You can get a mortgage direct from the lender (banks, building societies and specialist mortgage lenders), or you can use a mortgage broker. You can buy based on 'information' only or get advice and recommendation on a mortgage that suits your particular needs.
Once you decide on the mortgage you want, do your homework. Different lenders offer different rates, points, and fees. Ask around and compare. Understanding the benefits of different mortgage offerings can be a complex process. How do you figure it all out?
Buying a home is a big step and assuming a mortgage for that home is a big responsibility. Make sure you are ready for a financial commitment that could last several decades. Ask yourself: • Are you currently in a financial position to comfortably make the monthly mortgage payment? • Do you have a financial cushion in case you have sudden financial difficulties (for example losing your job)? • Are you prepared to take on a long-term financial debt? • Do you know the risks if you cannot pay your mortgage in the future?
Owning a home has many benefits but it also has responsibilities. Be sure you are in a position to handle those responsibilities. If you don't think you are in the position to take on such a large financial debt, this may not be the time to buy a home. Instead, focus on getting your affairs in order and building a financial cushion so you can buy a home in the future. Taking the time before buying a home to make sure you are set up for success can alleviate much stress and many problems later.
Unlike adjustable rate mortgages, fixed rate mortgages are not tied to an index. Instead, the interest rate is set (or "fixed") in advance to an advertised rate, usually in increments of 1/4 or 1/8 percent.
Popularity
Fixed rate mortgages are the most classic form of loan for home and product purchasing in the United States. The most common terms are 15-year and 30-year mortgages, but shorter terms are available, and 40-year and 50-year mortgages are now available (common in areas with high priced housing, where even a 30-year term leaves the mortgage amount out of reach of the average family).
Outside the United States, fixed-rate mortgages are less popular, and in some countries, true fixed-rate mortgages are not available except for shorter-term loans. For example, in Canada the longest term for which a mortgage rate can be fixed is typically no more than ten years, while mortgage maturities are commonly 25 years. In Australia banks are unable to offer fixed rates for terms longer than 15 years due to funding constraints and market collusion at the big end of town.
Pricing
Fixed rate mortgages are usually more expensive than adjustable rate mortgages. Due to the inherent interest rate risk, long-term fixed rate loans will tend to be at a higher interest rate than short-term loans. The difference in interest rates between short and long-term loans is known as the yield curve, which generally slopes upward (longer terms are more expensive). The opposite circumstance is known as an inverted yield curve and is relatively infrequent.
The fact that a fixed rate mortgage has a higher starting interest rate does not indicate that this is a worse form of borrowing compared to the adjustable rate mortgages. If interest rates rise, the ARM cost will be higher while the FRM will remain the same. In effect, the lender has agreed to take the interest rate risk on a fixed rate loan. Some studies [1] have shown that the majority of borrowers with adjustable rate mortgages save money in the long term, but that some borrowers pay more. The price of potentially saving money, in other words, is balanced by the risk of potentially higher costs. In each case, a choice would need to be made based upon the loan term, the current interest rate, and the likelihood that the rate will increase or decrease during the life of the loan.
Prepayment
In the United States, fixed rate mortgages, like other types of mortgage, may offer the ability to prepay principal (or capital) early without penalty. Early payments of part of the principal will reduce the total cost of the loan (total interest paid), and will shorten the amount of time needed to pay off the loan. Early payoff of the entire loan amount through refinancing is sometimes done when interest rates drop significantly.
Some mortgages may offer a lower interest rate in exchange for the borrower accepting a prepayment penalty.
A fixed rate mortgage (FRM) is a mortgage loan where the interest rate on the note remains the same through the term of the loan, as opposed to loans where the interest rate may adjust or "float." Other forms of mortgage loan include interest only mortgage, graduated payment mortgage, variable rate (including adjustable rate mortgages and tracker mortgages), negative amortization mortgage, and balloon payment mortgage. Please note that each of the loan types above except for a straight adjustable rate mortgage can have a period of the loan for which a fixed rate may apply. A Balloon Payment mortgage, for example, can have a fixed rate for the term of the loan followed by the ending balloon payment. Terminology may differ from country to country: loans for which the rate is fixed for less than the life of the loan may be called hybrid adjustable rate mortgages (in the United States). This payment amount is independent of the additional costs on a home sometimes handled in escrow, such as property taxes and property insurance. Consequently, payments made by the borrower may change over time with the changing escrow amount, but the payments handling the principal and interest on the loan will remain the same. Fixed rate mortgages are characterized by their interest rate (including compounding frequency, amount of loan, and term of the mortgage). With these three values, the calculation of the monthly payment can then be done.
Monthly payment formula
The fixed monthly payment for a fixed rate mortgage is the amount paid by the borrower every month that ensures that the loan is paid off in full with interest at the end of its term. This monthly payment c depends upon the monthly interest rate r (expressed as a fraction, not a percentage, i.e., divide the quoted yearly nominal percentage rate by 100 and by 12 to obtain the monthly interest rate), the number of monthly payments N called the loan's term, and the amount borrowed P0 known as the loan's principal; rearranging the formula for the present value of an ordinary annuity we get the formula for c:
c = (r / (1 − (1 + r) − N))P0
For example, for a home loan for $200,000 with a fixed yearly nominal interest rate of 6.5% for 30 years, the principal is P0 = 200000, the monthly interest rate is r = 6.5 / 100 / 12, the number of monthly payments is N = 30 * 12 = 360, the fixed monthly payment equals $1264.14. This formula is provided using the financial function PMT in a spreadsheet such as Excel. In the example, the monthly payment is obtained by entering either of the these formulas:
This monthly payment formula is easy to derive, and the derivation illustrates how fixed-rate mortgage loans work. The amount owed on the loan at the end of every month equals the amount owed from the previous month, plus the interest on this amount, minus the fixed amount paid every month.
Amount owed at month 0: P0 Amount owed at month 1: P1 = P0 + P0 * r − c ( principle + interest - payment) P1 = P0(1 + r) − c (equation 1) Amount owed at month 2: P2 = P1(1 + r) − c Using equation 1 for P1 P2 = (P0(1 + r) − c)(1 + r) − c P2 = P0(1 + r)2 − c(1 + r) − c (equation 2) Amount owed at month 3: P3 = P2(1 + r) − c Using equation 2 for P2 P3 = (P0(1 + r)2 − c(1 + r) − c)(1 + r) − c P3 = P0(1 + r)3 − c(1 + r)2 − c(1 + r) − c Amount owed at month N: PN = PN − 1(1 + r) − c PN = P0(1 + r)N − c(1 + r)N − 1 − c(1 + r)N − 2.... − c PN = P0(1 + r)N − c((1 + r)N − 1 + (1 + r)N − 2.... + 1) PN = P0(1 + r)N − c(S) (equation 3) Where S = (1 + r)N − 1 + (1 + r)N − 2.... + 1 (equation 4) (see geometric progression) S(1 + r) = (1 + r)N + (1 + r)N − 1.... + (1 + r) (equation 5) With the exception of two terms the S and S(1 + r) series are the same so when you subtract all but two terms cancel: Using equation 4 and 5 S(1 + r) − S = (1 + r)N − 1 S((1 + r) − 1) = (1 + r)N − 1 S(r) = (1 + r)N − 1 S = ((1 + r)N − 1) / r (equation 6) Putting equation 6 back into 3: PN = P0(1 + r)N − c(((1 + r)N − 1) / r) PN will be zero because we have paid the loan off. 0 = P0(1 + r)N − c(((1 + r)N − 1) / r) We want to know c c = (r(1 + r)N / ((1 + r)N − 1))P0 Divide top and bottom with (1 + r)N c = (r / (1 − (1 + r) − N))P0
This derivation illustrates three key components of fixed-rate loans: (1) the fixed monthly payment depends upon the amount borrowed, the interest rate, and the length of time over which the loan is repaid; (2) the amount owed every month equals the amount owed from the previous month plus interest on that amount, minus the fixed monthly payment; (3) the fixed monthly payment is chosen so that the loan is paid off in full with interest at the end of its term and no more money is owed.
Mortgage calculators are used to help a current or potential real estate owner determine how much they can afford to borrow to purchase a piece of real estate. Mortgage calculators can also be used to compare the costs or real interest rates between several different loans, determine the impact on the length of the mortgage loan of making added principal payments or bi-weekly instead of monthly payments. A mortgage calculator is an automated tool that enables the user to quickly determine the financial implications of changes in one or more variables in a mortgage financing arrangement. The major variables include loan principal balance, periodic interest rate compound interest, number of payments per year, total number of payments and the regular payment amount.
Mortgage calculator capability can be found on most financial calculators such as the HP-12C, in most desktop spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel and on the Web.
Uses
When purchasing a new home most buyers choose to finance a portion of the purchase price via the use of mortgage. Prior to the wide availability of mortgage calculators, those wishing to understand the financial implications of changes to the five main variables in a mortgage transaction were forced to use compound interest rate tables. These tables generally required a working understanding of compound interest mathematics for proper use. In contrast, mortgage calculators make answers to questions regarding the impact of changes in mortgage variables available to everyone.
Mortgage calculators can be used to answer such questions as:
If I borrow $250,000 at a 7% annual interest rate and pay the loan back over thirty years, with $3,000 annual property tax payment, $1,500 annual property insurance cost and .5% annual private mortgage insurance payment, what will my monthly payment be? The answer is $2,142.42.
You can use an online mortgage calculator to see how much property you can afford. A lender will compare your total monthly income and your total monthly debt load. A mortgage calculator can help you add up all your income sources and compare this to all your monthly debt payments. It can also factor in a potential mortgage payment and other associated housing costs (property taxes, homeownership dues, etc.). You can test different loan sizes and interest rates. Generally speaking, lenders do not like to see all of your debt payments (including your property expense) exceed around 40% of your total monthly pretax income. Some mortgage lenders are known to allow as high as 55%.
Private mortgage insurance is typically required when down payments are below 20%. Rates can range from 1.5% to 6% of the principal of the loan based upon loan factors such as the percent of the loan insured, loan-to-value (LTV), fixed or variable, and credit score.[1] The rates may be paid annually, monthly, in some combination of the two (split premiums). Borrower-Paid Private Mortgage Insurance (BPMI or "Traditional Mortgage Insurance") is a default insurance on mortgage loans provided by private insurance companies and paid for by borrowers. BPMI allows borrowers to obtain a mortgage without having to provide 20% down payment, by covering the lender for the added risk of a high loan-to-value (LTV) mortgage. The US Homeowners Protection Act of 1998 requires PMI to be canceled when the amount owed reaches a certain level, particularly when the loan balance is 78 percent of the home's purchase price. Often, BPMI can be cancelled earlier by submitting a new appraisal showing that the loan balance is less than 80% of the home's value due to appreciation (this generally requires two years of on-time payments first).
Lender-Paid Private Mortgage Insurance (LPMI) Similar to BPMI, except that it is paid for by the lender, and the borrower is often unaware of its existence. LPMI is usually a feature of loans that claim not to require Mortgage Insurance for high LTV loans. The cost of the premium is built into the interest rate charged on the loan.
Mortgage insurance is an insurance policy designed to protect the mortgagee (lender) from any default by the mortgagor (borrower). It is used commonly in loans with a loan-to-value ratio over 80%, and employed in the event of foreclosure and repossession.
This policy is typically paid for by the borrower as a component to final nominal (note) rate, or in one lump sum up front, or as a separate and itemized component of monthly mortgage payment. In the last case, mortgage insurance can be dropped when the lender informs the borrower, or its subsequent assigns, that the property has appreciated, the loan has been paid down, or any combination of both to relegate the loan-to-value under 80%.
In the event of repossession, banks, investors, etc. must resort to selling the property to recoup their original investment (the money lent), and are able to dispose of hard assets (such as real estate) more quickly by reductions in price. Therefore, the mortgage insurance acts as a hedge should the repossessing authority recover less than full and fair market value for any hard asset.Mortgage life insurance also guarantees repayment of a mortgageloan in the event of death or, possibly, disability of the borrower.
For example, Mr. Smith obtains a mortgage loan that exceeds 80% (the typical cut-off) of his property's value and/or sale price. Because of his limited equity, the lender requires that Mr. Smith pay for mortgage insurance that protects their institution against his default. To obtain public mortgage insurance from the Federal Housing Administration, Mr. Smith must pay a mortgage insurance premium (MIP) equal to 1.5 percent of the loan amount at closing. This premium is normally financed by the lender and paid to FHA on the borrower's behalf. Depending on the loan-to-value ratio, there may be a monthly premium as well.
