Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Smoaks, SC

Compare Smoaks, SC Home Mortgage Rates

When it comes time to buy a new home or refinance the loan on a current home, it's essential for the borrower to get the absolute best mortgage rates. MyRatePlan can help with that, as it has all the info and tools necessary to pull up the best home loan rates in Smoaks, SC and compare the lender options. All it takes is some research and mortgage rate comparisons beforehand for a borrower to make sure they don't end up with a higher interest rate than necessary, saving themselves money over the long haul.

Types of Mortgages Available in Smoaks, SC

There are many different types of home loan products available for buyers in Smoaks, SC these days. This includes adjustable-rate mortgages and fixed-rate mortgages. Let us delve deeper into the kind of home loans available and who they are best suited for.

The fixed-rate home loan is highly suitable for people who do not want to worry about the fluctuation in the financial market and the changes in the interest rates that follow. The interest rates stay the same during the entire period of the repayment. Whether the repayment period is three years or thirty years, the installment amount would remain the same.

Adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs, have interest rates that can change at periodic intervals. Typically, the rate of interest in this kind of loan would remain same initially but would change every year. It is also referred to in the financial world as the hybrid loan as the interest rate would initially stay same for five years, and change every year after that. The rate of interest is fixed as per the basis point fluctuation in the market.

Smoaks, SC FHA Mortgage Loans

Every borrower will need to decide whether to get a fixed-rate mortgage, an ARM or a hybrid ARM. They also need to figure out if they want to stick to a traditional type of home loan, which is only backed by the mortgage lender, or apply for a government-insured home loan, such as an FHA loan, a VA loan or a USDA loan. With these loans, the federal government is providing insurance or a guarantee on the loan to help the lender avoid heavy losses in the event of a borrower defaulting.

FHA loans in Smoaks, SC are offered by the Federal Housing Administration, a branch of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD for short. The FHA has a mortgage insurance program to cover lenders, and its FHA loans are an option for any type of borrower, meaning it's not only first-time borrowers who can get an FHA loan. That mortgage insurance covers any losses the mortgage lender would have if the borrower defaulted. One significant advantage with an FHA loan for the borrower is that they can get one with a much lower down payment, even as low as 3.5 percent of the home's total cost. The drawback with FHA loans is that the borrower must cover the cost of mortgage insurance, which adds to their monthly loan payment. They wouldn't need to pay as much if they put down a larger down payment and got another type of loan.

Refinancing a Mortgage in Smoaks, SC

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 Smoaks, SC with a low interest rate.