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What Kind of Mortgage Fits Your Needs?

No matter the state of the economy, each year the number of new mortgages underwritten reaches millions of homeowners.  Some are buying for the first time while others are downsizing or upsizing.  When rates drop, like they did over the past 2 years, many people seize the opportunity to refinance their home loan.  However, how do people decide on which mortgage to use for their specific need?  An online survey conducted by HSH.com points to some of the factors that influence consumer decisions.

Most Important Factor

It should come as no shock that the most important factor is the interest rate.  Regardless of the type of loan, the size of the loan or the customers home state, everybody is trying to get the best rate for their home loan.  In the survey mentioned above over 45% stated that the rate was the top factor for choosing a loan.

Other items, such as the length of the term and the fees also ranked high in the survey, but none was as vital as the rate.

Deciding How Much to Use for Down Payment

The ability to make a down payment equal to 10%-20% of the home’s price will give the borrower a range of products to choose from.  A large down payment and a solid credit score will usually allow a borrower to qualify for a conventional loan which has the best interest rates.

For borrowers that have a smaller down payment, their options will be limited to FHA, USDA or VA for qualifying veterans.

Choosing the Right Term

With rates at an all-time low many borrowers are actually paying more attention to the term of the mortgage loan as part of the decision process.  While the traditional fixed rate of a 30 year loan remains quite dominant more and more people are looking at different adjustable rate products.  Those borrowers that have refinanced in the past 2 years have often chosen to go down to a 15 or 10 year term in order to drastically cut down on their total interest pay back while also paying off the home sooner.

Brokers Still the Top Choice

When looking for the right mortgage loan a number of people still prefer to use the services of a mortgage broker over a local bank or credit union.  In the survey mentioned earlier over 30% of respondents claimed that they sought the services of a broker rather than another type of lender.  Since brokers typically have access to multiple lenders they can offer any type of mortgage loan and get the best rate too.

Obviously, none of these factors discussed the two biggest items facing a borrower; are they happy with the home and can they afford the mortgage payment?  Beyond those two items, the guidelines mentioned above should help any new borrower pick a loan that is right for their situation.

Additional Mortgage Info:
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Understanding the New Rules for Jumbo Mortgages

It is true that mortgage rules have become stricter in the last few years.  However, getting a jumbo mortgage in Wisconsin is still a very real possibility.  Borrowers need to understand up front the basic requirements and also how to compare loans to make sure they are getting the best deal.

In the not so distant past homebuyers could get approved for a jumbo mortgage with only a 5% down payment.  In addition, there were no strict requirements for proof of income.  As long as the credit score was 700+, the loan was as good as done.  Things have changed a lot in the past 4 years, not just in Wisconsin but all over the country.  Here are the basic requirements for anyone that wishes to borrow more than the standard $417,000 amount:

• Borrower must pay 20% of the home’s purchase price as a down payment.  The money must come from their own funds, meaning it cannot be a gift.  Borrowers should be prepared to provide copies of bank statements and investment account reports to document where the down payment came from.
• Borrowers will need to provide adequate documentation that reflects their income.  This may come in the form of paystubs and W-2 forms.  For self-employed individuals, the most recent two years tax returns will be required.
• Borrowers should be prepared to look at loans with adjustable rates.  Long term fixed Jumbo loans are possible but the rates are usually significantly higher than the adjustable loan.

Current Property Values

Before buying a home it is a good idea to talk to a Realtor® to find out about trends in property values in the area.  Many places have seen declines in the past 5 years. However, recent reports show that the overall sales in Wisconsin are keeping pace with last year’s numbers.  And the drop in values seems to have hit a low point.  This means that most places like Madison should see at least stable values for the upcoming year and hopefully a rise in values in coming years.

Limits on Intended Purpose

People can only get a jumbo mortgage on a home that they intend to occupy as their primary residence.  This means that for people looking to buy a vacation home or a rental property will not be able to use a Jumbo mortgage for their purchase.

Focus on Other Debt

One of the biggest changes for approving jumbo mortgage applications is the attention given to debt-to-income ratios.  The current guideline is 38%. This number is calculated using the borrower’s gross, monthly income before taxes are deducted.  Lenders want to make certain that borrowers can comfortably afford the large house payment and still have discretionary income left over.

For those borrowers that are considering a jumbo mortgage in Wisconsin the current mortgage rate climate seems like a good fit for buyers.  Low rates along with lenders who are still pushing these loans make it a good investment for a savvy buyer who has a good handle on their finances.

This communication is provided to you for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon by you. Rock Realty is not a mortgage lender and so you should contact a lender directly to learn more about its mortgage products and your eligibility for such products.

Original Post - Understanding the Rules for Jumbo Mortgages

Mortgage Bankers Association for the week of 01/12/2010

Market Composite Index: (loan application volume) increased 2.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 47.5 percent compared with the previous week

Refinance Index: increased 4.9 percent from the previous week. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 3.7 percent from one week earlier

Purchase Index: increased 41.9 percent compared with the previous week and was 10.5 percent lower than the same week one year ago. The four week moving average for the seasonally adjusted Market Index is down 5.3 percent. The four week moving average is down 1.0 percent for the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index, while this average is down 7.5 percent for the Refinance Index.

Refinance Share of Mortgage Activity: increased to 72.1 percent of total applications from 71.0 percent the previous week

Arm Share: decreased to 4.9 percent from 5.0 percent of total applications in the previous week.

MBA outlook: (Excerpted from mbaa.org)

The financial markets response to the announcement of QE2 on November 3 has likely been a disappointment to the Fed. Equity prices have risen, but long-term rates have backed up considerably, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury pushing up past 3%. And turmoil in Europe has led to an increase in the value of the dollar in exchange markets, not the decline that had been expected in response to QE2. Had the Feds proposal for renewed large-scale asset purchases been well received, Fed officials might now be considering increasing the announced rate of purchases to $100 billion per month or more. But dong so under present circumstances would likely evoke a political firestorm.

The percentage of loans on which foreclosure actions were started during the third quarter was 1.34 percent, up 23 basis points from last quarter and down eight basis points from one year ago. The percentage of loans in the foreclosure process at the end of the third quarter was 4.39 percent, down 18 basis points from the second quarter of 2010 and down eight basis points from one year ago. The seriously delinquent rate, the percentage of loans that are 90 days or more past due or in the process of foreclosure, was 8.70 percent, a decrease of 41 basis points from last quarter, and a decrease of 15 basis points from the third quarter of last year.

We expect that mortgage originations will decrease to $967 billion in 2011, the lowest level of originations since 1997. This is a decline from $1.5 trillion in 2010 and a little under $2.0 trillion in 2009. Purchase originations should increase to $615 billion in 2011 up from $473 billion in 2010. Refinance originations, primarily impacted by the level of mortgage rates, are expected to drop sharply in 2011 to $352 billion and fall further in 2012 to $237 billion. We expect that the refinance share of originations should fall from 69 percent in 2010 to 36 percent in 2011, and then 24 percent in 2012 as rates climb above the 6 percent mark.

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Mortgage Bankers Association for the week of 01/12/2010

Market Composite Index: (loan application volume) increased 2.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 47.5 percent compared with the previous week

Refinance Index: increased 4.9 percent from the previous week. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 3.7 percent from one week earlier

Purchase Index: increased 41.9 percent compared with the previous week and was 10.5 percent lower than the same week one year ago. The four week moving average for the seasonally adjusted Market Index is down 5.3 percent. The four week moving average is down 1.0 percent for the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index, while this average is down 7.5 percent for the Refinance Index.

Refinance Share of Mortgage Activity: increased to 72.1 percent of total applications from 71.0 percent the previous week

Arm Share: decreased to 4.9 percent from 5.0 percent of total applications in the previous week.

MBA outlook: (Excerpted from mbaa.org)

The financial markets response to the announcement of QE2 on November 3 has likely been a disappointment to the Fed. Equity prices have risen, but long-term rates have backed up considerably, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury pushing up past 3%. And turmoil in Europe has led to an increase in the value of the dollar in exchange markets, not the decline that had been expected in response to QE2. Had the Feds proposal for renewed large-scale asset purchases been well received, Fed officials might now be considering increasing the announced rate of purchases to $100 billion per month or more. But dong so under present circumstances would likely evoke a political firestorm.

The percentage of loans on which foreclosure actions were started during the third quarter was 1.34 percent, up 23 basis points from last quarter and down eight basis points from one year ago. The percentage of loans in the foreclosure process at the end of the third quarter was 4.39 percent, down 18 basis points from the second quarter of 2010 and down eight basis points from one year ago. The seriously delinquent rate, the percentage of loans that are 90 days or more past due or in the process of foreclosure, was 8.70 percent, a decrease of 41 basis points from last quarter, and a decrease of 15 basis points from the third quarter of last year.

We expect that mortgage originations will decrease to $967 billion in 2011, the lowest level of originations since 1997. This is a decline from $1.5 trillion in 2010 and a little under $2.0 trillion in 2009. Purchase originations should increase to $615 billion in 2011 up from $473 billion in 2010. Refinance originations, primarily impacted by the level of mortgage rates, are expected to drop sharply in 2011 to $352 billion and fall further in 2012 to $237 billion. We expect that the refinance share of originations should fall from 69 percent in 2010 to 36 percent in 2011, and then 24 percent in 2012 as rates climb above the 6 percent mark.

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Mortgage Bankers Association for the week of 12/8/2010

Market Composite Index:(loan application volume) decreased 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 22.8 percent compared with the previous week, which included the Thanksgiving Holiday

Refinance Index: decreased 1.4 percent from the previous week. This is the fourth weekly decrease for the Refinance Index which reached its lowest level since June 2010

Purchase Index: increased 1.8 percent from one week earlier. This is the third weekly increase for the Purchase Index which reached its highest level since early May 2010. The unadjusted Purchase Index increased 21.3 percent compared with the previous week and was 12.0 percent lower than the same week one year ago.

Refinance Share of Mortgage Activity: increased to 75.2 percent of total applications from 74.9 percent the previous week

Arm Share: decreased to 5.6 percent from 5.7 percent of total applications from the previous week.

MBA outlook: (Excerpted from mbaa.org) The delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties decreased to a seasonally adjusted rate of 9.13 percent of all loans outstanding as of the end of the third quarter of 2010, a decrease of 72 basis points from the second quarter of 2010, and a decrease of 51 basis points from one year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) National Delinquency Survey. The percentage of loans on which foreclosure actions were started during the third quarter was 1.34 percent, up 23 basis points from last quarter and down eight basis points from one year ago. The percentage of loans in the foreclosure process at the end of the third quarter was 4.39 percent, down 18 basis points from the second quarter of 2010 and down eight basis points from one year ago. The seriously delinquent rate, the percentage of loans that are 90 days or more past due or in the process of foreclosure, was 8.70 percent, a decrease of 41 basis points from last quarter, and a decrease of 15 basis points from the third quarter of last year. We expect that mortgage originations will decrease to $1.4 trillion in 2010 from a downwardly revised $2.0 trillion in 2009, previously estimated at $2.1 trillion. Total originations will then fall to $996 billion in 2011, the lowest level of originations since 1997. Purchase activity in 2010 will see a significant drop from 2009, although it was given a brief boost in the spring by the tax credit program, but start to recover in 2011. Refinance activity is currently being buoyed by mortgage rates that remain close to historical lows, but will fall in 2011 and 2012 as rates start to increase. Purchase originations will fall to $480 billion from $665 billion in 2009 and refinance originations will decrease to about $921 billion in 2010 from $1.3 trillion in 2009. We expect that the refinance share of originations should fall from 66 percent in 2010 to 37 percent in 2011, and then 26 percent in 2012.

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