About the Mortgage Business

When you are ready to shop for a Mortgage Interest Rate you have two types of mortgage stores to shop - Direct Lenders and Mortgage Brokers.

Direct Lenders have the cash to lend. For instance M&I Bank is a Direct Lender. Brokers are the intermediaries who have many Lenders from which to choose. Direct Lenders have a small number of different loans available like one 30 year fixed and one 5/1 ARM program. Brokers can shop many Lenders and their store of loans and typically get you the best for your money.

Once our company receives your application we will shop for the best mortgage broker for you who will in turn shop for the best Lender.  And since Lender's rates vary drastically, you will have the most options and will in turn receive the lowest rate.  Most mortgage shoppers here find this is the lowest rate they could find with the best terms.  And typically loan costs are also lower than what they would have gotten elsewhere.

Mortgage Interest Rate Programs

For every individual situation there is a beneficial program that will complement them. Depending on the reasons for refinance and future financial plans, these will determine the program that you will choose. The best thing to do is to go over your mortgage options with a loan officer.

For many people, especially first-time buyers, "the lack of a down payment is the typical hurdle" to homeownership, said Steve O'Connor, senior director of residential finance at the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. Today, however, there are numerous special programs with low down payments, some specifically designed for first-time homebuyers. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, there has been an expansion in the past few years of mortgages with low 3 percent down payments. You should check with your bank or financial institution about the requirements for any low down payment loans or first-time buyer programs they may offer. You can contact these agencies directly for more information, or ask your mortgage banker or broker: Fannie Mae: This major publicly-chartered corporation that buys mortgages from lenders and sells them to investors offers a mortgage known as Fannie Mae97, which features a loan-to-value (LTV) percentage of 97 percent. It requires a 3 percent down payment on either a 25- or 30-year fixed mortgage. It is primarily a loan for people with modest incomes who want to become homeowners. Borrowers must take a pre-purchase homebuyer education session to qualify for this loan. Federal Housing Administration: This agency of the Department of Housingn and Urban Development insures residential mortgage loans made by private lenders. With FHA insurance, you can buy a home with a down payment of from 3 percent to 5 percent of the FHA appraised value or the sale price, whichever is lower. FHA mortgages have a maximum loan limit that varies depending on the average cost of housing in a given region. Check out the latest bankrate.com survey of FHA mortgage interest rates.

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