Everything you need to know about home loans in one place. Use our "frequently asked questions" section to learn everything about mortgages, refinancing, home equity lines of credit and more.
The 1-Year ARM, though rare, is yet another hybrid adjustable rate mortgage option available to borrowers. As the name suggests, a 1-Year ARM has an initial period of one year with a fixed interest rate. After the initial year, the fixed interest rate converts into an adjustable interest rate, that can be adjusted or “reset” on a yearly basis (annually).
Read MoreWhen you get an adjustable rate mortgage, the interest rate changes at set intervals in accordance with the market. In order to keep the rate from rising too high too fast, interest rate caps were introduced, to ensure the rate could only change at a manageable pace.
Read MoreA FHA 5/1 ARM is a kind of hybrid mortgage in which interest rates remain fixed for a 5-year period, but can then increase after that due to changes in market interest rates. Unlike regular ARMs, an FHA 5/1 ARM is insured by the government, which can give you some serious benefits.
Read MoreAn ARM jumbo loan is an adjustable rate mortgage that exceeds the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan-servicing limits. This amount, for most American counties, is $453,100. For more expensive areas, that limit can go as high as $679,650. Right now, ARM jumbo loans are becoming incredibly popular -- with statistics suggesting that around 75% of ARMs currently issued are actually for jumbo loans. Of that 75%, 47% of those home loans are for more than $1 million.
Read MoreA hybrid ARM is a mortgage that combines elements of a traditional fixed-rate mortgage and an adjustable-rate mortgage. To do this, a hybrid ARM has two parts, or stages: during the first part of the loan, the interest rate is fixed, meaning it doesn’t change. During the second part, the rate will change based on a specific market index.
Read MoreA 3/1 ARM is an adjustable-rate mortgage in which the rate is fixed for the first three years of the loan. As a hybrid mortgage, it has elements of both a traditional fixed-rate mortgage and an adjustable (or variable) rate loan. As with pretty much all hybrid rate mortgages, the shorter the period of the fixed-rate part of the loan, the lower the initial interest rate. That’s the bank’s way of compensating you for the increased risk you’re taking on when the adjustable part of the mortgage kicks in.
Read MoreA 10/1 ARM is one type of hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage. Much like other hybrid loans, a 10/1 ARM has a fixed period (in this case, 10 years) during which your interest rate won’t change. That makes it one of the safest types of hybrid mortgages, as it gives you a lot of time to figure out your financial situation and determine whether you want to continue owning your home after the adjustable-rate period begins.
Read MoreA 7/6 ARM is a hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage with a fixed-rate period of seven years. Unlike its cousin, the 7/1 ARM (which has one-year adjustment periods), the interest rates on a 7/6 ARM can be adjusted once every 6 months during the variable-interest part of the loan.
Read MoreA 7/1 ARM is a kind of adjustable rate mortgage -- in this case, one that has a fixed interest rate for seven years. After that, the interest rate can change, usually depending on changes in the market interest rate. Like its cousins 3/1 ARMs and 10/1 ARMs, a 7/1 ARM is considered a hybrid mortgage because it has both a fixed-rate and a variable-rate interest period.
Read MoreA 5/6 ARM is a kind of hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage in which the fixed interest rate period of the mortgage lasts for 5 years. After the fixed-rate period is over, the variable-interest rate part of the mortgage begins.
Read MoreA 3/6 ARM is a type of hybrid adjustable rate mortgage in which the initial, fixed rate portion of the loan lasts 3 years, after which the adjustable-rate part of the mortgage begins.
Read MoreThere are many different mortgage options for homebuyers to choose from. For starters, mortgages are usually categorized as either a fixed rate or adjustable rate. Then there are various loan programs to choose from including FHA Loans, VA Loans, USDA Loans, or Conventional Loans
Read MoreA variable-rate mortgage is a loan with a variable (changing) interest rate. It’s also known as an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) or a tracker mortgage. The interest rate varies according to an underlying index like LIBOR, treasury bills, or the federal funds rates.
Read MoreBuying your first home is a challenging but important first step in securing your future. There are many financial products available on the market for first-time homebuyers. Each product has its target market, so it’s important to understand your needs so as to match them to the products on offer.
Read MoreA variable interest rate is one that can go up or down based on an index. A variable interest comprises an index rate and a margin rate.
Read MoreThe FHA 7 year ARM is a hybrid mortgage that is guaranteed by the Federal Housing Authority. It is deemed a “hybrid” mortgage because it has a fixed interest rate in the beginning for 7 years and then switches to a variable interest rate. As with all adjustable rate mortgages (ARMS) the rate is composed of an index rate and the lender's margins.
Read MoreThe 7/1 ARM is a hybrid mortgage, it comprises years with a fixed interest rate followed by years with a variable rate. The “7” is the number of years with a fixed interest rate, the “1” represents the annual adjustment period.
Read MoreA 5-year ARM FHA mortgage is a loan with a fixed and variable interest rate that is guaranteed by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). The loan is a hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM): it starts out with a fixed interest rate for the first five years, then the rate becomes variable. The loan comes with a guarantee to the lender that the FHA will pay it off if the borrower fails to pay.
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