Charles Essmeier asked:




The mortgage industry has long been able to adapt to changing market conditions. When interest rates rose to double-digit levels in the late 1970′s, the industry made more adjustable-rate mortgages available. When the savings rate began to drop and Americans had less to put down on homes, the industry made more flexible loan products available that did not require as large a down payment. And now, as immigrants begin to comprise a larger and larger portion of our population, the lending industry is begun to introduce loans that are tailored to an immigrant population that may not have solid credit histories or Social Security numbers.

These loans, known as ITIN loans, are offered to illegal immigrants that do not have a Social Security number. They can qualify for the loans by obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification number (ITIN) from the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS issues these numbers to people who are required to pay taxes but are ineligible for a Social Security number. The government uses these numbers for tax purposes only. A few small banks, as well as national banks Citibank and Wells Fargo, have started to issue loans to customers who have an ITIN but not a Social Security number. Most of these loans have been issued in California, but they will probably be available in other places soon.

The process of obtaining an ITIN loan is somewhat more complicated than that of applying for a conventional mortgage. Applicants with an ITIN usually have a credit history that is less well documented. As a result, the usual background work required issuing such a loan is more complicated and more time consuming than for a conventional mortgage. In addition, fees and interest rates will tend to be higher than for other types of loans in order to compensate lenders for the additional trouble and additional risk.

While there is plenty of opposition to lending money to people who are here illegally, few would argue that a neighborhood that consists of homeowners, rather than renters, is a better neighborhood for everyone. Owners are much more likely to take care of their property and show concern for the neighborhood as a whole than are renters. Thus, any lending plan which encourages people to buy, rather than rent, is good for everyone.

Marcia

Blank asked:


Interest rates and home prices have risen over the years making it harder and harder for first time buyers to qualify for a home loan. Many financial analysis say now is the time to buy a house before rising rates price you totally out of the market. But what if you have bad credit? Can you buy a home right now if your credit is not up to par? For a lot of consumers with bad credit the answer to that question is yes. If you have had credit problems but have a minimum credit score of 580 and stable income, in most cases, you will be able to qualify for a bad credit home loan aka sub-prime mortgage loan. Sub-prime mortgage loans specifically cater to people who have had credit problems such as bankruptcy, late payments, judgments, collections and a high debt ratio. So… what this means is if you have these type of problems you may still be able to buy your dream home now rather than having to wait years while you try to clean up and re-establish your damaged credit history.

With a bad credit home loan you should expect to pay a higher rate than you would with a standard conventional loan. How high of a rate you pay will depend on several factors:

Your credit score

Your debt ratio

The severity of your bad credit

The lender you choose

If your situation places you on the higher end of the interest rate scale then you should view your loan as a temporary solution to turn you into a homeowner with the ultimate goal of improving your credit standing so that you can refinance to lower rate loan in 2-3 years.

Bad credit home loans are not available from all mortgage lenders. Only those lenders who specialize in or offer sub-prime mortgage loans will offer these programs. Make sure you are honest up-front about your financial situation and your credit history when you go to apply for a home loan so that your credit does not get pulled needlessly by a lender who does not even offer the kind of loan products unique to your situation. Just one unnecessary inquiry hit to your credit can be disastrous if you are teetering on the brink of the minimum 580 credit score because every time your credit report is pulled it has the potential of lowering your score even further.

Most lenders who do offer bad credit home loans will advertise this fact. There are also resources on the web that can steer you in the right direction. Websites such as http://www.badcreditloanshop.com and http://www.equityloansource.com offer a wealth of information on home loans for people with bad credit as well as sub-prime mortgage lender sources.



KURT

Dean Shainin asked:


Not many people know a lot about home loan rates, even some who have purchased or refinanced their mortgages before.

In most cases this applies to people who do not take the time and effort to know more about interest rates for their home loans. These people may be busy executives who are involved in investment properties, or home buyers who do not know that it is important for them to know more about interest rates for their home loans. This also applies to some home buyers who get their mortgage brokers or advisors to process their applications on their behalf, and the advisors do not explain the loan terms and interest rates to their clients.

It is very important for home buyers to know all the details about the home loans, including interest rates.

There are a lot of lenders available who offer various packages of home loans with many different aspects of rates. Most people do not have the time or proper education to find good rates for their situation.

Some home loan officers do not explain the details of different loan products and rates to their customers. In some cases, loan officers tend to promote home loan packages for which they earn high commissions, although these packages may not the best for the customers in the long term. In some cases loan officers assume that the customers know about the loans and rates, and do not take the time to explain the details of the loans. It is therefore important that you ask any questions you have about different loan packages.

It is therefore a good idea that you educate yourself about the various options that are available to you. If you do this initial research, you will be aware of some details of various home loan packages and rates, and you can then ask for clarification for what you do not understand.

Whether you are dealing with a mortgage broker and or a loan agent at a bank or other lending institution, it is important that you ask the right questions so that you can select a loan type and rate that is suitable for you.

You will need to educate yourself about the risks for the various loan packages, and you will also need to know about fixed-rate home loans, adjustable rate mortgage loans (ARM), and two step mortgage (Fixed interim-rate mortgage or FIRM).

For you to ask the right questions which will help you choose the best home loan with a good rate, you will need to have educated yourself about the basics of the home loan packages and rates.

Assess the different home loan packages and rates, compare what will be the best for you and your situation, and if you have any questions, ask your agent. A mortgage is a long term financial obligation, so it has to be right.



PRESTON