When looking for a mortgage in today’s market you are swapped with information, products and deals. This can make the whole process very daunting and confusing. For this reason it is good to be prepared with a set of questions to ask your mortgage broker, so that you do not get ripped off and you know where you stand.

1. What are different types of mortgages and in what way do they work?

There are a mass of different types of mortgage products on the market, so make sure that your broker explains the differences between the different types of mortgages and how they can benefit you. For example may lender these days offer fixed rates, discounts and cashback over a number of terms. Also make sure that you get an outline of the varying ways of paying the capital off. This at first might seem to be a complicated area, but once you have the basics explained everything will become a lot clearer and you will start to see how different products will suit your personal circumstances better than others.

2. What is the Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?

In accordance to regulations the APR is meant to appear in all adverts alongside the headline mortgage rate. The APR is used to provide customers with the true cost of loans and empower them to be able to compare different deals. Do remember that APR is unreliable and is no substitute for personal prepared quote that outlines all upfront and ongoing costs.

3. What is the interest rate that I will be charged?

In the cases of fixed, capped or discount rate then your broker should tell you what the initial rate you will paying and how long you will be on that rate for.

4. So what happens at the end of the fixed or discount rate period?

It is important to know what will happen when your fixed or discount rate period ends. Will you be switched on to the standard variable rate or will the lender offer you another discounted or fixed rate deal. Also remember remortgaging is a good option.

5. Standard Variable Rate ? What is that?

Because house prices are at a record high many people (probably including yourself) are now thinking of their mortgages in the long term as well as the upfront rate. For this reason it is worth knowing what current customers are paying. It is highly unlikely that when you come to the end of your fixed or discount rate period you will be on the same SVR as current customers. But you can use the information to see how the lender compares against others in the market.

6. What are the Early Redemption Charges or Early Repayment Charges attached to the product?

Most mortgage deals will involve some kind of repayment charge. So you will have to a fee to the lender if you repay your mortgage early or switch to another lender within a set time period. Make sure you find out precisely what you will have to pay and what would happen if you moved home during the mortgages term.

7. What will my monthly payments be at the quoted interest rate?

Your broker should tell you exactly what your monthly payments are going to be. They should also tell you what you would be paying at the SVR as to give you an indication of what you will be paying after your products term comes to an end. Get the broker to work out the payments on interest rates of up to 11% as well. This way if the interest rates rise substantially you will be able to see if you can afford the mortgage.

8. Are there any other conditions attached to the mortgage?

Different lenders will have different deals, incentives and clauses. Lenders will offer better discounts, fixed rates or cashbacks if you are prepared to take the lenders building and contents insurance. This is something that will be worth considering. Just make sure that you are informed about the terms and what would happen if you moved your insurance cover.

9. Are there any Higher Lending Charges?

With some lenders there may be a Higher Lending Charge (HLC) if you are borrowing more than a certain amount of the value of the property. Make sure you know what the charges are and how much the fees are. Some lenders will add HLC charge to the loan others will charge it upfront.

10. What are the arrangement or broker fees?

Your broker should tell you about every payment you will have to make to arrange your mortgage. This will give you an idea of the whole cost of the deal rather than just an upfront rate. This will also allow you to shop around and find the best deal.

So next time you are looking for a mortgage make sure you have these ten questions to hand.

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Remortgaging means that we are taking a new mortgage to repay an existing one.
As time passes, the appreciation in property rates raises the home equity available at the disposal of the homeowner. Remortgaging utilizes this increase in property valuation to get a better deal on debt, or some extra money. Remortgaging does not involve selling or changing homes, but the debt may be transferred from one lender to another.

There are instances, when we require funds for some new construction, such as an extra bathroom, new kitchen, additional bedroom etc. Many times we find that some of our existing borrowings, charge higher rates of interest than those charged by our mortgage lender. In such cases, we can use the additional home equity available with us to provide funds and ease the repayment burden by remortgaging.

UK, in recent times has seen a sharp decline in mortgage rates. Therefore, more and more homeowners having existing mortgages, are applying for a remortgage to take advantages of the lower rates.
Remortgaging has become an easy process due to the increasing use of information technology in the lending process. People can now apply online for a remortgage right from the comfort of their home or office. This has significantly reduced the time and effort for getting a property remortgaged.

Considering the reduced interest rates and easier repayment options, the homeowners often see remortgaging as good source for generating capital. Changing high interest debts into low interest remortgage with easy repayment terms is often, quite lucrative for the debtors. By changing their debt type they can significantly reduce the repayment burden.
There are many lenders in the UK market, which provide competitive remortgage offers. Since, remortgages are used to move debts; it should be seriously considered that the cost of moving debts should not offset the savings in any such process.
The redemption fees, is the biggest cost to be incurred while taking a remortgage. A redemption fee is what a person has to pay when he ends an existing mortgage contract and applies for a remortgage. There are early redemption penalties, which escalate the overall costs of remortgage. These penalties are the largest when the debt is still new. Generally, remortgaging is not advised when such penalties are very high, but if you have a particularly good offer, which offsets the loss due to the early redemption penalty, you should consider it.
In addition to the redemption fee, there are many other costs involved with remortgaging. Some of which are discussed below:
· The new lender who will provide the debt will like to reassess the value of your property to make sure that it is not a risky deal for him. So, he might charge some valuation fees for this process.
· The entire remortgaging process has a legal angle attached to it. This might involve legal consultation fees. In addition to these, the lender might include the conveyance and other office charges.
The debtor should consider these fees while remortgaging. Options are available, where the lender might refund all or a part of the valuation, legal and office charges to the debtors, if the repayment schedule is exceptional. Be sure to ask your lender about such an option.
Remortgaging does provide funds with low interest and easy repayment options, but there are many drawbacks associated with it.
The debt repayment process again starts from the scratch. Short term savings might lead to a long term financial liability. The interests although relatively lower now must be paid over a longer period of time, and again the fact to be kept in mind is that any serious default in payments might lead to repossession.

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When you go to closing on a mortgage, you have a number of options available to you. One of these is to pay points so that the interest rate can be reduced. Here is what you need to know to help you determine if you should pay points on your mortgage.

A mortgage point is equal to 1% of the total cost of the mortgage. So, if you are getting a mortgage for $150,000, then it will cost you $1,500 per point. For each 1% of interest, there are 8 points. In other words, it will take 8 points to bring down the interest rate one full percent. Each point paid will reduce the interest percentage by 0.125%. Usually, you can see some savings if you bring it down even one point.

Paying points at closing can reduce your interest and bring you savings, but not everyone can benefit from it. Generally, you would need to stay in your house for a number of years – it really will not help if you are not going to stay long.

The reason for this can be seen in the following example. This will show you how to determine how long it will take to break even. If you buy a house for $100,000 at 7.5% interest, then you would be paying around $700 per month. If you spend $1,000 to buy one point, this will reduce your interest to $7.375%, and now you will have a payment of about $691. The difference in your payments is now around $9. By taking the $1,000 that you paid, and dividing it by your amount saved ($1,000 / $9), that will give you an answer of 111, which is the number of months you need to live there in order to break even.

In the above example, you would need to live in that house for 9 years and three months to break even. This is why it is necessary that you want to live in your home for a while before you begin to realize any savings.

If you plan on staying for a shorter time period, then you may want to reduce your costs other ways. This can be done through paying a larger down payment, making sure your total indebtedness is low and your credit score high, or by simply paying more each month. In order to know which approach would be more beneficial, be sure to go online and find some good mortgage calculators to help you find out.

Also, when you go to get your mortgage, get a number of quotes from different lenders and find out which one offers the best deal. All you need to do is to compare them carefully in terms of interest rates, fees, total cost, and what options you have. Before long, you will find that choosing the best of the offers will enable you to save possibly thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the mortgage.

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Buying a house is an expensive proposition. It’s the only thing most people will ever buy that will take decades to pay off. As such, it is not something most buyers enter into lightly. The financial demands are significant and the payment has to be made each and every month for the next thirty years or so. Adding to the complexities of the process are the current sky-high prices of housing and the fact that interest rates are steadily rising. This adds up to a situation where many buyers may find themselves looking at loans they can barely afford to pay.

Lenders are aware of these market situations that have made buying a home a difficult endeavor. The industry has responded by creating a wide variety of loan options in order to meet the needs of just about anyone. Some of these loans, however, offer terms that can make buying a home somewhat of a risky proposition. Option ARM and interest-only loans can both shock buyers several years down the road when they adjust, creating huge increases in the monthly payments. Yet sometimes, when the buyer asks about these things, the lender will reply with “You can refinance later.”

In theory, that is true. Assuming that the loan has no overly expensive early payment penalty, the buyer should be able to refinance at any time. But being able to refinance is one thing; having market conditions that make refinancing a smart move is something else. Most people can remember the late 1970′s, when interest rates for houses topped 15%. While rates have been near historic lows recently, there is no guarantee that they will not rise to that level again. If they do, refinancing, while possible, would certainly be a bad idea.

Interest rates are no the only unforeseen circumstance that might arise. The economy might take a downturn and you might have to take a pay cut. Or the market could soften, causing property values to decline. Either of these could make refinancing a house that you can only barely afford difficult or even impossible several years from now.

When a lender points out that you can always refinance later, he or she is generally telling the truth. But taking out a home loan with terms that are stretching your finances now while assuming that you can make it better later by refinancing is poor financial planning. If the loan you are considering is expensive to the point where refinancing later is a necessity, you are probably buying a house that you cannot afford.

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You can access your home equity without the cost of refinancing with two financing options. A second mortgage will give you a lump sum check with a fixed or adjustable rate. A home equity line lets you tap into your equity when you want to. Both options allow you to write off interest on your taxes and avoid high financing costs.

Benefits Of A Second Mortgage

A second mortgage allows you to borrow up to 90% of your home’s value. The lender, which doesn’t have to be your primary mortgage lender, writes you one check. You can choose to pay off credit cards or make a major purchase.

Fees are none to minimal with a second mortgage. Rates are usually fixed and last 15 or more years. A 15 year loan lets you pay off the debt quicker, saving you cash on extended interest payments.

Benefits Of A Home Equity Line

A home equity line is like a secured credit card, only you are borrowing against your home’s equity. You can choose to borrow a lump sum or only as needed. Most lenders issue checks and a credit card.

Rates are adjustable and are based on when you borrow the money. You can choose to never use the equity, but just know it is there in case of an emergency.

One option for new homebuyers is to put down a large down payment, securing low rates, and then apply for a home equity line. It’s like a safety net, ensuring that you can still access your cash if needed.

Picking The Right Financing

Each type of home equity loan has its own advantages. A second mortgage offers secure fixed rates with small payments over a longer period. It makes sense for large projects, such as remodeling or paying off credit cards. A home equity line offers flexibility, better suited for smaller purchases.

With both types of programs, you still want to investigate lenders before applying. Be sure to look at financing companies other than your current mortgage lender. You want to find the lowest rates with the best terms by asking for quotes on both rates and fees. By investing a little bit of time, you will save yourself hundreds.

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