Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in North Carolina

How to Compare North Carolina Mortgage Rates

Whether a mortgage is needed to finance a new home purchase or refinance a previous home loan, it's crucial that the borrower secures a favorable interest rate. MyRatePlan can help any borrower locate the lowest mortgage rates in North Carolina and compare all their available options, as it has all the tools and information necessary to get a clear picture of the home loan marketplace. When the borrower does their homework by researching mortgage options and comparing rates from different lenders, they can feel confident that they're paying too much interest, and having the lowest possible interest rate will save them a considerable sum over the long haul.

Different Mortgage Types Available in North Carolina

For home loans, there are many products available to appeal to a variety of buyer types. The two most common types of mortgages on the market are fixed-rate mortgages and variable mortgages, which work very differently and suit different types of borrowers.

A fixed-rate mortgage in North Carolina will be fixed at one interest rate during the entire term of the loan, hence the name. The borrower will be making a monthly payment for the same amount every month, whether they have a 10-year mortgage or a 30-year mortgage. This keeps things consistent and gives the borrower some peace of mind, because they don't need to worry about any terms on their home loan suddenly changing.

True to their names, adjustable-rate mortgage loans (ARMS) in North Carolina have changing interest rates that can increase or decrease depending on the market. The most common type of ARM is known as a hybrid ARM, and the reason is that it actually combines features from fixed-rate mortgages and ARMs. It starts like a fixed-rate mortgage with a set interest rate for a certain number of years, and then it switches over to an ARM. An example would be a 7/1 ARM. The seven indicates the number of years that the mortgage has a fixed rate, and the one indicates how often, in years, the interest rate adjusts after that. Therefore, a 7/1 ARM means a home loan with a fixed interest rate for the first seven years and an interest rate that adjusts every one year from that point forward.

FHA Home Loans in North Carolina

If you are in North Carolina, you would have to choose between the kind of loans mentioned above, which are fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgages. However, you would have to choose between the conventional loan or the government-insured mortgage. A conventional loan doesn't come with assurance from the government, but the government insured loan comes with a federal guarantee. Traditional loans are different from the other types of mortgages that are backed by the government, such as USDA loans, VA loans, and FHA loans.

The FHA mortgage insurance program is governed by the HUD or the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is managed by the government. FHA mortgages are available for all types of borrowers in North Carolina, and not just the first time home buyers. In this kind of government-backed mortgage, the government ensures the lenders from any losses that might result due to default committed by the borrower. One of the most significant advantages of these types of loans is that the borrowers have to pay the down payment that's as low as 3.5 percent of the purchasing amount. However, the disadvantage is that the borrower would have to pay for mortgage insurance, which would increase the cost of monthly payments.

Home Loan Refinancing in North Carolina

If you wish to refinance a mortgage in North Carolina, you should understand that the actual process involves applying for a separate, new mortgage. Keep in mind that you may need to pay for certain fees such as closing costs when completing this process. If your primary goal is to get a lower rate of interest via refinancing, take a moment to consider if the fees will allow you to offset the potential savings you want.

There is one exception if you wish to refinance by changing a fixed-rate loan into an adjustable-rate loan. Here, it is more common that rates will increase rather than decrease in the future. If you want the best possible rate on your home loan, the lending company needs to view you as a low-risk candidate. You should keep debt-to-income low and your credit score stable and high to give yourself the best chance at a fixed-rate loan. With all of that said, it is still possible to get home loan approval in North Carolina even if you don't meet all criteria.