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Mortgage Planning

Tips and Advice on how to best plan for your motgage.

Forclosuers at an All Time High

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 12:42
With the economy in the United States continues to slow, the housing industry continues to be greatly affected. Inflation is raising the cost of living for everyone in the country. The national average price of gasoline is at an all time high, the cost of groceries is on the rise, and all signs point to an across the board increase around the country. Because of these cost increases, families that were already living beyond their means are being forced to face bankruptcy and Foreclosures, widening the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have nots', even within the middle class.

And there may be more trouble on the horizon. As the national interest rates begin to rise, those that saved money the past few years on adjustable rate mortgages will see their mortgages rise as well. If interest rates rise enough, these mortgages can easily become too much for families already stretched thin by the cost of living increases. This may lead to even more foreclosures, putting even more strain on the economy.

But the news isn't all 'doom and gloom'. There are many organizations around that can help Stop Foreclosures, and provide people with the help they need to keep their home, even if you have bad credit. Federal assistance programs, and bankruptcy laws exist to protect people with financial troubles, to prevent them from becoming homeless. And as the situation worsens, the government will do more to provide assistance. But these programs are becoming more and more stained as the economy worsens, inflation builds, and more and more people need the assistance.

There are several actions that need to be taken to prevent your home being foreclosed. First you should find an organization or company that can help you with loans and mortgage. They can help you find a better mortgage rate. A professional at one of these financial institution can help find an alternate to foreclosing. An option is to refinance but if you are not in the position to do so you can reconstruct your loan agreement. This is called a Loan Modification. It has to first get accepted and then for a couple months you do not have to make your payments. Then depending on the date of your closure and your current rates you may be able to negotiate a lower mortgage rate. Don't let the bank take your home.

How To Shop For Mortgages And Keep Your Credit Scores High

Mon, 03/08/2010 - 15:45

Credit scoring is a huge part of the mortgage world. A given credit score can mean the difference between a 5 percent rate and a 6 percent rate; a conventional mortgage and an FHA mortgage; an underwriting approval and an underwriting denial. And yet, there's a persistent belief among Americans that "having your credit checked" is a bad thing. In some instances, yes. In most instances, though, no.

8 Ways To “Un-Approve” Your Mortgage By Mistake

Fri, 03/05/2010 - 13:10

In mortgages, nothing's done until it's done. Here are 8 things you should absolutely not do between application and funding. Ignore them at your own peril.

The Official Mortgage Rate Prediction For The Next 7 Days (March 4, 2010)

Thu, 03/04/2010 - 13:45

Need a mortgage rate prediction? I am a regular participant in the Bankrate.com Mortgage Rate Trend survey and this week's survey may help you.

2010 Conforming Loan Limits : Same As 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006

Wed, 03/03/2010 - 12:30

Conforming mortgages are appropriately named; they "conform" to the mortgage underwriting guidelines of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Mortgages meeting these criteria are securitized on Wall Street as mortgage-backed bonds.

As mortgage performance has weakened, however, lending standards have tightened. Today's would-be borrowers are asked to document more income, deeper reserves, and higher credit scores. One underwriting area that hasn't tightened, however, is the maximum allowable loan size.

Mortgage Pricing Gets Unpredictable. It’s Time To Lock Your Mortgage Rate.

Mon, 03/01/2010 - 15:52

February's mortgage market could be categorized as "on edge". For the most part, rates didn't change intra-day. It was common for lenders to issue rate sheets in the morning and stick to their pricing through market close. However, there were two days on which 3 rate sheets were issued, and 1 day on which 4 were issued.

A Real Estate And Mortgage Technology Conference You’ll Want To Attend

Fri, 02/26/2010 - 14:52

A fair number of my readers are mortgage- and/or real estate-related businesses. Consider this a public service announcement. REtechSouth is March 25-26, 2010 in Atlanta -- 4 weeks away. This is a show you should make time for.

Spring 2010 FHA Changes : Higher Fees, Bigger Downpayments, And More Mortgage Insurance

Thu, 02/25/2010 - 14:13

Life as an FHA borrower is getting tougher. In an effort to shore up its flailing balance sheet and dwindling capital reserves, the Federal Housing Authority is rolling out sweeping financial changes. FHA borrowers have to look better on paper and be better credit risks. Mortgage insurance premiums are rising, too.

How Fast Will My Mortgage Principal Balance Fall With A 15-Year Fixed, 20-Year Fixed And 30-Year Fixed Mortgage?

Wed, 02/24/2010 - 12:54

When banks make fixed-rate, principal + interest home loans, a borrower's monthly payment gets calculated from amortization schedules (ah-mor-ti-ZAY-shun). With respect to mortgages, amortization is the process of paying a loan to $0 over time. For homeowners, an amortization schedule's most important trait is that it creates interest-heavy repayments in...

Mortgage Rates Change Faster Than Freddie Mac Can Report It

Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:20

According to Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey results are collected Monday through Wednesday, then published to the public Thursday. By design, therefore, the survey lumps mortgage market activity spread across 3 days into 1 single point of data. Survey results are skewed, therefore, based on the when survey responders get back to Freddie Mac. Last week, this point was painfully clear.


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