What Are Discount Points?

Discount points allow you to lower your interest rate. While this video simplifies things to help you remember, “points” are essentially prepaid interest with each point equaling 1% of the total loan amount. Generally, for each point paid on a 30-year...

What Is Loan To Value (LTV) And How Does It Affect The Size Of My Loan?

While this video simplifies things to help you remember, the loan to value ratio is the amount of money you borrow compared with the price or appraised value of the home you are purchasing. Each loan has a specific LTV limit. For example: With a 75% LTV loan on a home...

What Types Of Mortgage Loans Are Available?

This video tells you about the most common types: Fixed Rate, ARM, Balloon and 2-Step. First, Fixed Rate Mortgages: Payments remain the same for the life of the loan generally 15 years or 30 years. Interest rates remain the same, so payments are predictable. A second...

What Are The Advantages Of 15- And 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgages?

For both, as we show you in this video, compared with other options,  with fixed rates, housing costs won’t be affected by interest rate changes and inflation. With A 30-Year Term: In the first 23 years of the loan more interest is paid off than principal...

Can I Pay Off My Loan Ahead Of Schedule?

Usually, Yes. Like the guy in the video says, by sending in extra money each month or making an extra payment at the end of the year you can accelerate the process of paying off the loan. When you send extra money, be sure to indicate that the excess payment is to be...

What Factors Affect Mortgage Payments?

Well, as this story shows, the amount of the down payment the size of the mortgage loan, the interest rate the length of the repayment term and payment schedule will all affect the size of your mortgage payment. In bullets: down payment loan size interest rate –...