Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Merrick, NY

Compare Merrick, NY Home Loan Mortgage Rates

Whether a prospective borrower is checking out mortgages in Merrick, NY 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.

Finding the Best Mortgage Rates in Merrick, NY

The vast majority of the people looking to purchase homes in Merrick, NY will need to apply for a mortgage to do it. Even a very inexpensive home will likely start at $50,000 or more, and since that's a larger sum than most have saved up, it's almost impossible to pay cash for a home. That's why people need home loans, and every home loan has an interest rate. Securing a lower interest rate means paying less over the lifespan of the loan. When a home shopper picks out their dream home, they're probably going to get some recommendations on home loan lenders from their real estate agent, but it's wise for people to do their own research here. The reality is that a real estate agent wants to close the home sale. That's their priority, not the borrower's mortgage rate. The mortgage application process can be complex and even a bit confusing for first timers. It's best for borrowers to be patient and ensure that they get the best mortgage deal instead of rushing anything. They can do this by checking out rates online and comparing every available option. With the MyRatePlan mortgage rate tool, borrowers can see the best home loan rates throughout Merrick, NY. Of course, qualifying for those top rates will require that the borrower has a high credit score.

Types Of Home Loans Available In The Merrick, NY Area

There are many types of loan products which are available to a variety of home buyers. The options may include both variable-rate mortgages and fixed-rate mortgages. Below is some more information about the two most common types of loans and who they are more geared towards.

Fixed-Rate Home Loans In Merrick, NY - A fixed-rate mortgage will have the same interest rate throughout the entire loan term. This means that the amount of your monthly payment will remain the same each month until you're done paying off the loan. This is even true for loans as long as 30 years. The interest rate and the monthly payment will remain the same throughout the whole loan term.

Adjustable-Rate Home Loans In Merrick, NY - An adjustable-rate mortgage, or an ARM for short, is a type of loan where the interest rate can adjust or change at different points throughout the loan term. Generally, the interest rate on an adjustable-rate mortgage has the ability to change each year after the initial fixed-rate period. Oftentimes, this is referred to as a "hybrid" product. Hybrid ARM loans are ones which start off with fixed interest rates and then switch to an adjustable rate. As an example, a 5/1 adjustable-rate home loan can carry a fixed rate on the loan for the first five years and then may be adjusted each year after. This is what the five and the one signifies in the name.

FHA Mortgages in Merrick, NY

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 Merrick, NY 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.

Refinancing a Mortgage in Merrick, NY

It may be called refinancing, but when a borrower does that, what they're really doing is applying for a completely new home loan. If they're approved for that home loan, they can use it to pay off their previous home loan and only make payments on this new one. Since it's a new mortgage, there may be fees and closing costs involved. For this reason, it's vital that the borrower considers those extra costs and whether they will be outweighed by the savings of a lower interest rate. There is one situation where it's always smart to refinance, and that's if the borrower is getting a fixed-rate home loan to replace an ARM. That's because interest rates are trending upwards, meaning an ARM will likely cost more in the future, not less. When a borrower wants to refinance a home loan and get the best rate, they must make sure they represent as little risk as possible to mortgage lenders. They can do this by getting their credit score as high as possible, at least above 700, and maintaining a low debt-to-income ratio. Although it's good to be low risk, borrowers should also note that it is possible to get a home loan in Merrick, NY with a low interest rate even without hitting all the strictest standards.