Property and Real Estate Resources

Second mortgages are taken if you have any home improvement plans or debts to pay off or simply put when you need extra finances. It is an additional loan taken against the same property. Such loans are considered riskier and hence lenders charge higher rate of interests on a second mortgage.

You may mistake second mortgage and refinance to be the same thing, but the truth is, they are different. A refinance means that you are renegotiating the terms of the first loan while a second mortgage means you are borrowing more money against the equity of your property.

How must you use a second mortgage?

Second mortgage is useful at times when you need a lot of extra cash. Home equity can earn you big loan amounts and hence most borrowers borrow on the equity of their home. You may need second mortgage for:

Avoiding Private Mortgage Insurance/PMI Creating a credit on the home equity line Making home improvements Purchase of more homes Debt consolidation programs

Are there any disadvantages of second mortgage?

The disadvantages of second mortgage are listed below:

A second mortgage can be dangerous for your home if you can’t pay it back. They have a higher rate of interest compared to a first mortgage. You may have to pay huge second mortgage fees.

What are the types of second mortgage to choose from?

You can choose from the 2 types of second mortgages:

1. Home equity line of credit – This works in a similar format to a credit card where you (homeowner) will be given a line of credit based on the equity of your home. You will have to pay interests on the amount borrowed. This interest rate depends on the market index rates making it more unstable than home equity loan.

2. Home Equity Loan – It is a set loan amount that is fixed for a said term and has a set rate.

Second mortgages can be found almost everywhere. Lenders are willing to offer such loans as they can charge high rate of interests. You may seek second mortgage from a lender you are already working with. There may be some rate cuts and may also be able to save some money on fees.

Owner Builder construction is a great way to build instant equity into your new home by eliminating the costs of a general contractor. In fact, cutting the overhead of a licensed general contractor can save an owner builder anywhere from ten to thirty percent on construction costs. That’s tens of thousands of dollars in instant equity for an owner builder.

However, owner builder construction loans are a tricky animal. Not only are the very difficult to find, but they can also be a lot more complicated than the typical purchase or refinance loan. Indeed, owner builder construction loans can be a lot more complicated than even a regular construction loan.

Therefore, if you are considering being an owner builder and managing the construction of your new home, then you need to make sure your owner builder financing has the following three features. These three owner builder construction loan features are imperative to the success of your project.

1. Owner Builder Loan Imperative One: A Line Item Budget with Unlimited Draws

Owner builders don’t sign a contract with a licensed general contractor to build their home for them. Instead, an owner builder must put together a detailed budget of the costs to build their new home.

If you are building your home with a licensed general contractor, the construction loan will typically have a fixed number of construction draws to fund the project. For example, the loan may have only five draws that are issued based on the percentage of completion of the home. Therefore, the builder will have to fund the construction until a draw can be taken.

For owner builders, though, this is usually not possible. Owner builders can’t fund construction out of pocket, relying on taking only five draws during the course of the project.

Instead, if you are going to be an owner builder, you are going to need the ability to take an unlimited number of draws during construction, based on the specific itemized budget that you put together during the planning phase.

With an owner-builder line item budget, you can take loan draws every step of the way. When you clear your land, you can take a draw. When dig the hole for your foundation, you can take a draw. This way, owner builders don’t have to carry the costs of construction out of their own pockets. Not having an itemized budget with unlimited draws is a recipe for disaster for owner builders.

2. Owner Builder Loan Imperative Two: The Owner Builder is in Control of the Draws

With typical construction loans, the general contractor will request the loan draws. Many times, the borrower will be required to sign for the draws in addition to the general contractor. However, even in this case, the general contractor has fifty percent of the control of the construction loan draws.

For owner builders, this is not an option. An owner builder needs to be in complete control of the loan draws. The sub-contractors should not be allowed to have any say over the draw process.

As long as the owner builder is the only person who can request the draws, without input from the sub-contractors, then there is no chance of the sub-contractors getting paid until the owner builder is fully satisfied with the work that they did.

If a sub-contractor gets paid prior to doing satisfactory work, the poor owner builder will never get his house built. Instead, you’ll be out of money before the roof is on.

Therefore, if you want to be an owner builder, ensure your construction loan is designed to keep you, and only you, in charge of the construction draw process. If you can do this, then you will never have to worry about giving money to one of your sub-contractors before they have finished the job.

3. Owner Builder Loan Imperative Three: Minimizing Your Loan Down Payment

Every construction project has cost over-runs. Sometimes, those extra costs won’t be fully covered by your construction loan. Therefore, it’s imperative that an owner builder has some cash set aside to be fully prepared for any small cost overages.

If your owner builder construction loan requires no down payment, or even a very small down payment, then you can keep as much cash as possible in your own pocket for the construction phase.

If you want to put the money into your construction loan to keep your monthly mortgage payments as low as possible and keep your equity as high as possible, then make sure your owner builder loan will allow you to pay down the balance at any point during construction.

Therefore, if you have no down payment, you can keep the money in your bank account to protect yourself from cost overages. And, when you are safely finishing your construction on budget, you can use that money to pay down the balance of your owner builder construction loan prior to converting over to your permanent mortgage. This way, you’ll be protected and have a smaller monthly mortgage payment.

Most construction loans require at least a ten percent down payment. In fact, many require a twenty percent down payment. However, if you can find an owner builder construction loan that will require little to no down payment, you will be well ahead of the game.

It’s possible for owner builders to minimize their down payments, because a good owner builder construction loan will cover up to 100% of their costs as long as there is a large spread between the cost to build and the finished value. (There should be a very large spread between the cost to build and the finished value if you are an owner builder, cutting out the overhead of a general contractor.)

Therefore, if you want to save tens of thousands of dollars by building your own home without hiring a general contractor, then you will need to find the right owner builder construction loan.

These loans can be difficult to find, and they are almost always a bit more complicated than a typical purchase loan. However, a good owner builder construction loan will always have these three essential features: a line item budget with unlimited draws, owner builder control over those draws, and a minimal down payment requirement.

SBA mortgages have become very popular in the last 12 months due to the general economy, the banking crisis that has all but eliminated conventional commercial loans and because of the Stimulus Package the was rolled out in March of 2008.

Despite the fan fare, SBA mortgages come with their own set of issues that business owners should be aware of them before they make their decision to go forward with one or not.  Here’s the overview of the common complaints of SBA mortgages.  1.  Quirky set of underwriting rules that often defy common sense.  2.  Adjustable rates on the popular SBA 7a loan and 3.  High prepayment penalties on the SBA  504 loan.

SBA Mortgages – Quirks

With any government entity there are often agendas that are either political or out of touch with reality.  Probably the biggest issue here is just the overall process of getting an SBA loan closed and the complex set of rules and guidelines that banks and lender have to follow in order to ensure that they will get the SBA guarantee.

For example the typical SBA loan takes 75 -90 days to close.  Conventional loans normally take 60 – 75 days to close.  The forms and procedures for both the bank and the borrower are much less cumbersome on conventional loans and there is more flexibility with getting exceptions on non SBA loans as wells.

However, it is important to point out that the SBA has done much in the last 3 -5 years to make the system more efficient and seamless.  For example they cut the SOP (the Standard Operating Procedural Book down from 800 pages to 300 to help underwriters grasp the rules easier).

It is also very important for borrower to only work with very experienced firms in the SBA field.  The last thing you want to do is go with a bank that has only done a few SBA mortgages as they will likely add an additional 60 to 90 on top of the typical 75 day process.  So business owners should do their shopping as well as make sure that their timing restraints make the realities of the closing process.

SBA Mortgages – Issue with the SBA 7a Loan

One of the main complaints to the classic SBA 7a loan is that the rate normally adjusts on a monthly or quarterly basis, against the fluctuations of either the Prime Rate or LIBOR.  Entrepreneurs are often concerned about the uncertainty of what their monthly payments maybe in a few years and often find it difficult to plan due to this.

The reason for the set up is to encourage banks to lend on transactions that they normally would not consider.  For example, SBA mortgages often provide 90% financing.  No bank would do this without the government guarantee.  Further the adjusting rates helps the bank as their costs of funds fluctuate with the market as well.  So they are concern about offering fixed rates to borrowers that may hurt them in the future.

Another thing to keep in mind here is that there are a few banks that will structure the SBA 7a loan with a 3 to 5 year fixed rate.  As of this writing, we know of 2 in the nation…  It is very rare, but it is out there.

SBA Mortgages 504 Loan

The SBA 504 loan is the best commercial mortgage for businesses when purchasing buildings over $1,000,000.  The rates are very low and fixed and underwriting is still flexible.  90% financing is still available.  As of this writing the rate of the SBA piece is at a historic low of 5.14% on a 20 year fixed rate…

However there is an expensive prepayment penalty that is concerning for many borrowers.  It is  a 10% step down, meaning it drops down by 1% per year over a ten year period.   Borrowers need to keep this in mind in term of their long term plans with the building.

However there is an expensive prepayment penalty that is concerning for many borrowers.  It is  a 10% step down, meaning it drops down by 1% per year over a ten year period.   Borrowers need to keep this in mind in term of their long term plans with the building.

In addition, borrowers should weigh this negative feature against the benefits:  1. Getting a low, long term fixed rate at 90% loan to value. 2. That they can lease out the property in the future. 3 and that they can refinance the conventional loan and that the SBA loan will re subordinate into second lien position.  4.  That the loan is assumable to other qualified borrows, should you want to sell the property.

All in all, and despite the concerns, SBA mortgages have rightfully earned the fanfare that they are now receiving.  They are not perfect, for sure, but they offer many exceptional benefits and unlike the other commercial mortgages out there, they continue to close…

Buying a home can be one of the most exciting times in your life. However, all the paperwork involved in the process can leave you feeling overwhelmed and ready to give up. With so many mortgage lenders out there, it is important to find one who will walk you through each step of the process. You will want to do your own research as well so you can look into various types of mortgage loans that meet your needs.

While the internet is an ocean of information, be careful selecting a mortgage lender online. Especially if the lender is not located close to you. Mortgage lending scams are very popular. Never send any online lender money for processing fees. It is likely you will never hear from them again, thus the loss of your hard earned cash.

This is not to say that there aren’t many reputable online mortgage lenders. Just be cautious. Take the time to research their history. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been issues. Another important point here to watch – if they lender has no history, be cautious. This is because many fly by night mortgage scams change their name frequently to avoid being caught.

There are several types of mortgage loans, each with their own criteria. You mortgage lender should be able to explain your options once they have reviewed your information. Government loans including VA, CHFA, and HUD are designed for low to moderate income families. These loans have a low down payment requirement. That makes a difference for many families because they don’t have the revenue to save up a large down payment. Generally, they are more lenient on credit history than regular mortgage loans. These programs also offer programs specifically for first time home buyers.

Conventional loans are basic loans. They generally require very good credit. As a reward, they also have very low interest rates. These include Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac loans. Conventional loans have a maximum loan amount that changes each year based on compiled financial statistics. Jumbo loans exceed the maximum loan amount of a conventional loan. They come with a higher interest rate because they are often viewed as high risk because of the dollar amounts involved.

Fixed rate mortgages allow you to keep the same interest rate for the entire term of your loan, unless you refinance it later. If you have good credit, you are better off securing you loan at a good rate in case your credit history changes. Adjustable rates mortgages change over time based on economic information. This is a gamble because your rate may increase or decrease, but there is no way to know for sure. Balloon payment mortgages allow you to have a lower monthly payment, with a large sum of money due at the very end. Having a lower monthly payment is enticing, but be careful. If you can’t come up with the money for the balloon payment, you may end up losing your home.

Reverse mortgages are mortgages loans designed specifically for citizens who are 62 years of age or older. A reverse mortgage loan is one of the many benefits afforded to senior citizens in to allow them to live out their wonderful golden years in peace, tranquility, and above all else, fun. Most people are familiar with mortgage loans; this is because that almost all current and future homeowners are not able to pay for a house directly up front with out-of-pocket funds. So, almost everyone who is looking to purchase a house has to take out a mortgage. What continues is common knowledge, once a mortgage loan is taken out on a house, then the homeowner(s) must then immediately begin paying back the loan, which usually occurs in monthly payments. However, reverse mortgages are, well, normal mortgages that are completely reversed.

In a regular mortgage loan a person has to pay off his or her monthly debts to the mortgage lender, but in a reverse mortgage it is the lender who pays the homeowner. America’s leading reverse mortgage lender, as well as the nation’s most trusted, is the Wells Fargo Company’s reverse home mortgage. Wells Fargo Reverse Mortgages guarantees reliability to senior citizens interested in this type of mortgage loan. In addition, Wells Fargo Reverse Mortgage services are just as reputable as Wells Fargo itself (the likes of which is a nationally recognized and longstanding company specializing in mortgage loans).

A Wells Fargo Reverse Mortgage allows U.S citizens who are 62 years or older to be able to buy a new home without having to take out a new regular mortgage loan, or to pay out-of-pocket in order to obtain the house. Instead, a senior citizen can get rid of the headaches that come along with paying monthly mortgage fees by instead having money loaned to them in a lump sum, a monthly payment (assuming the homeowner continues to reside in the home, and does not become deceased), periodic credit lines, or a combination thereof. What the homeowner does with the money being received from the lender is up to the homeowner, unless of course the homeowner needs to continue paying off an already established mortgage, in which case some of the funds from the reverse mortgage lender must be used in order to pay the monthly mortgage payments.

You may be asking yourself why senior citizen is allowed to indeed receive money from a Wells Fargo Reverse Mortgage lender instead of pay money. The explanation is simply, when entering into a reverse mortgage the homeowner is giving the lender the right to take the proceeds from the sell of the home as payback for the money lent. So, if the homeowner must move out of the house and into the care of family, friends, or nurses at a retirement home, or if the homeowner becomes deceased, or if the homeowner wishes to sell the house, then the Wells Fargo reverse mortgage lender will receive the proceeds from the housing sell.

If, after the sell of a house, the amount of money made exceeds that of the loan amount due, then either the existing borrower or heir(s) will receive the difference. If the amount of money made falls short of the loan amount due, then the insurance company usually pays the difference. Wells Fargo reverse mortgages are perfect for senior citizens who wish to move closer to family or friends, or perhaps to a more convenient and placid location, or maybe even a dream spot. Either way, no senior citizen wants to have to worry about mortgage payments, especially after a long life of bill paying has already been dealt with, so, why not take a load off with a Wells Fargo reverse mortgage? Enjoy your life, and for once start receiving some money from the lenders, instead of giving money.

For more information please visit our website on Reverse Mortgage