Adjustable rate mortgages still exist, even with the bad rap they’ve received from the mortgage crisis. They are a specialty product that were not meant to be used by everyone, just by a few people who might benefit from the adjustable rate. People who weren’t planning on spending more than five year’s in their home or people who had income that was rising were the traditional buyers of ARM loans. The reasons for this are that the loans adjustable terms are difficult to assess unless you have done your research with an online mortgage calculator. If you don’t know what you are signing with an ARM loan, you shouldn’t get this type of loan.
Get the Facts
There isn’t just one type of adjustable rate mortgage, so you will need to understand the product you are investigating before you plug any numbers into a mortgage calculator. You will need to know how long the initial payment is fixed and when and how often the rate is adjusted. For instance, in a 3/1 adjustable rate mortgage, you might have a period of three years and then it adjusts every year thereafter. There are also 5/1, 7/1, and 10/1 ARMs. There are also hybrid mortgages and ARMs that are tied to different indexes. This can make understanding the product you have a bit more complex. Try to get a good idea whether you are dealing with a classic ARM or whether this is a hybrid product. Also, make sure you know how long the initial rate lasts as some offer teaser interest rates that quickly fly by, some in less than a year.
You will also want to know if the adjustments are capped, so that they cannot go past a certain amount. This is very important to be able to see your best and worst case scenarios with a mortgage calculator. The caps are usually set as a percentage of the previous payment amount or sometimes as an interest rate hike cap. The thing to understand is that even though the interest rate increase may be capped the first year, and nothing happens to adjust the rate the following year, you may still be charged an increase from the previous year’s cap. It’s because the lender assumes you owe and they cut you a break on the previous year. This means that you won’t really be able to figure out exactly what you owe each year on the mortgage calculator, but you can get a best case and worst case scenario from the mortgage calculator.
With the FBI investigating some lending institutions and mortgage brokers, it becomes clear that most brokers do not represent anyone’s interests but their own. Mortgage brokers are regulated by state agencies but are not under any compulsion to get the buyer the best or safest deal. Brokers make money by closing deals for lenders or banks and then taking a commission or fees off the value of the loan from the lender. You may not realize that you are paying the broker, but they are getting paid. Some are getting paid by the borrower and the lender is paying others. In some cases, it was even shown that mortgage brokers might end up getting paid more if they steered clients to mortgage loans that had high prepayment penalties, making it difficult for the borrower to refinance later.
What a Broker Should Do
Mortgage brokers should assess your financial capabilities and try to find a market product that suits your present situation. The problem comes in when they are steering you to products that are risky. You also need to do your own homework in deciding whether any product offered is a good deal or not.
The broker works with a lending institution in providing the paperwork and application forms necessary to substantiate your income and ability to pay the lender. This can include all the copies of your tax returns, W-2s, and bank account statements. Be prepared to give your mortgage broker any type of document they need to apply for your loan.
What a Broker Shouldn’t Do
If you are not in a position to buy a home because of your income, steer clear of any mortgage broker that fudges the numbers. The numbers are set so that you don’t borrow above your means. Lying on a loan can have serious consequences, both legal and financial. So, if you see a discrepancy between what you stated to your mortgage loan officer and the final paperwork, speak up before you sign.
If you are in a fixed rate loan with little incentive to refinance, you may still get brokers who call trying to sell you all the benefits of a refinance. Keep in mind that they are paid to close deals, not necessarily to make sure you get a better deal than the one you have.
The mortgage broker should also provide you with a good faith estimate and the cost of fees assessed to your loan before you close. Any paperwork that is missing or different at closing should be reviewed thoroughly before you sign.
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