Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Phenix, VA

How to Compare Phenix, VA 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 Phenix, VA 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 Types of Mortgages Available in Phenix, VA

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 Phenix, VA, 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 Phenix, VA 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 in Phenix, VA

If you are in Phenix, VA, 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 Phenix, VA, 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.

Refinancing a Home Loan in Phenix, VA

Although the term is technically refinancing, how this process really works is the borrower applies for a brand-new mortgage, which they use to pay the previous mortgage. The point of refinancing is that the new mortgage has a better interest rate than the old one, and this means that the borrower saves money by paying less interest on the remainder of their loan. The borrower should note any extra costs that come with the new mortgage, as there could be fees and closing costs involved. It's important that they do the math to make sure they're actually saving money when those fees are taken into account. However, if the borrower is making the switch from an ARM to a fixed-rate home loan, that's always a good move because they're not at the mercy of what happens with interest rates, which tend to increase, not decrease. When refinancing a mortgage, it's important for the borrower to get their credit score over 700 and minimize their debt-to-income ratio to look as low risk as possible to potential mortgage lenders and secure the lowest possible interest rate. The good news is that even a borrower who doesn't meet all the highest standards could still find a mortgage in Phenix, VA with a low interest rate.