Friday, April 15, 2011

Advantages of a Fixed Rate Mortgage

This is the most popular type of mortgage as the monthly payment for interest and principal remains fixed through out the mortgage term, Property Insurance and taxes may increase but the monthly repayment of the amount will be stable.
Fixed rate mortgages are available for 10 years, 15 years, 20 years and 30 years period of time, there are also fixed rate mortgages available “Biweekly” this helps to shorten up the loan by making the payment every two weeks.
Fixed rate mortgages have 2 distinct features, first one is that the interest rate would remain the same through out the term of your mortgage, second feature is that payment of the loan remains level for the life and are structured for the repayment of the loan at the end of the mortgage term.
The most popular fixed rate loans are 30 years mortgage and 15 years mortgage. During early payment period, a large amount is being taken for the interest and the rest goes off to the balance principal amount, for instance a 30 years of fixed rate mortgage will take 22.5 yrs of the level payment of the loan for the payment of the half of the mortgage amount. Under 30 years of mortgage, month after the month you can choose to pay only interest or you can pay off principal with interest as it is a great option available for those who have tough time for money at times, with this option of lowering the payment you can increase the cash flow for paying off interest bills, remodeling your house, financing schools or college needs or increase your retirement savings.
With Fixed rate mortgage your loan rate is fixed for the mortgage term, you can pay interest only for 10 years and pay the balance interest plus principal for the next 20 years, this helps you to refinance the loan with out any pre payment penalty.
The advantages of 30 years mortgage is, when it is compared with 15 years mortgage the monthly payments are lesser, interest rate remains the same even if the interest rate goes up, monthly payment does not increases as it remains the same for the entire 30 years, compared to 15 years mortgage you would be paying higher rate of interest and the interest rate remains the same even if the interest rate gets decreased.
If you have planned for a long-term loan and does not like to take up the risk you may opt for fixed rate mortgage.

Discover how to quickly build a minimum of $40,000 worth of home equity and pay your mortgage off in 10 years or less without making biweekly mortgage payments. Visit: www.wisemortgageinfo.com

Alabama Mortgage - What to Expect When Buying a Home in Alabama

Maybe you’re buying your first home in Alabama, or perhaps you’re relocating to Alabama from another state. Either way, it’s important that you educate yourself on Alabama home loans before shopping for a home and mortgage. This article explains what you’ll need to know before buying a home in Alabama:
The average price of a home in Alabama in October of 2005 was $147,678, and homes in Alabama appreciate at one-half of the rate of the average national home appreciation. The rate of job growth in Alabama is equal to the national average. However, income levels in many parts of Alabama are too low to purchase a median-priced home with a conventional loan.
Alabama is a non-community property state. This means that married persons do not have to include their spouse’s income and liabilities on their mortgage if they choose not too. Home buyers can simply leave their spouse’s name off of their application. Additionally, Alabama has a Fair Housing Act that prohibits housing providers from declining housing to anyone based on their race, color, religion, gender, or national origin.
If you’re buying a home in the state of Alabama, you qualify for both federal and state FHA and VA loans. First-time home buyers qualify for Alabama FHA loans with below-market interest rates, and, depending on their income, may also qualify for down payment assistance. Additionally, Alabama’s Step-Up program offers down-payment assistance to home buyers with moderate incomes.
Access Alabama is a state program that makes mortgages more affordable for both disabled residents and residents with a disabled person in their care. Through this program, Alabama residents with disabilities can get technical assistance with the home-buying process and assistance with down payment and closing costs.
Alabama also offers Mortgage Credit Certificates to first time home buyers. Mortgage Credit Certificates help first time home buyers manage the costs of purchasing their first home by reducing the amount of federal income tax that they’re required to pay.

Discover how to quickly build a minimum of $40,000 worth of home equity and pay your mortgage off in 10 years or less without making biweekly mortgage payments. Visit: www.wisemortgageinfo.com