Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Tulare, CA

Compare Tulare, CA Mortgage Rates

When you are looking to buy a new home or want to get your current home refinanced from another lender, securing the best home loan interest rates is a must. MyRatePlan helps buyers find the best home loan rates in Tulare, CA. The process of finding mortgage rates through MyRatePlan is straightforward. All you have to do is use the tools here and input your loan requirements and you'll get a quick comparison of mortgage rates in your area. Doing a little research before applying for a mortgage helps get you better rates, which helps in saving a considerable sum of money in the long run.

Different Types of Mortgages on the Market in Tulare, CA

Since different types of buyers have different mortgage needs, there are many different home loan products out there. Two important mortgage types every borrower needs to understand are fixed-rate mortgages and variable mortgages.

When a home loan has one interest rate throughout its entire term, no matter the length, then it's a fixed-rate mortgage, which got that name because the interest rate is fixed in place. Since the interest rate never changes, the monthly payment amount doesn't either, and the borrower will always know what their monthly payment is going to be. This is true even if they have a 30-day mortgage. Fixed-rate mortgages tend to be a smart, low-risk option, because the borrower doesn't need to worry about their interest rate increasing and suddenly having a higher home payment every month as a result.

The other option is an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) in Tulare, CA. As the name suggests, this is a mortgage where the interest rate adjusts on occasion. A popular variation on this is a hybrid ARM, which essentially combines the fixed-rate mortgage with the ARM. For a predetermined initial period of time, the hybrid ARM operates as a fixed-rate mortgage with one interest rate. After that initial period ends, it switches to an ARM with an interest rate that changes on a specific schedule. An example would be a 5/1 ARM home loan. That five indicates that the home loan has one interest rate for the first five years, and then it switches to an adjustable rate. That one indicates that the interest rate adjusts every one year after the initial period. The obvious drawback with ARMs and hybrid ARMs is that the borrower could end up paying more if interest rates go up.

FHA Home Mortgages in Tulare, CA

Buyers must decide on whether to get a fixed-rate home loan or an ARM, but that isn't the only decision. They also need to figure out if they will go with a mortgage backed by the government or a more traditional home loan. Those traditional home loans don't have any insurance provided by the federal government. There are three types of mortgages that have government backing, which are FHA loans, USDA loans and VA loans.

An FHA loan is backed by the Federal Housing Administration, which is the Department of Housing and Urban Development's program for insuring home loans. One great aspect of FHA mortgages in Tulare, CA is that it's not just first-time homebuyers who can get them, but any buyer. FHA mortgages have benefits for both the borrower and the lender. The borrower can get their home loan while making a significantly lower down payment, sometimes as little as 3.5 percent of what the home costs. The lender is protected from any losses due to a borrower defaulting by the government insurance. The drawback for borrowers is that they're required to cover the cost of mortgage insurance, which means larger home payments every month.

Refinancing a Mortgage in Tulare, CA

Even though the term is refinancing, this means that the buyer is going through the application process for a new mortgage, and there could be fees, including closing costs, upon approval of the application. Therefore, homeowners who are planning to refinance to get a lower interest rate need to also consider how much the extra fees they need to pay compare to what they're going to save in interest over the remainder of the loan. It's possible to go from one type of mortgage to another through refinancing, but if the borrower plans to go from a fixed-rate mortgage to an ARM, they should note that interest rates tend to go up, not down. The key in securing the best interest rate when refinancing a mortgage is appearing low risk to the lender. A borrower can make themselves look as low risk as possible by having a credit score of 700 or higher and maintaining a low debt-to-income ratio. But there are also circumstances where a borrower who doesn't meet the strictest standards could still receive approval on a mortgage in Tulare, CA with a low interest rate.