Second Mortgage

A second mortgage is a mortgage whose terms are subordinate to the first mortgage. Loans with a second mortgage are usually done when the homeowner needs money in order to pay for an existing loan.

Second Mortgage or Refinance?

This is a question every homebuyer is faced with when shopping for mortgages. Take this scenario: A homeowner is facing a credit card debt of 50,000. Should he take a 190,000 second mortgage to refinance an existing mortgage with a balance of 140,000? Or should he borrow the money from a 50,000 home equity loan?

In most cases, borrowers who took a mortgage when rates were lower will find a second mortgage better than a home equity loan. But to be certain, some factors need to be considered.

You need to compare the interest rate and points of the first mortgage with that of a second mortgage. Second, find out if there are any PMIs (Private Mortgage Insurance) involved with the second mortgage. Find out what loan term is most favorable for you on your second mortgage. Your income tax bracket and amount of cash you need from your second mortgage are also necessary factors.

Consider the case above. If the first mortgage at 14,000 was acquired two years ago, the interest rate would be 7 percent for 30 years without PMI. Lets say your income bracket is 39.6% (the highest) and you are capable of earning 5% more on your investments. Your house is now worth 213,000.

A second mortgage for 190,000 with settlement costs will require PMI. If you decide to get a home equity loan instead, you will get 30 years loan term at 8.25% and one point. For 50,000, your second mortgage will include additional costs for 15 years at 11.5% and one point. The result will be that over the course of five years, your second mortgage will have saved you 11,361 more than what refinancing will.

Take a second mortgage or get a new one and pay PMI?

Getting a second mortgage has more advantages when it comes to taxes than a separate loan. But usually, this depends on many other factors.

Getting a second mortgage is better than getting a separate loan when the rate difference between the second mortgage and the first mortgage is small. If the loan term is short, then getting a second mortgage probably makes more sense than getting a separate loan. Balance is paid off faster with shorter term loans. Since second mortgages have considerably higher rates, the shorter the loan term is, the better it is to get a second mortgage loan.

Other factors that affect the advantage of second mortgages over separate mortgages are tax brackets, closing costs, and expected appreciation rate.

For example, you have a tax bracket of 15% and a 30-year first mortgage for 160,000 and a second mortgage for 20,000 at 11.75%, zero points, and to be paid off in 15 years. A separate mortgage would be for 180,000 with down payment at 10%. Interest rate for this separate mortgage would be at 8.25%, zero points, and 0.52% PMI.

When you calculate this, you can see that over the five years, a second mortgage will have saved you 16.97% more than a separate mortgage would.

Real Estate Tax Mortgage Calculators

Today, the asking price of most properties is quite large and usually beyond the normal means of the consumer. This is why a lot of people apply for a loan in order to acquire property.

To pre-qualify yourself for such a loan, you would need the help of a real estate tax mortgage calculator. A real estate tax mortgage calculator can calculate a number of things that pertain to mortgages. One of the first things that real estate tax mortgage calculators do is to see if you pre-qualify for a mortgage.

A real estate tax mortgage calculator would need some information from you. Before starting the pre-qualifying process you would have to provide the real estate tax mortgage calculator with your gross pre-tax income, total monthly debts, loan amount, loan interest rate, and loan term. The real estate tax mortgage calculators need all these information so that it can gauge the loan against your personal income. This method of assessment used by real estate tax mortgage calculators is also the method used by banks and other lending companies so you can be assured that the information you get from a real estate tax mortgage calculator is accurate.

After putting in all the relevant information, the real estate tax mortgage calculator will tell you if you passed the pre-qualification by giving a yes/no answer. If the real estate tax mortgage calculator says Yes, this means that you have met the income requirements for that mortgage.

However, if the real estate tax mortgage calculator tells you No, then it means that you were unable to make it to the income cut off. Along with the pre-qualifying test results, the real estate tax mortgage calculator will also show you the minimum income requirement in order for you to qualify. Real estate tax mortgage calculator therefore also gives you an idea on how much you need to earn in order to re-apply for the loan.

After determining that you pre-qualify for the mortgage using the real estate tax mortgage calculator, it is now time for you to contact the bank or lending company. Before signing in for a mortgage though, make sure that you know what Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance are involved. These data are made available to you using a real estate tax mortgage calculator.

A real estate tax mortgage calculator will help you know the value of the mortgage in dollars. Repayments for mortgages can also be determined using a real estate tax mortgage calculator. If you want to know how many repayments there would be, you can also use a real estate tax mortgage calculator for that. A real estate tax mortgage calculator can also help you estimate when you will be able to pay off the balance in full. Whether your are late in making repayments or do it in advance, a real estate tax mortgage calculator will help you determine the circumstances.

Because a real estate tax mortgage calculator can answer those questions and more, you can then give yourself the opportunity to accurately evaluate the mortgage offered and see if you can afford the payments.

Mortgage Interest Rates

For most people, the biggest purchase they will ever make is their home. In fact though, their mortgage and the mortgage interest rates it connotes are a larger purchase than their home. In single loan term, the amount you pay to cover the mortgage interest rate cost is more often than not more than what you paid for your house. Reducing even a fraction of your mortgage interest rates can save you a great deal of money on your mortgage.

The rise and fall of mortgage interest rates have become erratic during the past 20 years. As a rule of thumb, mortgage interest rates go up when the economy is strong and stock prices rise. On the other hand, if economy weakens, mortgage interest rates go down.

In todays market, the mortgage interest rates are much lower than they were in the mid-1980s to the 90s. But within the next year or two, financial experts have come up with predictions mostly outlining the rise of mortgage interest rates.

A sad fact however, is that with mortgage interest rates, there are no certainties and no guarantees. No one can really tell whether or not mortgage interest rates will rise over a period of time. The current mortgage interest rate that you are charged right now is something that your banker or broker cannot control. Often, loans with unattractive mortgage interest rates are sold to FannieMae or FreddieMac which in turn, sell these loans to the secondary market.

Mortgage investors purchase these secondary market loans with mortgage interest rates that are undesirable to the regular homebuyer. These investors are actually the ones who set the standards in mortgage interest rates.

When news of a growing economy erupts, the Fed will raise the mortgage interest rates in an effort to slow down economic growth and lower stock prices. As a result, the investors would demand higher mortgage interest rates from their lenders. To sell their loans, lenders will increase their mortgage interest rate yields. This drives mortgage interest rates even higher.

When the economy goes down on the other hand, the same thing happens with mortgage interest rates, but in reverse. The Feds will cut down the mortgage interest rates in order to bring the economy back to life. Investors will start buying more bonds while the mortgage interest rates are low. Demand grows and loan sellers offer their products with lower mortgage interest rates. Thus consumers will be able to get loans for decreased mortgage interest rates.

Mortgage interest rates are based on a financial instrument called index. LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) is among the most common indices that mortgage interest rates are based on. Other mortgage interest rate indices are 1-Year Treasury Security, Prime, 6-Month CD, and the 11th District Cost of Funds (COFI). These indices for mortgage interest rates are subject to the financial conditions of the market.

Loans are offered with different mortgage interest rates. Take for example a traditional 30-year mortgage. This type of loan involves a fixed mortgage interest rate. The mortgage interest rate of a 30-year mortgage is higher than that of a 15-year mortgage.

Other alternative programs and payment plans for your loans can some difference on your mortgage interest rate. An adjustable rate mortgage initially has lower mortgage interest rates compared to fixed rates.

So basically, the effect of economics on mortgage interest rates is also counteracted by the type of mortgage you choose to take.

Mobile Home Refinance

Mobile home refinance? Why not? There are several reasons why you should get a mobile home refinance loan. Here are some of them:

Mobile Home Refinance means lower interest rates

Face it. When you closed your first home loan, interest rates were quite high. But now that you have a mobile home refinance loan, interest rates are substantially lower. Even with rates of 2%, with a mobile home refinance loan, you can go as low as 1.5% or even 1%. Imagine how much you can save with your mobile home refinance with that kind of interest rates.

Mobile Home Refinance for a smooth switch from variable to fixed

A mobile home refinance loan is ideal if your existing loan has an adjustable rate payment. You can switch to a mobile home refinance loan with a fixed rate payment and know exactly how much you would be paying for monthly.

Mobile Home Refinance for greater loan satisfaction

It is possible you are unhappy with the service or program your current lending company is offering you. A mobile home refinance loan will help you pay off your existing mortgage. For instance, you want to increase the length of your current loan term. With a mobile home refinance loan, you will have the option to get out of bondage and still be able to repay your existing loan.

Obtain lower payment caps with Mobile Home Refinance

Your existing adjustable rate mortgage may have payment cap that is too high. You can get a mobile home refinance loan in order to obtain lower caps. And if rates increase, you are still secure in the knowledge that your mobile home refinance payment caps will only rise to a certain point.

Extra cash with Mobile Home Refinance

You want to have some extra cash handy for a repairs and purchases on your mobile home. With mobile home refinance, you allow yourself to borrow more money. Whats more, mobile home refinance loans do not restrict you from taking cash outside of your loan payments.

Mobile Home Refinance can consolidate debt

Mobile home refinance lets you consolidate your debt into one single monthly payment. This way, mobile home refinance saves you from the trouble of having to keep up with several bills. With a mobile home refinance loan, you can pay off your debt and remove yourself from collections. Stop collection agents from harassing you by getting a mobile home refinance loan.

What is a mobile home refinance?

A mobile home refinance deal is basically a deal wherein you pay off your first loan with a second loan that is better suited to you. In most case, mobile home refinance deals result in lower interest rates. Usually people who take a mobile home refinance deal end up paying lower monthly rates. This way, mobile home refinance helps people build up more equity faster. The lower monthly payments of mobile home refinance loans also allow you to have more cash handy for another purchase.

When is the best time to get a mobile home refinance?

Now is probably is the most opportune moment to get a mobile home refinance deal. With low interest rates, having a mobile home refinance loan could be your best option.

Home Mortgage

Houses on sale today require down payments that are more than a renter can afford. So how do you own a home when you do not have enough savings to cover down payment costs? The answer is a home mortgage.

A home mortgage is actually different from a home loan. A home mortgage is the contract that you sign in order to get a loan from a banking institution or lending company. The loan is the money that the lender provides for you.

There are many kinds of home mortgages available in the market. These home mortgages differ in their loan terms or their rate status. The advantage of each type of home mortgage depends upon the financial situation of the times. Some home mortgages fare better when interest rates are low. Others rise up to the challenge of high home mortgage rates.

Fixed Rate Home Mortgage

Fixed rate home mortgages are home mortgages whose interest rates remain set for the duration of the loan term. The monthly payments for a fixed rate home mortgage may either for a period of 15 years or 30 years.

Fixed rate home mortgages are considered stable. With fixed rate home mortgages, your interest rates are guaranteed and your monthly payments are predetermined.

A 30-year fixed rate home mortgage has its own advantages and disadvantages. Usually fixed rate home mortgages with 30-year loan terms give the consumers the opportunity to borrow money on a long-term basis. The amortization period for this type of fixed rate home mortgage is longer and the monthly payments are lower. One drawback, however of this home mortgage is its high interest bill and slow equity build-up.

15-year fixed rate home mortgages attract borrowers because of its relatively shorter amortization period. Equity in this home mortgage is quickly built up and interest bills are significantly lower. One disadvantage though is that 15-year fixed rate home mortgages have higher monthly payments and higher interest rates.

Adjustable Rate Home Mortgage

Contrary to a fixed rate home mortgage, an adjustable rate home mortgage is a home mortgage where the rates are adjusted regularly, usually after the first year is over. Adjustable rate home mortgages generally have lower interest rates compared to fixed rate home mortgages. But this low interest rate in adjustable rate home mortgages is only for a short period of time. After about a year, the new interest rate of an adjustable rate home mortgage will either rise or fall, depending on the movement of the lending companys prime rate.

Knowing whether or not an adjustable rate home mortgage is right for you depends on your income status and the type of adjustable rate home mortgage payment you plan to make. In the long run, adjustable rate home mortgages might prove risky for the home buyer.

Since adjustable rate home mortgages rely on the interest rates of the market to adjust their own interest rates, monthly home mortgage payments for adjustables are uncertain. When interest rates in the market are low, you are sure to gain savings with an adjustable rate home mortgage. However, when rates are high, your adjustable rate home mortgage might cost you more than youre willing to give.

Free Mortgage Loan Calculator

There are as many uses for free mortgage loan calculators as there are as many free mortgage loan calculators available online. Here is a collection of these free mortgage loan calculators and how you can use them to help you with your mortgage scenario.

Free Mortgage Loan Calculator Amortization

Free mortgage loan calculators will help you determine your amortization schedule. Whether or not your amortization schedule is based on prepayments, free mortgage loan calculators will help you compute the amount of a monthly payment.

Free mortgage loan calculators help determine this by basing its functions on such important data as principal amount borrowed, loan term, and the annual interest rate. Once the free mortgage loan calculator computes your monthly payment based on the data given, you can then click on the button that would allow you to create the amortization schedule report.

Free Mortgage Loan Calculator Bi-Weekly Mortgage

Free mortgage loan calculators also help you with your bi-weekly mortgage calculations. A free mortgage loan calculator will show you what the amount of payments will be. Aside from that, a free mortgage loan calculator will also help you calculate your savings in lowered interest costs.

To calculate your bi-weekly payments, total interest, and average interest each bi-weekly period, you will need to provide the free mortgage loan calculator with the principal loan balance. Along with that, input the annual interest rate and amortization length into the free mortgage loan calculator. Once you have all these accounted for, just click on the button below the free mortgage loan calculator so you can start computing your savings on interest and monthly payments.

Free Mortgage Loan Calculator Scenarios

An interesting function of free mortgage loan calculators is that they would be able to let you play mortgage scenarios to help you determine the outcome. Find out how your down payments can affect your monthly loan payments with a free mortgage loan calculator.

Free Mortgage Loan Calculator Monthly Payments

One of the main functions that all free mortgage loan calculators have is its ability to calculate monthly mortgage payments. The information that you need to put into the free mortgage loan calculator would be the mortgage amount and mortgage term. The free mortgage loan calculator would also need data on interest rate and mortgage start date. By clicking on the calculate option at the bottom of the free mortgage loan calculator, you can easily see how much your monthly payment will be with that type of mortgage.

Some free mortgage loan calculators have a special widget that will also help you calculate the impact of making extra payments on your mortgage. By either placing the additional amount for monthly, yearly, or as a one-time payment on to the free mortgage loan calculator, you can find out when your paid-off date will be.

Free Mortgage Loan Calculator Missing Variable

With free mortgage loan calculators, you can find out exactly what your monthly payment will be and how much savings you can make. But aside from that, free mortgage loan calculators can also help you find out what are the missing variables of a loan. For instance, if youre thinking of buying a home, find out how much money you would have to earn in order to afford one. With free mortgage loan calculators, this task is made easy for you.

There are several free mortgage loan calculators out there, each equipped with different functions. All you need is a little exploring to find the right one and make the right mortgage decision.

First Mortgage Loan

Every person who has ever bought a home with a mortgage knows that by the time the pay off is made on the mortgage more is paid to cover interest costs than the actual purchase price of the house.

For example, on your first mortgage loan, you borrow 125,000 at 8% with a 30-year term. After your first mortgage loan period is done, youll have paid over 205,000 in interest and the 125,000 principal amount you borrowed. A result, your house that is only for 125,000 ends up costing you 330,000 on your first mortgage loan.

This is the reason why, it makes absolute sense that before taking on your first mortgage loan, a little bit of shopping is done. Getting the best product for your first mortgage loan is nice and most probably the biggest financial decision youll ever have to make.

All right. So lets get down to the basics. Most people think that a mortgage is a loan. Well, its not. A loan is something the lender gives you. A mortgage, on the other hand, is something you give to the lender.

Now when you take on your first mortgage loan, its imperative that you know what types of mortgage products are currently being offered in the market. Below are some of these first mortgage loans.

Fixed Rate for your first mortgage loan

If youre thinking of getting your first mortgage loan, a fixed rate mortgage might be the right choice for you. In a fixed rate mortgage, interest rates are set all throughout the whole loan term. This means that when you take on your first mortgage loan, your interest rate will not increase or decrease. The interest rate of your first mortgage loan will remain the same all throughout the loan period, usually 30, 20, 15, or even 10 years.

Getting a fixed rate first mortgage loan will have you paying for a predetermined monthly payment rate. Payments for your first mortgage loan interest and principal will never change. Having this type of mortgage for your first mortgage loan is especially advantageous if over time, interest rates suddenly go up. Plus, down payment if you get this as your first mortgage loan could be as low as 5% of the original purchasing price.

Adjustable Rate First Mortgage Loan

If the projected interest rates in the market are going down, then an adjustable rate mortgage might just be the right option for getting your first mortgage loan. Adjustable rate mortgages are mortgages where the interest rates and monthly payments depend on the rise and fall of rates in the market. This type of loan is especially a good choice for a first mortgage loan also if you expect a rise in your income over the next few years.

Balloon First Mortgage Loan

If you do not plan on keeping your house for long, then getting a balloon first mortgage loan will do the trick for you. A balloon first mortgage loan offers lower interest rates compared to a conventional loan. The only downside to this type of mortgage for a first mortgage loan is that a large amount is due in five to seven years. If you do not have funds to cover that amount and you are still in the house by the end of the loan term, you might need to get another loan in order to cover the cost for that first mortgage loan.

Adjustable Rate Mortgage

Choosing the right mortgage involves knowing how mortgage rates work. Mortgage rates are affected by several factors. One of them is the type of mortgage consumers take.

There are two types of mortgages available in the market. The first one is a fixed rate mortgage, where the rates are set for the duration of the loan term. The second one is the adjustable rate mortgage.

In an adjustable rate mortgage, the interest rate periodically changes. Interest rates in adjustable rate mortgages may either increase or decrease, depending on how prime rates are changing. This ability of adjustable rate mortgages may lead customers to get cheap interest rates, allowing them to save more on their monthly repayments. On the other hand, adjustable rate mortgages may also work the other way around. Interest rates in adjustable rate mortgages may increase when prime rates of lending companies also increase.

Because of the complexities involved, adjustable rate mortgages are usually restricted to savvy investor types who wish to pay less so that they could channel their extra funds on other investments. If the low interest rates remain steady, adjustable rate mortgages could be inexpensive. This is also why some homebuyers who are more enterprising than others take to adjustable rate mortgages.

How Adjustable Rate Mortgages work

Adjustable rate mortgages have very low interest rates at the start of a specified loan period. The interest rates of adjustable rate mortgages are even lower when compared to 15- and 30-year mortgages. This is the primary reason why homebuyers prefer adjustable rate mortgages.

Adjustable rate mortgages may involve varying monthly payments over a period of time. Because interest rates of adjustable rate mortgages may either rise or fall, it is therefore advisable that only those who are financially secure should get an adjustable rate mortgage.

Cheap rates of adjustable rate mortgages may only last for a specified time period, after which, the monthly payments may increase or decrease. Interest rates of adjustable rate mortgages are changed on a regular basis based on a pre-selected index. There are several kinds of indices used for adjustable rate mortgages. The most common is the yield on the one-year Treasury bill.

Adjustable rate mortgages may have new interest rates which are calculated by adding the index to a set margin determined by the lender. Inexpensive rates are available in adjustable rate mortgage programs for one, three, give, seven, and ten years. The most common adjustable rate mortgage is the 1-year program. This type of adjustable rate mortgages has a low interest rate for a fixed period of one year but after which, it is adjusted to suit the index and set margin.

The interest rates of adjustable rate mortgages are not adjusted every month. On the contrary, interest rates of adjustable rate mortgages are changed regularly every year or every three years. A six-month adjustable rate mortgage is difficult to handle and should only be accepted if the adjustments are stated clearly in the loan agreement.

Adjustable rate mortgages may be converted into fixed rates if it is essential. Adjustable rate mortgages are also assumable mortgages. This means that an adjustable rate mortgage may be transferred to new buyer who would assume the same terms of the said mortgage. The new buyer would have to qualify for the adjustable rate mortgage before he can assume it.