Mortgage servicing companies charge a premium because most consumers believe that they will get a better deal because they are staying with their existing company.The truth is that the company you are currently making your mortgage payment to is most likely a collection company who is working on behalf of the actual holder of your mortgage which is usually Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. In fact, I worked at a mortgage servicing company who I won’t mention here and I was floored when I learned that we were given two rate sheets. One for our existing customers and another rate sheet for new customers who management considered more likely to shop around (a full .25%-.375% higher rate).
Mortgage terms : Closed mortgage – A mortgage that cannot be repaid or prepaid, renegotiated or refinanced prior to maturity, unless stated in the agreed upon terms. Closing costs – Costs that are in addition to the purchase price of a property and which must be paid on the closing date. Examples include legal fees, land transfer taxes, and disbursements. Debt service ratio – The percentage of the borrower’s income used for monthly payments of principal, interest, taxes, heating costs, condo fees (if applicable) and debts. GDS is gross debt service – how much you spend on Principal, Interest, Taxes and Heating. TDS is total debt service – GDS plus all other debt payment obligations. Default – A homeowner is ‘in default’ when he or she breaks the terms of a mortgage agreement, usually by not making required mortgage payments or by not making payments on time. Down payment – The money that you pay up-front for a house. Down payments typically range from 5%-20% of the total value of the home, but can be anything above 5%, if you qualify. Early Discharge Penalty – A penalty you may pay your lending institution for breaking the mortgage contract early. This is usually 3 months interest or the Interest Rate Differential (IRD), whichever is larger. See below for IRD.
Being careful with your money is very important. Here are a few tips related to finance terms. Subprime credit cards are one of the worst credit card products. These credit cards are geared toward applicants who have a bad credit history and these cards typically have high interest rates and fees. While approval is often quick, even for those with bad credit, the terms are often confusing. The Federal government has made rules regarding the amount of fees subprime credit card issuers can charge, but the card issuers often look for loopholes and ways to skirt these rules. Despite the unattractiveness of subprime credit cards, some consumers continue to apply for the cards because they cannot get credit elsewhere. This is a situation where you have to proceed at your own risk.
Payday Loan Interest: Payday lenders charge borrowers extremely high levels of interest that can range up to 500% in annual percentage yield (APR). Most states have usury laws that limit interest charges to less than approximately 35%; however, payday lenders fall under exemptions that allow for their high interest. Since these loans qualify for many state lending loopholes, borrowers should beware. Regulations on these loans are governed by the individual states, with some states even outlawing payday loans of any kind. In California, for example, a payday lender can charge a 14-day APR of 459% for a $100 loan. Finance charges on these loans are also a significant factor for borrowers as the fees can range up to approximately $18 per $100 of loan. More financial calculators at Reverse mortgage calculator.
Terms: When a borrower puts up an asset, such as a car, as collateral for financing, it is called a title loan. People who need money in a hurry often take out car title loans and wind up paying exceedingly high interest rates.
Credit score: A credit score is a numeric expression that indicates how credit worthy someone is. The score is created using an analysis of a person’s credit history as provided by past creditors. The score is held by a credit bureau. More financial info on Mortgage rate calculator.
Net Income: In its most basic definition, net income refers to a company’s total earnings or profit. Simply put, net income is the difference calculated when subtracting all expenses (including tax expenses) from revenue. When a company’s net income increases, it’s normally a result of either revenue increasing or expenses being slashed. It goes without saying that an increase in net income is generally perceived as a positive thing and factors into a stock’s performance.
Interest Rate Differential – A way lenders calculate the penalty for discharging a mortgage before the end of a closed mortgage contract. The difference between the interest that the financial institution will make if you continued your mortgage to the end of the contract and what they will make by loaning it to someone else at the current interest rate. More on Mortgage payment calculator. Equity – The difference between the market value of a property and the amount owed on the property. This difference is the amount a homeowner actually owns outright.