Fixed Rate Mortgage (FRM)
Fixed rate Mortgage is a type of loan that maintains a specified interest rate for the lifetime (or maturity) of the mortgage.
According to the Federal National Mortgage Association, first-time buyers often choose to go with a fixed rate mortgage because they want low monthly payments throughout the loan term. Buyers can also reap the greatest cumulative tax deductions available over the loan term when applying for the fixed rate mortgage.
Of course there are cons: generally, lenders require 20% down payments on conventional fixed rate mortgages, while with the Federal Housing Administration insurance, for instance, only 5% is required. Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) can also help buyers purchase a home with only a 10% down payment. While buyers purchase private mortgage insurance (PMI) through private companies, lenders normally acquire the insurance for the buyers. So, first-year premiums are usually between .35% and 1.65% of the total loan amount, and depending on policy requirements, buyers must pay the premiums either in advance or monthly.
A twist on the 30-year fixed rate mortgage is the shorter term fixed rate mortgage, with either a 10 or 15-year loan term.
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Popular Mortgage Terms
A lender offering loans on the Internet who provides mortgage shoppers with the information they need to make an informed decision before applying for a mortgage and guarantees them ...
A mortgage that does not meet the purchase requirements of the two federal agencies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, because it is too large or for other reasons, such as poor credit or ...
Adjustable rate mortgages on which the interest rate is mechanically determined based on the value of an interest rate index. Indexed ARMs are distinguished from Discretionary ARMs, in that ...
The period over which the borrower is obliged to make payments. On most mortgages, the payment period is a month but on some it is biweekly. It is not necessarily the same as the Interest ...
The interest rate used in calculating the initial mortgage payment in qualifying a borrower. The rate used in qualifying borrowers may or may not be the initial rate on the mortgage. On ...
A Web site of an individual lender offering loans to consumers. Most Internet shoppers want a list of lenders in whom they can have confidence, who will provide them with the information ...
Same as term Negative Points: Points paid by a lender for a loan with a rate above the rate on a zero point loan. For example, a lender might quote the following prices: 8%/0 points, ...
A borrower, usually refinancing rather than purchasing a home, who allows a lock to expire when interest rates go down in order to lock again at the lower rate. ...
A charge imposed by the lender if the borrower pays off the loan early. The charge is usually expressed as a percent of the loan balance at the time of prepayment or a specified number of ...
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