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
The period you must retain a mortgage in order for it to be profitable to pay points to reduce the rate. ...
The upfront and/or periodic charges that the borrower pays for mortgage insurance. There are different mortgage insurance plans with differing combinations of monthly, annual, and upfront ...
The period until the last payment is due. The maturity is usually but not always the same as the period used to calculate the mortgage payment. ...
A clause in the note that allows the lender to demand repayment of the balance in full. A demand clause is even better (for the lender) than an acceleration clause. An acceleration clause ...
The amount of interest, expressed in dollars, computed by multiplying the loan balance at the end of the preceding period times the annual interest rate divided by the interest accrual ...
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 3% of the loan ...
On an ARM, the assumption that the value of the index to which the interest rate is tied does not change from its initial level. ...
Same as term Bridge Loan: A short-term loan, usually from a bank, that 'bridges' the period between the closing of a home purchase and the closing of a home sale. To qualify for a bridge ...
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 ...
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