Saturday, July 26, 2008

How To Compare Mortgage Loans Efficiently

By Chris Channing

Every single mortgage loan obtained is going to be a headache for borrowers. Learning how to become financially stable, deal with fees, and even try to broaden one's horizon in freedom from debt is going to be a difficult task. But in learning the four basic aspects of mortgage loans, the odds of success are much more likely.

The first of the four aspects to be duly noted is the term. A term, like in most things, is the period of time in which the course of the loan is going to take place. A term will commonly be either 15 years or 30 years in length- although there certainly are options in term length. Since terms can be so long in stature, borrowers should make the decision on how quickly they can repay a loan and stick to it.

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 are expressed as 1% of the total mortgage. It's generally best to rack up as much points as possible to keep the interest rate down. Lenders like to put many gimmicks and other types of marketing ploys in the points area, so borrowers should keep an open mind when dealing with them. Paying off more points upfront is good if the homeowner intends to keep their home, otherwise the upfront costs are too great to turn much of a profit.

Lastly, we have fees. All types of transaction fees, payback fees, underwriting fees, and even closing costs will give the borrower a tough time in closing the deal completely. Fees will vary widely from one lender to another, so it's good to get as much information as possible before signing the dotted line. In addition, most reputed lenders will show all fees upfront- so a borrower shouldn't have to read the fine print to catch any fees that weren't discussed.

Each of the four topics described seem easy enough, but rest assured, the mortgage loan industry can cause years of pain for borrowers. Thus, it is highly recommended that borrowers obtain counsel from financial advisors. Only then will they be able to ensure that their long term financial health is going to have a positive outlook.

Closing Comments

A mortgage loan isn't as scary after we dissect it and warn borrowers of the harm they can cause. But nevertheless, they can still cause much trouble to one's finances- so it can't be stressed enough that consulting professional opinion is necessary. Consulting Internet resources and online lenders is another good way to find counseling- sometimes without any price at all!

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