A 15-year loan term has many advantages, although it may appear to be expensive because of the higher monthly amortization. However, a shorter loan term assures you that you’ll be free from this burden before or at the time of retirement and save thousands of dollars. Consider having your loan restructured to a shorter loan term.
Benefits of a Shorter Loan Term
The prospect of spending 30 years paying back a mortgage is discouraging. If you have 20 years remaining on your loan, the option to shorten your loan term to 15 can be tempting. Taking away 5 years from a 20-year loan means a higher monthly bill, but freedom from the mortgage after 15 years instead of 20 is definitely more appealing. But if it’s only a matter of a few hundred dollars more, why not? Never mind if you’ll be paying a higher monthly bill.
You’ll be saving thousands of dollars from interests alone with the five years knocked off from the 20-year loan term. Another benefit is building your home equity faster. A refinance mortgage loan offers the chance to restructure your terms.
What’s Involved
For a home mortgage, the lender will pull your credit record to check if you’ve been paying your debts on time. You’ll also be paying the fees involved before, during, and after your loan is processed.
The lender will assess all the information to evaluate if you are a good risk for a shorter loan term. If you’re dealing with the same lender, the process won’t be as rigorous and as lengthy like it would be if you go to a new lender.
It’s a fact that lenders prefer long-term mortgages because it rakes in more profits. To counter loss in future profits, lenders penalize borrowers for paying their mortgage ahead of term. This is why prospective borrowers should always inquire if the lender charges prepayment penalties.
Assuming that your lender does not charge penalties on prepayment, you have to contend instead with the closing costs for your refinance mortgage loan.
Others get a refinance mortgage loan to switch to a short term interest only loan. They are banking on the equity of the house and intend to sell it in the near future. The proceeds of the sale will go to the interest and they can still have extra money from the profit. In your case, you’re looking at the full ownership of your home in a shorter time.
For a new loan, you can decide if you want a fixed rate mortgage or an ARM. An online calculator can compute how much you’re going to pay the monthly bill in 15 years’ time. From the calculations, you’ll be able to determine the feasibility of a short term ARM or fixed rate refinance mortgage loan.
Short Term or Long Term?
A short term, or traditional loan, will always depend on your financial situation and future plans. A short-term refi is ideal now that interest rates are low. You’ll be surprised that you’ll be paying the same monthly fee as your first mortgage, so there’s not much of a change in the monthly bills. The prospect of paying off your loan in 15 years, however, is imminent. For those who feel secure with the stability of the traditional 30-year loan term, switching from an ARM to a fixed rate refinance mortgage loan is recommended.
By: Rony Walker
Posts Tagged ‘Benefit’
Refinance Mortgage Loan – Shorten Your Loan Term
March 7th, 2010Alabama Refinance Loans – Finding the Best Refinance Rates
March 1st, 2010
Homeowners in Alabama have been benefiting from the steady increase in Alabama home values. A recent study released by the University of Alabama reports that home values are increasing an average of 2.6 percent annually. When you take this information into account, and add the benefit of currently low interest rates, there has never been a better time to refinance you Alabama home loan.
Still, if you want to make your Alabama refinance worthwhile, you’ll need to find the best refinance rates possible. Here are a few tips that will help:
Shop Around
Although you hear this simple refinance tip all the time, it is surprising how many people accept the first loan offer that comes their way. You should always shop around to see who can offer you the best deal. The market is competitive and there will be plenty of lenders willing to handle your Alabama refinance loan. If you can save just a little bit on your interest rate, shopping around is well worth the time and effort.
Look for Low Introductory Offers
If you plan on refinancing to an adjustable rate mortgage or a hybrid mortgage, look for special introductory offers. Many lenders who handle Alabama refinances offer abnormally low interest rates that can be in effect for up to the first five to ten years of your mortgage loan.
Prepare for the Refinance
If you are even thinking about applying for an Alabama refinance loan, there are several things you can do to increase your chances of getting a low interest rate. First, pull a copy of your credit report and do what you can to repair any blemishes that appear on it. Next, start saving your money. There will be closing costs associated with your Alabama refinance. Not having to finance these closing costs will get you a lower rate and save you money in the long run.
By: Jane Hale
Auto Refinance Loans – Why Everyone Should Consider Getting an Auto Refinance Loan
February 7th, 2010Getting your current auto loan refinanced can yield a great deal of savings and benefits. With the proliferation of web-based lenders, it is relatively easy to find ultra-competitive auto refinance loans. All that is needed, is for you to fill out some online applications, which will only take a few minutes each, and you will have creditors lining up with great offers in order to get your business. Just look below at some of the possible rewards you’ll gain by refinancing your auto loan.
A Lower Rate of Interest
For many reasons, it is very common for people to get stuck paying a ridiculously high interest rate on their auto loans. Some lending companies can charge 20% or more! This can be the result of financing at a time when general federal interest rates were high, bad credit, or even being suckered into a bad deal. Go over your loan documents or call your auto loan company to find out what rate of interest you are currently paying. If you are paying interest in the double digits, you may want to look into some auto refinance loans with different companies. If you can get pre-approved with them, why pay more on your quick cash loans than you have to?
Lower Monthly Car Bills
Taking from our example above, the real benefit to paying lower interest is lower monthly payments. For instance, if you are paying 20% on a $10,000.00, 4 year car loan, the monthly payments would be approximately $304.00. If you refinance at an interest rate of 10% (very achievable for most people) on the same loan, the monthly payments would be approximately $254.00. That’s around $600.00 in savings per year…..
By: Blaine B Smith