| |
| |
|
|
Mortgage and Refinance Information |
|
An Infinity Mortgage?
Here in Spain the concept of a mortgage period of 20 or 25 years is something new. The general feeling by the banks is that want their money back more quickly than banks in countries in which they are accustomed to longer periods. The borrowers are also accustomed to the idea that the guiding principle is to pay off the mortgage as quickly as possible. First Timers The problem for all those people starting out on the property ladder is the amount of money that has to go out each month to put the roof over one's head. At least this is true for the early years, but not necessarily as the4 years go by, since the advent of inflation. Cases that we studied showed e.g a couple, whose monthly income was £400, having to pay £150 per month in mortgage payment. Although the interest fluctuations since then have meant varying payments, as a percentage of their current monthly income of £2,000 per month, the mortgage does not now seem so horrendous. Varying interest rates The mistake made by many lenders in boom times is to conveniently forget the possible variation in interest rates during the early years. While a doubling of the payment in the case mentioned above would not be a disaster now, had it occurred during the early years it could have lead to foreclosure, and them losing their dream home. In our study we found various examples of interest rates going from 3% to 16% in very short periods of time. Maybe the lenders should have insisted on doing the relevant calculations, assuming a high rate, to check if the borrowers could afford the payment during the first few years in the event of this occurring. Asking the potential borrower would not necessarily have produced a sensible result, as many that we spoke to said, "It's OK, we'll manage somehow." Unfortunately, for thousands of borrowers, this turned out not to be the case. One case showed an initial payment of £269 per month, on an income of £800 per month, which ballooned to £690 per month on an income of £900 per month, with devastating consequences. How long a repayment period ? Many years ago, a borrower, my father, tried to convince lenders of the idea of a much longer repayment period. In fact so long that he gave the idea the name, infinity mortgage. The idea was to pay the interest, at whatever the actual rate would be, but not to repay the capital. Naturally in the staid world of banking this fell on deaf ears, and several so called bankers laughed at the idea. Eventually he was able to persuade an institution to go ahead with his proposal, and he purchased a house. He is now nearing retirement and still has not paid off the mortgage, and continues to pay the interest. He is happy with the idea that, when we inherit the house, we will have to pay off the capital, and so are we. The current position ? The house is now valued at £280,000. My father's income is £5,300 per month. And the mortgage payment ? The last time we spoke of the matter it was the mighty sum of £7.92 per month. The capital to be repaid ? The not insignificant amount of £1,900. Whether your local currency is pounds sterling, euros or dollars, the principle is still the same. While the motivation at the time, as a penniless masters student, was to keep every payment down to a minimum, the capital repayment would not exactly have broken the bank once a few years had gone by. When he reached the point of what would have been the normal repayment period, and received advice from all and sundry that perhaps he might slip into the bank with a bit of loose change, and pay off the capital, he declined. He rather liked the idea of his infinity mortgage being just that, or at least being with him until his death. In that he will succeed, you know what some of these old folk are like. © Jenny Barclay About The Author Jenny Barclay majored in math and economics, and obtained a masters in viability of banking institutions. She is currently studying Spanish in Andalucia, Spain. This article may be reproduced on websites subject to credit being given to the author, and a link to her website. http://www.regent-estates-group.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Mortgage-Refinance - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Reverse Mortgage Providing Peace of Mind Without Sacrificing Safety or Security For many seniors one of their greatest sources of security is their home. It not only provides a comfortable and familiar environment, but it provides a sense of independence and a source of many fond memories. Do Your Homework - Find the Mortgage That Fits Your Lifestyle and Your Budget You've been looking at houses for months, and finally you've found it--the house that's just right. So now, all you have to do is to purchase your new home, move in, and get settled, right? Not quite. Mortgage Loans Explained In Plain English With the many different kinds of mortgage loans out there, choosing the right one for your needs can be a difficult task. The following points will help you understand the pros and cons of the different types of mortgage loans available to you. Self Employed Mortgage Loan - Getting a Mortgage When You're Self Employed Being self employed has many benefits. When you are self-employed, you can write off all of your deductions on your taxes. Buy To Let Mortgages - To Let in Reasonable Capital Growth with Financial Obligation Every individual needs a home and every home needs an owner. Perhaps you are already a homeowner. Refinancing Mortgage Loan - Get The Lowest Interest Rate You Can When Refinancing Refinancing can be a very simple process. You fill out a few applications, take the best offer and you're done. Home Loans and Mortgages - Time to Consolidate Loans? Home equity loans and lines of credit are useful tools for homeowners. They allow the homeowner to borrow against the value of his or her home for all kinds of purposes - home improvement, debt consolidation, vacations, and more. Finding the Best Mortgage Lender Online Finding the best mortgage lender online is simply a matter of doing some smart shopping. Begin by gathering your financial information, and then request quotes from several lenders. Refinancing Your Home Mortgage Loan You're considering refinancing your home mortgage loan to save money. Interest rates are the lowest they have been in decades. Home Equity Loan - Beware of the lingering lien! A problem that often arises when people try to refinance their home is the discovery of a pre-existing lien from a previous loan that was not removed by the lending company. The cost of removing a lien and returning the title to the homeowner, a process known as reconveyance, is usually included in fees associated with a home equity loan. Tips For First Home Buyers On Getting Home Loans Buying your first home will likely be the biggest and most important purchase you will ever make. It can be a very stressful and may even leave you sleepless for nights on end wondering whether you are making the right decision - especially where choosing the right home loan is concerned. Rates May Be Rising: Mortgage And Refinancing Preparation Made Simple For You Buying a home is probably the single largest investment most people make in a lifetime. By preparing yourself and your credit before a home purchase or refinance, you can ensure a smooth finance process and can potentially save thousands on your loan. 5 Tips for Savvy Use of Your Home Equity Line of Credit Tapping your home's equity to pay college expenses, consolidate credit card debt or even to buy a new car or boat is common place. Many economists attribute the additional buying power afforded consumers through home equity debt as a primary reason the nation's economy has been able to emerge from the recent recession. What Your Mortgage Lender Is Not Telling You About Accelerated Mortgages For years, mainstream banks and financial advisors have been recommending that you pay extra cash into your mortgage account in order to cut down the huge interest amount and reduce the period over which you pay back the loan.For example, if you borrow $200,000 over 30 years at a rate of 5%, your monthly repayments would be around $1074. Reverse Mortgage - Be Sure You Need It Before Applying For One Reverse mortgages used to be considered the last resort of desperate retirees who needed to borrow against their home equity in order to pay for medical expenses. With home prices across the country rising at astonishing rates, more and more retirees, aged 62 and over, are taking out reverse mortgages to fund better retirement living. Council Right to Buy Mortgage - Helping Everyone Have a Home of "We will help every Council Tenant to become Home Owners" With these historic words Margaret Thatcher initiated an equally historic concept of council right to buy scheme. However, the groundwork for this scheme had been laid much before in the 70s under the reigns of the labour government. Home Mortgages: How About Those 1.75% Loans? You've undoubtedly heard or seen ads for mortgages with very low interest rates such as 1.75%. How To Determine The Price Of Your Home Why is it that some homes sit on the market for a year while others sell like hot cakes? Frustrated sellers will blame a bad market, while a good real estate professional will tell you that many times, a slow sale is often attributed to the listing price.If a home is overpriced, buyers will stay away. A Home Equity Loan - Is It For You? Home equity loans are often touted as being the solution to so many things - giving you access to money for home repairs or improvements, a way to consolidate debt, finance a sudden family emergency, or even as a way to start an investment portfolio. There's a lot to think about, though, before you go and sign up for the first home equity loan you see. Where To Find The Best Rates For Your Mortgage? As with all of my articles this will be based on a scenario in my home town. (Which may be similar to yours).
|
|||||||||||||||||
