Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Clarksville, IA

Compare Clarksville, IA Home Loan Mortgage Rates

Whether a prospective borrower is checking out mortgages in Clarksville, IA because they want to purchase their first home or refinance the mortgage on their current home, it's vital that they get the best mortgage rate possible. That's made much easier by MyRatePlan, which has all the data and tools borrowers need to check out mortgage rates and compare what's available from different lenders. By looking at all their options first, the borrower can make sure that they pay as little interest as possible on their home loan.

Different Types of Mortgages Available in Clarksville, IA

There are a variety of loan products on the market to appeal to all kinds of different buyers. Mortgages can be separated into the fixed-rate and variable categories.

With a fixed-rate mortgage loan in Clarksville, IA, the loan's interest rate will stay the same for the whole repayment term. This also means that the buyer's monthly payment stays the same until the loan is paid off, and it remains true even if the loan is going to last decades, as is the case with 30-year fixed-rate mortgages. For the buyer, this means that they always know how much they'll be paying and they don't need to worry about interest rate fluctuations.

Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) in Clarksville, IA work much differently, because they have interest rates that can adjust with the market. There is usually an initial period of time where the interest rate is locked in, and after that time period ends, the interest rate on the loan adjusts every year. Since this effectively blends the fixed-rate mortgage and the ARM, these loans are sometimes called hybrid ARMs. One example would be a 5/1 ARM, with the numbers indicating how long the interest rate is fixed. In a 5/1 ARM, the first five years of the loan have a fixed interest rate, and from then on out, the interest rate adjusts annually.

FHA Home Loans Available in Clarksville, IA

Besides fixed-rate mortgages and ARMs, there are also other categorizations that can apply to home loans, including whether the loan is backed by the government or not. Traditional mortgages are only made through the lender and don't involve the government, but with some mortgages, the federal government either guarantees or insures the loan. Examples include FHA loans, USDA loans and VA loans.

FHA loans get their name because they are backed by the mortgage insurance program of the Federal Housing Administration, an organization that's controlled by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD for short. One benefit of FHA loans in Clarksville, IA is that it's not just first-time homebuyers who are able to apply, as they're a valid loan option for any borrower. For the lender, the advantage with these loans is that the government is providing insurance, and this will cover what the lender would lose in the event of a borrower default. Borrowers benefit by not needing as large a down payment, as down payments can be just 3.5 percent with FHA loans. However, the borrower needs to cover the cost of mortgage insurance, meaning they have bigger monthly payments.

Refinancing Home Loans In Clarksville, IA

When you choose to refinance your mortgage in Clarksville, IA, it is imperative that you fully comprehend that you are actually applying for a whole new mortgage. This could mean that you might have to pay closing costs and various other fees once your application gets approved. If you are trying to refinance in order to get a lower interest rate on your mortgage, you should take into consideration if the extra fees and the closing costs are going to offset any savings you might see from refinancing to a lower interest rate. The only exception to this rule is if you're trying to refinance from an adjustable-rate loan to a fixed-rate loan.

With adjustable-rate loans, it is very likely that at some point in the near future your rates will go up instead of down. When you're trying to look for a new rate on your next home loan, you want potential lenders to view you as low risk. You can do this by maintaining your credit score above 700 and keeping the ratio of your debt-to-income as low as possible. Doing this will ensure that you can get the best rate possible when applying for a fixed-rate loan. Keep in mind that even if you don't have the best credit, you may still be able to get approved for a home loan in the Clarksville, IA area for a low interest rate by using MyRatePlan.