Carrie Reeder asked:




A jumbo mortgage is different than a conforming loan. A jumbo loan amount exceeds that limit set by FNMA. That limit can change every year, but is around $300,000. With a jumbo mortgage, the interest rate is a little higher than other similar mortgage loans that are for smaller amounts. The reason the rate is higher is because the loan has a perceived higher risk by lenders.

A jumbo loan is considered a non-conforming loan. Conforming mortgage loan programs have perceived less risk by lenders and have lower interest rates. Most mortgage loans that are done by lenders are conforming loans. Jumbo loans are a small percentage of the mortgages that are done.

Although most mortgage loans that are done in the US, are smaller loan amounts than those limits set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for jumbo loans, in California, home prices are so high, that there are many jumbo home loans done there.

If you live in California and/or are looking to get approved for a jumbo loan, the internet is a great place to apply to get a jumbo loan for a few reasons. First of which is that there are so many lenders online competing for your business, that lenders are forced to offer their lowest possible rates in order to get your business. For example, a local broker, who has a steady client base, may not be motivated to offer the lowest rate or the lowest closing costs, when the competition is only local. However, when you have the largest group of lenders online competing for your business, you can get a much better offer.

Where is the best place to apply for a jumbo loan? There are many mortgages companies online who can provide you quotes from multiple lenders. These companies will be able to provide you with quotes for usually up to 4 different lenders. This is a great way to make sure to get competitive offers. However, make sure you still ask each competing mortgage lender about the points they will charge, their closing costs and any other fees, to make sure you are getting the best loan you can.

Getting the lowest interest rate does not always make the loan you want, the best deal. The lender can charge more in other places that you might not catch until closing.

To view our list of recommended lenders online for jumbo loans, visit this page: Recommended
Jumbo Mortgage Loan Lenders Online.

Zachary

William Chesney asked:




With a view to lend a helping hand to those people having problems with mortgage repayments, Obama’s government has come up with special home refinance and loan modification programs. These programs mainly aim at helping the destitute. Due to recession and other economical crunches, many home loan borrowers are unable to repay their mortgage loans promptly. In such a scenario, this special package offered by the government provides relief to about 9 million struggling mortgages.

This package includes two main key components:

Home Refinancing Loan modification

Let us look at each of these components in detail:

Home Refinancing: allows two major players Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to refinance all those borrowers whose balance outstanding is more than the true value of the property. However, borrowers need to fulfil a clause to be eligible for this program. The mortgage loan procured by them should be guaranteed by these agencies. On the other hand if you have the financial ability to pay the excess amount due, you would be entitled for this option.

But this program is only applicable to those properties that are being used for residential purpose. Any unoccupied property would not get qualified under this program.

Loan Modification: In order to encourage and promote this program on a large scale, Obama government has announced special incentives to lenders modifying loans. The main aim of this program is to help homeowners avoid foreclosures.

How does home loan modification work? Loan modification cuts down the rate of interest up to 2% on the existing loan, increase the repayment period which would in turn reduce the monthly EMI to be paid towards this loan. And most importantly all the penal charges and late fee are waived off.

Mortgage modification also allows lenders to have control over the total payments made by the borrower. In no case, the lender would be able to increase the liabilities of borrower more than 31%.

Yolanda

Jim Bisnett asked:




The mortgage industry has experienced slow application activity over the past several months, but that jogging pace may turn into a sprint as mortgage rates fell to historical lows recently. On November 25, the government announced some major credit stimulation initiatives in a bold move to bolster the depressed housing and mortgage markets. On the news, home loan rates tumbled by one-half percent, a move seldom encountered in the mortgage business. Three major components came together to create the sharp drop. First, the Treasury announced that they would now guarantee Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debt and purchase up to $100 billion of that debt, thereby bolstering investor attraction to the safety of their issued bonds. Secondly, the Treasury announced that it would purchase up to $500 Billion of Fannie, Freddie, and Ginnie securities, creating much needed liquidity in the mortgage markets. Finally, Treasury yields dropped in a major one-day move, almost one-quarter percent on the 10-Year Treasury bond.

The result of this perfect storm of financial news was a one-half percentage point drop in mortgage rates and a potential beginning for stabilization in housing. Historically low mortgage rates may be just the stimulus needed to drive potential homebuyers off the fence to begin the offering process. After the government announcement, many lenders were offering par rates in the 5.5 percent range for 30-year fixed rate mortgages. Home loans at this price may be a hard deal to pass up for those refinancing loans and purchasing homes, especially in light of the roller coaster ride that mortgage rates have taken so far this year.

On the refinancing front, although interest rates are low, home prices continue to deteriorate across the country. The National Association of Realtors recently announced that sales of existing homes fell by 3.1 percent in October, and the median home sales price plunged 11.3 percent from a year ago to $183,000. On this news, it’s important to keep in mind that a homeowner’s qualified refinance home loan interest rate may not be as low as advertised offer rates, if their loan-to-value (LTV) ratio exceeds 80 percent. So, it’s a good idea for those considering a mortgage refinance to get a handle on the value of their home, before they start shopping rates. The spread appears to be tightening for higher LTV home loan scenarios, but those refinancing over 90 percent of their home’s value will most likely get the best deal with an FHA refinance.

As for the rate outlook ahead, many feel that the current low mortgage rates will continue for a while. Whether they decline even further is anyone’s guess, but a leveling in home prices could be just the medicine needed for further rate dips.

Lucy