Posts Tagged ‘new mortgage’

Mortgage Products: The Balloon Note

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

Ever been to watch the hot-air balloon in flight? It’s an absolute beautiful sight. What is the down side to the hot air balloon? Unless all the conditions are just right, the balloon can crash, causing a life-threatening situation. The balloon mortgage note, can affect the same result, you just don’t fall from the sky. You fall from the home. This article takes a look at the balloon mortgage note, and the situations it benefits, and the situations it does not.

Before you can discuss how well something does or does not work, you really should understand what it is. The balloon mortgage note allows you to borrow money to purchase a home, and establish an affordable monthly payment, often with a very good interest rate. The amortization of the amount borrowed may be for a 30 year term; however the life of the balloon mortgage generally does not exceed 72 or 84 months, 6 to 7 years. At the end of the balloon term, a huge “balloon payment” is due.

If you intend to sell your home within a 7 year period, the balloon note option is an excellent alternative that offers a lower monthly payment. But, what happens if you don’t sell the home? Well you either must come up with the balance of the note, or find an alternative mortgage product. The biggest problem that this situation creates is your ability to deal with the variables in the situation, when the balloon note matures.
At the time the note matures, if the interest rates are high, or if the real estate market is experiencing a slump, you may be forced to accept a higher interest rate, or produce a very big down payment with a new note. Either way, the conditions aren’t favorable for the homeowner.

What is the difference between the balloon note and the Adjustable Rate mortgage? Actually, quite a lot. The balloon note, of course we have discussed above. But we’ll hit the high spots once more: The balloon mortgage note allows you to borrow money to purchase a home, often with a very good interest rate; the life of the balloon mortgage generally does not exceed 6 to 7 years. At the end of the balloon term, a huge “balloon payment” is due. Well, with the ARM, your interest rate is fixed for a certain period of time, and at the end of that term, there is an agreed upon fixed rate mortgage that picks up the balance of the loan, with a previously agreed upon interest limit, and a fixed number of years. You see, with the ARM, there is more of an assurance provided to the homeowner that he or she will be eligible for a particular mortgage, with a set limit on the interest rate. Current market conditions have the put the rates for balloon notes and ARMs at the same level. So, there is really less reason to choose the balloon note.

Some of the balloon mortgages sold today, have an automatic rollover option; you need to be sure which type of balloon note you’re getting, and if the automatic rollover option is in effect. The automatic rollover does create the opportunity for a guaranteed renewal on the note; however the interest rate will not be geared to benefit the homeowner. Often, the interest rate is higher, and the homeowner has a new mortgage, but at a higher interest rate.

It really pays to shop around before you consider this option, especially with the vast product offerings that are available to most homeowners; there are usually better products, with better terms than the balloon note.

Balloon notes are generally more popular with rising interest rates, simply because they offer a better rate. But so do ARMs and they have less volatility than the balloon note. Unless I was absolutely positive that the home I was purchasing would be sold in less than 5 years, I wouldn’t even entertain the thought of a balloon note. I would suggest the safer alternative of the Adjustable rate mortgage.

However, balloons are more attractive, and quite popular than there more hum-drum counterparts, and they do offer more home for less money each month. Just remember, they are prone to exploding!

How Does Fannie Mae Work

Sunday, December 28th, 2008

In 1938, Fannie Mae was established by the US Government to promote the growth of home ownership by providing a secondary mortgage market. What is a secondary mortgage market? Well, the secondary mortgage market exists in the buying and selling of a mortgage from one lender to another. The bank, or Mortgage Company that provided you with your loan, can turn around and seek to sell your mortgage to a company such as Fannie Mae. This frees up their cash to make another mortgage loan. And the cycle of growth is expanded and sustained in this manner. The idea and concept worked, and today, Fannie Mae has helped millions of Americans achieve the dream of home ownership. Until recently, Fannie Mae was a part of the US Government, and was overseen by the Housing and Urban Development branch of that government.

Now, however, Fannie Mae is a privately held, stock ownership company that promotes the growth of the housing industry by making it possible for many low-to-middle income Americans to own homes. Investors just like you and I can purchase stock in the Fannie Mae Corporation, and not only increase our won wealth, but also help to fund the home ownership possibilities for a new generation of Americans.

In 1968, just thirty years after her government commissioned birth, Fannie Mae became a private company operating with private capital. She had outgrown her need for federal funding and supervision. That does not mean, however, that the government does not still closely work with the Fannie Mae Corporation. It does. The housing industry has continued to grow, and currently the entire mortgage market is experiencing phenomenal success. Fannie Mae’s focus, however, is still on the low to middle-income American.
Fannie Mae deals only in the secondary mortgage market, this way Fannie Mae Corporation can ensure that money for mortgages is available throughout the 50 states and that as many homeowners as possible can take advantage of home ownership.

How does Fannie Mae continue to fund the mortgages that she buys? Through the issuance of mortgage backed securities. These securities known as MBS are issued to investors. When Fannie Mae issues the MBS, she is guaranteeing the investors a return on their investment, and at the same time, providing a source of funding for issuing further mortgages. This provides the nation’s lenders with a steady stream of cash to continue to make mortgages available to the consumer.

How does all this relate to the home of your dreams? Well, stop just a moment to connect all the dots. Fannie Mae buys mortgages from your local lender. The lender receives the proceeds from that purchase, and can then offer a new mortgage to you. It’s a steady and continual circle of growth. Why? Well, Fannie Mae isn’t the only lender in the secondary market. Insurance companies, pension funds, securities dealers, and other financial institutions buy mortgages on the secondary market. Who invests in these insurance companies, pension funds and securities dealers? Where do they get their money? From taxpayers just like you. Mortgage holders just like you. Now can you see how Fannie Mae and other mortgage lenders in the secondary market, work to foster home ownership and community growth, all in one process?
The primary focus for Fannie Mae, operating under a government directive, is to provide the maximum amount of help to lenders in making mortgage loans to the low, to middle, to moderate income families across America. Fannie Mae is also involved in a nationwide effort to join with lenders and community partners to create even more home ownership possibilities.

Through this partnering, and the existence of FHA backed mortgage loans, the Fannie Mae Corporation and your local lender can offer a greater variety of loan products, and reach a much broader client base. This increases once again, the homeownership possibility for many, more Americans. Thanks to the expanding mortgage product line, the increase in real estate values, and the efforts of Fannie Mae, more Americans own their own home than ever before. Where will the future take Fannie Mae, and corporations like her? I think the Fannie Mae Corporation will continue to foster growth and the realization of the American Dream for many successful years to come.