Compare The Best Mortgage Rates in Afton, IA

Compare Afton, IA 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 Afton, IA 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.

Are There Different Types of Home Loans in Afton, IA

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 Afton, IA.

Fixed-rate home loans for the Afton, IA 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 Home Loans in Afton, IA

If you are in Afton, IA, 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 Afton, IA, 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.

Mortgage Refinancing in Afton, IA

Even though mortgage refinancing in Afton, IA is a common term, what is actually happening is the borrower is applying for a new home loan to pay off the old one. If the new mortgage has better terms, the borrower can save money, but they need to remember that the new mortgage could have closing costs, along with some other fees, that they must cover. To decide if refinancing a mortgage is the right move, the borrower must do the math and see if they'll save enough from the lower interest rate to outweigh any costs of the new mortgage.

There is one situation where the borrower doesn't need to double check the math, though, and that's if they're paying off an ARM with a fixed-rate mortgage. This is almost always a wise choice, because interest rates usually increase, which means fixed-rate mortgages are often cheaper in the long run. When a borrower wants to refinance a mortgage, they need to demonstrate that they're low risk. They can do so by getting to and maintaining a plus-700 credit score and having a low ratio of debt to income. Fortunately, even borrowers who can't quite reach the highest standards can still end up approved on a new mortgage in Afton, IA with low interest.