Buying a home is a major financial decision, and it's important to understand the different types of home loans available to you. There are eight main types of home loans available to prospective homebuyers, including conventional loans, fixed-rate loans, adjustable-rate loans, FHA loans, USDA loans, VA loans, and jumbo loans. The specific type that best suits your needs will depend on your individual real estate objectives and your financial situation. Conventional mortgages are the most common type of mortgage.
They are available in terms of 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 years, but the most common are 15 and 30. Conventional loans have stricter regulations on their credit rating and debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Interest-only mortgages give you the option, for the first five or 10 years, to pay only the interest portion of your monthly payment instead of the full payment. This slows down payment time, but can be useful in case of a rush.
The remainder of the mortgage is then fully amortized like a conventional mortgage. VA loans are guaranteed by the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs and help veterans and active-duty military members buy a home without a down payment, guaranteeing 20% of the loan value up to the compliant loan limit.
Rural home buyers with low to moderate incomes may qualify for USDA loans backed by the U. Department of Agriculture. Obtaining a one-year adjustable-rate mortgage may allow the client to qualify for a higher loan amount and therefore purchase a more valuable home. Many homeowners with extremely large mortgages can get one-year adjustable-rate mortgages and refinance them every year. The low rate allows them to buy a more expensive home and pay a lower mortgage, as long as interest rates don't rise.
Global mortgages last a much shorter term and work much like a fixed-rate mortgage. Monthly payments are lower due to a large overall payment at the end of the loan. The reason the payments are lower is because it is mainly interest that is paid monthly. Global mortgages are great for responsible borrowers who intend to sell the home before the lump payment due date. However, homeowners can have big problems if they are unable to pay the lump sum payment, especially if they are required to refinance the lender of the original loan through the lender of the original loan.
Rental Home Loans and Vacation Home Loans may require larger down payments and have stricter qualification requirements than other types of mortgages. Insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), FHA loans make it easy for first-time buyers, people with low to moderate incomes, or people with lower credit scores or higher debt-to-income ratios to own a home. Conventional fixed-rate loans are a safe bet because of their consistency; monthly payments won't change over the life of your loan. Homeowners who have improved their financial situation since initially purchasing the property can refinance their current home loan to a mortgage option that comes with a better interest rate or loan term. VA loans (Veterans Affairs), offered as a benefit to active and retired U. military personnel, VA loans are guaranteed by the U.
Department of Veterans Affairs. Borrowers with lower credit scores may want to find ways to improve their scores or seek government-backed loans with more flexible credit requirements. Typically, these loans are designed for low-income Americans with poor credit and can come with low interest rates and no attached down payments. The traditional ARM loan, which is reinstated every year, is considered quite risky because the payment can change from year to year in significant amounts. Lenders often seek to resell home loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which offers them a way to reduce loan risk and potentially transfer lower interest rates to you. Chances are you'll qualify for more than one type of home loan, so spend some time getting to know the pros and cons of each one before making your decision. Talk to a local real estate agent or mortgage lending expert to learn more about market interest rate trends. These loans can allow you to borrow with a lower credit score, apply for a larger loan, or get a loan with no down payment.
To save you some work, we've provided an overview of several types of home loans you can choose from here.
