Tucson Home Mortgage
Your best resource for Tucson mortgage information, whether you’re looking for a Tucson refinance or looking to buy your first home and are new to the Tucson home loan process. We’re here to help you.
Finding the Perfect Tucson Mortgage
for Your Needs
When you’re looking for the perfect mortgage for your needs, there’s a good chance you’ll have a lot of questions. The thing is, there isn’t a single, simple reply to that issue. The correct style of mortgage for you depends upon a variety of components:
- Your own current financial picture
- The method that you count on your finances to vary
- How long you intend to keep your residence
- Just how comfortable you are together with your house loan payment changing
By way of example, a 15-year fixed rate home loan can help you save several 1000s of dollars in charges over the life of the loan, but your monthly bills might be increased. The adjustable rate home loan gets people started with a decreased payment per month than the usual fixed rate house loan, however your obligations could easily get higher should the interest change over time.
The easiest way to get the “right” fact is to discuss finances, ones projects and long term financial goals, and your preferences honestly with a home loan expert.
Regular home loans and mortgages are secured through federal government financed organizations, Fannie Mae as well as Freddie Mac. Traditional lending options could be designed to buy as well as refinance properties on single family homes as well as multi-family residences.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s individual household, initial home loan restriction is $417,500 in 2010. This kind of restriction is actually evaluated each year as well as, in case necessary, altered in order to indicate alterations in the nationwide average price regarding individual people’s houses. The existing loan product restriction pertains to all standard home loans.
These are the 2010 Conventional Loan product limits
- First mortgage loans
- One-family lending options: $417,000
- Two-family loans: $533,850
- Three-family financial products: $645,300
- Four-family financial loans: $801,950
Note: Total original loan amounts are usually 50 % higher regarding first home loans in properties throughout Alaska, and Hawaii.
Property Equity Release Scheme – A Solution in Times Of Financial Crises
Published by: Wright Jim (46) | Word Count: 514 | Comments: 0 | Article Views: 21
The property equity release scheme is a blessing in disguise for various retired homeowners who are facing financial difficulties in their old age as it allows them to release their equity for liquid cash. Individuals who have retired from their professional work have a hard time meeting their daily requirements with the paltry pension which they get. Since these funds are not sufficient they cannot live and enjoy life like they used to. Signing up for the equity mortgage release program is the only option they have to overcome this crisis.
The scheme of property equity release is only applicable for retired homeowners who are above the age of 55 years. Since this program offers various facilities it is the gaining quite a huge popularity in various parts of the world. One of its most special feature is it allows the retired personnel to continue living in their home even after releasing their equity. Thus the scheme of equity mortgage release helps these retired homeowners to live the rest of their remaining days in peace and comfort.
If you are planning to release your equity for some funds then you should consult an equity release provider. With the popularity of this scheme there are several equity providers who will be willing to offer you this scheme. Since the equity mortgage release scheme depends directly on the value of the property, make repairs of your property before the equity release provider visits your home to check the condition of your property. If the condition of your property is in good condition then you will be eligible for a huge amount of equity funds as per the property equity release scheme.
Thus it is advised that before you sign up for the property equity release scheme, you should make the necessary repairs of your property. The best part of this scheme is that you can use the equity funds which you get in anything you want. You can use it to go for a long holiday, purchase something which you had always wanted or even use it to pay off previous loans. Also as per the equity mortgage release scheme if the value of your property increases after you have released your property, you get your share of the profits. The equity release providers will regularly keep you updated on matters related to your property.
Along with the benefits of property equity release scheme there are several drawbacks associated with it. One of its most significant drawback is, if the value of the property decreases then the individual has to share the losses as well. Sometimes the losses are so severe that it hardly leaves anything behind for the descendants. So if you are planning to release your property for cash then it is advised that you first consult with a professional in this field. These experts will help you to understand each and every clause of the equity mortgage release scheme so that you know what you are getting into. They will also help you to decide whether this scheme is for you or not.
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Wright Jim has published 46 articles. This article published on Sep 02nd 2010 12:03:34 PM
Remortgage Equity Release Plans Offer a Secure Life After Retirement
Published by: Wright Jim (46) | Word Count: 513 | Comments: 0 | Article Views: 29
Is your date of retirement around the corner? Will your pension be enough to satisfy all your requirements? You often worry about your life after retirement. Isn’t it? You don’t need to think so much for your post-retirement life if you have a property (home) ownership with its interiors well-maintained. Remortgage equity release plans have been introduced to hold the hands of the senior citizens and take them to the route of comfortable and secured old age life. One more factor that determines whether you qualify for these deals is your age. The relevant equity release information can easily be acquired with the assistance of the advisors.
The remortgage equity release schemes allow the old homeowners to live in their own household, while earning in return to it. Numerous factors exist that need proper consideration so that the senior citizens do not have to go through any negative experience. The equity release information, therefore, must be obtained to the utmost possible extent. The lenders, in this case never ask the property owners to leave their home till they themselves desire to do so. If they do not want to leave, they can stay there without any complications till their last breath. The reason behind its fame among the individuals is the special attribute that it possesses to give the pensioners a comfortable life after retirement.
The most important factor is the maintenance of your property that decides whether your application for the enrollment of these remortgage equity release schemes would get approved. Before giving his consent to your application, the lenders visit your asset for a supervision to examine the overall condition of your property. If your household is dilapidated, the lenders could hardly give an affirmative response, even if they give their assent to it, you must not expect a huge amount from them. Thus, you must go through the property maintenance activity to ensure a good and healthier old age living after retirement. These are certain significant equity release information that you must be aware of.
Thus, it can easily be stated here that the remortgage equity release amount is directly proportional to the value of your property that can be enhanced by maintaining it properly. Going through the equity release information would let you know about the repayment terms for the old borrowers that are quite flexible and convenient for them. The lenders set the old aged individuals free to pay the debt back whenever they feel convenient. Besides this, these schemes also allow the original owners pay off the amount after their death. This can easily be done as after their expiry, the right and the hold on the property gets transferred to the lenders who can utilize it in whatever way they want in order to get their entire amount back including the interest sum.
The above features are the actual reasons that attract the retirees towards these schemes. The remortgage equity release programs, however, give them the opportunity to receive a tax-free income apart from the regular pension that they are entitled to.
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Wright Jim has published 46 articles. This article published on Sep 02nd 2010 10:47:47 AM
Select The Best Equity Release Scheme For a Convenient Old Age Livelihood
Published by: Wright Jim (46) | Word Count: 530 | Comments: 0 | Article Views: 28
As soon as you retire, it becomes difficult to manage the financial affairs properly with the trivial amount that you receive as your pension. Most of the senior citizens face similar problems and thus, they search for some additional source of income to provide financial stability to their old age. The equity release providers exist to help you earn extra amount after you get enrolled to the equity release schemes. However, the most important point to be noted here is that the availability of several programs makes it essential for the retirees to select the best equity release plan based on their suitability and the benefits that the schemes provide. Some of these programs are as follows:
- Lifetime Roll-Up Mortgage Plan: This is one of the best equity release schemes that are offered by the equity release providers. The plan allows one or even joint applicants to register for the deals. Once you get enrolled to these plans, you and your spouse can enjoy full control and right over your property and thereby receive a lump sum payment from the financial institutions either all of them collectively or in the form of monthly installments as per your choice.
- Feasible Lifetime Mortgage Draw-down plan:This best equity release scheme is considered as one of the variation of the scheme discussed above. In this case, the old homeowners are allowed to utilize the money that they essentially need during the initial phases, thereby saving the rest of the amount. This scheme, however, prevents you from asking for money from the different sources every time you need some. The interest that is charged is also posed on the amount outstanding at a particular time.
- Home Income Plans: In case of this best equity release scheme that is offered by the equity release providers, the pensioners get a fixed annuity based on the mortgage of certain percentage of their property. This decision of making an annuity available to the old aged individuals depends upon several factors including age, gender, etc. The interest that you have to pay gets deducted from the annuity that they receive on regular intervals. As a result of this, the old property owners are required to pay back only the principal amount at the time of repayment.
- Home Reversion Plan: The home reversion program is also on the list of best equity release schemes. The old homeowners, if enroll for these deals, they need to sell a percentage of the legal ownership of their property, while receiving a hefty amount in return or getting an assurance to live within their house for the rest of their lives. The amount that the equity release providers allow you in this case completely depends upon your age and gender. The more your age is, the more will be the amount you receive.
- Interest only Mortgage program: Last on the list of best equity release plan is the interest only mortgages that is concerned with the repayment of only the interest amount by making the deal affordable for the old aged property owners.
The above schemes are some of the common alternatives from which you can select an appropriate one based on your necessities.
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Wright Jim has published 46 articles. This article published on Sep 02nd 2010 10:23:07 AM
Get The Hang of The Retirement Equity Release Programs
Published by: Wright Jim (46) | Word Count: 581 | Comments: 0 | Article Views: 28
You often think about your life after retirement. Isn’t it? Observing the insufficient income that the old aged individuals receive after they get retired, it is obvious for you to get worried. To remove the threat of the trouble-ridden post-retirement life, the financial institutions have introduced several plans to provide you a secure life as soon as you get released from your work. The pension of the retirees is quite insufficient to enable them maintain the same standard of living that they used to follow before their retirement. This is one of the most significant reasons that make them search for extra source of earning. The retirement equity release plans appear to be one such source of income for the pensioners.
The age concern equity release amount that the old aged individuals receive from the financial institutions is the sum in lieu of their own property. The eligibility criteria that one needs to fulfill include the person’s property or home ownership along with the required age. One of the most specific features that makes this scheme unique for the retirees is that the lenders never ask the old property owners to leave their home until they desire to do so. In fact, they are allowed to reside within their own property even till their last breath. It, however, depends on the old home owners whether they need the entire retirement equity release amount together or in installments.
The benefits that these age concern equity release programs possess has enhanced its popularity among the old aged individuals to a great extent. This, in turn has led to the emergence of numerous equity release plans. Therefore, it is advised to the senior citizens to consult the advisors and go through the guides to know the multiple perspectives involving the pros and cons of the overall concept. After evaluating all the possible points of these retirement equity release programs, the old aged people should decide whether they should opt for it. In case, if you face any doubt, try to clear it by utilizing the sources available that might extend from the advisors to the online resources.
As soon as you apply for these age concern equity release schemes, the lenders or the providers will visit your property as you are supposed to get the amount in return to it. The main objective of the lenders behind supervising the property is to evaluate it and then decide the amount that is suitable for the retirees on the basis of the maintenance of their asset. In short, the sum that the pensioners receive from the financial institution or lender completely depends upon how maintained your asset is. If it is maintained well as per the lender’s requirement, the retirement equity release amount that you would be allowed will be a hefty one, otherwise vice versa.
The repayment process of the age concern equity release is also not complicated enough. You can make the payment while alive and even you are dead, you are eligible to repay the loan as the right on your property gets transferred to the lenders who can sell it to get their lent amount back with interest. The only drawback of the retirement equity release is that once the hold over the property gets transferred to the lenders, your heir who expects to inherit it is not allowed to do so. Hence, the oldies must consult the supposed successor before getting enrolled to these deals.
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Wright Jim has published 46 articles. This article published on Sep 02nd 2010 10:20:35 AM
How Credit Affects Mortgage Rates
Published by: Kevin E Johnson (3) | Word Count: 507 | Comments: 0 | Article Views: 11
People who have bad credit, wrongly believe that obtaining a mortgage now is better than renting a property until they clean up their credit. Before you get a home loan, discover how credit affects mortgage rates in Florida before deciding to become a rent payer.
It is important to keep your credit clean just as it is important to keep fit and healthy. But at best of times, you may still fall ill. The same thing happens with credit history. No matter how hard some people try, sometimes a situation gets out of hand and they miss a loan or credit card payment. This is how a bad credit is created and as a result qualifying for home loans becomes rather difficult.
But you do not need to worry as there are still many options for people who have bad credit. Normally if you have missed a payment that was due within 30 days, then it is recorded on your credit report. This should not be detrimental to your future repaying abilities.
Mortgage lenders will usually investigate your credit history and if you have delayed or missed some payments they may become skeptical of your repaying abilities. So is there no chance of qualifying for a mortgage? Many lenders in Florida are still willing to help people with less than desirable credit to buy a home.
The Florida home loan program has helped borrowers with previous bankruptcies or mortgage payment arrears to get approved for FHA mortgages. They use credit quality rather than credit rating.
This program also gives the lender more options in assisting borrowers who have faced difficulty in paying their loans to get up-to-date with payments through free loan counseling. How this works is by taking late payments and moving them to the end of the next month so that the borrower has more time to pay or in some cases one payment is made for you. This is a great option to save your house from foreclosure and in the recession times, you will benefit most out of an FHA mortgage.
When it comes to purchasing your new home, the traditional way is to get a mortgage broker to approve your application for a loan. But this is not the only way to obtain finance. A mortgage specialist will be the best person to consult with. A mortgage specialist will ask you lots of relevant questions to find out your earnings potential and living arrangements. This way you will receive the most appropriate loan program that is suited for your circumstances.
Even if you have suffered from a bad credit history, there is still the refinancing option to consider. In Florida, mortgage rates have been falling and homebuyers are attracted to the lower interest rates. Lenders are now offering a variety of mortgage packages to Florida residents and even those with a bad credit history. The rates are competitive for high risk borrowers but the tolerance of these lenders has increased and now is the best time to take advantage of such rates.
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How Credit Affects Mortgage Rates Article Keywords
Florida Home Loan, Florida Home Mortgage, Florida Mortgage, Florida Refinance, Home Loan, Home Loans, Mortgage, Mortgage Loan, Real Estate, Refinance, Refinancing
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Kevin E Johnson has published 3 articles. This article published on Sep 02nd 2010 04:23:23 AM
Homes For Rent By Owner Could Conveniently End Up Being Yours
Published by: Peter Conway (4) | Word Count: 540 | Comments: 0 | Article Views: 17
Owning a residence is often a lifelong dream for most of individuals. It could be that everybody would certainly have to take a couple of days or weeks off to weight their options. Needless to say, it is likely to be one thing that every person would adore to possess but not too easy, not too quick. Probably, every person would likely sing along Bruno Mars’ song “I wanna be a billionaire so freaking bad” and wish you could become a billionaire in a matter of seconds so you might purchase the home which you happen to be wishing to own from the very beginning. But then, no one could become a billionaire in a snap, not even those that won in the lottery. Consequently, the only best choice that could be made available for you are homes for rent by owner.
When you’re one who has all the cash in the bank, getting a property, or two or perhaps three would mean that you simply need to allow the accountants within the bank and your lawyer work their way with the process. You could even own properties in secrecy. Simply allow those folks do the magic for you and the next thing that you would know is that the property is all set for your occupancy. This is the thing that majority of celebrities and ultra-rich folks perform. But then needless to say, whenever you aren’t one of them, you would merely let the bank people provide you with a home loan so that you may possibly possess the property that you wanted to own.
But exactly what do individuals with bad credit record can do? Will they ever have the house that they wanted? The only remedy there is for them to obtain homes for rent by owner. Financial problems could seem to be an obstacle for folks to stick to their dreams but then obviously, people would usually declare that once they have the will, they could often attempt to discover a method to make those wills come to life. Say, if buying a property is not yet achievable, then why would you need to force it? The very best thing that you would have to do would be to work on what you’ve got. If you could get something that will not likely be too much of a burden in your budget, then you must get that instead of the other options that you have.
Exactly where would practicality lead you to? Apparently, to much better alternatives. Once you have enough funds inside your account, then you could do what ever that you wished to carry out. You simply wouldn’t let your loved ones live in the streets for years or up till you’ve obtained enough funds to buy a gorgeous residence. As an alternative, you can invest that cash to get a house for rent by owner- a setting where the operator is going to ensure that she or he will certainly finance the remaining home loan of the house as opposed to passing it on towards the new proprietor or renter. Because of that, you could get a house with a clean slate.
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Peter Conway has published 4 articles. This article published on Aug 31st 2010 06:31:47 PM
Benefits Of Refinancing
Published by: Kevin E Johnson (2) | Word Count: 600 | Comments: 0 | Article Views: 37
There can be countless benefits of refinancing the rate on your home when the time is right. When you intend to stay in your home a long time it’s always a good idea to try to save money especially if you have an adjustable rate mortgage. Cutting how much you pay in interest will in the long term make your principle go down quicker so you are able to pay off your mortgage early. There are plenty of things that you can do when you refinance that not only increase your home’s value but cut the interest you will pay.
One of the main reasons people refinance today is basically to save money on the interest that is paid. Over the years this money goes to the principle which pays down what balance you owe more quickly. With the lower interest rate this lowers your monthly payment as well to give you some breathing room. Even put some extra money in your pocket to spend.
Replacing the current higher adjustable rate mortgage to a fixed lower rate can never go wrong with the money you can save. An Adjustable Rate Mortgage usually will increase every year until it reaches it maximum cap. This can essentially cause your payments to skyrocket making it even harder to make that monthly payment. Getting your interest to something that’s fixed can ensure that your payment amount does not go up after the New Year.
Your credit score can often be improved once you have refinanced your home. This happens when you consolidate debt since the interest rate is much lower than your credit cards. When doing your taxes there could also be an advantage since there are a few tax deductions available to homeowners, its best to ask a tax professional to be sure.
Something to consider if you are one of the individuals that have to commute to work every day is to use the cash out money for a newer car. Saving on gas can mean more money in your pocket and less breakdowns. Fuel efficient cars are getting more miles than ever nowadays so you can take advantage of this. Mainly this can give you a chance to be free of any car payments for more important things you may have on your agenda.
When you do refinance there are many things that you can do to improve your home. To increase your savings in your utility bills you can replace any old appliances like refrigerators. Some other options may include replacing your old air conditioning unit with an economically efficient unit. These things will only help you save money each month since utilities cannot be avoided and are a basic necessity of living.
Many times when people get behind on paying some bills either credit cards or even car payments it can be a great relief to use money from a refinance. This option can save a lot of money on interest charges and even late fees that can add up making the problem worse. An effective technique is to even try to make a payoff deal with your creditors to slash the amount you owe which in turn may save you money.
There can be many advantages to getting your mortgage refinanced. The long term savings speak for themselves when it comes to interest saved over years. Home renovations save you money on your utility bills or even paying off those high interest credit cards. It’s easy to see why so many are opting to refinance for those long term savings.
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Kevin E Johnson has published 2 articles. This article published on Aug 31st 2010 03:53:32 AM
Some Tips To Help You Get A Good Deal On A Florida Mortgage
If you are about to purchase your first home, chances are that you will be shopping around for mortgages. However, it is never easy to find a good deal on a mortgage without doing a lot of research beforehand. If you are looking to get a Florida mortgage and need some tips to help you get the best deal, this article may be able to help.
Before you start shopping around for mortgages, there are some things that you should do. For instance, you should look into your credit score and your credit report. This is because this data will affect the rates you get as well as the amount of money that lenders are willing to loan you.
People with a poor credit rating may want to hold off on getting a mortgage. You may end paying a very high interest rate that you simply cannot keep up with. It may be worth it to consider renting until you can improve your rating and your financial situation.
Before taking out a loan to purchase a home, you should look into assistance programs that help first time home buyers achieve their home buying dreams. There may be a program in your area that will help you pay for the down payment and the initial loan costs. However, entrance into such a program is usually affected by your credit score, credit history, and the type of mortgage you obtain.
In order to take part in some home buying grant and tax break programs, you must get a specific type of mortgage. Oftentimes, people must obtain the home loan from an approved lender. There may also be other stipulations. For example, you may have to have a loan that lasts for a certain number of years at a fixed rate.
When shopping around for mortgages, remember that the down payment you put down will affect the rate you are quoted with. Generally speaking, if you can afford to put down more money up front, you should do it. This proves that you are a serious buyer. It also decreases the amount of money you need to borrow, which means you will most likely pay less interest overall.
To get the best rates, you will need to look into many different lenders. A great place to start searching is on the Internet. Many banks and other lenders will post their rates on the Web and may even provide a free quotation service. Remember to look into what the final cost of the house will be if you take a certain mortgage from a certain company. This means that you are looking into the amount of money you are borrowing, putting down as a down payment, and paying in interest.
In many cases, it helps to meet with someone about taking out a mortgage, but before you do contact a salesperson or lender, you should understand what a mortgage is and how it works. There are classes you can take to help you better understand the process and its pitfalls. This will hopefully prevent you from falling victim to malicious lending practices.
The Renting Shift
For years, many people looked to their monthly expenses –and more acutely, their rent- as wasted money. These people had a difficult time justifying spending one thousand dollars a month, and oftentimes more, on rent when they could be spending that money on a mortgage and working toward fully owning their own home. Mortgages for years became much easier to get, with lower standards –and sometimes no standards at all- and people saw the opportunity to pursue the American Dream at last.
Then the economy took a turn for the worse, jobs were lost, and people who had received those mortgages found that they couldn’t keep up with the payments and began losing their homes. Also, during the boom years, home prices continued to climb and many would-be homebuyers who might not have taken the plunge did so before the prices to climb even farther beyond their reach.
Within a few short years, times have changed
Yet, within a few short years, the thought of paying rent every month no longer seems like an unreasonable alternative. The housing market is in flux at the moment and with that, home prices are unstable. Potential homebuyers are in the position of trying to guess whether the home they might consider buying will be going up in value or decreasing in value in the coming years.
Couple that with the fact that it has become much more challenging to qualify for a mortgage, and millions of would-be home-buyers are deciding to sit on the sidelines as they wait for some certain sign of stabilization. It is quite ironic, really, that what was once a dreaded option a few years ago –to pay rent rather than a mortgage- has become the more appealing option for many.
A balance is needed
During the Clinton and Bush Administrations, the mantra that was touted was of home ownership. Many politicians even equated home ownership with a patriotic duty and the federal government took great lengths –through Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac- to help people, even those that couldn’t, or shouldn’t, get a mortgage to actually acquire one.
The climate has certainly changed. During the past year, testimony on Capital Hill has been about the need and necessity of balancing home ownership with renting. One of the great lessons that the industry, and more importantly, the politicians, has learned is that not everyone should own a home. Balance is important in any outlet in life and the housing industry is no different.
Without enough renters, there will be no need for many of the homes, condos, and apartments that exist. When there aren’t people enough to rent, then homes sit unused. Depending on the neighborhood, this can actually prove to be quite catastrophic. In a depressed neighborhood, without renters, empty properties can become vandalized, lawns would be neglected, and the cancer would spread around it, driving prices down for actual homeowners in the neighborhood.
Renting to get through the quagmire
Home ownership should still be the American Dream, but there needs to be some measure of symmetry between the two. For potential home-buyers who are uncertain about the market, who don’t know whether their market with rise or continue to fall, then renting can actually be the best option.
At no point should we, or anybody else for that matter, encourage people, families, or individuals, to purchase a home at this time just because the prices have come down to more reasonable levels. Sometimes renting will be the better solution, especially if there is any chance that the person applying for the mortgage may lose his or her job or that the payments would be too stressful for them at the outset.
David
Reverse Mortgage Evaluation And Facts
We are receiving an increasing number of questions on reverse mortgages because they are a good option for many homeowners who have owned their homes for a long time. I will address your specific question first, and then discuss reverse mortgages in general to help you understand the benefits, consequences, risks, and rules for a reverse mortgage.
You may be in a good position to take advantage of a reverse mortgage if you have the available equity in your home. You mentioned you are age 62. At 62, you will need at least 50% equity — meaning that any existing mortgage balances on your home cannot be more than half of your current property value. You mentioned you want to avoid making payments, you have a need and use for the cash and you want to stay in your home. You are also helped by the fact that you do not have immediate heirs to consider, though keep in mind, you will be reducing the value of the asset (your home’s equity) that you may be able to pass along.
Additionally, since you are right at the low end of the age eligibility, lenders will be more restrictive in the size of the loan that they will qualify you for. As a next step, complete the Bills.com quick reverse mortgage form and find some of the best lenders in the business, who will be screened based on your specific situation.
With the increasing number of reverse mortgage questions we are receiving, we have also taken the opportunity to expand on this response and provide more information on reverse mortgages, eligibility for reverse mortgages, what else to consider and how to determine if it is right for you.
Reverse Mortgages — An Overview
A reverse mortgage is a unique mortgage because they are no payments required from the borrower. Instead the homeowner receives cash from the lender and in turn, the lender receives a portion of the homeowner’s equity. A reverse mortgage loan is designed to give older homeowners the ability to receive tax-free income without having to make payments, sell their home or affect their hold on their title. For older homeowners (must be 62 years or older to qualify) a reverse mortgage can be the right way to receive either extra income or security in retirement.
The loan is repaid when the borrower ceases to live in the home; this can be a result of the homeowner selling the home, moving out (and it is no longer their primary residence), or passing away. In any of these cases, the lender receives the proceeds of the sale of the home to pay off the balance of the reverse mortgage loan. If the proceeds of the sale exceed the outstanding loan balance, the difference is paid back to the borrower or to their estate.
Another unique aspect of the reverse mortgage is the counseling required for all prospective borrowers considering a reverse mortgage loan. All lenders are required by law to provide this counseling to insure that the homeowner is aware of all the terms and conditions of the loan, and that they and their support group has closely considered whether or not a reverse mortgage loan is right for them.
Reverse mortgages can be taken either as a line of credit or as a lump sum. There are actually more options to consider, but your reverse mortgage lender will be able to talk you through all of these options. As a prospective borrower, you should first consider how you will use the proceeds and whether it makes sense to receive the cash over time or all at once.
The reverse mortgage industry is heavily supported by HUD (US Department of Housing and Urban Development) and the heavy majority of reverse mortgage loans are insured by HUD’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The FHA product, called the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage, or HECM, is the dominant product in the market and the support that the FHA provided to the reverse mortgage market is another benefit for potential borrowers. The FHA provides heavy oversight and regulation, and the absence of private reverse mortgage products has kept the costs and overall expense of reverse mortgages in reasonable check.
However, fees on a reverse mortgage are generally higher than traditional mortgages, and therefore, you want to make sure that you’ll be in your home for at least a few years to avoid throwing away money on a loan on which you’ll never realize the benefits.
Who Qualifies?
Reverse mortgages are available to homeowners 62 years old or older. Neither income nor credit history is considered by lenders in determining who qualifies, which is another big benefit of a reverse mortgage. Since no payments are required by the borrower, the ability to pay back the loan doesn’t matter. Rather, the most important qualification criteria for a lender are the age of the homeowner, the value of the home and the amount of available equity in the home.
For many older homeowners who have lived in their home for a long time and have been responsible with their debt and refinancing, there is enough equity in the home to make a reverse mortgage a very attractive option. Most property types are eligible, though some cooperatives are not — most importantly, you can only get one on your primary residence.
Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You?
Right situation, right loan. If you are eligible for a reverse mortgage loan (see above) and you have a near-term or even, longer-term “need” for the cash, then a reverse mortgage will likely make sense. However, read this entire response, and review the other reverse mortgage-related pages on Bills.com, and make sure that you consider all the benefits, consequences, risks, and rules before signing your loan.
You will never need to leave your home once you get a reverse mortgage, unless you choose to do so. Even if you “out live” your loan, the lender will not be able to take the home or force you to leave.
What Else to Consider?
One very important consideration for prospective reverse mortgage borrowers is by taking out a reverse mortgage, you will be using up part or all of an asset, that might otherwise be left to children or other heirs. Since the interest that you will incur on the loan is actually added to the balance of the reverse mortgage against your property, your equity is usually eroding (unless the value of the home is increasing at a rapid rate), and there will be less equity available when the lender actually sells the property.
Older homeowners who are very concerned with leaving their home to their children or other heirs will want to take a long look at these implications before moving forward with a reverse mortgage.
If you have a current forward/ traditional mortgage, and you are eligible for a reverse mortgage, the proceeds of the reverse mortgage will first be used to pay off that balance. So make sure this is included in your calculation for how much cash you will receive — your cash will be reduced by the amount of the existing mortgage, as the lender will be required to pay that loan off prior to dispersing any other cash.
Another consideration for potential reverse mortgage borrowers is to be cautious about who they get their reverse mortgage advice from, and ultimately which lender they choose. While a lot has been done in the last five years to prevent fraud and other abuses against older homeowners through reverse mortgages their still remains a risk and potential borrowers need to be thorough in their research and confident in their decisions.
A reverse mortgage can be just the right loan for many homeowners, but it is not suitable for all homeowners. And remember, the proceeds of your reverse mortgage do not need to be used in any particular way — as the borrower, they are yours and yours alone, to be used for home improvements, to pay bills, to invest or even to use for a vacation. We advise you to be conservative in how you use the proceeds of your loan, but
What Should I Do Next?
Find reputable reverse mortgage lenders — Bills.com has put together a network of the most reputable reverse mortgage lenders in the country and you can access them through this quick reverse mortgage form. Also, be sure to continue your research and take advantages of this additional reverse mortgage information on Bills.com:
* How a Reverse Mortgage Works
* Frequently Asked Reverse Mortgage Questions
* Reverse Mortgage Section
I hope this information helps you Find. Learn & Save.