Home Mortgage Loan Information - Which Type of Home Loan is Best For You?

If you are considering buying a home, then you may be more than a little confused by all of the terms you hear about home loans. After all, lenders throw around words like fixed rate, balloon mortgages and adjustable rate mortgages without a thought. But if you aren't at least familiar with the basics-those terms can be pretty confusing!

Here's a basic guide to the three most common types of home loans. Study it, and determine which one is right for you.

Fixed Rate Home Loan

If you are thinking about buying a home and staying in it until you pay it off, then you will probably want a fixed rate home loan. With this type of loan, you will be assigned a fixed interest rate, and then that rate will not change for the life of the loan. If interest rates skyrocket, yours will remain the same. On the other hand, if they plummet, you will likely be paying a higher rate. (You can always refinance in order to get a lower rate.)

Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM)

The interest rate with this type of loan goes up and down with the market. In other words, if the interest rate is low, the rate on your home mortgage will be low, but if it's high, your loan interest rate will reflect it. And because the interest rate on a home mortgage loan affects the payments, you will never know from reporting period to reporting period what your monthly mortgage payments will be. This type of loan obviously isn't for everyone.

So, who might use an ARM? For starters, if you are purchasing a house for investment purposes and plan to sell it quickly, you might take advantage of low interest rates by getting this type of loan-particularly if it looks as if they may go lower. Another reason to use an ARM as a home loan is if you are buying a home in a time when interest rates are on the decline. You can take out an ARM, and then change it to a fixed loan once the interest rates bottom out.

Balloon Mortgage

With this type of loan, you will make monthly payments for a fixed amount of time, with a fixed interest rate. The difference is that at the end of the payment schedule, you will owe the unpaid balance in one lump sum. If you use a balloon mortgage, you will find that the interest rates are much lower than either a fixed rate mortgage or an ARM.

The obvious negative to this type of loan is that huge payment due at the end, but if you are planning to hold the house for a short period of time, then this might be the loan for you.

By understanding the various types of home loans that are available to you, you will be better prepared to make a decision that is just right for you and your family.

To view our recommended sources for home mortgage loans, visit: Recommended Home Mortgage Lenders Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website with articles and the latest news about various types of loans.

In The News:


ABC News

US races to ease mortgage meltdown, passing aid bill
Detroit Free Press, United States - 5 hours ago
An expansion of federal housing assistance that is projected to keep 400000 families nationwide from losing their homes by enabling them to refinance their ...
Video: House OKs Rescue for Homeowners, Freddie, Fannie AssociatedPress
US Senate to Take Up Fannie-Freddie Bill After House Approval Bloomberg
Housing-aid bill not a cure-all Arizona Republic
New York Times - San Francisco Chronicleall 4,961 news articles

RTT News

US homeowners cut back refinancing
Financial Times, UK - 11 hours ago
Last week. the MBA's refinancing index fell 5.6 per cent, while the 30-year fixed mortgage rate jumped 37 basis points to 6.59 per cent. ...
Mortgage Application Demand Drops as Loan Rates Jump FOXBusiness
US Mortgage Applications Index Fell 6.2% Last Week (Update1) Bloomberg
Mortgage applications decline 6.2 percent BusinessWeek
RTT News - Forbesall 16 news articles

The Associated Press

How housing rescue bill can help you
CNNMoney.com - 10 hours ago
To do that, they'll pay a "3% exit fee" of the mortgage principal to the FHA when they resell or refinance. Plus, they'll agree to pay the FHA 100% of any ...
House Vote on Key Housing Legislation Imminent Originator Times
Inside Wall Street: That Ticking Sound You Hear Out in the ... Money Morning
Imminent housing bill full of hope but few answers Chicago Tribune
San Francisco Chronicle - Kiplinger.comall 116 news articles

California's Mortgage Bankers Applauds Passage of Congressional ...
MarketWatch - 13 hours ago
The California Mortgage Bankers Association is the leading statewide organization representing the residential and commercial real estate finance industry.

China Daily

US House approves housing market rescue bill
Reuters - 14 hours ago
N: Quote, Profile, Research), set up a new regulator for the two mortgage giants, and create a fund to help thousands of distressed homeowners refinance ...
US mortgage firm bailout could cost $33b Stuff.co.nz
Fannie, Freddie rescue estimate mounts Economic Times
all 466 news articles

WELT ONLINE

People's Bank Reports Earnings
MarketWatch - 12 hours ago
The in-house lending and underwriting staff at People's represent a viable option for home purchasers or those interested in refinance. ...
/SECOND AND FINAL ADD -- CLTU045 -- SunTrust Banks, Inc./ PR Newswire (press release)
First Horizon National Corporation Q2 2008 Earnings Call Transcript Seeking Alpha
Northrim BanCorp Reports Second Quarter Profits of $1.4 Million ... CNNMoney.com (press release)
all 1,345 news articles

Thousands Flock for a Chance at Loan Relief
Washington Post, United States - 11 hours ago
Escobedo said he tried to refinance the adjustable-rate mortgage on his Miami home earlier this year, but the property had dropped in value -- from $328000 ...

Mortgage rescue bill fast-tracked: It offers billions for blighted ...
TMCnet - 3 hours ago
... first-time home buyers and refinance subprime mortgages. The deal offered mortgage relief to at least 400000 families facing foreclosure and a financial ...

Wachovia’s Pragmatic Mortgage Resolution
istockAnalyst.com, OR - 9 hours ago
Wachovia has eliminated prepayment penalties on the Golden West Pick-A-Pay mortgages, and is encouraging borrowers to refinance into GSE, FHA, ...

FinFacts Ireland

Thursday Newspaper Review - Irish Business News and International ...
FinFacts Ireland, Ireland - 6 hours ago
The bill creates a permanent affordable housing trust fund that will initially help pay for the mortgage refinancing plan and eventually sponsor the ...
mortgage refinance - Google News

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