Welcome to The Loans Reference: Refinancing Guide
Mortgages Refinance Article
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Homeownership can be a real pleasure and something we all look forward to at one (or sometimes more) time in our life. For most of us, however, homeownership also means a mortgage. With the high cost of real estate and houses in general, very few people can purchase a home without taking out a mortgage loan. When we take out our mortgage loan, we take it out with the intention of making payments for a certain number and then owning our home free and clear. Unfortunately, many homeowners have to refinance home loans for one reason or another.
from:Although there are many reasons why people chose to refinance home loans, the main reason is for better interest rates on their current home loan. Home mortgage loans are set up as one of two ways: either A.R.M. or adjustable rate mortgage or a fixed rate mortgage. Most refinance of home loans are as a result of an adjustable rate mortgage that has increased its interest rates. When you take out an A.R.M. mortgage the interest rates and terms are amortized over a certain number of years, for example 20 years. However, the payments are ballooned over a shorter term, like 36 months. If the interest rate you charged when you take out the loan is 8%, you will be charge 8% for the entire 36 months.
At the end of the 36 months, the loan is up for renewal. If the interest rates have increased on the market, your interest rate on your loan will also increase for the next 36 months, or balloon period. However, if the current market rates have decreased, your new loan interest rate will decrease as well. It's almost like a crap shoot. When mortgages are up for renewal is when you see most people requesting to refinance home loans.
Refinance of home loan mortgages are sometimes done to turn an adjustable rate mortgage into a fixed mortgage. Occasionally, the market interest rate will take a large drop. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen often, but when it does many homeowners refinance home mortgage loans to take advantage of the new lower interest rate. Unlike an A.R.M. loan, with a fixed mortgage, your interest rate is locked in for the entire term of the loan, usually 20 years or sometimes longer. Sometimes when the interest rates go down, they don't stay down for long, but if you've just had your loan renewed to a fixed interest rate loan, the banks cannot increase the interest rate. Occasionally, the interest rates may go down even lower, causing people to refinance home loans again to be guaranteed the newer interest rate.
Refinancing is a common practice today with the interest rate fluctuating as they are and economy being so shaky. So make your payments on time to maintain a good credit rating so you'll always be eligible to refinance your home loan.
Mortgages Refinance News
Mortgage applications fell 8.2% last week: MBA (Market Watch)
Last week's mortgage applications show a seasonally adjusted decrease 8.2% from the pace of the week before, reflecting a drop in homeowners seeking to refinance their mortgages, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data. Data on filings and mortgage rates have drawn keen interest from investors and economists alike, in line with the Federal Reserve's move this week to start purchasing ...
Read more...UPDATE: Mortgage Applications Fell 8.2% Last Week: MBA (Nasdaq)
CHICAGO (Dow Jones) -- Mortgage applications filed last week decreased a seasonally adjusted 8.2% from the pace of the week before, reflecting a drop in homeowners seeking to refinance their mortgages, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Wednesday.
Read more...Mortgage volume down in week (Moldova.org)
The volume of applications for U.S. mortgages decreased last week, falling by a seasonally adjusted 8.2 percent, an industry group said.The Market Composite Index, which measures mortgage loan application volume, dropped from 1,245.7 to 1,143.8 in the week ending Jan. 2, the Mortgage Bankers Association said in a release Wednesday.The Refinance Index also fell, dropping 12.3 percent to 5,904.5, ...
Read more...Metro-Area Foreclosure Sales Tripled in First 10 Months of 2008 (Bloomberg)
Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Foreclosure sales in the 25 largest U.S. metropolitan areas almost tripled in the first 10 months of last year as rising unemployment and falling home values made it tougher for homeowners to sell or refinance their mortgages.
Read more...Homeowners with good credit rush to refinance (Baltimore Sun)
Homeowners with good credit scores are poised to capitalize on lowest rates in years T he economic turmoil of 2008 has left few bright spots, but here's one: Mortgage rates have plummeted.
Read more...