1st 2nd mortgage

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We all know how difficult its been in this economy. The real estate market has taken a huge hit with record foreclosures, a failing mortgage industry and homeowners seeing their home equity disappear. Some homeowners are finding some relief by refinancing through one of the loan modification programs available for struggling homeowners. The current administration is heavily focused on keeping homeowners in their homes.

When the real estate market was good, many people were looking to get into home ownership and take advantage of the favorable lender environment. In another corner, many investors were buying up rental properties at record pace to capture the low interest rates, “zero downs”, 100% financing and attractive ARM’s not normally available for rental properties. And with so many baby boomers on the horizon, many were buying as second homes for their future, but using them as rentals for the short term. Of course, all assuming the market would continue to go up, equities would continue to rise and they would have retirement funds in abundance.

Unfortunately this did not happen and many of these investors are now holding onto investment properties that have lost much of their value, have mortgages set to re-adjust at higher rates and are now becoming long term landlords.

Many have tried to apply for the same loan modification or refinance programs that are being offer to homeowners in their primary residence, only to find out that most of these programs do not apply to properties in the category of “investment properties”, especially if the original financing terms were categorizes as a “second home” and now the property is used as a rental.

Also if a second mortgage is attached to the rental it can almost be impossible to get the second lien holder to subordinate and allow the 1st mortgage to be modified. Nor would it be easy to get the first lien holder to consolidate 1st and 2nd mortgages together as this would most likely cause an upside down mortgage (over 100% financing).

As a result there are not many options for a property investor other than to try and stay afloat and hope their tenant never moves out. Or lose your property to a quick sell (hoping to break even), a short sale or worse foreclosure.

To me its interesting this administration has not given much thought to the needs of property investors, as this group of people are not only help the economy, which provides affordable housing for many people who have lost their homes, but also for the fact that these investors create many jobs in the construction sector, the average supply for the state and city through tax assets, banks, merchants, carpenters , real estate and property management.

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Recent trends in the mortgage industry have now come up with a way for you to be able to get a home with zero down. This means that it has now become much easier to get the house of your dreams and not have to save for years in advance. It also applies to first-time home buyers, too. Here are some things you need to know about the zero down financing for your home.

The main purpose of zero down financing is obvious – so you can get moved in to your new house quicker than before. The way it works is simple – you basically take out a first and a second mortgage at the same time. Many lenders will require that you must make the home your primary place of residence, so it may not be available if you are looking for investment properties.

Normally the first mortgage will be around 80% (or possibly 75%) in order to avoid the requirement for Private Mortgage Insurance. Then the second mortgage is for the balance, allowing you to even go beyond that and get up to 107% or more. If you have a really good credit score, some lenders will even allow you to borrow the amount needed for the closing costs. However, even if you do not have the credit rating you want, some lenders will even do this type of financing for you even with a rating as low as about 580. Of course, they will expect the proper documentation, and you can expect a better interest rate with better credit levels.

A zero down mortgage for financing your home will probably mean a little higher interest than a more traditional mortgage. Remember that a second mortgage will always have higher interest than a first mortgage, too. If possible, it is always a good idea to reduce the amount you owe by putting something down. This could reduce both your payment and your interest level.

Zero down financing for your new house will most likely require that you have at least six months worth of payments for your PITI (Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance). This shows that there is some financial stability involved.

When you apply for your zero down financing, be sure you know the difference between fixed rate mortgages and adjustable rate mortgages. Know the terms that apply to mortgages, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the various types. A second mortgage may give you the option of going even higher than the cost in order to have some cash on hand. This could allow you to do some fixing up in order to get it just the way you want. Be careful here, though, because borrowing too much could mean having no equity for a very long time. Second mortgages are also tax-deductible, too, depending on how you use it.

Be sure that you take some time and compare a number of offers for your zero down financing. Too many people are signing on the dotted line only to find out that it was not the good deal they thought, and they end up stuck in a bad situation. Education and time spent searching for and supply of mortgage can help save tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a mortgage loan.

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When you need the cash out of the equity of your home you may wonder which one is better for you – a cash out mortgage or a home equity loan. The truth is that both have their advantages – but probably one will be better for your situation than the other. This will mean that you need to know a little about each in order to make up your mind. Here are some differences between the two.

A cash out mortgage will involve refinancing your first mortgage. This could be a great way to go, especially if you can get interest rates on the refinance that are at least one percent (two percent is to be preferred) lower than your present mortgage rates. So not only could you get the equity you want, but also you will save thousands of dollars by getting better interest rates, too.

You get the equity you want in a lump sum when your cash out mortgage is approved. All you need to do is to refinance for the amount of the mortgage that is still outstanding, and add the amount of cash you want from your equity. You will want to watch and make sure that you do not refinance for an amount equal to 80% of the value of your house – that includes the equity, as well. The reason for this is simple, you want to make sure that 20% of the value of your home is left intact so that you do not need to pay the Private Mortgage Insurance. This could add thousands of dollars each year to your payments.

You can enjoy further savings if you decide to shorten the term length, too. If you make the remainder of the refinanced loan to be about 5 years less than what you have now, you could literally save tens of thousands of dollars more over the life of the mortgage.

A home equity loan is another way to get to the cash in your equity that you want. A home equity loan is a second mortgage, and you may be able to get it as either an adjustable rate mortgage or a fixed rate mortgage. While it obviously does not require you to refinance your first mortgage, it will give you a new monthly payment – and the cash you want. As a second mortgage, there will also be closing costs and other fees – with the possible exception of going through your present lender.

The interest rate will be higher than on a first mortgage, when you get a home equity loan. The interest rate, as well as the amount you can borrow, will depend mostly on your credit rating, and your ability to repay the loan. Make sure your credit report is accurate before you apply. If there are inaccuracies on the report it can hurt you and give you higher interest rates than you might have otherwise, or even cause your home equity loan to be rejected.

Before you agree to either a home equity loan or a cash out mortgage, you will want to shop around to find the best deal. It will take some time to do it right – but you are the one who will benefit from the savings. Check the various characteristics, such as interest rates, fees and payment terms – including the monthly payments.

The choice is now yours. You generally can be summed up – you want to refinance an existing mortgage or obtain a second mortgage? Both have their advantages, but only you can decide what will work best for you.