Utah Mortgage Help

Author: DirectMortgage Total views: 3 Word Count: 486

If you're new to buying a home and don't have the time to read an encyclopedia on mortgages, this is the article for you. We'll go over some basic mortgage terms and concepts to get you started.

The decision to purchase a home by taking out a mortgage is both serious and far reaching. You'll be either increasing or entering into debt, which means you'll be responsible to make significant monthly payments. There will also be upfront fees you must pay. Thus you should make sure that you understand the mortgage process and pick both your loan program and your lender wisely.

You'll want to understand some basic terms so that you can better compare mortgage options: rate, APR, closing costs, Mortgage, monthly payment, fixed, and ARM.

Let's start with the definition of a mortgage. A mortgage is when you borrow money to either refinance your current home or to buy someone else's home. The collateral for the loan is the house itself. In other words, if you were to break your mortgage contract, such as by missing payments, then the mortgage holder would be able to take possession of your home.

The term "rate" refers to the percentage used in calculating the amount of interest you'll pay for your loan. The interest is essentially your cost for borrowing money. If the interest rate remains the same throughout the loan term, then the mortgage is considered a "fixed-rate" loan. On the other hand, if the rate can change, then the mortgage is called an adjustable rate mortgage or an ARM.

While interest is the cost of borrowing money, there are additional costs associated with the mortgage application process. These costs are called "closing costs". They include fees for checking your credit history and scores, applying for the mortgage, verifying that you qualify for a specific loan program (this is called underwriting), originating the loan, title search and insurance, and having the property's value appraised.

While the interest rate is an important number, by itself it is insufficient for comparing lenders. This is because lenders and brokers can charge different fees, making a loan from Lender A actually less expensive than from Lender B, even though it has a higher interest rate. In order to help provide a number that can be compared across lenders, the government has regulated that closing costs be added to the loan amount to determine what is known as the Annual Percentage Rate or APR.

The total monthly payment, also known as PITI, is another important measurement to consider when choosing a loan. The PITI includes principal (P), interest (I), property taxes (T), hazard or homeowner's insurance and mortgage insurance (the second "I"), and HOA dues. When mortgage insurance is taken into account, loans with a higher interest rate might actually have a lower monthly payment than loans with lower interest rates.

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About the Author

Learn more about buying a home and Salt Lake City mortgages by visiting Direct Mortgage at www.directhouse.com

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