Home Loans In The US

Home loans are one of the most common types of loans in the United States today.The US has many home loan options which make home ownership and investing in residential properties easy.In addition to the conventional fixed rate and adjustable rate mortgages found world-wide,there are VA Loans,FHA Insured loans and HomePath Mortgages that offer simpler and cheaper ways to purchase residential properties.

Lately refinancing has become a particularly popular option for homeowners in the US, struggling in the face of the economic recession, which has in part caused home pricing to rise despite poor sales in the real estate market. Refinancing helps  lower mortgage payments and allow a person to stay in their home after a financial setback.Refinancing is also an option exercised by savvy real estate investors who want to take advantage of the historically low interest rates in the US and use the bank’s money to grow rich.

When the mortgage balance exceeds the current property value we have an “underwater” mortgage. Refinancing options on such properties are limited because most lenders require some equity in the property ,ideally about 20 percent.However, borrowers can avail of the US government’s Making Home Affordable program(HARP) instead of going for a Short Sale.This program allows qualified borrowers to refinance a loan that is from 105% to as high as 125% of a home’s value.To qualify for HARP,a person must not be on the road to foreclosure.Any delinquent payments in the past 12 months will automatically disqualify a person from eligibility.Second, either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac must own the loan. Read more of this post