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 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 ...
An option exercised by the borrower, at the time of the loan application or later, to 'lock in' the rates and points prevailing in the market at that time. When lenders 'lock/' they ...
Compiling and maintaining the file of information about the transaction, including the credit report, appraisal, verification of employment and assets, and so on. Mortgage brokers usually ...
An independent contractor who offers the loan products of multiple lenders, called wholesalers. Mortgage brokers do not lend. They counsel borrowers on any problems involved in qualifying ...
The ratio of total housing expense to borrower income. This ratio is used (along with other factors) in qualifying borrowers. ...
Also called variable or flexible rate mortgage, an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is a mortgage where the interest rate is not constant, but changes over time by the mortgage lender. ...
The monthly index is a ratio of monthly interest costs to total funds, expressed as a percentage. Annualized interest, the numerator, is calculated by multiplying the deposit balances at ...
A mortgage broker who sets a fee for services, in writing, at the outset of the transaction and acts as the borrower's agent in shopping for the best deal. Customers of UMBs pay the ...
The amount the borrower promises to repay, as set forth in the loan contract. The loan amount may exceed the original amount requested by the borrower if he or she elects to include ...
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