When you are wishing to purchase a new home or refinance an existing mortgage in Ames, IA, finding the lowest rates are crucial. Wirefly gives you the information and resources you need to get a mortgage loan, so that you will find the best rate available. Your home is a huge investment, so you do not want to pay more than you need to for a home loan; therefore, it is important to take the time to compare rates and research.
Ames, IA is an area where even people with the need to purchase low priced houses need home loans. Since the cheapest homes cost no less than fifty thousand dollars, a mortgage might be the only choice you have to getting the financing needed to buy a house. Getting a home loan is the best way to be able to afford a new home. Therefore, you have to find a mortgage with the lowest rates. In most cases, we as first time home buyers rely on insight from realtors, without knowing that they might direct you to a lender they have an acquaintance with so as to close a deal with you quickly. If you take such a path, you might end losing a lot of money in the long run. For the best results, you ought to take ample time and carry out thorough research to discover what is best for your needs. Using Wirefly's mortgage rate tool, take your time to compare and contrast how taking a loan from a small scale or large scale lender will affect your financial power. Since you do not want to get yourself a raw deal, ensure that your credit score is high enough. This way, you will land yourself the best interest rates.
A conventional home loan is a popular option with many people. If a person puts down a 20 percent down payment with this type of loan, they are not required to pay any mortgage insurance. Conventional home loans come in a few different types. They include fixed and variable rate options.
Fixed rate mortgage loans are ideal for many homebuyers in Ames, IA. They allow a person to have a long-term interest rate and payment that is fixed. It allows a person to budget far off into the future as they know that their monthly payments will not change. Two types of conventional loans are typically available for both individuals. These include the 30 year fixed-rate and 15 year fixed-rate home mortgage loans. While very similar, they do have a few differences. A 30 year fixed-rate conventional home loan is ideal for individuals who may already have some other debt. They can create a lower payment by choosing a 30 year option. The disadvantage is that they will have to carry the debt for 15 more years than they would with a 15 year fixed-rate home loan.
Individuals who may be relocated in Ames, IA due to a job change or other reason and know that they will only be living in the area for less than five years, may want to look at the option of obtaining a mortgage with an adjustable rate. The advantage of using an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is that it offers a much lower interest rate for the first few years. 3/1 and 5/1 ARMs are a few of the recognized adjustable rate mortgages that people usually choose. In the case of the 5/1 ARM, a person would pay a fixed rate for the first five years that they have the loan, and they would pay a variable rate every year after. In an environment where interest rates are rising, this would not be suitable for someone wanting to stay in their home for a long time as payments would increase each year once the fixed-rate time is over.
As previously explained, you will have to decide between an adjustable rate mortgage or a fixed rate home loan in Ames, IA. In addition to these two main options, there are other home loans to choose from. You can also research government-insured mortgages (these include VA loans or FHA loans) or conventional home loans. The federal government does not insure conventional mortgages in any way. This sets it apart from government-backed home loan options such as VA loans, USDA loans, and FHA loans.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development - a federal government department referred to as "HUD" for short - manages The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance program. In Ames, IA, FHA loans are available to all different buyers, not just buyers purchasing a home for the first time. The federal government protects the lender from losses associated with borrower default. The main advantage of this home loan option is that you can make an extremely low down payment (sometimes as little as 3.5 percent of the purchase price). The disadvantage of this type of option is that you are required to pay mortgage insurance (this will raise the cost of your monthly mortgage payments).
If people want to get a lower interest rate, lower their monthly payment amount, or shorten the life of their mortgage, they might choose to refinance their loan. Some people refinance to switch from an adjustable-rate loan to a fixed-rate loan. When refinancing, individuals will be getting a completely new loan. The old loan will be paid, and a new one will be created. Therefore, borrowers will still need to pay closing costs and other fees. People need to decide if refinancing their loan is worth the fees. Are they really saving money? If a borrower is switching from an adjustable-rate mortgage to a fixed-rate mortgage, he is likely to save money, so it is probably a good option. Rates are likely to increase rather than decrease. To get the best rate, borrowers need to keep their credit score above 700 and their debt-to-income ratio as low as possible. Even if a person’s credit score is not great, he can still get a home loan in Ames, IA with a low rate. Buying a new home does not have to be a stressful experience. People should let Wirefly do the work for them. Wirefly can compare rates and give borrowers the information to get the lowest rate available.
