Archive for June, 2009

22 JunHow to Compare Interest Rates and Points When Shopping for a Mortgage

A good-looking mortgage can turn ugly if you’re not careful in getting the best interest rates and points that are attached to the loan.

Interest rates and points are often interdependent. With several lenders, your interest rates can be reduced if you pay more in points and vice versa. Yet, while several people are adamant about getting the best interest rates, they often drop the ball when it comes to comparing points. Each point typically equals one percent of the loan amount.

Comparing Points

The first thing that you require to know about comparing points is that there are two main types of mortgage points. These are discount points and origination points. Discount points are seen as prepaid interest because discount points are the amount paid at a specific interest rate. Although most borrowers can select the amount of discount points they wish to pay, most lenders require you to have at least four discount points.
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10 JunMyths about Home Loan Modification

Although home loan modifications have played such an crucial part in saving homes during the current economic crisis, there’s still limited knowledge amongst most homeowners about how it works, who can apply, the costs involved etc. Because of the lack of knowledge.

Let us look at two of the biggest myths that are causing this uncertainty among homeowners and what are the facts.

Loan modification applications cost a lot of money
For most families, the saying “a penny saved is like a penny earned” holds a lot of value. This is especially true during the current economic scenario and families are working hard to save every dollar that they can. The fact that many families believe loan modification applications cost a lot of money makes them stay away from applying for one because if they’re not approved, they end up losing money and in more debt prior to completing the application.
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