If you are in the process of refinancing your home loan, there are a number of common mistakes you need to be aware of. Here are three home loan refinancing pitfalls you need to keep an eye out for when refinancing your mortgage.
Watch Out For Prepayment Penalties
A prepayment penalty is a clause in your loan contract that requires you to pay a penalty if you refinance or sell your home before the penalty expires. Prepayment penalties can be expensive, mortgage lenders often charge up to six months worth of interest on 85% of the original loan balance. Predatory mortgage lenders include excessive fees in their loan contracts to discourage you from refinancing the loan. If you have good credit there is no reason to accept a home loan with this penalty.
Never Agree to Arbitration
Predatory mortgage lenders often ask you to agree to arbitration as a condition of having your loan approved. If you agree to arbitration you are forfeiting many of the rights and protection you receive under the law. Agreeing to arbitration means that you agree to a third party arbitrator resolving any legal disputes you have with the lender. Never agree to arbitration with any mortgage lender.
Watch Out for High Interest Rates and Fees
Predatory mortgage lenders often try and sell subprime mortgages to homeowners with good credit. This means you are taking out a bad credit mortgage regardless of your credit rating and will pay higher interest rates, lender fees, and points. The only way to know for sure that what you’re paying is fair is to shop from a variety of mortgage lenders and compare all aspects of the loans. You can learn more about comparison shopping for the best mortgage by registering for a free mortgage guidebook.
By: Louie Latour
Posts Tagged ‘Refinancing Your Home Loan’
Refinance Home Loan: 3 Home Loan Refinancing Pitfalls to Avoid
February 22nd, 2010Refinancing Home Loans and Home Equity Loans Can Save You Money
February 17th, 2010
Texas mortgage brokers can offer you the best advice about refinancing your home loan and what offers are available for low-interest Texas home equity loans. Interest rates are in decline right now, and this makes it a good time to think about a refinance, as well as picking up a home equity loan.
Texas home loans can be available in both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate loan instruments. Fixed-rate Texas home loans make for a regular payment amount due each month, making it easier to budget for the payment. Adjustable mortgages, or ARMs, offer the benefit of a small interest payment for the grace period of the loan, after which it adjusts according the current interest rate. For a short-term loan for a home that you plan on selling in five years or less, this could be a good option for you.
You might decide to look into Texas home equity loans if you need money for a special project or to pay off larger bills. This is a type of loan that is also called a second mortgage. You can take a loan out on the amount of equity you have built up in the home, and this is the basis of Texas home equity loans. The money can be used for any purpose.
Because interest rates are currently quite low, many home owners are refinancing their Texas home loans. What happens is that if the interest rate has dropped since the time you first took out your mortgage, you can save money by refinancing your loan to take advantage of the lower interest rate. At the time of refinancing, many Texas mortgage brokers can recommend a home equity loan that would work for you, and by performing both transactions at the same time, you will often save money in finance charges and fees.
Texas mortgage brokers can provide you with a wide variety of loans so that you can examine each one in detail. The brokers can answer all of your questions, and even, based on your credit score and financing, offer recommendations as to which loans may work best for your financial situation and long-term financial goals and needs. Texas mortgage brokers can give you different term lengths of loans, and can do the amortization and math so that you can compare each offer side-by-side and determine the one most suitable for you and your family’s future.
By: Anne Harvester
Refinance Home Loan: 3 Costly Home Loan Mistakes
February 4th, 2010
If you are refinancing your mortgage there are a number of mistakes that will cause you to overpay for your new mortgage loan. Doing your homework and researching mortgage lenders will help you avoid making these mistakes. Here are three things to watch for when refinancing your home loan.
I. Watch Out for Balloon Payments
If you accept a mortgage with a balloon payment you will be required to pay the amount due on a date specified in your loan contract. If you are unable to make this payment you will have to refinance the loan or sell your property to avoid foreclosure. Mortgages with balloon payments are typically used by real estate investors as a source of short term financing; however, predatory mortgage lenders use them as part of a ploy to take your home. Unless you know exactly what you are getting yourself into avoid any home loan with a balloon payment.
II. Watch Out for Excessive Fees & Rates
If you are a homeowner with poor credit you can expect to pay more for your new mortgage. There are lenders that will take advantage of your credit and charge you excessive fees and rates. Some Predatory lenders try and sell bad credit loans to homeowners with good credit in order to charge higher rates. The only way to know what fair rates and fees are for a homeowner in your financial situation is comparison shop from a variety of mortgage lenders. When you comparison shop the right way it is easy to spot mortgage lenders that are trying to take advantage of you. You can learn more about comparison shopping for the best mortgage by registering for a free mortgage guidebook.
III. Be Careful With Adjustable Rate Mortgages
Adjustable rate mortgages have more risk than traditional fixed rate mortgages. Many homeowners are enticed by the introductory rates and low payment amounts; these homeowners often don’t realize their payments will go up significantly at the end of the introductory period. In addition to this payment increase, the mortgage lender will adjust your interest rate periodically and change your monthly payment depending on prevailing interest rates.
You can learn more about your home loan options by registering for a free mortgage guidebook.
By: Louie Latour