Mortgage Information

You're thinking about buying a home and don't want to read through a thick book about mortgages. This article provides some general home loan basics to get you started.

The decision to purchase a home by taking out a mortgage is both serious and far reaching. You'll be either increasing or entering into debt, which means you'll be responsible to make significant monthly payments. There will also be upfront fees you must pay. Thus you should make sure that you understand the mortgage process and pick both your loan program and your lender wisely.

You're mortgage education should start with some basic explanations that will help you understand and pick your loan: closing costs, APR, rate, monthly payment, ARM, fixed, and of course, mortgage.

What is a mortgage? A mortgage is a loan that uses your home as collateral. This means the mortgage owner can take possession of your house if you default on the terms of your loan. Mortgages are used to pay off existing mortgages (this is called a refinance) or to purchase homes.

The rate is the percentage that is used to determine the amount of interest you'll pay over the life of the loan. Interest is basically your cost for borrowing money. The interest rate can remain constant throughout the loan term. In this case, the loan is considered "fixed rate". If the rate can change after a specified period (such as after one year or after five years), then the loan is considered an adjustable rate mortgage or ARM.

While interest is the cost of borrowing money, there are additional costs associated with the mortgage application process. These costs are called "closing costs". They include fees for checking your credit history and scores, applying for the mortgage, verifying that you qualify for a specific loan program (this is called underwriting), originating the loan, title search and insurance, and having the property's value appraised.

Using the interest rate by itself an ineffective way of deciding where to buy a loan because two lenders with the same rate can charge different closing costs, making one loan more expensive than the other. That's why you should always look at the APR, or Annual Percentage Rate. The APR takes into account closing costs and provides a more equalized measurement for comparing mortgages.

Besides looking at the APR, you'll want to pay attention to the total monthly payment that you will owe. Besides including principal and interest, this amount includes property taxes, hazard or homeowner's insurance, mortgage insurance, and HOA dues. Mortgage insurance is independent of interest rate, and when factored into your monthly costs, could result in a loan program with a higher interest rate having a lower monthly payment than a loan with a lower interest rate.

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To find a Utah mortgage or a Salt Lake City mortgage, go to www.directhouse.com.