Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Lafayette, AL

Compare Lafayette, AL Mortgage Rates

Whether someone intends to buy a new home or refinance the mortgage on their current home for a better deal, it's crucial that they get the best possible mortgage rates. That's where MyRatePlan can make a world of difference in pulling up the best mortgage rates in Lafayette, AL. We have all the info and tools a home buyer needs to research and compare mortgage rates, which will help them get the lowest interest rate and avoid paying any more than necessary for a home.

How a Borrower Can Secure the Best Mortgage Rate in Lafayette, AL

If someone is interested in buying a home in Lafayette, AL, they are more than likely going to need a mortgage to do it. Even the homes with the lowest prices are still typically at least $50,000, and since that's more than the majority of people have sitting in their bank accounts, it's just about impossible to get a home by paying cash. That means the homebuyer is going to need a home loan for financing, and they'll want the absolute lowest possible interest rate to keep costs down. The first step, after the prospective borrower locates the home of their dreams, is to do their own research on mortgage lenders. It's common for real estate agents to give their own advice here, and they often recommend mortgage lenders they've done work with in the past. The problem is that the real estate agent primarily cares about closing the home purchase, and the buyer's interest rate is secondary. But getting a mortgage approved quickly isn't always best, as it can take time to find the top deals. The borrower should look around and use the internet to get the info they need to make an informed decision. With the MyRatePlan mortgage rate tool, any borrower is able to pull up the lowest mortgage rates across Lafayette, AL. Now, to receive approval on a loan at a low rate, the borrower will need to have a good credit score, and the higher, the better.

What Types of Mortgages Borrowers Can Get in Lafayette, AL

The home loan marketplace includes a variety of loan products to appeal to the needs of different buyers, including fixed-rate home loans and variable home loans. As it's important to know how those two types of loans work, they're explained below.

A fixed-rate mortgage in Lafayette, AL gets its name because the interest rate stays fixed at one percentage for the full term length of the loan, regardless of whether the loan lasts five years, 10 years or 30 years. With the interest rate staying the same, the monthly payment also stays the same, which makes it easy for the borrower to set their budget and know how much their home payment is going to be.

An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) in Lafayette, AL has an interest rate that changes on a set time frequency. For example, the interest rate could adjust with the market every year. There are also hybrid ARMs which start out as fixed-rate home loans for a predetermined period of time, and then transition to ARMs for the remainder of the loan term. For example, a 7/2 ARM would have a fixed interest rate for the first seven years, and after that, the interest rate would adjust every two years. The difficulty with ARMs and hybrid ARMs is that the interest rate can go up and leave the borrower with a larger home payment, potentially stretching their budget to its limit.

FHA Mortgages in Lafayette, AL

While you will need to decide between a fixed- or adjustable-rate home loan, that isn't the only choice you need to make. You also must choose whether you'd prefer a loan that is backed by the government, such as an FHA loan, or a conventional loan instead. When we say conventional, we mean a mortgage that is not guaranteed or insured by the government. This is the primary difference between conventional loans and FHA, VA, and USDA loans, all three of which are backed by the government.

HUD, also known as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is the governing body for all Federal Housing Loans. As these are federal loans, they are available to prospective homeowners in the Lafayette, AL area and include every buyer type, not just the first-timers. The government takes on the responsibility of ensuring the lender should any losses occur thanks to the buyer. An advantage for consumers is that you can make a potentially very low down payment. A disadvantage is you must maintain mortgage insurance, which will raise your overall payments.

Mortgage Refinancing in Lafayette, AL

Even though mortgage refinancing in Lafayette, AL is a common term, what is actually happening is the borrower is applying for a new home loan to pay off the old one. If the new mortgage has better terms, the borrower can save money, but they need to remember that the new mortgage could have closing costs, along with some other fees, that they must cover. To decide if refinancing a mortgage is the right move, the borrower must do the math and see if they'll save enough from the lower interest rate to outweigh any costs of the new mortgage.

There is one situation where the borrower doesn't need to double check the math, though, and that's if they're paying off an ARM with a fixed-rate mortgage. This is almost always a wise choice, because interest rates usually increase, which means fixed-rate mortgages are often cheaper in the long run. When a borrower wants to refinance a mortgage, they need to demonstrate that they're low risk. They can do so by getting to and maintaining a plus-700 credit score and having a low ratio of debt to income. Fortunately, even borrowers who can't quite reach the highest standards can still end up approved on a new mortgage in Lafayette, AL with low interest.