| |
Information on
bank mortgage rates refinance loan home rate
Mortgages - Points and Interest Rates Go Hand in Hand When it comes to mortgages, many people tend to look at points and interest rates as to separate issues. In fact, they can almost always be used as leverage against each other.
Points and Interest Rates
Two critical components of a home loan are the interest rate and points charged at the outset. The interest rate is simply the cost of borrowing the money and applies to the total amount borrowed, to wit, six percent for example. The points on a home loan are an up-front fee that equates to a percentage of the loan. For instance, one point equates to an up-front fee equal to one percent of the total loan value. Paying one point on a $300,000 loan would equate to a fee of $3,000.
Many people jump to the conclusion that points are bad and should be avoided at all costs. While this may seem like common sense, it is not true in all situations. From the lender's view point, points and interest rates work hand in hand. If you have a unique cash situation, you may be able to save a ton of interest over the life of a loan by paying increased points at the outset of the loan. Generally, the more you pay in points, the lower the interest rate on the loan.
If you intend to hold onto your property for a long time, paying maximum points on the mortgage makes sense if you have the cash. The reason for this is the money spent on the points will be easily recovered if you can reduce the interest rate by a full percentage point or more. Saving even one percent on an interest rate will save you tens of thousands of dollars in interest payments on a thirty year loan. In such a situation, it makes sense to pay $6,000 or so in point to save $30,000 or $40,000 in future interest payments. Of course, you have to have the cash available to do it.
If you intend to hold onto a home for a short period of time, the same issues need to be considered. In this case, however, you will not have time to recover any money paid in points because you intend to sell in a few years. As a result, you want to shop for a loan that requires no points be paid. Yes, you will have to accept a higher interest rate on the loan, but this should be somewhat immaterial if you are only buying for the short term.
The bigger point is points and interest rates should be viewed as connected parts of a mortgage. As a borrower, you can negotiate with lenders to raise or lower either one by tweaking the other.
About the author:
Dan Lewis is with http://www.gwhomeloans.com - a San Diego mortgage brokers providing San Diego home loans. Visit http://www.gwhomeloans.com/services.html to learn more about options on San Diego mortgages from a San Diego mortgage broker company.
More Useful Resource and Updates on bank mortgage rates refinance loan home rate
- Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco Reports Third Quarter Operating Results (wallstreet:online AG)
The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco today announced that its third quarter 2008 net income
- Cap may make it harder to obtain mortgage (San Diego Union-Tribune)
The cap on single-family home loans in San Diego County that can be purchased by government-sponsored Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be reduced in January from $697,500 to $546,250. In a move that's expected to make it harder for some consumers to get mortgages, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced yesterday that it is replacing temporary caps that expire on Dec. 31.
- Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco Reports Third Quarter Operating Results (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
SAN FRANCISCO----The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco today announced that its third quarter 2008 net income fell $34 million, or 25%, to $101 million from $135 million in the third quarter of 2007.
- California Considers 90-Day Foreclosure Freeze (NPR)
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a freeze on pending foreclosures in an effort to help thousands of distressed homeowners in the state. But some economists say it's a bad idea that will only push California's mortgage rates higher.
- Home borrowing limit stops climbing amid slump (The Wilmington Star-News)
As housing prices climbed over the first half of the decade, so did the amount a buyer could finance and still get the best mortgage rates.That borrowing limit, for a so-called conforming loan, rose from $252,700 in 2000 to $417,000 this year.Now, because home prices have stopped climbing, the
- Schwarzenegger makes proposal to help home owners facing foreclosure (San Jose Mercury News)
In another effort to turn back the tide of California home foreclosures, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a proposal Wednesday designed to push mortgage lenders to modify more loans, allowing owners on the brink of foreclosure to stay in their homes. Under the proposal, which must be approved by the state Legislature, mortgage lenders or servicing companies who file 'notices of default' against ...
- Schwarzenegger proposes 90-day freeze on pending home foreclosures (Los Angeles Times)
The plan is part of an economic stimulus package the governor expects to put before lawmakers to spur loan workouts. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday proposed a 90-day freeze in pending home foreclosures to give California's financially pinched homeowners more time to get new or more affordable loans.
- Schwarzenegger makes proposal to help home owners facing foreclosure (San Jose Mercury News)
In another effort to turn back the tide of California home foreclosures, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a proposal Wednesday designed to push mortgage lenders to modify more loans, allowing owners on the brink of foreclosure to stay in their homes.
|
|
|