Variable-rate loans generally allow you to get lower starting rates during the first few years of the loan, allowing you to qualify for more money than if you had tried to get a more expensive fixed-rate loan. In addition to these types and programs of federal loans, state, and local governments and agencies sponsor assistance programs to increase investment or home ownership in certain areas. Data from the MBA suggests that the standards are stricter in the case of conventional and compliant loans, which meet the requirements to be acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These guarantees allow veterans to obtain mortgage loans on favorable terms (usually without a down payment).
However, the truth is that borrowers don't need perfect credit or a sky-high income to qualify for a mortgage loan, Lindley said. Chris Mason, the owner of America's Home Loans in Petaluma, California, said the biggest mistake borrowers make is that they need a down payment of 20 percent of the purchase price of a home to get a mortgage. An FHA loan has lower down payment requirements and is easier to apply for than a conventional loan. The lender determines the price of mortgage loans in two ways, and both methods are based on the borrower's creditworthiness. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, credit availability declined the most in the case of giant loans, which more borrowers are now using due to rising home prices.
These loans can be very advantageous for those who apply for a loan for the first time since only paying interest significantly reduces the monthly cost of the loan and will allow you to qualify for a much larger loan; however, since you don't pay the principal during the initial period, the balance due on the loan does not change until you begin to repay the principal. The two government-sponsored agencies also reduced the investment and second-home loans they bought, so these loan options declined. Sometimes, an extra part-time job or other income-generating business can make the difference between being eligible to apply for a loan or not or receiving the best possible interest rate. Tassone says that “it should significantly improve access to credit for those borrowers with student loans seeking a mortgage.
Variable-rate mortgages, such as interest-only mortgages or adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), are designed to help first-time homebuyers or people who expect their income to increase significantly during the loan period. In addition, it's not uncommon for private mortgage lenders to approve borrowers for loans that require down payments of just 5 percent. For non-compliant loans, the lending institution that underwrites the loan, usually a portfolio lender, sets its guidelines.
