Monday, October 12, 2009

Tips on Finding the Best Home Loan Rates

By Jackie Smith

When making a purchase you try to find the best price you can for the items you want. When it is time to purchase a home, not only is the price of the home important, but just as important is the mortgage that you will be taking out on the home. Whether this is a new home, or you are simply looking to refinance your existing home, you would ideally like to find the lowest mortgage rate possible, with the lowest amount of fees associated with it. There are numerous sites on the internet to help you find the information you need, as long as you know what you are looking for.

Many mortgage quotes fail to disclose clearly some of the extra fees associated with their offer. This is where you must be cautious and tread softly, because no one wants to be caught with hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of unanticipated fees for a mortgage. Mortgage companies are required by law to provide a good-faith closing estimate before you commit to a specific offer. This estimate should be very close to the actual costs listed on the closing documents.

Another option for current home owners is a home equity loan. If you are not looking to refinance your mortgage, but you need additional financing, a home equity loan is a great way to borrow some of the cash that you have already pain into your home. If you take a home equity loan, you are not required to use the money for home improvements; you can use the money for whatever you want. The downside to the home equity loan is that you are removing equity from your home, and your monthly expenses will increase as a result of the load, so it is best to use a home equity loan wisely.

Today, however, it has become increasing difficult to get a home equity line of credit, unlike a few years ago. With the current economic crisis in America, existing credit lines are being canceled and place on hold, and new ones are impossible to receive. This leaves many taking a home equity loan instead. With a home equity loan it is a one time payment with specific payment terms. This makes them more readily available for home owners to obtain.

No matter what type of loan you are interested in, there are some general requirements that you should be made aware of. Typically the lender will require you to have a certain level of home owners insurance on the house, to protect their investment in the case of any damage to the home. The lender will also want the appropriate legal documentation in place that assures them that if you fail to live up to the terms of the loan, or you are loosing your home for any other reason, that they will be paid back first. These are just standard procedures, and should not discourage you from applying for a loan if the situation requires it.

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