Adjustable versus fixed rate loans
A fixed-rate loan features a fixed payment amount for the entire duration of your loan. Your property taxes may go up (or rarely, down), and so might the homeowner's insurance in your monthly payment. But generally payment amounts on your fixed-rate mortgage will be very stable.
Early in a fixed-rate loan, most of your payment pays interest, and a much smaller part toward principal. As you pay on the loan, more of your payment is applied to principal.
Borrowers might choose a fixed-rate loan to lock in a low interest rate. People choose fixed-rate loans when interest rates are low and they wish to lock in this low rate. For homeowners who have an ARM now, refinancing with a fixed-rate loan can provide greater consistency in monthly payments. If you currently have an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM), we can help you lock in a fixed-rate at a good rate. Call SLI Mortgage, LLC at (512) 733-4868 to discuss your situation with one of our professionals.
Adjustable Rate Mortgages — ARMs, as we called them above — come in a great number of varieties. ARMs usually adjust twice a year, based on various indexes.
Most programs feature a "cap" that protects borrowers from sudden increases in monthly payments. Some ARMs won't adjust more than 2% per year, regardless of the underlying interest rate. Sometimes an ARM features a "payment cap" which guarantees your payment will not increase beyond a fixed amount over the course of a given year. The majority of ARMs also cap your rate over the duration of the loan.
ARMs most often have their lowest, most attractive rates at the start of the loan. They guarantee that rate from a month to ten years. You may hear people talking about "3/1 ARMs" or "5/1 ARMs". For these loans, the initial rate is set for three or five years. After this period it adjusts every year. These loans are fixed for 3 or 5 years, then they adjust. Loans like this are best for people who anticipate moving in three or five years. These types of adjustable rate programs most benefit people who plan to sell their house or refinance before the loan adjusts.
Most borrowers who choose ARMs choose them when they want to get lower introductory rates and don't plan on remaining in the home longer than the initial low-rate period. ARMs can be risky when housing prices go down because homeowners can get stuck with rates that go up if they can't sell their home or refinance at the lower property value.
Have questions about mortgage loans? Call us at (512) 733-4868. It's our job to answer these questions and many others, so we're happy to help!