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 bundle of mortgage characteristics that lenders view as comprising a distinct category. The characteristics used include whether it is an FRM, ARM, or Balloon, the term, the initial ...
The sum of all interest payments to date or over the life of the loan. This is not a good measure of the cost of credit to the borrower because it does not include upfront cash payments and ...
A comprehensive and time-adjusted measure of loan cost to the borrower. IC on a Mortgage: IC is what economists call an 'internal rate or return.' It takes account of all payments made by ...
The interest rate adjusted for intra-year compounding. Because interest on a mortgage is calculated monthly, a 6% mortgage actually has a rate of .5% per month. If there were no principal ...
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 Points: An upfront cash payment required by the lender as part of the charge for the loan, expressed as a percent of the loan amount; e.g., '3 points' means a charge equal to ...
In general, a Down payment is a one-time payment a buyer makes to diminish the risks of the seller of expensive goods like a car, or a house. In Real Estate, the home buyer makes a down ...
A home built entirely in a factory, transported to a site, and installed there. Manufactured homes are distinguished from 'modular,' 'panelized'' and 'pre-cut' homes. Manufactured houses ...
Cost-of-Funds Index, one of many interest rate indexes used to determine interest rate adjustments on an adjustable rate mortgage. ...
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