Home buyers should be aware of the interest rate on the principal loan amount and the annual percentage rate that represents the total cost of borrowing.
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If you’re feeling the heat from paying a high interest rate on your mortgage, you might be considering refinancing your home. However, consider this: refinancing usually requires a ton of paperwork, a lot of time, and a whole new set of closing costs.
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When it comes to getting a mortgage, some states are simply more expensive than others. And, while you might not want to move to a completely different state simply to get a better interest rate, if you’re considering making a big move (and buying a home in your new home state), it doesn’t hurt to know which states are more affordable than others.
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The Prime Rate is often confused with the Federal Funds Rate, a rate at which banks lend money to one another and is determined by the Federal Reserve. This is what you hear about on the news when the Fed meets. It’s not the same as the Prime Rate, though the Prime Rate often follows the Federal Funds Rate.
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Amortization refers to a type of payment schedule that some home loans utilize. The payment schedule is made up of equal payment amounts that are stretched over a designated amount of time (the loan term). For the purpose of an amortization schedule, each payment is divided into two portions. There is a portion that is made up of interest (the cost of the loan), and a portion that is made up of principal (the value of the borrowed sum).
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Calculating a fixed mortgage rate is relatively simple: You take the annual figure and turn it into a monthly figure. To calculate the monthly fixed mortgage rate, just do the following steps:
change the annual rate to a decimal number by dividing it by 100;
take the resulting decimal figure and further divide it by 12; and
voila!, You have the monthly fixed mortgage rate.
The 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.
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