Mortgage Types
ARM
An adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is a mortgage loan where the interest rate on the note is periodically adjusted based on a variety of indices.[1] Among the most common indices are the rates on 1-year constant-maturity Treasury (CMT) securities, the Cost of Funds Index (COFI), and the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR). A few lenders use their own cost of funds as an index, rather than using other indices. This is done to ensure a steady margin for the lender, whose own cost of funding will usually be related to the index. Consequently, payments made by the borrower may change over time with the changing interest rate (alternatively, the term of the loan may change). This is not to be confused with the graduated payment mortgage, which offers changing payment amounts but a fixed interest rate. Other forms of mortgage loan include the interest only mortgage, the fixed rate mortgage, the negative amortization mortgage, and the balloon payment mortgage. Adjustable rates transfer part of the interest rate risk from the lender to the borrower. They can be used where unpredictable interest rates make fixed rate loans difficult to obtain. The borrower benefits if the interest rate falls and loses out if interest rates rise.
Adjustable rate mortgages are characterized by their index and limitations on charges (caps). In many countries, adjustable rate mortgages are the norm, and in such places, may simply be referred to as mortgages.
Conventional
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a document which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan. However, the word mortgage alone, in everyday usage, is most often used to mean mortgage loan.
A home buyer or builder can obtain financing (a loan) either to purchase or secure against the property from a financial institution, such as a bank, either directly or indirectly through intermediaries. Features of mortgage loans such as the size of the loan, maturity of the loan, interest rate, method of paying off the loan, and other characteristics can vary considerably.
FHA - Federal Housing Authority Secured Loans
FHA does not make loans. Rather, it insures loans made by private lenders. The first step in obtaining an FHA loan is to contact several lenders and/or mortgage brokers and ask them if they originate FHA loans. As each lender sets its own rates and terms, comparison shopping is important in this market.
Second, the potential lender assesses the prospective home buyer for risk. The analysis of one’s debt to income ratio enables the buyer to know what type of home can be afforded based on monthly income and expenses and is one risk metric considered by the lender. Other factors, e.g. payment history on other debts, are considered and used to make decisions regarding eligibility and terms for a loan.
FHA’s mortgage insurance programs help low- and moderate-income families become homeowners by lowering some of the costs of their mortgage loans. FHA mortgage insurance also encourages lenders to make loans to otherwise credit-worthy borrowers and projects that might not be able to meet conventional underwriting requirements, protecting the lender against loan default on mortgages for properties that meet certain minimum requirements—including manufactured homes, single and multifamily properties, and some health-related facilities. The basic FHA mortgage insurance program is Mortgage Insurance for One- to Four-Family Homes (Section 203(b)).
FHA allows first time homebuyers to put down as little as 3% and receive up to 6% towards closing costs. If little or no credit exists for the applicants, the FHA will allow a blood relative, such as a parent, to co-sign for the loan without requiring them to reside in home with first time homebuyer. This is called a Non-Owner-Occupied Co-Borrower. Depending on the state you reside in, you may receive a discount on your State Transfer Taxes at settlement.
VA – Veterans Administration Secured Loans
A VA loan is a mortgage loan in the United States guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The loan may be issued by qualified lenders.
The VA loan was designed to offer long-term financing to eligible American veterans or their surviving spouses (provided they do not remarry). The basic intention of the VA direct home loan program is to supply home financing to eligible veterans in areas where private financing is not generally available and to help veterans purchase properties with no down payment. Eligible areas are designated by the VA as housing credit shortage areas and are generally rural areas and small cities and towns not near metropolitan or commuting areas of large cities.
The VA loan allows veterans 100 per cent financing without private mortgage insurance or a 20 per cent second mortgage. A VA funding fee of 0 to 3.3% of the loan amount is paid to the VA; this fee may also be financed. In a purchase, veterans may borrow up to 100% of the sales price or reasonable value of the home, whichever is less. Since there is no monthly PMI, more of the mortgage payment goes directly towards qualifying for the loan amount, allowing for larger loans with the same payment. In a refinance, veterans may borrow up to 90% of reasonable value, where allowed by state laws.
VA loans allow veterans to qualify for loans amounts larger than traditional Fannie Mae / conforming loans. VA will insure a mortgage where the monthly payment of the loan is up to 41% of the gross monthly income vs. 28% for a conforming loan assuming the veteran has no monthly bills.
The maximum VA loan guarantee varies by county. As of 1 January 2010, the maximum VA loan amount with no down payment is $417,000, although this amount may rise to as much as $1,094,625 in certain specified “high-cost counties”.[1] VA also allows the seller to pay all of the veteran’s closing costs as long as the costs do not exceed 4% of the sales price of the home.
USDA
Sometimes good credit and a steady income are not enough to qualify for a home loan at a commercial lending institution, such as a bank, savings
and loan or mortgage company.
More rural families and individuals may be eligible to become homeowners with the help of a USDA guaranteed home loan. When the federal government agrees to guarantee a loan, lending institutions can help buyers while incurring less
risk. Through USDA’s Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan Program, low- and moderate-income people can qualify for mortgages even without a down
payment.
Guaranteed Rural Housing Loans
To be eligible, applicants must: Have an adequate and dependable income;
Be a U.S. Citizen, qualified alien, or be legally admitted to the United States for permanent residence; Have an adjusted annual household income that does not exceed the moderate income limit established for the area. A family’s income includes the total gross income of the applicant, co-applicant and any other adults in the household. Applicants may be eligible to make certain adjustments to gross income—such as annual child care expenses and $480 for each minor child—in order to qualify.
USDA Rural Development field offices can provide information on the moderate income limits for the areas that fall within their jurisdiction, and can provide further guidance on calculating household income. Have a credit history that indicates a reasonable willingness to meet obligations as they become due;
Have repayment ability based on the following ratios: Principle, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance (PITI) divided by gross monthly income must be equal to or less than 29 percent. Total debt divided by gross monthly income must be equal to, or less than, 41 percent.
