Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Needham, AL

Compare Needham, AL Mortgage Loan Rates

When you are in the market for a new home, it is important that you look for the best mortgage rates you can find. This is also true when you are looking to refinance your current home as well. MyRatePlan makes it easy to find the very best home loan rates in the Needham, AL area by offering their customers the tools and information they need. If you put in the time needed to compare home loan rates, you will be able to secure yourself a good interest rate and save money in the long run.

How Borrowers Can Get the Best Home Loan Rates in Needham, AL

For the typical homebuyer in Needham, AL, a mortgage is going to be a necessity to fund their home purchase. Even the most inexpensive homes on the market still tend to cost $50,000 or more, which is more than most people have on hand in their bank accounts, making it extremely difficult to pay for a home with cash. That's why a home loan is such an important part of the purchasing process. A small interest rate difference can make a massive difference over a loan with a term of 20 to 30 years. Real estate agents are often able to recommend their own preferred lenders that they know from past deals, but it's best for homebuyers to take these recommendations with a grain of salt. The real estate agent wants the deal done as soon as possible, but the homebuyer wants the home loan with the lowest interest rate, and those goals don't always align. Patience is a virtue for homebuyers looking for the right mortgage lender, and they should always check out rates online first for a full comparison. The MyRatePlan home loan interest rate tool is great for locating the lowest mortgage rates throughout Needham, AL. After the homebuyer finds the lowest rate, it's all a matter of making sure they have a credit score high enough to qualify.

Different Types of Mortgages on the Market in Needham, AL

Since different types of buyers have different mortgage needs, there are many different home loan products out there. Two important mortgage types every borrower needs to understand are fixed-rate mortgages and variable mortgages.

When a home loan has one interest rate throughout its entire term, no matter the length, then it's a fixed-rate mortgage, which got that name because the interest rate is fixed in place. Since the interest rate never changes, the monthly payment amount doesn't either, and the borrower will always know what their monthly payment is going to be. This is true even if they have a 30-day mortgage. Fixed-rate mortgages tend to be a smart, low-risk option, because the borrower doesn't need to worry about their interest rate increasing and suddenly having a higher home payment every month as a result.

The other option is an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) in Needham, AL. As the name suggests, this is a mortgage where the interest rate adjusts on occasion. A popular variation on this is a hybrid ARM, which essentially combines the fixed-rate mortgage with the ARM. For a predetermined initial period of time, the hybrid ARM operates as a fixed-rate mortgage with one interest rate. After that initial period ends, it switches to an ARM with an interest rate that changes on a specific schedule. An example would be a 5/1 ARM home loan. That five indicates that the home loan has one interest rate for the first five years, and then it switches to an adjustable rate. That one indicates that the interest rate adjusts every one year after the initial period. The obvious drawback with ARMs and hybrid ARMs is that the borrower could end up paying more if interest rates go up.

FHA Mortgage Loans in Needham, AL

Apart from the fixed-rate and adjustable rate mortgages, there are also other loan products for home buying. One has the liberty of deciding whether to use a government-insured mortgage loan, or a normal type of loan. A normal or conventional loan is a type of loan that is not at all guaranteed by the government. This is its main distinguishing feature from government-backed home loans. This government-insured home loans include FHA and USDA loans.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Mortgage insurance program is run by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This is one of the many departments of the government of the United States. FHA loans are also available in Needham, AL, and are available for all categories of borrowers. Basically, with this type of loan, the government insures the lender against all losses that may arise as a result of the borrower's default. The program allows a borrower to make a down payment of as low as 3.5% of the buying price. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that one has to pay for mortgage insurance, effectively increasing the monthly payments.

Home Loan Refinancing in Needham, AL

If you wish to refinance a mortgage in Needham, AL, 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 Needham, AL even if you don't meet all criteria.