Notes About Business

When it comes to buying their dream houses, people often turn to financing. But it’s not easy to look for a nice home, get a loan to buy it, then spending the next several years paying off the mortgage. Don’t get swayed into a false sense of security even when banks and moneylenders give you very low interest rates — you’ll still need to do your homework.

It’s best to ask around and see what loans are available for you. There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all housing loan, and there are bound to be loans that suit your needs better than the others. You’ll need to know what you’re looking for in a home to find the right loan.

Are you a low-income house hunter?

If you want to purchase a house but you don’t qualify for a loan because you currently have low income, then a temporary buydown may be the right loan for you. A temporary buydown is ideal for people who are cash-strapped for the moment but expect to enjoy an increase in income in the near future.

The most popular types of temporary buydowns are the 3-2-1 buydown loan and the two-to-one buydown mortgage. In a 3-2-1 buydown, the interest rate increases by one point each year for the period of three years. After that, the rate becomes fixed throughout the life of the loan. The same is the case for two-to-one buydowns except you lower the interest rates for a period of two years.

Temporary buydowns may require to you shell out a little more money than other loans at the beginning, but this small sacrifice will be enough to qualify you for the loan.

For those looking for temporary housing

Do you want to acquire a house but are not certain on permanently settling in a specific place? If yes, try having the delayed adjustable rate loan (Delayed Adjustable Rate Mortgage or Delayed ARM). This is suitable for people who are always moving from one place to another or those who are planning to sell the house after paying it off.

When you take out a delayed ARM, you’ll be paying fixed monthly payments longer than temporary buydowns. For example, if your delayed ARM is 5-1, then the interest rates won’t change for the first five years. It will only change on year six onwards. The change will depend on market conditions and your agreement with the lender.

Are you looking for a home to spend the rest of your life in?

If you’re planning to settle down somewhere for good, then a fixed-rate mortgage is best for you. Fixed-rate mortgages have interest rates that won’t change for the lifetime of the loan, meaning you’ll be paying a fixed amount every single month. Getting a fixed-rate mortgage with low interest rates is a great idea, since you won’t have to pay more even when market rates rise.

There are 30- and 15-year fixed rate mortgages available. You end up paying the same amount of money in bo h schemes, but a 30-year mortgage will obviously have lower monthly payments.