Refinance
Get Refinance Answers
Below are answers to the common questions about refinancing your mortgage. Don’t see what you’re looking for? The best mortgage advice is only a phone call away. Contact us any time.
Similar to a health check-up, a mortgage check-up reveals the
overall financial health of your current mortgage and other
household debts. Like most families, your mortgage is probably your largest debt and your home equity is possibly your largest investment. Therefore, it makes sense to evaluate your mortgage annually. Call us for a no obligation mortgage check-up and see if you can save.
United Home Loans defines your Household APR as the average interest rate across all of your household debts. This simple
calculation matters because it provides a quick answer to whether or not refinancing some or all of your outstanding loans will save you money. Don’t want to do the math? Call us for a Household APR calculation custom to you.
There are multiple loan programs that allow qualified homeowners to take cash out of their primary residence. Typically, lenders will require that the borrower have an above average credit score,
full-time employment, and an acceptable equity position in their home. Call us and see how much equity you have and to lock-in a low rate today.
People refinance their existing loans for a number of reasons
including obtaining a lower interest rate, to save on monthly
payments, or to change the term of the loan. People also choose to refinance if they want to switch from an adjustable rate to a fixed rate or to consolidate debt by refinancing for a higher loan amount and using the difference to pay off other debt. Call us to see if
refinancing makes sense for you.
As both a mortgage banker and lender, United Home Loans has the ability to shop dozens of banks and lending institutions to ensure that you receive the best possible interest rate and loan program. We search for the lowest rates, so you don't have to. Plus, with
in-house processing and underwriting, decisions regarding your loan are handled locally from start to finish. Call us with any
mortgage question and see why we’re the best.
For most borrowers, each monthly mortgage payment includes: Principal, which is the total outstanding balance of the loan;
Interest, which is the cost of borrowing money; Taxes, which are levied on the property by the local government; and Insurance, which protects the owner and the lender from losses caused by fire and natural hazards. Check out our loan calculators for an estimate of your monthly payment, or call us for quote specific to your current or desired property.
Locking your interest rate means your mortgage rate is guaranteed even if market rates change before closing. Most lenders allow you to lock a rate for 30 to 60 days, with the option to extend the
rate-lock period for a fee. How do you know whether or not to lock your interest rate? It depends on if you expect rates to rise or fall before you close on your home. No one knows for sure which
direction rates will go at a given time, so it's difficult to make a
reliable prediction. It helps to keep track of announcements from the Federal Reserve Board and to talk to your financial advisor about what may happen in the near term. Call us for a custom quote and current market assessment.
Discount points are interest prepaid to your lender at closing in exchange for a lower interest rate on your mortgage. Each discount point is equal to 1% of the loan amount, and is often called "buying down" your rate.
Does paying points make sense for you? The answer depends
primarily on how long you plan to stay in your home. First, find out how much lower your monthly payments will be if you pay points. Then, calculate how long it will take for the monthly savings to add up to the cost of the points. If it would take five years to break even and you're planning to live in your home for ten, paying discount points may be a smart move. Call us for help with a custom
calculation.
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) provides your lender with a way to recoup its investment if you are unable to repay your loan. PMI is usually required when the mortgage amount is higher than 80% of the home's value. That means that if you buy a home with a down payment of less than 20%, you will probably have to pay for PMI. There are numerous programs available with low cost, cancellable PMI options. Call us for a custom quote.
Your credit history is only one factor in qualifying for a mortgage, so late payments doesn't necessarily disqualify you. There are a
variety of mortgage options to help people with less-than-perfect credit become homeowners and leave credit challenges behind. Call us for help getting on the path to home ownership.
Lenders consider many factors in evaluating your loan application, but they usually focus on four areas:
Income and debt: How much money you make and what other bills you have to pay helps the lender determine whether you can afford to make mortgage payments.
Assets: The lender needs to make sure you have enough money to cover the costs of buying a home.
Credit: Whether you've met other financial obligations helps the lender predict whether you will repay your mortgage.
Property: The home you want to buy has to be worth enough to act as collateral for the mortgage.
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