Friday, July 25, 2008

How To Compare Mortgage Loans Efficiently

By Chris Channing

Mortgage loans can be a scary thing to go through, since they span many decades on average, and seek to put borrowers at a disadvantage financially. But they don't have to be complicated to obtain or even repay in a fair amount of time. When considering four factors- terms, rates, points, and fees, the process is actually quite simple to forego.

The term of a mortgage loan is essentially how long it is scheduled to last. The average mortgage loan will either be 15 or 30 years in length. Unlike most other types of loans, the mortgage loan is much more serious and able to put borrowers into inescapable debt. Likewise, borrowers need to ensure that throughout the entire term they are going to be financially stable enough to repay the debts owed.

APR, or annual percentage rate, is a term that most are familiar with. The APR is the "rate" in the four aspects to be learned in mortgage loans. The rate will determine how much the borrower pays in interest rates each pay period. Obviously, a lower rate is better for the borrower. Getting a lower rate means have a good credit score, collateral, and financial history that can show responsibility in paying back loans.

Points come in at aspect three, which are simply just used to express 1% of a mortgage loan. Paying more "points" initially will give the borrower a lower interest rate, which means less to pay in the long run of a mortgage loan. Borrowers should try to pay as much of the mortgage loan off as possible initially if they want to better their odds of cutting costs and becoming debt free sooner.

As a last point to make, we have the fees that are so unpopular among borrowers. As a general rule of thumb, fees should always be laid out before the borrower, and should never be hidden in paperwork. Reputable lenders will never hide fees in the fine print, and if hidden fees are indeed found, a borrower should consider switching to a lender that is more trustworthy. It's also a good idea to seek legal or financial counsel for a second opinion in this area.

Mortgage loans take much planning to successfully take advantage of. Likewise, it is generally a good idea to consult a financial consultant to get the best advice for one's particular situation. It may also prove worthy to search online Internet resources for more information, tips and tricks, and guides in getting the best rate on a mortgage loan possible.

Final Thoughts

Mortgage loans don't have to be such a tough topic to address. As seen above, one can classify them based on four important points. But in reality, mortgage loans have much to consider- and getting them is no easy feat. Before anything is conducted, make sure that one's credit report is obtained and any intricacies are ironed out that could negatively impact one's rates. In the end, the borrower needs to ensure they have a way to repay the debt, and a plan to get their life back on track.

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