Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Moscow, IA

Compare Moscow, IA Home Loan Mortgage Rates

Whether a prospective borrower is checking out mortgages in Moscow, 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 Moscow, 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 Moscow, 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 Moscow, 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 Mortgages in Moscow, IA

Deciding between fixed-rate mortgages and ARMs isn't the only choice a prospective borrower must make. They also need to consider whether they want to stick with conventional mortgages or get a government-insured mortgage. With conventional mortgages, the contract is between the lender and the borrower. If the borrower defaults, the lender could lose money. With government-insured mortgages, the government is backing the mortgage and helping to cover the lender if a default occurs. This type of mortgage includes USDA loans, VA loans and FHA loans.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages have mortgage insurance provided by the FHA, which is itself managed by the government's Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). With FHA loans in Moscow, IA, it's not just first-time buyers that can qualify but any type of buyer. Borrowers benefit from FHA loans because down payments can be just 3.5 percent of the home's price, but on the other hand, they also need to pay the mortgage insurance every month, which makes their home payment a bit more expensive.

Refinancing Home Loans In Moscow, IA

When you choose to refinance your mortgage in Moscow, 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 Moscow, IA area for a low interest rate by using MyRatePlan.