Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Onalaska, WA

Compare Onalaska, WA Home Loan Mortgage Rates

Whether a prospective borrower is checking out mortgages in Onalaska, WA 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.

Are There Different Types of Home Loans in Onalaska, WA

There are a variety of mortgage types that cater to a range of buyers and incomes. Some of these are fixed-rate or variable rate mortgages, just to name two broader categories. We'll take you through the most common loan types you're likely to encounter when shopping for a place in Onalaska, WA.

Fixed-rate home loans for the Onalaska, WA area are those that require you to pay the same amount of interest throughout the life of the loan. That means that the amount you pay on a monthly basis does not change, regardless of month, year, or circumstances. This is also true even if you choose a long-term financing plan like a fixed-rate loan over a period of decades.

Adjustable-rate mortgages, as the name implies, have interest rates that will fluctuate slightly over time. Generally, an adjustable-rate mortgage starts out as a fixed-rate mortgage for a predetermined length of time that begins at the start of the loan period. After this time, the rate will change slightly, usually once per year. This combination of home loan types is why adjustable rates are also referred to as a hybrid mortgage. For example, if you have an adjustable-rate mortgage that lists 5/1 on the form, that means the loan has a fixed rate of interest for the first five years of its life. After these five years, the home loan adjusts once each year, signified by the one after the five.

FHA Loans in Onalaska, WA

When you are purchasing your first home or looking for a different house, you will have to make the decision between a fixed and adjustable-rate mortgage. However, there are other choices that will have a major bearing on your decision. You may have to choose a conventional type of loan or use a government-insured home loan. The federal government will not protect a conventional home loan in any way or form. This is what distinguishes them from the home loans that are backed by the government. These government loans are known as FHA, USDA and VA.

HUD, or the Department of Housing and Urban Development, manages the FHA, or Federal Housing Administration. HUD works under the federal government. An FHA loan in Onalaska, WA is a type of loan that is made available to every borrower in the area, not just those who are looking to purchase their first home. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender has the backup of the government to pick up the slack. The advantage of this type of mortgage is that you will be permitted to make a very low down payment to purchase a home, usually as low as 3.5% of the final purchase price. The disadvantage is that you will need to pay mortgage insurance, which will cause your monthly payments to go up.

Refinancing a Mortgage in Onalaska, WA

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 Onalaska, WA with a low interest rate even without hitting all the strictest standards.