Home Mortgage Loan Guide

Do the words fixed rate, balloon loan, and adjustable rate mortgages mean anything to you? If they don’t and you are planning to buy a home, then you have to go through a quick terminology lesson. Those previously mentioned words happened to be the three most common types of home loans, so let’s discuss each one of them so as to choose the best mortgage deal.

You will want a fixed rate loan when you are planning to buy a home and stay in it until you pay it off. With this type, you will be given an interest rate that is fixed and will not change for the life of the loan. Now, if interest rates go higher, yours will remain the same however, when interest rates go lower, you are to pay a higher rate.

The Adjustable Rate Mortgage or ARM is the second type of loan. The interest rate with this loan type goes up and down with the market. In other words, if the interest rate is low, the rate on your home mortgage will be low, but if it’s high, your loan interest rate will then reflect it. And because the interest rate on a home mortgage loan affects the payments, you will have no idea from reporting period to reporting period what your monthly mortgage payments will be. This type of loan obviously isn’t right for everyone.

For starters, if you are purchasing a house for investment purposes and you plan to sell it quickly, you might take advantage of low interest rates by getting this type of loan, particularly if it looks as if they may go lower.

An ARM loan would prove to be beneficial when you buy a home on a time when the interest rates are very low. You can take an ARM and have it changed later to a fixed loan when the interest rates go lower.

The third type is the Balloon Home Loan. With this type, you will make monthly payments for a fixed amount of time, with a fixed interest rate. The difference is that at the end of the payment schedule, you will likely owe the unpaid balance in one lump sum. So if you use a balloon mortgage, you will find that the interest rates are much lower than either a fixed rate mortgage or an ARM.

The obvious disadvantage to this type of loan is the huge payment due at the end, but if you are planning to hold the house for a short period of time, then this might be the right loan for you.

By understanding the various types of home loans that are available to you, you will be better prepared to make a decision on choosing a home mortgage loan that is just perfect for you and your family.