What follows is an all too familiar story in hundreds of thousands of homes across America.

Mr. and Mrs. Owin finally realized the dream of owning their own home in July 2005. They took on a home loan secured against their house in the amount of half a million dollars. It was hard, but they could make the monthly debits on this home loan and they did just that for two whole years. The monthly amount was twelve hundred and fifty dollars because the interest rate for the first two years was a very low 3%. Now the Owins are good honest people but they were miss- sold this mortgage. They didn’t pay much attention to the small print in the contract where it said the interest rate would be altered upwards in July 2007 by nearly double. Their new monthly payments would become nearly two thousand four hundred dollars. Which is a good six hundred dollars beyond the Owins’ budget.

They only half saw it coming. It was too late to sell up when the full extent of the money owing struck them. They would like to sell now but they can’t find a buyer and the property is valued at less than four fifths of their half million dollar debt. So now they are between the proverbial rock and a hard place. They can’t sell but neither can they afford the arrears. Repossession is bearing down on them like an express train.The only way out for Mr. and Mrs. Owin is a quick sale of their dream home. This is where someone pays bottom dollar for a home in advance of it being repossessed by the lending company.

So the Owins, or we should say the bank gets three hundred and seventy five thousand dollars for the house and then writes off the remaining $120,000. Unfortunately the Owins’ difficulty does not end there because the federal government sees this write off as unearned income and wants their share of it. So the Owins have no home, no money, a poor credit rating and an internal revenue bill.

This is an all too familiar picture in America in 2008. With many more people in the rate hike pipeline, facing the upward ratcheting of their home loan payments, the George W. Bush administration rushed through a package of helpful legislation. The ‘Mortgage Relief Act’came in to force just in time for Christmas last year. The aim of this act was to stem the tide of foreclosures, prop up the US economy and help people like the Owins to escape from between the rock and the hard place. It is rightly called a national homeowner crisis because people like the Owins could never earn enough to pay back the amount they were bamboozled into taking on.

This new law now changes the Federal taxation requirements so that when people have been let off the home loan, anything up to $2,000,000, they are no longer to be taxed on it. So it is much needed good news for people like the Owins.This new act is also good for the economy as a whole because it benefits two key sectors in it. These are the banks and savings & loans and the first-time homebuyers. The effect of the Act is to multiply the number of pre repossession sales and to motivate banks to market the real estate on their books aggressively.

This means millions of houses and condominiums are coming down in price. The banks make profits on lending so they are being very accommodating to anybody who comes to them with a good credit history and a desire to borrow money. Thus, this is boosting the first time buyers and thereby the economy.First time homebuyers are the engine of the whole housing market. They now are faced with an over-supply of affordable properties and very approachable lending institutions. They can negotiate inexpensive home loans for places that just last year were beyond their budgets. There are also a number of federal and local ‘easy finance programs’ available to qualifying first-timers. It is believed that with all these initiatives together the American economy will soon bounce back from its’ self-inflicted sub-prime debacle. 

Of Carpenters And Mortgage brokers?

If I were a carpenter and you were a lawyer, we would have a good life with steady money coming in and the phone ringing all the time for us to do stuff for all our clients. We would have a house or an apartment, three children at school, two cars, and a dog. We would pay out every month, and thank the lord for automatic transfers, for our mortgage, our car, tuition fees, social security, pension, health insurance and the list goes on and on and on. It’s absolutely vital that we keep on doing what we do best.

We do not have time to learn a whole new language and the ins and outs of something that we will do perhaps once or twice every ten years or so. Swapping a mortgage contract and or the lender is just such a thing; important that it is done, in order to save money for all the other commitments, but not urgent; difficult to understand, complex and easy to get wrong. So who are we to call? A specialist that’s who.

A mortgage refinance expert in the Rolodex under ‘M’ for must manage mortgage money!   A good broker can take the whole burden of finding and getting a new secure home loan. A good broker will save you multiples of the fees they charge but there are ways to use a broker without paying them. A good broker will search the whole financial product scene to find the most suitable mortgage for their client. A good broker specializes in doing nothing else. A good broker has innumerable contacts within the esoteric world of mortgages.  We all put our health in the hands of specialist medics and it’s scary. It can be scary to put our financial health and all our personal data in the hands of the mortgage broker.  

All specialists in the mortgage/finance sector are constrained by state laws that are there to protect the lay customer. The Federal government leaves it to the states to monitor individual mortgage specialists so before using the service check their bona fides just as you would with your doctor. There may well be a license requirement and this will be the first thing a broker will show you.Use your valuable time to find a reputable specialist mortgage broker then sit back and let them do their work in three stages. They will begin by analyzing your money status and needs. They will go on to searching the mortgage products available and linking your need to the most appropriate solution. They will then manage the implementation of your refinancing deal leaving you free to go on with your life.  There will be no need for you to learn the jargon or struggle over the standard application forms.  The specialist will do it all for you.

A good broker will interpret and translate all of the complex terms and procedures involved in this largest of finance transactions.  An alternative refinance route could be to go to an institution and liaise with a loan officer who would do the same service as a mortgage broker but who would be working more for the organisation than for the client.  So you need to refinance and get on with your life.  The best way to do this is to find and use a specialist as they will do when they want a new set of bedroom cupboards.

Hidden Costs of Mortgage Refinancing  There is much more about mortgage refinance than meets the eye. While you rejoice the prospect of saving a lot of money, you should also be prepared for hidden costs that may take you by surprise. It is always better to do your homework before you take the plunge. Make sure you do the math properly taking everything into account to see how much you’d really save.

Comparison is the name of the game. Never settle for the first offer. Always compare rates from at least four lenders for refinance.  Generally, the cost of home refinancing will be lower than your original loan, but the fact remains that refinancing a mortgage loan involves closing costs. There are some fees that don’t apply to refinancing; but the closing costs can still be substantial. So, it is prudent to confirm the fees that your lender will charge this time around.

You may want to consider the roll-in financing option that some mortgage lenders offer. This gives you the freedom to roll the refinancing closing costs into the loan itself. Thus, you won’t be required to pay any up-front costs, but, remember, this will result in somewhat higher monthly payments, because your loan balance is higher. You will obviously want to know how much you can save by lowering the interest rates. After all, that is the primary reason why go in for refinance in the first place. You can use the amortization calculator to see how much you can save through better rates alone.

All you have to do is just enter the loan amount, interest rate, and the length of the loan to see how much interest and principal you’ll be paying each month.You must know that even a couple of percentage points can make a big difference and swing the percentage any which way. For example, you can save $300 a month by switching your $180,000, 30-year loan from a rate of 9 percent to 7 percent. That’s quite a lot, isn’t it? On the other hand, if you take a home loan mortgage refinancing for a lower rate, it will cut down tax deduction, which means you will have to pay higher income taxes. Now, this is something you were totally unaware of. But, it is a big factor in considering the cost of refinancing. You know your tax bracket. So, you can figure out the impact it will have on your tax return. For instance, if you’re in the 25 percent tax bracket, and a mortgage refinance will lower your monthly interest payment by $200, taxes will claim $50 of that savings.

As a result, your true savings will be $150 a month.  If the value of your home increases over time, then you will regret your decision of refinancing, because you will lose those pesky PMI payments. However, you have the freedom to end your PMI payments as long as the new loan amount is lower than 80 percent of the property value. In order to find out how much PMI is costing you, you need to check your current mortgage statement.In the ultimate analysis, refinancing is a welcome option when you’re stuck in a high-interest loan. It can considerably lower your rate even if it is less by just a couple of percentage points. You can recoup the closing costs in a matter of months. However, you must look at the numbers before you leap. That will help you save a lot and you need not worry about unanticipated surprises. 

“Fix and Flip” Deals

Investors in real estate make mega bucks by using the “Fix and flip” routine. Quite simply “fix and flip” refers to a three step procedure in handling real estate deals. Buy—renovate—sell for profit. In the basic “fix and flip” scenario, you buy a house, fix it up, and then sell it immediately for profit. Profit means your selling price must be higher than your buying price and the cost of renovation put together.

So, what happens to the investment if there’s a slump in the market? Some investors can lose out on the “flip” in a slowing market. However, with some smart thinking, there are always ways to make money with “fix and flip” in any kind of real estate market.

Estimate “Fixing” costs accurately

One of the key elements of your “fix and flip” profit will depend on an accurate estimation of what it will cost you to renovate the house. Renovation projects typically run over the schedules and over the budget. So keep a generous margin of safety while budgeting.

Estimate “Flip” time accurately

The other key element to assess is the condition of the real estate market. You can make money by “fix and flip” even in a slowing market as long as you can hold on to the property for a while. Remember not to set yourself very restrictive timelines for selling the house. If you can hold on long enough, you will end up with a profit.

Lease with option to buy

In this case, you’ll amend the typical “fix and flip” so you lease the property with an option to buy. Obviously, it’s important to ensure that your monthly mortgage payment is being covered by the rent accrual. At the time of selling, you don’t have to pay any brokerage fees to a real estate agent since your renter is your automatic buyer also.

Many lenders will be able to help you finance a “fix and flip” property. These offers typically finance both the buying price and the funds required for renovations. But making money on the deal is your baby. If you have accurate cost and time estimates, the returns can be well worth the effort!

Mortgage Refinance to the rescue of troubled Option ARM borrowers

Using Option ARM to finance your home may have offered the benefit of very low monthly payments in the beginning but will certainly increase the burden of payments as time goes by landing the homeowner in a financial crisis. A way out of the risks of Option ARMs is to use Mortgage Refinance.The terms of Option ARMS allow the homeowner to choose from various repayment options depending on the homeowner’s liquidity, each month. In such a scheme, the homeowner payments could range from paying a major portion of the amount upfront or smaller and smaller payments, if the monthly budget is tight. Generally, one of the following broad options are chosen by Option ARMS consumers:

• The largest monthly payment option: Short loan mortage tenure (a 15 year period).

•   Smaller payment option: Long term tenure (a 30 year period)

•   Interest payment only, without touching principal repayment

•   Smallest payment option: Enabling part payment of the interest without principal payment

Option ARMs: Advantages and Disadvantages

Option ARMS provides such huge flexibility primarily addressing people with irregular income such as sales representatives awaiting there commissions, part time workers, students about to graduate and expecting lucrative jobs etc. Allan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve chairman and such other experts have commented that quite a few consumers use such facilities to buy homes that they could not normally afford and end up in huge financial mess.Financial woes start when negative amortization sets in. This means your principal debt starts increasing. Option ARMs do provide great payment flexibility but on the down side, the floating interest rates on the loan could change. Given that the interest rates have been increasing in the past two years, the monthly loan payout could, in some cases, double in a matter of weeks or months. This dramatic increase in outflow spells financial crisis for the borrower.

How refinancing your Mortgage can help

The recent housing boom saw a dramatic rise in borrowers opting for Option ARMs as a way of financing their home mortgages. Such people now find the terms of financing too costly leading up to major default. If you are one of them, then the way out would be to get your loan refinanced with a conventional 30-year fixed rate mortgage. This would bring in a great amount of predictability while steadily chipping away at the principal. This financial predictability would reduce anxiety and bring in peace of mind.Currently, the rates for fixed rate mortgage are at their historical low. This is a great opportunity for refinancing Option ARMS borrowings. It might cost you a sum to refinance but these costs are rather small compared to the risk reduction and cost of losing your home, if you were to remain in the Option ARMs. So its time now to talk to your lenders about converting your Option ARMs borrowing to a less risky fixed rate mortgage and gain a few hours of peaceful sleep.

If you are a home owner and you need money, you can consider home equity loans as a means of raising money. Your home will serve as collateral and you can use the funds you have invested in buying or improving your home, as equity.  

Your home serves as the security against which home equity loans are given, but remember that it may have to be sold to pay off the debt, if you are not able to keep up with the monthly payments. If you need a large amount of money for medical expenses, college tuition for your kids, debt consolidation, home repairs or other necessary requirements, you can consider home equity loans.  

You can opt for fixed rate mortgages or adjustable rate mortgages. These home loans are available either as a lump sum or as a revolving line of credit. One of the benefits of home equity loans is that the interest you pay is usually tax-deductible.  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises that your home may be your single most valuable asset and those who agree to take home loans based on the equity they have in their homes, may be putting their most important asset at risk. 

Homeowners must be careful while taking home equity loans, because certain exploitative borrowers indulge in abusive practices like equity stripping, loan flipping, hiding loan terms and adding extra charges. The elderly, minorities and those with low incomes or poor credit, are most at risk and these exploitative lenders tend to target them.  Lenders who indulge in equity stripping help home owners with a low income to take home equity loans that they may not be able to afford. Home owners who are unable to keep up with the monthly payments usually end up losing their homes.  

Home owners who have fallen behind in their mortgage payments and are facing foreclosure may be approached by another lender. The lender will offer to save them from foreclosure by refinancing their mortgages and also offer lower monthly payments.  Actually the monthly payments may be lower only because the borrower will only be paying interest every month, while the principal amount remains unchanged. The entire amount borrowed will be payable at the end of the loan term, in one lump sum, called a balloon payment. Borrowers, who cannot make the balloon payment or refinance the loan, may lose their homes.  

Loan flipping involves refinancing existing mortgages to raise money. Home owners who do this to raise money may have to pay high points and fees, apart from prepayment penalties. Borrowers who refinance their home loans may have to pay a higher interest rate and accept a longer loan term. With each refinancing they may take on more debt and increase the risk of foreclosure.  Unscrupulous lenders may try to trick borrowers into signing papers for credit insurance that they don’t need, or ask them to pay additional fees and costs. Others may ask borrowers to sign over their deeds, in return for saving them from foreclosure. 

Never sign any document without reading it carefully or sign a document that has blank spaces meant to be filled in later. Never consider home equity loans, if your income is insufficient to meet the monthly payments. Don’t get lured by extra cash or lower monthly payments. Use your discretion to determine whether the loan you are considering is worth the money you will have to pay for it. Before signing up for home equity loans or signing away their deeds, home owners must consult trusted and knowledgeable family members and/or attorneys.   

How to find the best mortgage rates In the present day, there is a lot of competition in the mortgage market and borrowers can shop around for the lowest mortgage rates. Whether you are interested in getting a mortgage or refinancing an existing one, many different types of mortgages are available and you need to look for a solution that meets your specific requirements.  

You can opt for mortgages with fixed interest rates or variable interest rates. Borrowers who opt for mortgages with fixed interest rates have to pay a fixed rate of interest for the entire term of the mortgage. Those who choose mortgages with variable interest rates have to pay mortgage rates that vary, as the interest rates in the market go up and down.  Those who opt for mortgages with variable interest rates are usually offered lower interest rates initially, than those who opt for mortgages with fixed interest rates. On the other hand, if you opt for a home loan with variable interest rates, it is not easy to predict if the mortgage rates will go up or down in the future. 

With fixed-rate mortgages, you can be certain that the monthly payment will not change over the term of the loan. It is preferable to opt for a fixed rate when the interest rates are low, so you can lock the lower rates for the entire term of your loan. Some borrowers prefer to opt for a 30-year term to have a lower monthly payment, while others prefer a 15-year payment because it allows them to pay off the mortgage much earlier. A shorter term reduces the total amount of interest payable, but you need to be sure that you can afford the higher monthly payments. 

Once you have decided about the type of mortgage that will suit you, start researching the lowest mortgage rates available, in the local newspaper and on the Internet. Mortgage rates can fluctuate, so you will have to keep in touch with the latest figures. The websites of lenders will provide their current mortgage rates and their different plans. You can also find a comparison of the interest rates of different mortgage lenders on some websites  

It is preferable to approach a bank where you already have an account, because you will be offered better terms and mortgage rates. Tell the loan officer of the bank about your plans and ask for advice about a suitable mortgage solution. Negotiate with lenders and ask them if they will offer lower mortgage rates or give a better offer than other lenders.  If you are not comfortable with approaching different lenders to ask about mortgage terms and interest rates, you can consider signing a contract with a mortgage broker to act as your agent.  

Compare the fees of different brokers before you select one. It may seem like an additional expense, but mortgage brokers can tell you about the mortgage plans offered by different lenders and suggest a suitable solution for you.  The interest rates offered are an important consideration, but don’t forget to ask lenders about other charges like points and fees that you may be required to pay. Ask mortgage lenders to give you their offers in writing and to submit quotes for the same type of loan, loan amount and loan term, so you can compare them.  According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), if you take time to shop, compare and negotiate, to get the best mortgage deal, you may be able to save thousands of dollars over the term of the loan.