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Arizona Mortgage Refinance Rates – Low Rates Reduce Mortgage Payments

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:51:28 +0000

Arizona mortgage refinance rates are low, and low rates reduce mortgage payments. So if you live in Arizona, why haven’t you refinanced your mortgage yet? Did you know the mere fact that you reside in Arizona is a plus when you refinance your mortgage loan? Lenders find real estate in Arizona to be valuable, and are willing to offer you the lowest refinance rate they can in order to be chosen as your mortgage lender. Allow me to explain.

Lenders are aware of certain facts about Arizona that make the real estate valuable:
It includes rich terrain that includes lush landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and breathtaking mountain peaks and boasts more than 300 sunny days per year. Real estate includes family homes, luxury estates, downtown lofts, and some of the most sought after retirement communities in the country. Attractive and affordable homes are located in the greater metropolitan areas. The slightly higher price of a downtown home is offset by the above average median household income. Real estate taxes are lower in Arizona than many other states. These attributes have resulted in a population that has been booming for decades, and forecasters predict that residents in what has been dubbed the ‘Arizona Sun Corridor’ will top 10 million by the year 2040.

In a state where there is great weather, a beautiful landscape, and steady population growth, lenders can foresee real estate in Arizona becoming more and more valuable as the years go by. Think about it. Even with economic rises and falls, the following will remain true in the long term:
Each year as the population grows, more people will need housing As the need for housing increases, so does the value of a house. The mortgage company holds an interest in your home as you repay the loan. A home that increases in value is an asset to the lender. In exchange for the opportunity to hold an interest in your home, they will offer you the lowest interest rate they can on your mortgage loan.

You can use their desire to your advantage get a low mortgage refinance rate. Since you live in Arizona where lenders deem real estate a very valuable asset, now is prime time for a low rate refinance loan. What are you waiting for? Your wallet deserves a break.

Ken S., Founder
LowRateSearch

By: Ken S

Government Mortgage Relief Plan

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:24:46 +0000

Nationwide news channels are filled with reports on the Obama stimulus plan and focused mostly on the 75 billion allocated by Obama’s administration for Mortgage Relief. Obama’s plan focuses on keeping up to 9 million people from foreclosure. Helping these homeowners avoid foreclosure is vital to stabilizing home prices and ultimately the economy.

The plan is pretty simple, give incentives to mortgage lenders for getting out of their seat and helping homeowners facing foreclosure. Something they should of done a long time ago. Many homeowners facing foreclosure have become drenched in debt, their debt to income ratio has far exceeded the guidelines for getting a mortgage in the first place. This can be attributed to predatory lending at which time the loan was originated, however; most homeowners are dealing with lower income due to job loss. Mortgage payments are typically the bulk of a homeowners debt.

Obama’s plan focuses on cutting mortgage payments to acceptable levels, which they have designated as 31% of the homeowners total income.

The other part of the plan would help homeowners which have a mortgage owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Homeowners that are upside down on their mortgage, owing more than their home is worth, can refinance with a special program. Normally equity or LTV (Loan to Value) is a major factor in refinancing. The bank or lender is willing to take more of a risk if you have equity in your home. They believe homeowners are going to fight tooth and nail to keep their mortgage if it has 15-20% equity. Homeowners that are upside down on their mortgage currently have no options for refinancing into a lower mortgage rate. Their mortgage rates in many cases have adjusted and they are stuck with an inflated mortgage payment and declining home values. Removing these restrictions is estimated to help up to 5 million homeowners reduce their mortgage payments.

Keeping mortgage rates low for homeowners that can refinance and new homebuyers is key to stimulating the economy and keeping banks afloat. Mortgage rates may be reduced another .5 percent to a new historic low of 4% for a 30 year fixed mortgage. Overall the mortgage relief plan is solid, but it is not very clear how deep this crisis runs. The government has funneled billions of dollars into banks such as Bank of America, but they know little about the damage done to their balance sheets. From the sign of the banks declining market value and need for more bailout money it is safe to say the government may be in for a big surprise when they get a in depth look into the banks they have been assisting.

Waiting on mortgage relief for foreclosure relief from the government is not something recommended by most in the financial industry. If you are struggling paying your mortgage now you should see foreclosure help immediately.

By: Chris Timmons

Home Equity and Second Mortgage Loan Options for Cash or Debt Refinancing

admin — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 01:39:36 +0000

If you are a consumer who owns a home, then you might be tired of getting mortgage solicitations to refinance your mortgage. Most likely, you are a savvy homeowner who locked into a 30-year mortgage a few years at 5% with a fixed interest rate loan. You may be wondering why these mortgage lenders and brokers think you would be interested in refinancing your 5% loan with a 6.5% mortgage rate. Mortgage companies are blasting direct mail campaigns that are targeting many homeowners in Southern California. You may not need to refinance your 1st mortgage, but chances are, you will want to access cash in the coming months. A fixed rate second mortgage or variable home equity credit line can get you cash, and a tax deduction without requiring you to refinance you low interest mortgage.

Second mortgage are effective financing vehicles for funding home construction, purchasing a second home or refinancing variable rate credit card debt. Home equity lines of credit are convenient, for people with changing plans. HELOC’s can improve cash flow because only the interest is due on the portion of the line that you actually accessed. This offers a financing arsenal for borrowers needing cash on a whim for investing, and purchasing rental properties. A homeowner armed with a home equity line of credit protects their family with a safety net of cash reserves in case a emergency or tragedy arises.

I recommend to all of my clients to establish a home equity credit line whether they think they need it or not. If they never use the credit line, then it never costs them a penny. There are no crystal balls in the world, so you have to plan for both opportunities, and financial hardships. Get a second mortgage or line of credit, while your credit scores are high. Why wait until you are late on a bill and your credit scores are low. Take the small window of opportunity, and get your finance vehicles tuned up, because when you wake up tomorrow the opportunity may have already passed.

By: Lynda Nelms

Second Mortgages: What you Need to Know

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:01:19 +0000

At times in life it may be necessary to come up with a sum of cash for unexpected expenses or even expenses that you might not be able to afford without a influx of cash. In these cases a second mortgage can come in quite handy. Before taking out a second mortgage; however, you should know how they work and the advantages and disadvantages of second mortgages.

Basically a second mortgage occurs when you take out another mortgage on top of the existing mortgage on your home. This type of loan is secured with the property for collateral. Of course, the first mortgage takes precedence in the event that you default on the loan. Any funds that are left would then be applied to the second mortgage.

Many people commonly use second mortgages for such expenses as home improvements, the purchase of a second or vacation home and to consolidate other debts with a lower interest rate. Of course, you may also be able to use the proceeds of your second mortgage for other options but you should always keep in mind that you are putting your home at risk for the purchase and be sure you can justify the risk for that purpose.

One of the major disadvantages of a second mortgage is that the interest rate will usually be higher than your first mortgage. Lenders insist on higher interest rates because they understand they won’t be the first in line in the event that you default on the loan and they need to protect their assets, so they do this with higher interest rates. Of course, the rates are typically lower than what you could obtain with any other type of loan and much lower than credit cards.

You should also be aware that you’ll typically be responsible for some fairly significant closing costs on second mortgages. If you can’t pay those fees, you may not be able to work out a second mortgage on your property.

Due to the amount of risk involved you need to be absolutely sure you have no other option before taking out such a loan. After all, you are risking the loss of your home, so you should be sure you’re willing to take the risk as well as be relatively sure you can cover the additional loan payments.

If you do decide a second mortgage is the right option for you, be sure to shop around for rates before taking the first one offered to you. You may be able to get better terms or a lower interest rate by shopping around.

Always look over the terms to be sure of what you’re agreeing to pay. One of the most typical arrangements with many second mortgage lenders is to tie what is known as voluntary insurance in with your mortgage. Depending on the level of your current insurance policy, you may not need this additional coverage and cost. In addition, always make sure you know how much you’re paying for closing costs, such as application fees, points to get a lower interest rate and appraisal fees.

By: Joseph Kenny

Second Mortgage Loans in Canada – How I Qualified and Saved My Credit

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:10:32 +0000

The use of second mortgages by clients is more common then one would think. The common issue amongst my clients is what would the lender think and how would I qualify.

Income qualification is secondary to the LTV (Loan to Value) calculation on the property. The impact of the LTV is discussed in a future article (Second Mortgage Loan in BC with Bad Credit | LTV What the Heck is It?)

Where the income qualification comes in, is where the private lender determines if the client can survive and fund the balance of the 1st mortgage and the 2nd mortgage. Lenders in this category are not looking for trouble or foreclosures. They want to know that the clients can move forward and complete their obligation.

The income requirements can vary between the private lenders issuing second mortgages in BC.

Some private lenders have minimal requirements others look for complete confirmation of all income sources. The level of detail is usually tied to the rate. A lender of second mortgages who only considers LTV will usually have a higher tolerance for risk in the second mortgages they issue in BC. The rate will usually reflect the level of perceived risk.

Here is the interesting part, private lenders are intent on ensuring that the debt is paid. As I tell my clients…”The money people want their money” Not excuses, not we had a run of bad luck; sorry social services is down the hall.

The determination of income levels and personal budgets is an exercise that the borrowers should go through. No one wants to lose their house but that is precisely what will happen if you default on your second mortgage.

Prepare an analysis of what you make and how much you spend. Determine if you can make the mortgage payment, it may that the mortgage payment is less then your total payments today. However in some cases, such as when the tax man is knocking on your door with a lien, it is worthwhile considering the higher interest, fees and payments to ensure that your house remains your house.

Only .49% of mortgages in Canada are in default at any one time. The impact of a foreclosure will have a disastrous impact on your credit rating. Revising your lifestyle in line with your income may save your house and your credit rating.

Run the numbers, ensure that your income is sufficient to make the payments on the second mortgage. And on a final note, you may lie to your Momma; lie to the taxman but don’t lie to your mortgage broker when you are figuring out how to refinance your debt.

By: Duncan Seward

What Is A Second Mortgage?

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:46:42 +0000

A second mortgage is a loan that is secured by the equity in your home. When you obtain a second mortgage loan the lender will place a lien on your house. This lien will be recorded in 2nd position after your primary or 1st mortgage lender’s lien, hence the term second mortgage.

A second mortgage is also sometimes referred to as a home equity loan. There is no difference between a home equity loan and a second mortgage. These are just two different terms for the same subject.

A second mortgage can either be a fixed-rate loan or an adjustable-rate credit line. Interest rates and loan program terms will vary from lender to lender so it is important to shop around and compare before committing to any one offer.

Loan proceeds from a second mortgage loan can be used for just about anything. Many consumers take out 2nd mortgage loans to consolidate debt, do home improvements or pay for their kids college education. Whatever you decide to do with your loan proceeds it is important to remember that if you default on your payment you can lose your home so you will want to make sure that you are taking the loan out for a worthwhile purpose.

Another plus of a second mortgage loan is that the interest you pay back on the loan may be tax deductible. Consult your tax advisor regarding your personal situation but in most cases the interest is 100% fully deductible as long as the combined loan to value of your 1st and 2nd mortgage do not exceed the value of your home.

For more information on second mortgage loans, or to compare rates and programs of second mortgage loan lenders visit http://www.equityloansource.com

By: Levetta Rivera