mortgage Fraud

Recent financial industry distress publicly attributed to widespread mortgage loan defaults has generated mounting pressure on federal prosecutors to increase investigations into incidents of mortgage fraud across the nation. On February 6, 2004, CNN reported that the FBI warned that mortgage fraud was becoming so rampant that the resulting “epidemic" of fraud could trigger a massive financial crisis. Mortgage fraud has now become so prevalent that the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been forced to create an entirely new category for tracking these cases. According to a CBS news report, the number of FBI agents assigned to mortgage related crimes increased by 50 percent from 2007 to 2008. Prosecutors and investigators on both the state and local levels are also feverishly organizing task forces and creating real estate fraud departments to counter this burgeoning wave of crime.

CRIME & PUNISHMENT

The primary focus of these investigations appears to be on borrowers, investors, mortgage brokers, appraisers and real estate agents. Some of the charges levied against these perpetrators have included making false statements on loan applications, bank fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to launder funds and a number of applicable state laws. However, the primary legal vehicle implemented by federal prosecutors has been section 1014 of Title 18 of the United States Code which declares mortgage fraud as a federal crime encompassing anyone who willfully overvalues any land or property, or knowingly makes any false statement, for the purpose of influencing a financial institution upon a loan application, purchase agreement or other related documents. A violation of the federal mortgage fraud law (18 U.S.C. § 1014) alone is punishable by up to thirty years imprisonment and a one million dollar fine.

MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEMES

The most effective way to avoid prosecution for mortgage fraud is to identify mortgage fraud schemes prior to any actual involvement. Most mortgage fraud offenses fall into one of two general categories: “fraud for housing" and “fraud for profit". Fraud for housing often involves fraudulent acts committed by a borrower, often coached by his or her mortgage broker or real estate agent, to obtain a loan for the ultimate goal of acquiring a home. These fraudulent facts generally pertain to the falsification of facts and documents during the loan application process to enable the borrower to obtain financing that he or she would otherwise not be qualified to receive. Conversely, fraud for profit typically involves a more concerted plan to abuse the entire real estate transactional process for pecuniary gain.

FRAUD FOR HOUSING

Income Fraud

This occurs when a borrower inflates his or her amount of income to qualify for a loan or a larger loan amount. Although recent reductions in the use of “stated income" or “no-doc liar loans" has somewhat curbed income fraud, daring borrowers are increasingly generating more fraudulent documents to falsify income. Information technology and photocopy equipment have become so advanced that very convincing documentation, such as income statements, savings accounts and tax returns, can be produced on demand.

Employment Fraud

In order to justify overstated income in a loan application, borrowers will claim self-employment in a non-existent company or represent having a higher position in a company than the borrower actually holds.

Failure to Disclose Liabilities

The debt-to-income ratio is an important part of the loan underwriting criteria used to determine a borrower's eligibility for mortgage loans. Consequently, borrowers will conceal financial obligations like newly acquired credit card debt, other mortgages, and private loans to artificially reduce their debt-to-income ratios.

Occupancy Fraud

Generally occurs when a borrower states on a loan application that he or she intends to occupy a property as a primary residence to secure a lower interest rate when the borrower actually intends to obtain the loan to acquire an investment property.

FRAUD FOR PROFIT

Equity Skimming and Cash-Back Schemes

A straw buyer is typically implemented as the buyer of the property due to his or her creditworthiness and resulting ability to obtain favorable financing. Unknowing straw buyers can be manipulated by mortgage brokers and real estate agents to purchase a property as a primary residence with the broker or agent later serving as a property manager to collect anticipated rental income. After the escrow closes and the mortgage and real estate brokers collect their commissions, they proceed to collect rental income and fail to make the mortgage payments.

Complex schemes can involve a knowing straw buyer, an appraiser who intentionally overstates the property's value, a dishonest seller that intentionally inflates the selling price, and a dishonest settlement officer that makes undisclosed disbursements from the loan proceeds. All of these conspirators collaborate to collect portions of the proceeds of an inappropriately large loan before eventually letting it go into default.

Appraisal Fraud or Price Inflation

This fraud occurs when a dishonest appraiser intentionally overstates the value of a property or when an existing appraisal is altered to reflect a higher value. When a home is overvalued, more money can be obtained by the seller in a purchase transaction or by the borrower in a cash-out refinance.

The New Appraisal Fraud: Price Deflation

When done legitimately, a short sale occurs when a borrower that owes more than his or her property is worth sells the property below market value and the lender agrees to accept the lower repayment amount and forgive the difference. A new hybrid of fraud has emerged where an appraiser or a real estate agent drastically devalues the property in an appraisal or broker's price opinion (BPO) so that the home will sell with ease at a price well below market value. Of course the new buyer is in collaboration with the seller, agent and appraiser, so all of the conspirators proceed to sell the home at a higher price for a big profit.

Identity Theft

Identity theft fraud occurs when a victim's identity is assumed by another to obtain a mortgage without ever intending to make any payments on the loan. The perpetrators often abscond with a portion of the loan proceeds and sometimes are daring enough to lease the property and collect some deposits and rental income before disappearing.

The Buy and Bail

This completely new scheme is perpetrated by a home owner who cannot sell the home because more is owed on the property than its worth. Because no lender will provide the owner a loan for a second primary residence, the owner tells the lender that he or she plans to rent out the current home despite having no intention of doing so. Sometimes a falsified rental agreement is used to further support the falsehood. Once the second home is purchased, the owner “bails" on the original home and fails to make any further mortgage payments.

AVOIDING & PREVENTING FRAUD

Mortgage fraud frequently emanates from groups that complete an abnormal amount of similar transactions or churn out many offers to purchase at once. These outfits may appear disorganized or unprofessional due to the large amount of transactions they are attempting to manage. It is also no coincidence that mortgage fraud has significantly increased as housing values have decreased since most fraud schemes involve a financially distressed or otherwise vulnerable seller. It is equally important to remember that agents owe a very strict fiduciary duty to act in their clients' best interests. So before reporting a client to your local authorities, speak with legal counsel or your state real estate licensing department to ensure that your proposed actions don't constitute a breach of your fiduciary duty to your client.

Real estate agents are in a unique position that enables them to identify and even prevent the occurrence of fraud by recognizing the red flags, asking appropriate questions, and giving the principals in their transactions the full picture of what consequences are associated with participating in mortgage fraud. While a lot of damage has been done in the real estate market, we can prevent more of the same from occurring in the future.

About The Author:
Brian S. Icenhower, Esq., BS, JD, CRB, CRS, ABR, a California Association of Realtors Director, practicing real estate attorney, a real estate expert witness and litigation consultant, a prosecution consultant of Tulare County District Attorney Real Estate Fraud. He may be contacted at bicenhower@icenhowerrealestate.com, or www.icenhowerrealestate.com.

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Cover Your Monthly Mortgage With Mortgage Payment Protection

Getting behind on your mortgage could mean that the lender would take steps to repossess your home. If you are unable to work or have been made redundant then this is the last thing you need to worry about. However providing you look into it, mortgage payment protection would allow you to continue meeting the repayments.

A policy can be taken out to safeguard against the possibility that you might be made unemployed by such as redundancy sometime in the future. It can also be taken out to protect against being unfit for work due to suffering an accident or illness or it can be taken out for all three. The cost of the premium that is charged will be reflected on this. Other factors that determine the cost, is how much your mortgage repayments are and your age.

Mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) needs to be considered, as relying on the State to hand out benefits or savings to fall back on could let you down. Savings could soon be depleted if you were to remain out of work or unfit for many months. With the State, help will be given only for the first £100,000 of the interest part of the mortgage. Even then, you would have to be eligible to claim and must be receiving income support. Having a live in partner in full time work, or savings over a certain amount would mean you would not be eligible. If your mortgage were taken after October 1995, you would also have to wait 9 months before you would begin to benefit.

Policies do differ depending on where you choose to get the quotes for your cover. The high street lenders will charge more for a policy than the standalone providers will. In some cases the difference can be quite a lot so shopping around is essential.

Mortgage payment protection does have a waiting period before you are able to claim. This is usually between day 30 and 90 of being out of work or unemployed. Once the cover has started to provide a tax-free income, it would continue to do so for between 12 and 24 months dependent on the provider. You have to read the key facts of the policy as the terms and conditions do vary from provider to provider. These should tell you how much your policy would cost and make the consumer aware of any exclusions that may be included.

There have been problems in the past with mis-selling. Problems started in 2005 when the Financial Services Authority investigated the sector at the same time as the Office of Fair Trading. It was found there many people had bought cover that they could never be able to claim on. Others were sold the insurance without actually being aware of the fact.

However, those who have lost faith in and do not give mortgage payment protection a second thought should remember it is not the products themselves that are to blame. Mis-selling occurred through ignorance at the time of selling. However, by shopping around and researching your options, you can be sure of getting a quality product.

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Basic Features Of Fixed Rate Mortgage

A fixed rate mortgage is a loan where the interest rate remains the same for the life of the loan. The initial interest rate is often higher than an adjustable rate, but produces stable monthly payments. A fixed rate mortgage is good for those who want to always have the same monthly payment and do not want to risk having a higher monthly payment or benefit from a lower monthly payment that an adjustable rate may produce. With predictable payments, long term homeowners can plan their budgets and guard against rising interest rates. But a fixed rate mortgage is not for everyone with its higher interest rates and a reduction in your buying power.

With a number of lenders, the rates will not remain the same through out the duration of the loan. The rate will remain the same only for a certain period. This period varies with lenders. Usually the initial interest term will last for six months to five years. At the end of the period, your rate will be recalculated on the basis of lenders standard variable rate. When you shop for the cheapest fixed rate mortgages, look beyond the initial interest rate.

Another thing to watch out for is additional charges. There can be many additional charges that you wont pay attention to. But they can make a big difference in the end as the charges may add up to a huge amount. Make a comparison of all the charges such as cancellation fees, survey costs, closing fee and application fees.

Its unique features include set rates, long term low monthly payments, and low risk. Interest rates are decided according to market rate prevalent at the time of finalizing the loan. If you are able to have valuable collateral, strong repayment ability and a large down payment, you will be a given a very attractive options with lower interest rate. The long term low monthly payment schemes are very beneficial because even though prices increase in future, your mortgage payment and rates remain the same. Also, costs will become smaller if your salary or incomes go up during the times ahead. You can also repay your loan early, saving money on interest payments.

However, due to the current financial recession facing the world economy these days, cheap deals are available for only those with larger deposit and equity. The situation has made lenders impose more restrictions for approving loans and tightening their lending criteria. If you are a borrower you need to adapt to this fast changing environment.

Typically, the tenure of the mortgage is 30 years with low monthly installments which makes them the first choice for middle income borrowers. Because of the longer tenure, the interest rate associated will be higher. A shorter term product such as 15 year tenure is also popular because you do not have to pay as much interest as with the first one, but will need to pay more on monthly installments. Other than these types, there are 40 year and 50 year fixed rate mortgages available. But they are not much in demand because borrowers do not prefer to be under the burden of a single debt for such a long period.

It is important to look at the terms which may include interest rates, monthly payments and fees. A fixed rate loan is simpler than an adjustable rate loan, but still you must look at the interest rate, the margin, and any fees or points that you may have to pay. Hence you need to ask about fees and points because they may not be clearly outlined or expressed in the documents. If you are not careful, you will be surprised by a fee or points that were not added originally, but were disguised in small print.

There are also a few drawbacks to fixed rate mortgages. To take advantage of falling rates, mortgage holders would have to refinance. That can mean a expenses in closing costs, and several hours spent to deal with tax forms, bank statements and so on. Some options can be too expensive for some borrowers, especially in high rate environments, because there is no early on payment and rate break.

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Considerations of a Florida Mortgage Refinance for Investors and Property Owners

Florida mortgage refinance can be beneficial for property owners within the Sunshine State. This state has witnessed a high level of foreclosure rates which resulted in plummeting property values and left many borrowers owing more than their home is worth.

Entering into Florida mortgage refinance can help homeowners reduce monthly loan installments through the reduction of assessed interest. This can be particularly helpful to investors offering rental properties.

Many investors can no longer charge the high rental rates often associated with vacation rentals and beachfront property because of economic conditions. A large percentage of investors are now charging less than their mortgage payment in attempt to generate cash flow through investment properties.

A recent report published by industry expert, Zillow, states of the 13,000 plus homes for sale in Florida nearly one-quarter are bank owned properties. Once banks regain ownership of foreclosure real estate they often list houses for sale below market value to recover losses incurred by the repossession process.

Due to the abundance of discounted properties many Florida homeowners and investors are holding onto properties because they cannot obtain fair market value. Combined with fewer buyers and tightened lending criteria those who are buying houses often turn to bank foreclosures as a way to save money.

Refinancing real estate loans lets mortgagors obtain reduced payments so they can keep their property until market conditions improve. Reduced payments also let investors' lower rental rates without incurring a financial loss.

Multiple factors should be considered before applying for Florida refi. The first consideration is to determine current rate of interest vs. reduced rate of interest. Borrowers should be able to reduce interest by at least 1.5- to 2-percent for this to be a viable option.

Another critical element is determining if the current loan includes a prepayment penalty. This information is provided in the Truth in Lending (TIL) statement attached to loan documents. Mortgage lenders often assess penalties when borrowers' payoff loans early. This can amount to several thousand dollars.

Prepayment clauses vary by lender. Some are in place during the first 5 years. Others reduce the rate of penalty over the course of the loan. Florida property owners who obtained financing through chartered credit unions or hold VA or FHA loans are exempt from prepayment penalties.

A third consideration is the amount of refinance rates. In Florida, the average cost of mortgage refinance ranges between $2500 and $6000. This includes the cost of loan application, loan origination, real estate appraisals and inspections, legal fees, and various closing costs.

Lastly, Florida property owners must determine if they hold sufficient home equity to qualify for refinancing. Within the Sunshine State, lenders require a minimum of 5-percent accrued equity before even considering review of loan applications.

One program that can be helpful to borrowers owing more than their property is worth, but need refinancing help to reduce loan installments, is Making Home Affordable. This program is sponsored by the U.S. government and offered to mortgagors with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans. Program details are provided at MakingHomeAffordable.gov.

It is always best to consult with a tax accountant or mortgage consultant to determine if Florida mortgage refinance is a financially-sound decision. Take time to calculate the true cost of refinancing to prevent placing personal finances and property at risk.

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Home Mortgage Loan Refinance - Refinancing A Fixed Rate Mortgage

Refinancing a fixed rate mortgage is usually only suggested when interest rates fall, but you can also save money by changing your loan terms. You can also pull out part of your equity to pay bills or renovate.

Lower Interest Rates

In general when interest rates are at least 1% lower than your current mortgage rate, it pays to refinance. But you need to consider other factors, such as the length of your mortgage, loan costs, and how long you plan to stay in your home.

An adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) should also be considered if you plan to move soon. With rates lower than a fixed, you will see lower monthly payments. But you have the risk that your rates and payments will increase over time.

To help decide if refinancing makes sense for you, calculate the difference in interest payments over the course of your loan. Online mortgage calculators can help you find both total interest costs and monthly payments.

Better Loan Terms

Besides lower interest rates, you can save money by converting to a better loan term. A shorter loan, such as a 15 year term, can save you thousands on interest payments, even if you don’t have a lower interest rate. However, your monthly payments will be 10% to 15% higher.

You can also reduce your monthly payments by refinancing for a longer term. You trade lower payments for higher interest costs.

Access Your Equity

Whether you want to pay off credit cards or pay for your child’s education, you can pull out your equity by refinancing. One of the advantages of using your equity is that your interest is tax deductible.

However, if you just want to tap into your equity, a better option is a home equity loan. You can pull out your equity, write off your interest on your taxes, and avoid loan fees.

Online Lenders

Online financing companies allow you to research terms and fees from your home. You can receive quotes within minutes online, so you can compare finance packages. You can also apply online and qualify for discounts on closing cost with some lenders.

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Tags : Rate Mortgage , Mortgage , Fixed Rate , Refinance , Home Mortgage , Home , Loan