Friday, July 31, 2009

You Will Not Allow Your Mortgage To Go Astray In The Absence Of Mortgage Advice

Mortgage advice works on the principle that not every person has enough knowledge to back his mortgage decision with. A few of them do not have time enough to spend on the decision-making. They will try to supplement this lack of knowledge by discussing with friends and relatives, searching relevant topics in magazines and journals, and talking with independent financial advisors. This article intends to provide mortgage advice through special emphasis on certain important topics.

Type of mortgage

There is a long list of mortgages that are available in the UK now. First time buyer mortgages cater to borrowers who are buying house for the first time. Council tenants have a specially designed mortgage for them in the form of council right to buy mortgage. Then there are mortgages depending on the manner in which interest is charged. These are adjustable rate mortgages and fixed rate mortgages. The list goes on endlessly. Mortgage advice is not limited to explaining the terms in detail. Mortgage advice also includes recommending to the borrowers, which out of the several mortgage products will be most suitable for the borrower, given the special circumstances of the borrower. An independent financial advisor explains and suggests products. However, the final decision is to be made by the borrower himself, and he must not be forced into making selection for a particular product.

Mortgage options

Mortgage options include clauses such as prepayment penalty. Prepayment is the payment of mortgage before its due term. Conventionally lenders did not allow premature payment because they would lose on the interest part. Prepayment penalty usually declines after a period of say 5 years. Some lenders accept to amortise the mortgage beforehand. Borrowers must carefully read the terms and conditions on which the mortgage is being entered into. Clauses that allow or disallow prepayment must be discussed with the mortgage provider in detail.

Term of repayment

The term of payment of the mortgage has a two-sided effect. On one hand, it effects the monthly instalment. On the other hand, the interest cost is affected. Therefore, while you can lessen the monthly instalments by extending the term of repayment, you are adding to your interest cost. The term must then be decided accordingly. Interest only mortgages, where only interest is paid during the life of mortgage, has the longest term. Typically, mortgages are available for a period of 30 and 15 years. 15 years term is the best one can get because the rate of interest will be the lowest. The rate of interest increases with an increase in the term of repayment. Mortgage advisors recommend the term for which a borrower must extend repayment after studying the borrowers financial condition. Mortgage advisors also suggest alternative repayment options to further save on the interest.

Fees

You take up a mortgage and are handled a list of fees that you will have to pay as fees to enjoy the loan.

Mortgage advice helps you distinguish between fees that are justifiable and those which are not. Fees in the field of mortgages are referred to as points. Thus, where a fee of 2 points is being charged of a mortgage value of ₤100,000; the actual fees payable will be ₤2000. Paying points is like an investment made for getting a better rate of interest. Thus, a greater point paid will lessen the rate of interest. A typical situation arises when the lender agrees to pay certain points to the borrower if the mortgage is pegged at a higher rate of interest. Borrowers who are cash-short can use this as an opportunity to get cash. In this case, the points will be depicted in negative.

Down payment

Loan providers accept down payment from the borrowers as a sign of credibility. When a borrower has his own money locked in a particular property, there is a lesser chance of his becoming late in payments or not paying altogether. The down payment is calculated by deducting the loan amount from the lower of sale price or increased value of house. Down payment facilitates the borrower to have mortgage at favourable terms. Mortgages are available also to those who cannot pay a down payment. It is difficult to qualify for a mortgage without a down payment because there are strict guidelines on the credit history of the borrowers.

Lock period

Lock period is referred to the time for which the rate of interest is kept stable on a particular rate of interest. Borrowers go for locking the rate of interest in order to insure themselves from the constantly changing rate of interest. When the lender is losing on the current rate of interest that is greater than the rate locked, he needs to be compensated. For this extra points will be repayable. Rate locks makes borrowers lose on a further decline in rate of interest. Mortgage advice will be necessary to decide on the time the rate must be locked, the time for which the lock must be valid, etc.

Requirement of documents

The requirement of documents is for verifying the candidature of the borrower for approval. The demands of lenders vary from the strictest “full documents” to the lenient most “no-docs”. As the requirements for documents go on lessening, the interest rate goes up. For a faster approval of the loans, the borrower must have all documents ready.

Mortgage advice source must be decided by the borrower. While some people are good in imbibing knowledge through books, other will need a face-to-face contact.

Tag : mortgage,mortgage calculator,mortgage rates,mortgage loans

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Online Mortgage In UK - Introducing The Best Mortgage Plan Across UK

Add the term ‘online’ and it will open for you an exhaustive assortment of opportunities. Add online to mortgage and it will have the same effect. So many people want to get mortgage programme and get with it fast. The online mortgage in UK indisputably takes lesser time and simplifies the entire procedure. Online mortgages have furthered favourable association of circumstances for any mortgage hopeful in UK.

The British Banker’s Association has put the figure of approved mortgage as 186,442, making mortgage the largest financial obligation. Online mortgage is the largest undertaking and a very integral part of the loan lending industry. The online trend with regard to mortgages has spelled great benefits for the consumers for it has increased competition among the loan lenders. This shift in the business trend towards online mortgages has provided more control in the hands of the homeowners in UK.

There is huge competition between online mortgage lenders. There are numerous mortgage lenders, all trying hard to offer you a mortgage plan. Its direct result is great mortgage rates and repayment options. Online, you can contact multiple lenders for mortgage and this will enable you to compare rates and also provide you with an excellent opportunity to select the mortgage that befits your requirements.

Online mortgages have certainly revolutionized the concept of mortgaging in UK. Internet has introduced people to a new face of mortgage process totally alien previously. A few years ago, a mortgage would have required you to find a mortgage lender or broker who would be ready to do the leg work for you, who would be willing to compose a good mortgage proposal for you. Without the online process, assembling information and drafting loan programmes would be a very demanding job. There was no way that the people could access generalized information about mortgage and interest rates. Without online mortgage, the alternatives were restricted and borrowers would settle for any mortgage lender.

So, what does the online uprising affect for general homeowner in UK? Advantages – in every way. Online mortgage in UK gives you several instruments to not only understand mortgage but also pick up the one mortgage that fits exactly in your financial configuration. All kind of mortgage information is available online which can be easily accessed sitting at home through the computer. You are exposed to hoards of information about mortgage, online.

With online options, you can actually look at the various deals offered by various UK mortgage lenders. Online, you can access financial tools to make mortgage more in sync with your demands. Financial advice, mortgage rates, mortgage calculator, and comparing mortgages online allow you to achieve the best in respect to mortgages.

With online mortgages, it is highly important to know that inadequate or false information would only work against your chances of finding a mortgage. Accuracy while providing details of your employment, your credit history, income and assets would only put you in a favourable light in front of the mortgage lender. This will help in online processing of your loan application and being approved without any setback. However, be prudent enough to offer your personal financial information only when you are filling the mortgage application form.

A UK homeowner while applying for mortgage online should not settle for the company just because it happens to publicize lower interest rates. Borrowers, applying online, must be careful about the website they are applying at. A mortgage offering website would contain a privacy policy. Go through it, if you have time. Also, confirm whether the website actually exists. A genuine online mortgage lender will have real people answering your questions when you call.

Other things to look out for are upfront fees and read the fine print before you settle on any mortgage deal in UK. Fine print can contain many details that are left otherwise. Ask questions, if you have any doubts. Queries about the online mortgage process – whether there are any fees that will be charged later on, pre payment penalties. If you don’t understand anything or are uncertain, clear them before you move on.

How technology affects our life - you know that. How it affects our mortgage decisions – it is evident through online mortgages. With internet we can access various mortgage product, services, connect to almost all mortgage deals available online. It has enabled us to overcome limitations; it has stretched the possibilities of finding a mortgage beyond the local area. If your local area doesn’t have a mortgage for you, you can shop; go beyond the local boundaries to find a mortgage in any part of UK. With so many mortgage options available online, the chances of your finding a mortgage are undoubtedly bright.

Tag : mortgage,mortgage rates,mortgage loans,mortgage in Uk

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Sunday, July 26, 2009

Mortgage Protection Pays Your Monthly Mortgage Repayment

If you take out mortgage protection against accident, sickness and unemployment then it would pay you a monthly sum of money equivalent of the sum you insured against which would be your mortgage repayment for the month. This would ensure that you would not be at risk of losing your home to the lender by way of repossession. You would be able to concentrate on making a recovery or finding work again.

The number of repossession is a big worry and the Council of Mortgage Lenders predict that just in 2008 there will be around 45,000 homeowners losing their home to repossession. Up to June there had already been over 18,000 repossessions and many of these could perhaps have been stopped if the homeowners had taken out mortgage protection. A policy does not have to cost a lot if you take it with a specialist in payment protection as opposed to having it added onto the borrowing.

If you have mortgage payment protection added onto the borrowing then it can work out very costly. You could find that it would boost up the cost of the mortgage considerably as high street lenders charge huge premiums for the protection. In the majority of cases very little information is given regarding the policy and the exclusions and in some cases in the past this has led to consumers buying cover they could not possibly hope to claim against. In the past mis-selling has occurred and fines have been handed out. However when bought with the exclusions in mind mortgage cover does the job it is supposed to do and is very valuable protection.

If you just miss on repayment on the mortgage then the lender will want to know how you plan to catch up on the missed payments. Also you would have to be able to maintain the mortgage repayments. If you do not have an income coming in then it would be very hard to come to an agreement with the lender. If no agreement can be made then you are looking at the mortgage lender taking you to court and seeking possession of your home and have you evicted. With a policy behind you there would be no worry of this happening as you would be able to keep up with the repayments.

Mortgage protection pays out after a certain length of time of being unemployed or incapacitated. Normally this would be in the region of 30 to 90 days. Some providers will backdate the policy to the first day of your unemployment or incapacity but you have to check in the terms and conditions of the cover before taking it out. Once the policy has begun to provide you with an income it would then carry on doing do for the period set out in the terms and conditions.

Providers usually offer either 12 monthly payments or 24 and after this period of time the policy simply ceases. This is usually more than enough time to get back to work or in the case of unemployment to find work again.

Tag : mortgage,mortgage repayment,mortgage calculator,mortgage rates

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Refinance - Best Rates Are Out There For You!

Refinance at the best rates is an objective of many home owners in the current economy. With national unemployment inching towards 10%, Americans are doing everything they can to save an extra dollar. Now that data has been released that suggests that the subprime mortgage crisis may cause unemployment to reach 12%, Americans are going to get very stingy with the money they make. One of the first places they want to cut payments is their mortgage.

Refinancing is never an easy task. After the subprime mortgage crisis, it got even worse as lenders had the recent memory of many financial institutions losing everything. The lending institutions wanted nothing to do with anyone that had an financial risk. This made it almost impossible to refi a home unless you had been paying on the home for over a decade.

President Obama released this and created the Making Home Affordable plan to make it easier to refinance and get the best rates out there. With the Making Home Affordable Plan home owners were allowed to apply for a refinance if they had a loan to value of 105%. Just recently, that percentage was increased to 125%. In essence, you could be 25% underwater and still have an opportunity to get a refi.

The question we must all ask is "will this help the economy?" It is hard to tell right now as we are still deeply in a recession that is seeing the unemployment rate rise. Until we see some improvement in the unemployment rate, it is likely this recession will continue forward.

By: Jesse W.

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

Tag : mortgage,mortgage rates,mortgage refinance,mortgage loans

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Mortgage Quote Secrets - 3 Ways To Get The Best Mortgage Quotes

If you're in the process of buying a new home and are in need of a mortgage quote, read on. Today, the cost of owning real estate has come down along with interest rates, making this an excellent time to purchase a home. In this short article, we'll be discussing 3 tips for finding the best mortgage rates. Hopefully by the time you're finished reading this, you'll be better prepared to sign on the dotted line.

The first way to get a mortgage quote is through your bank. At the bank, you'll be assigned to an individual who will walk you through the application process. Also, be sure to look carefully at any and all fees on your home loan.

The second way to get a mortgage is through a credit union. Many people dread having to deal with banks, so a credit union offers a nice alternative. Once again, you'll be assigned to a mortgage broker who will walk you through the application process. Credit unions often offer better mortgage rates and terms, so this might be worth a look.

Last but not least, you can look online for a mortgage quote. There are many websites on the Internet that will provide you with free quotes, but you need to be careful who you provide your personal information to.

Hopefully this short article has provided some helpful tips on how to get the best mortgage quotes. Purchasing a new home is a big decision, but choosing a lender can be equally important. Take your time to shop around and compare lenders, your wallet will thank you for it.

By: Jason Averill

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

Tag : mortgage,best mortgage,refinance home mortgage

Friday, July 17, 2009

Mortgage Rates: The New Way To Uncovering Timely Information

A borrower is not always required to visit their bank or a mortgage lender only to see the current day's home mortgage loan rates. That's the archaic way of doing things. The more convenient way is getting it on the internet, which makes getting mortgage rates a whole lot faster and easier. The feat can be done in under five minutes at the convenience of your home or even phone if you have internet access on the phone.

Getting a mortgage loan rate from an online mortgage website can be very advantageous to homeowners due to the reasons that follow:

Advantages:
1. You receive a quick response from reputable mortgage lenders and brokers as compared to your typical bank with limited programs inside of 24 to 48 hours.
2. Online consumers get the benefit of receiving multiple interest rate quotes which permit you to analyze and compare rates, fees, pros and cons offered by each company.
3. You will have a pre-approved home loan mortgage rate quote much before you have chosen a home. This becomes extremely helpful and letsyou know the mortgage loan amount you are qualified to get based on your salary or self-employed earnings as well as other credit and financial criteria.

A mortgage loan typically covers a large quantity of items such as a mortgage for buying a home, refinancing a mortgage, a mortgage for home equity, debt consolidation mortgage. In all of these cases involving various loan types, the home you get or already have will be considered collateral for the mortgage.

For prospective mortgagees, it is strongly suggested to learn and understand mortgages better so that you can negotiate with the lender or broker for better rates and terms. Getting your home mortgage loan rate quote is just the initial phase in the process. Here are a few quick definitions of some of these terms relating to mortgages that you should get familiar with:

Good faith estimate: This is the standardized form listing all the costs, taxes and associated fees with your home refinance or purchase itemized so you will have a very close indication of what it will cost yo to obtain said loan. Moreover, some fees are negotiable so it is wise to review then check back with your loan officer of what can may be reduced if applicable.

There are basically two kinds of interest rates for home loans.
Fixed rate mortgage: The interest rates are fixed for the life-period of the mortgage loan. Your monthly mortgage payments will be fixed as well.

Adjustable rate mortgage: The interest rate is not fixed during the whole term but may be fixed for the first year or upto ten years fixed. After that, the rate may vary on a monthly basis related to the market rate fluctuations.

Tag : mortgage,mortgage rates,mortgage refinance,mortgage loan

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

Daily Mortgage News Is Important To Getting A Low Mortgage Rate

Keeping up with daily mortgage news is a way that you can save a lot of money. If you keep yourself up to date with current trends and happenings in the mortgage and housing industry, you are more likely to know what rates are going to be before you walk into your lenders office. Too many Americans walk into a bank or mortgage lender office with no clue as to what the average rates currently are. It is amazing that this happens every day in America, but it does.

If you keep up with the 10 year treasury rate and average mortgage rates, you will have a great deal of leverage over your lender. When going through the process of buying or refinancing a home, mortgage brokers know who is uninformed when compared to those that are knowledgeable. When you ask your lender what current rates are and they quote you too high or too low and you call him or her out on it they immediately know that you are very informed about what you are doing.

If a lender tells you that rates are currently at 4.5% and you say nothing, they know they have you right where they want you. First of all, they cannot give you a legitimate rate until they run your credit score and know your past purchasing history. Many lenders will do this just to see how much you keep up with the news and current trends in the housing market. By keeping up with the daily mortgage news, you could save quite a bit of money and time.

By: Jesse W.

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

Tag : mortgage,low mortgage rate,mortgage rate,mortgage loans,mortgage calculator

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

10 Year Treasury Rate Helps With The Mortgage Rates Forecast

The 10 year treasury rate is a strong predictor of mortgage rates. The correlation of the 10 year to the 30 year fixed mortgage is over quite strong. If you look at a graph of the two indicators together, you will see that over 90% of the time they move together. With this knowledge, it makes it much easier to give a solid mortgage rates forecast.

Since the beginning of 2009, the 10 year has been in a steady uptrend from 2% all the way to 4%. There was a very strong resistance at 4% and the 10 year rate has pulled all the way back down to 3.5%. It would not be surprising to see it fall back down to the 3.25% before we see the uptrend find any ground again. The government is trying very hard to make sure that mortgage rates get to 4.5% but it seems that they might not have enough power to push the 10 year low enough to pull mortgage rates that low.

It will be very interesting to see how Obama and Benanke attack this issue as mortgage rate are going to have to be extremely low to get the housing market back in gear. If the low mortgage rates of March and April did not help to put a bottom in the housing market, there is absolutely no way that the rates of today, around 5.4%, are going to assist at all. Americans are already concerned enough about the housing market, the last thing we need to see if rates pushing towards 6%. Overall, making a mortgage rates forecast is going to be tough, but watching the 10 year treasury rate might help out.

By: Jesse W.

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

Tag : mortgage,mortgage rate,mortgage loans,mortgage refinance

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Choosing the Right Mortgage - Basic Mortgage Terms and Features

Choosing the Right Mortgage – Mortgage Basics

There is an astounding range of commercially available mortgage products, which makes choosing the right mortgage increasingly difficult without a firm grasp of mortgage basics. Here we try to give the consumer struggling to understand the basics of what a mortgage is, how it operates, and what features are right for him or her, the basic terms and distinctions that will allow the consumer facing an all-important mortgage decision – perhaps for the first time – to begin to choose the right mortgage from the thousands of mortgage products available on the market. But a word of caution – there is an incredible range of mortgage products commercially available. Before making a final decision on which mortgage is right for you, it would only be prudent to consult with an experienced and knowledgeable mortgage broker.

What Is a Mortgage?

A mortgage is a loan – but a loan that is secured, in this instance, against a home and/or piece of land. The person who borrows the money to buy a house is the mortgagor and the person, company or bank etc. who lends the money is the mortgagee. In most instances, the person buying the house will be required to pay some amount, perhaps as little as 5 per cent, as a down payment on the house or property. A mortgage from a commercial or private lender is secured to pay the balance of the purchase price. The mortgagee/lender provides the balance of the money to buy the house on the ‘closing date’ (i.e., the day the deal for the house is completed and the property ownership changes) and the mortgagor/purchaser pays back the money borrowed to purchase the house over time, usually over a number of years.

Key Mortgage Terms & Concepts

Amortization Period – A mortgage is written based on an understanding that the mortgagor/borrower will pay back the money borrowed over a number of years, rather than months. When purchasing a home that is typically worth several times what the purchaser earns in a year, it is understood that a the number of years will be needed to fully pay off the mortgage. The ‘amortization period” is the number of years that it will take to pay off the mortgage in full under the terms of the mortgage that is agreed to. The usual amortization period is 25 years, although shorter and longer amortization periods are available.

The amortization period sets out how long it will take to pay off the mortgage in monthly payments. Monthly payments consist of two parts – one part goes towards paying the ‘principal’ (the amount of money borrowed) and other part goes towards paying the ‘interest’ (the fee charged for borrowing the money.) The longer it takes to pay back the principal – i.e., the longer the amortization period – the greater the amount of interest that will be paid over the life of the mortgage.

Term – A mortgage agreement will not typically be for the full length of the amortization period. It is too difficult for either party – mortgagor and mortgagee – to foresee all the changes in financial circumstances over such an extended period. Accordingly, the parties – mortgagor/borrower and mortgagee/lender – will agree to a mortgage covering a specific number of years of the mortgage – e.g., 5 years. When the term of the mortgage expires the mortgagee is paid in full for the money that was borrowed to purchase the home. Typically, since it is anticipated that the mortgage will be paid off over the length of the amortization period, at the end of the term the mortgagor will have to negotiate a new mortgage – either with the initial mortgagee/lender or a new mortgagee. This process of ‘refinancing’ is normal, yet is an excellent way for prudent borrowers to re-examine their financial circumstances – for example, to see if their circumstances have changed so that they can shorten the amortization period and pay their mortgage off more quickly, thereby cutting down on the total interest they will pay in purchasing their home.

Fixed-Rate vs. Variable-Rate Mortgages – In a fixed-rate mortgage, the same interest rate is charged throughout the entire mortgage term. In a variable-rate mortgage the interest rate will change based on changes in interest rates that are being charged in the market.

Since interest rates do change based on the financial markets, risk is being assigned and the mortgage rates for both fixed-rate and variable-rate mortgages will reflect who is taking the risks – the mortgagor/borrower or the mortgagee/lender. When mortgage rates are relatively high it is the borrower who takes the risk that interest rates will not fall lower than the rate he or she agrees to for a fixed-rate mortgage. So when mortgage rates are relatively high, mortgagee/lenders will usually be willing to offer fixed-rate mortgages for a lower interest rate than the current interest rate for a variable-rate mortgage. The opposite is, of course, true. When mortgage rates are relatively low – as they are now – the mortgage/lender assumes the risk that interest rates will not go up. Since there is always the risk that rates will go up, a fixed-rate mortgage will have a slightly higher interest rate than a variable-rate mortgage when interest rates are relatively low. (The advantage of a fixed-rate mortgage is, of course, that the mortgagee will always know the cost of his or her mortgage payments over the term of the mortgage.)

Open Mortgages vs. Closed Mortgage – With an open mortgage some or all of the balance of the mortgage can be repaid during the term of the mortgage without a financial penalty. This is particularly advantageous, if the home purchaser has to move for employment or other reasons and if one’s financial circumstances change. Under a closed mortgage, no extra payments or changes in the mortgage can be made before the end of the mortgage term without a penalty being charged. Such penalties can be onerous for the homeowner who is forced by circumstances, such as a change of job, to relocate before the term of the mortgage expires.

Open mortgages can also prove to be very advantageous for the prudent homeowner who is able to make periodic payments directly to the principal owing under the mortgage. Each mortgage payment is split between interest costs and money that goes towards paying off the principal of the loan. If the borrower makes periodic payments over and above the regular mortgage payments that are required (the amounts and timing of which are usually set out in the mortgage itself), these payments directly reduce the amount owing under the mortgage. Doing so effectively reduces the amortization period of the mortgage, since in every subsequent mortgage payment more money will be going to pay off the principal of the mortgage and less money will be going towards the interest costs.

The Importance of Mortgage Advice

While this covers some of the mortgage basics that the consumer will need to choose the right mortgage product, it is important to note that there are quite literally thousands of mortgage products to choose from – each with its own intricacies and detailed terms. Accordingly, the prudent mortgage shopper should consult with someone with advanced expertise in the products and range of choices that are available on the market, given the borrower’s circumstances. An accredited mortgage broker will have the expertise and knowledge to assist the borrower in choosing the right mortgage for his or her situation. Moreover, since an accredited mortgage broker typically receives his or her fee from the lender, a mortgage broker with expertise and knowledge of the thousands of mortgages that are commercially available can assist the borrower in understanding and choosing the right mortgage from the thousands that are available at no cost to the borrower.

Tag : mortgage,mortgage rates,mortgage refinance,mortgage loan,bad credit mortgage

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Guidelines for Mortgage Refinance and Loan Modification

You can find so many people spending money to incur debt. As per figures, for the regular family, the monthly mortgage installment turns out to be the biggest payment while redeeming the mortgage refinance loan. In case there's an emergency, or money needs to be borrowed for a settlement of credit card debt, it can disturb the balance between monthly income or cash inflow, and the monthly overheads. As a result, an affordable situation becomes highly unaffordable. So how should one cater to unavoidable circumstances?
The basic rule is to communicate with your creditors.
The second rule is to keep on paying to the best of one's ability, to prevent the mortgage refinance

Loan liability is becoming unmanageable. When debtor stops paying the monthly payments, it reduces the creditor's sympathy, and creates unhealthy grounds for solving your financial problems. In addition, being delinquent means you attract penalties as well as service charge, which will mount up your net payable debt.

The solution you may desire from your home mortgage refinance provider would be ideally a reduction in your home mortgage refinance loan monthly installments. It would be possible to avail this facility by extending the term of the mortgage loan. The question is why should a creditor modify your loan? The issue is for lenders the foreclosure option is tantamount to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. If the lender is presented with a foreclose, there are negligible chances of recovering the bulk of the amount lent in the form of refinance home mortgage loan. So lenders are now thinking about providing some additional chances or options so that the debtor can work out something and redeem, rather than get stuck up with litigations and a potential loss in recovery through judicial proceedings. It turns out o be more cost-effective to recover less from a borrower, rather than spend money to recover through legal suits and face the dilemma of selling or not selling the security.

To successful redeem the mortgage; the first step would be to learn what is required to qualify for a loan modification program, and how to meet the prerequisites. The following insights can help you select amongst the many loan modification companies, and help you prepare for your mortgage loan modification programs:

Prior to implementation, with help of your lenders loan modification programs make sure you have a clear idea of what their needs. It is very difficult to qualify if we do not know what qualifications are. This is important because the lender will ask for financial statements that details revenue and expenses, so these must be completed properly. Many lenders like to see how a small amount of disposable income remains at the end of the month after the new modified payment will be calculated as declaration there will not be a re-default. Usually, $ 200 - $ 300 is enough.

Another important factor for the loan modification programs, called DEBT RATIO. Monthly debt is calculated in terms of housing expenses, which is divided by the gross monthly income. Most lenders are targeting the new modified loan payment to be somewhere between 34%-45% of the gross monthly income. The homeowners are advised to sit down and really determine what would be cheaper to pay the loans and to determine whether it is accessible from the combination of interest rate reduction, longer loan term or even principal forbearance. Then plan the family budget accordingly so that with the new payment you will meet the lenders guidelines.

Getting help with loan modification programs will take some research and learning about how the process works, but it can be done. Think of the 3"P"s-Preparation, Perseverance and patience. Prepare by learning as much as possible before contacting the bank. Learn the rules and get ready with your application accordingly. Be persistent, lenders do not easily grant loan modifications and can offer resistance. Homeowners don't give up-even if told no the first time-call back and speak with someone else. This is your home and security-it is worth the effort. Finally, patience is what w0ill keep you going. The loan modification process can take up to 180 days, so make a commitment to hang in there until the goal is reached.

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Friday, July 3, 2009

Rising Mortgage Rates Do Little to Build Consumer Confidence

Just when the housing market finally began to show signs of recovery, home buyers got hit with another blow. Mortgage rates are on the rise. One of the biggest challenges in overcoming this economic crisis has been to restore confidence and create a climate where prospective buyers feel comfortable venturing back into the investment game. Now just when we all thought it was safe to go back into the water, mortgage rates jump the highest they've been since last November.

Last Wednesday, the rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose from 5.46% to 5.70%. Not such a big deal, you say? According to FTN Financial, that little jump will cut the number of borrowers wanting to finance, in half. The number of home owners seeking refinancing has also decreased. According to a representative from J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., "A rate of 4.75% "seemed to be the switch" that turned on refinance activity, he says. Now, rates are a full percentage point higher."

Other increases included: 15-year fixed from 5.02% to 5.27%; 30-year fixed jumbo from 6.56% to 6.73%; 5/1 ARM from 4.59% to 4.87%; and the 7/1 ARM from 5.01% to 5.15%.

The reason for this increase are the rising bond yields that reached 4% last week. Some say this is a sign that the economy is leveling out, where others say investors are nervous and seeking more long term, secure investments.

In any event, rising rates do nothing to encourage the recent program designed to help homeowners refinance their mortgages. HARP, or Home Affordable Refinance Program, allows those in situations where they owe between 80% and 105% of their home's value, to refinance at new lower rates. It was projected that the program could help almost five million homeowners ease their monthly payment.

Apparently, public response to HARP, was much lower than expected and now that rates are on the rise, will probably not get much better. HARP was plagued with administrative issues that led to many applications being denied or never considered, and the program had difficulty gaining needed momentum to achieve its lofty goals. Qualifying loans had to be guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Just under 13,000 refinancings were completed, and over 17,000 still need to be processed. The average savings reduced mortgage rates by 1.3 to 1.5 percentage points. Those who have mortgage insurance, are not eligible according to this version of the program, but future changes are in the works.

HARP was developed in response to the many borrowers who were unable to refinance due to lack of equity in their homes. Many had purchased when prices were high, and when values dropped, were left with mortgages higher than the property's current market value. The rising interest rates will do little to help these homeowners.

Not surprisingly, the numbers for home purchases has remained stationary since the rates started to rise. Even though current rates are lower than last year's, when they sat at about 6.32%, people have found yet another reason not to commit to a long term investment.

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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Mortgage Protection Insurance, A Way To Maintain Your Mortgage Commitment

Being able to maintain your mortgage commitment at all times no matter what happens is essential unless you want to give up your home to the lender through repossession. If you were forced to leave work after suffering an illness, accident or unemployment in an ideal world the lender would have total sympathy. They would send you a get well card, flowers and tell you not to worry. However we live in the real world, and the reality is no lender is going to do this, however patient and helpful they might be. The hard truth is that a couple of missed repayments could very well mean the lender would seek a repossession order. Following this would come the court hearing and if the judge rules against you, you could only be around 28 days away from eviction. The way you could avoid this scenario is to take out mortgage protection insurance.

Mortgage protection can be your saviour if you find yourself without an income following an accident that meant you were unable to work. It would also apply if you should become sick and have to take time off from work to recuperate. Unemployment would also be covered, providing that it was brought about through reasons not of your own making. It wouldn’t pay out if you simply gave up your job for example. Mortgage protection insurance would be the closest thing to a "fairy godmother" at this time.

With a policy behind you there would be no struggle each month and no juggling other bills in the hope that you could gather enough money together. Having to do this each month you remained out of work, especially if this was for any length of time would cause stress beyond belief. At this time all you need to be thinking of is recovering or finding work again.

You do have to shop around for the cheapest premiums when considering a policy. Some providers, usually high street banks, charge sky high premiums, which makes protecting your mortgage very expensive. Others give far cheaper quotes for cover. This means that everyone can afford to take protection and these are the providers you should look for. The terms of the cover also vary considerably and again need taking into consideration.

You could be waiting as little as 28 days after being unable to work before you are able to put in a claim. However some providers will extend this to 90 days, the same applies with how long a policy would payout. With some providers you could be looking at receiving 12 months of protection, others could give 24 months cover.

All providers should give an adequate explanation of what a policy can and cannot do and make you aware of the vital facts and small print. This information of course should be given to you before you buy; after all it would useless and unfair to give it you afterwards.

Lenders on the high street will very often try their hardest to get you buy their mortgage protection insurance when taking out the borrowing. This might seem like one of the best choices, especially if you got a good deal on your mortgage. Usually you could not be more wrong and high street lenders premiums are among some of the highest premiums. Nine times out of ten a standalone provider will offer the cheapest quote and provide one of the best quality policies to fall back on.