Critical Questions to Ask Yourself and Lenders When Shopping for a Mortgage in [Profile.market2]!

Traditional Fixed Rate Mortgage? Graduated-Payment Mortgage? Adjustable Rate Mortgage? FHA Mortgage? Two-Step Mortgage?
Are you wondering which kind of mortgage is best?

The answer: There is no one correct answer. Deciding which type of mortgage will best fulfill your needs can be difficult. Even with the changes in the credit markets and the reduction of the extremely broad availability of programs, there are still a wide variety and many types of loans and different term lengths in [Profile.market2] and the Orlando market area. Your choice is extremely important and can take some time and effort to research.

While often neglected by home-buyers when looking in [Profile.market2], a little research before choosing your mortgage can save you tens of thousands of dollars in the long run. Your choice of a professional and reputable mortgage advisor can provide more than just the right mortgage. An astute and well educated mortgage advisor can assist in locating hidden financial gems within your financial landscape, helping you to increase your financial stability and grow your wealth safely and quickly.

There are several elements of a loan that should be analyzed. While one of these elements may suggest one type of loan, another may call for a different type. You must weigh each ingredient separately and collectively. And it's important to realize that you should be shopping for more than just the "lowest" rate. There are many elements in making the most prudent decision for your situation.

You will find that your answers to the questions below will ultimately determine the type of mortgage in [Profile.market2] that best fit your needs. How long do you plan to stay in your [Profile.market2] home? Five years? Ten years? Thirty years?

The length of time you will be in the home will certainly play a part in determining which loan to apply for. If you only plan to be in the home for 5–7 years or less, you should seriously consider an adjustable rate loan. If you intend on staying 20–30 years, a fixed rate mortgage may be right for you.

How much risk are you willing to accept?-If you are the type of buyer that needs to know exactly what you will be paying each month for the term of the mortgage, a fixed rate mortgage will fulfill this need. The fixed rate loan, however, will also net a higher interest rate.

If you are willing to take some risk of fluctuations in the interest rate, you may receive a lower interest rate. What are your income expectations?-Plan for the future. Do you anticipate a gradual or dramatic increase in your income in the next few years? If you expect a big increase, a graduated payment mortgage may be best for you.
How much cash do you have available for up-front costs?-If you have the resources, you may want to make a larger down payment to lower your monthly payment. By keeping a higher monthly payment however, you might be able to shorten the term of the loan to a 15-year loan in order to pay it off quicker.

Keep in mind that you’ll have closing costs and fees to pay in addition to your down payment. If you don’t have much cash saved for your up-front costs, don’t despair. You may be forced to accept a higher monthly payment or could even lower your monthly obligation by choosing an adjustable rate mortgage.

In addition to choosing a type of loan, you must also consider which lender to use. Once again, several factors of a loan will influence your decision.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)-This is the way the government has indicated is the best way to make an "apples-to-apples" comparison of lenders. The APR reflects the cost of credit on a yearly rate and includes any points and fees in addition to the interest rate. However, even here it's easy to be mislead by unscrupulous lenders. In another blog, I'll fill you in on some of the tricks they use.

Interest Rate-Find out the rate the lender will commit and how long the lender will guarantee it. Get any commitments in writing. As with any transaction, if it isn’t in writing it doesn’t exist.

Points and fees-These factors will vary greatly. Look out for hidden fees. Make sure the lenders disclose all fees; ask what they charge and what is included and what is not.

Loan Approval-Both approval and funding time should be considered. You don’t want to lose a prospective home because your lender takes weeks to fund your loan. A lender should be able to fund the loan within ten days provided you have submitted all of the required documents in a timely manner. Many times when a loan doesn't fund on time, it is due to borrowers who have procrastinated in providing the required documents. Now...you wouldn't be guilty of procrastination...would you? I know I've never done that!!!

Remember that I carry 3 licenses...I'm a Realtor but I also have run an appraisal business for 20 yrs appraising all kinds of property and I carry a mortgage broker license. I've seen all the tricks and I know this business from every which way. It's my goal to make sure my clients have access to the very best information with which to make prudent real estate and mortgage decisions.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in [Profile.market2] real estate. For complete information about the [Profile.market2] real estate market including current homes for sale, property values and more please visit the most complete website online dedicated to everything [Profile.market2] real estate. So please feel free to contact me with any of your mortgage questions and I will me more than glad to answer your queries. Call me on my cell at [Profile.cell_phone] or email me at [Profile.email_link].

Or you can always access the ole' website that gives you tons of good Winter Park and Orlando area real estate information. Head on over to www.SummitPropertiesOnline.com

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 Tags: Winter Park, Florida Real Estate, loans, mortgage, ross hudson

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