Friday, June 25th, 2010 at
2:59 pm
What is the direction of Direction of Texas mortgage rate?
Down…which is why this is the best time for homeowners in the Lone Star State to refinance their mortgages, pay off unsecured debt and enjoy lower payments every month.
Because the economy has been so badly managed for the past seven years, the Federal government now has to scramble to find a way to keep everything from collapsing. As a result, the Federal Reserve (which is not a government agency, but a private corporation that controls the nation’s money supply) now has to increase the availability of money by lowering rates yet again. Currently, we’re seeing mortgage rates lower than they’ve been in several years – as low as 5.5% in some cases.
Can your Texas mortgage broker help you? Undoubtedly. Mortgage brokers represent hundreds of companies and loan programs, and are therefore in an excellent position to find the program that can fit your situation the best.
Take advantage of the direction of mortgage rates in Texas and you’ll enjoy:
- Lower payments. Credit card companies (not your legislators) wrote laws that allowed them to double minimum payments. They are also legally able to charge interest rates as high as 29%, even for customers who pay their bills every month (it’s in the fine print of your credit card agreement). A home equity line of credit has a lower interest rate that will remain the same for the life of the loan – resulting in lower payments.
- A Better Credit Score. High levels of unsecured debt are great news to the credit bureaus, because it gives them another excuse to stick it to the working American by keeping him/her in that “sub-prime” category. When you pay off that unsecured debt, it looks a whole lot better on your credit report – and every retired debt helps.
- Tax Benefits. Before 1982, there was a tax deduction for credit card interest. President Reagan took that away from working people in his tax reforms of 1982. The interest on a home equity loan is usually tax deductible however, meaning substantial savings when April 15th rolls around (consult your tax advisor).
It takes little time to find and contact a Houston mortgage broker and get the process started. The bad news is that nobody really knows how long these low rates will last, so now is the time to take action – especially if you are carrying an adjustable rate mortgage. Those rates have nowhere to go but up. Bail out of that ARM and get the security and stability of a fixed rate mortgage today.w
By: Jonathan Blocker
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Friday, June 18th, 2010 at
2:17 am
Mortgage Refinance has created a surge in the financial lending sector, creating a somewhat unexpected but welcome spike in business during the lending’s struggling economic times. Rates have dropped below 6% as soon as the Federal Reserve mentioned they were going to buy mortgage-backed securities to stimulate consumer financing once again. The dramatic drop in mortgage rates has had a direct influence over mortgage finance and has proven some lenders under-prepared.
The purchase of mortgage-backed securities has started taking place as of the second week in January of 2009. This has spurred a wave of activity for the mortgage finance business, also adding to the workload lenders are currently experiencing after the Fed’s announcement in November of 2008.
Some contacting lenders for mortgage refinance have been unsuccessful in speaking to anyone directly. And with some left only with the option of leaving a message for a return call, this has frustrated consumers even more as they are unable to simply leave a message as lender mailboxes and voicemail are unable to support the volume of callers.
Other department employees experienced in finance within the lending institutions have been temporarily transplanted to handle the increasing mortgage refinance applications. The anticipation of rates climbing and back to their previous position has created a sense of urgency in people looking to refinance. It is possible to see change from hour to hour after tracking the history of rates over the past years so the concern is understandable.
Some consumers have been told it could be weeks before lenders can follow up about mortgage refinance. In this situation, take the time to contact several lenders as it may take more effort than usual to get through and actually get a response. This is a good time to benefit from knowing someone in the lending Industry.
If there are contacts directly related to the lending industry or connections with a real estate agent that can act as a liaison to help deal with a mortgage refinance, this will offer a stronger start. There is also the possibility some lenders may not have the time reply to the message or to an online application before some are able to lock in a great rate.
As the refinance business continues to see growth, it would be wise to seek out a lender that will be able to process the application right away and not have get through other applications while you wait for a couple of weeks before they can get to it. Some customers are told to fill out the form or application on the lender’s website for a mortgage refinance.
It would be wise to know the most current rate available, as some online lending sites purposely do not post the their rates just in case they should change. If it is obvious that going through the trouble of getting to a live person is not getting anywhere, take a different approach as soon as possible.
By: Madeline Hernandez
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Friday, June 4th, 2010 at
3:56 am
Many individuals who are in the market for a mortgage loan will go directly to the bank that they are used to doing business with, or at best will take the time to shop around at two or three different banks in order to try and find the best deal. While there is obviously nothing wrong with this practice, better deals on mortgage rates and terms can often be found through the use of a mortgage broker instead of dealing with banks or other mortgage lenders directly. Using a mortgage broker can help you to find a wider range of loan offers without having to do nearly as much work, and may even be able to find you loan options that you were previously unaware of or may not have even been able to apply for on your own.
But what is a mortgage broker? In simple terms, the broker is not a lender. He or she may work for a company that has a bank-sounding name, but they really serve as independent sales people representing a variety of banks and financial institutions who will ultimately make the loan and service the payments. The mortgage broker does not represent any one financial institution; therefore they act as your representative when shopping for a home loan. Mortgage brokers work solely on commission and they do not get paid anything if the loan does not close. It is in their best interest to get you approved and to secure terms that are beneficial and affordable to you. In contrast, your local bank can only make loans strictly according to the terms of what their institution is currently offering. Bank loan officers are typically compensated by a combination of salary and commission.
There are a number of advantages to using a mortgage broker instead of applying for your loan through a local bank. The most obvious of these advantages is the fact that the broker already has contacts with a number of different banks and mortgage lenders, letting you take advantage of this to receive competing loan quotes without having to seek out each one individually. Many mortgage brokers will even be able to bring you loan offers from banks and other lenders outside of your local area, giving you loan options that you might not have had access to otherwise.
In addition to simply having a larger number of loan options, you may also be able to receive deals on your mortgage loan that you simply would not be able to get if you were not using a mortgage broker. Many mortgage brokers will be able to use the relationships that they have built with lenders over the years to negotiate better rates and mortgage loan terms than an individual would be able to find on their own, helping you to save money both on interest rates and other costs that may be associated with your mortgage. Your local bank simply may not be able to match the interest rates and loan terms that a mortgage broker can offer.
Another advantage of using a mortgage broker instead of applying for a mortgage loan at a local bank is the fact that many mortgage brokers are able to arrange a variety of different payment options. While local banks may have specific payment options that they use, your mortgage broker may be able to find a loan that fits your specific payment needs. With almost any lender you can make payments using automatic withdrawal, by making deposits into a specified account, by sending in a check or money order each month, or other payment options that your broker can specify for you.
Should you later need to refinance your mortgage loan, using a mortgage broker can be a major asset here as well. They will be able to compare interest rates and loan terms for you easily, helping you to find the best deal available on your mortgage refinance so that you can adjust your mortgage as needed. Your refinanced loan may be with the same bank or mortgage lender that the broker connected you with when the original mortgage loan was taken out, or they may be able to find you a better deal elsewhere without you having to do all of the legwork of checking all of the lenders that the broker has access to.
If you do decide to use a mortgage broker instead of a local bank, keep in mind that you should take a little bit of time to compare different mortgage brokers in your area so that you will be able to get the best deal possible on your mortgage loan. Speak with several brokers and find out the average interest rates that they might be able to get for you, comparing them just as you would different banks if you were shopping for your mortgage without the broker. This will help you to find the mortgage broker that has the right connections to get you a great deal on your mortgage loan, and will also help you to make sure that you have fully explored your options.
By: Shawn Thomas
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