When comparing mortgages there are various factors to be taken into consideration. This article covers the following mortgage specific considerations, with more to follow in part two onwards.

- Total Cost Calculation
- Overall APR
- Arrangement fees
- Portability
- Early Repayment Charge
- Term of mortgage / Age of borrower

Total Cost Calculation

For many the major consideration when taking out a mortgage is how much the monthly payment will be. This is understandable as most people know what their level of income is and how much they can reasonable afford to pay in financing a mortgage. Unfortunately, it is this assumption that can cost you dearly. All too often those applying for a mortgage look only at the interest rate and the monthly payment, making the judgement that the lower the rate and monthly payment the better the mortgage.

In most cases the opposite is true because of total overall cost. Total cost refers to the overall cost of both the monthly payment plus any combined fees for the arrangement of the mortgage, such as a lenders arrangement fee or booking fee, a valuation fee, solicitors fee etc, and based on a specific period in years.

An example based on an interest only mortgage of £100,000

A £100,000 2 year fixed rate mortgage at a mortgage rate of 4.85% with a £499 lender arrangement fee and a £300 valuation fee has a total cost of £ 10,499 over 2 years

A £100,000 2 year fixed rate mortgage at a mortgage rate of 4.59% with a £1499 lender arrangement fee and a £300 valuation fee has a total cost of £ 10,979 over 2 years

In the example above, had the lower rate been taken, then the monthly payment would have been £21.66 per month less, but the net overall total cost would have been £480 more over a 2 year period, after the addition of the higher arrangement fee. This may not seem a huge difference over two years, but if the same decision were taken every two or three years over a typical 25 year mortgage term, the cost in additional interest would come to more than £10,000 pounds. In addition, as no capital is repaid with an interest only mortgage, the outstanding balance at the end of the term would also include the lenders arrangement fees that were added to the loan bringing the balance up to around £112,000.

Overall APR

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the total cost of borrowing which depends on the nominal rate of interest and on whether interest is charged annually, monthly, quarterly, daily or on some other basis. Comparison of the APRs of different providers is a facility for providing a direct and fair comparison of costs since the method of calculation is laid down in the Consumer Credit Act 1974. It is possible to compare the total amount payable by the end of the mortgage term. These are important comparisons if you are concerned about the total cost of the loan as well as the monthly outlay.

A word of caution however. The APR reflects the comparison of cost over the full mortgage term. If however the mortgage is changed after say a three year fixed rate period, the APR is not a good rate to use for comparison, and you would be better to look at the ‘Total Cost Calculation’ of the mortgage product as detailed in the section above.

Arrangement fees

An arrangement fee is generally payable to the lender to reserve the mortgage funds and is common amongst all lenders. The size of an arrangement fee can vary from a couple of hundred pounds up to one percent or more of the mortgage value, which can be a sizeable sum.

Many lenders now offer lower interest rates offset by a higher arrangement fee. Don’t be misled by the attractive rate as the overall cost often works out to be more than a slightly higher interest rate with a lower arrangement fee.

You should look very carefully at any conditions associated with the arrangement fee, as in some instances the arrangement fee will be payable on or before completion, although generally the option to add the arrangement fee to the loan is available.

Some lenders expect you to pay the arrangement fee when you submit your mortgage application (and may be reluctant to refund it if you decide not to proceed with their mortgage offer). For those lenders that allow the arrangement fee to be added to the loan, you will end up paying more interest over the term of the loan.

Portability

How often do you envisage moving house in the future? Having the facility to transfer the mortgage to a new property if regular moves are predicted, may be advantageous. For example, lets say you have taken a five year fixed rate mortgage which has an early repayment charge during the five year fixed rate period, but you then have to relocate due to work commitments. Being able to ‘Port’ (transfer) the mortgage to a new property means you can transfer the mortgage without incurring the lenders early repayment penalty charge.

Early Repayment Charge

When a loan is redeemed, there may be an early repayment charge levied by the lender depending on the type of mortgage you wish to take. Fixed, discounted and tracker mortgage rates usually charge a penalty of between 3% and 5% of the original loan amount if the loan is redeemed at any time during the fixed, discounted or tracker rate term.

Nowadays, it is common practice to waive any early repayment charge when an existing loan is transferred to the borrower’s new property, especially where a fixed rate mortgage is involved. This provides continuity to the borrower, and helps retain the business and existing client for the lender.

Term of mortgage / Age of borrower

Whichever method of repayment is selected for your mortgage, the shorter the term, the more expensive will be the monthly cost. If total peace of mind is required then a standard capital repayment mortgage should be selected. This is the only type of mortgage that guarantees that the mortgage will be paid in full if all mortgage payments are made.

When choosing either a Pension, ISA backed mortgage, contributions look more attractive over longer terms as the tax incentives have a compounding effect on the investment returns in the fund and will, therefore, generally become more competitive. There are no guarantees however, and fund values can go down as well as up. When considering a pension mortgages your age and the term of the mortgage are particularly important considerations as pensions are unable to provide any capital to repay the loan until at least age 50. For instance a first time buyer aged 22 would end up with a term of at least 28 years if the pension option was chosen.

Selling PEI real estate requires that a person must be licensed by the province under the Real Estate Act. To become licensed the candidate takes a pre-licensing course offered by the local real estate board and upon successful completion can then apply for their license. While it is good background knowledge to understand that a licensing system and standards associated with it are in place, since all persons in the industry must be licensed, it doesn’t really separate one realtor from another in terms of how they will perform for you.

Buying or selling a property is the biggest undertaking most people will make in their lives and you should have an agent who has sufficient faith in themselves and the PEI real estate industry that they are willing to depend exclusively on selling real estate for their living. If they aren’t convinced that they can make a living selling real state why should you believe that they can sell yours?

When you list a home you are making an exclusive contract with that agent (actually more accurately with the company the agent works for) for a specific time. Some agents work diligently during that time and are willing to spend their money promoting your property. Others put a sign in the yard and hope that someone buys your home. Obviously you want the former type of real estate agent working for you!

To ensure that you do get an agent who will diligently promote your PEI home, don’t be afraid to ask how long they have been in the industry, if they have moved brokerages during that time, and the specifics of their marketing plan for your home, namely, when, where and how often they will advertise your home, how many open houses they will do, what websites your home will be posted on etc. Do not be content with the claim that they “know buyers just waiting to purchase your home”. You want to know what they are going to do, and you want it in writing.

Ask specific questions about the internet. Many people don’t really understand the internet and are afraid to ask questions. Your home must be shown on the web, starting with realtor.ca, the MLS website. However that isn’t sufficient. Most of the real estate franchises have corporate websites and your home must appear on those. Generally up to this point most agents can provide. However the brokerage itself, your local office, should have its own website and the agent should additionally have his/her own real estate website. Furthermore, either the brokerage or the agent site should rank well on a Google search. For example if you type in “PEI real estate”, the agent or company that you are dealing with should be on the first page of results.

If you can’t find their websites this way, how can a potential buyer? I believe that this is one of the best ways of finding a real estate agent who is working at his/her business and therefore will work for you. I t costs time and money to create a website that is successful and appears on search engines on the first page of results. The person or company who has achieved that is committed.

In addition to the criteria above you can also ask friends and relatives who have sold their PEI homes recently for information on the agents that they used. Some people suggest using open houses as a way to meet realtors and while certainly if a realtor does open houses it is a good sign, it really doesn’t show much about how they operate. You will be able to develop a feeling for whether you like them or not though.

When you have chosen up to 3 candidates you should ask them to visit you at home and to provide an outline of how they plan to market your home as well as a comparative market analysis. A CMA involves looking for similar properties in your area which have recently sold and using the sale price of these to determine a fair market value for your property. You should actually see the cut sheets that the agent has used to come to the price he or she thinks your home should be listed at. Some agents will agree to list at any price you want, but be careful, they will be back soon asking for price reductions, or they will simply abandon all effort to sell your home. You should have the agents prepare an estimate of the net proceeds, the amount that you will clear at that price after fees and expenses.

Once you have chosen and listed, be co-operative with your listing realtor, make the home available for showings and open houses, and keep the home clean and in good repair during this time. Understand that you will not in most markets achieve your asking price and bargain in good faith. If however you feel that your home is not receiving that attention that you expect, call your agent and tell them your concerns. If improvements are not made, speak to the broker at the office your agent works in. Do not hesitate to make them aware of your dissatisfaction.

Use this information as a guide to help you find the right real estate agent. Choose the agent who has presented the most dynamic plan. Set your asking price realistically and you will be successful in the sale of your property.

**(The comments contained in this article are for information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.)

Mortgage brokers are the professionals who can help you when you are looking for buying/selling a house. But it is very important to choose the right mortgage broker. Some of the tips for choosing the best mortgage broker are as follows.

Get suggestions from your friends, colleagues, neighbors and relatives who have recently purchased property. Get the details of the mortgage broker who have made successful deals with your any of your friends, colleagues, neighbors or relatives.

You can make your own research through the Internet and telephone. There are a wide number of relevant websites which can give you helpful information to choose the right mortgage broker. Some relevant websites can give you tips on what to expect from a mortgage broker.

Call few different mortgage brokers and see how they respond to your enquiry. Also see how quickly and professionally they respond to your enquiry. Prepare certain important questions that you have to ask for interviewing the mortgage brokers. You can choose a best mortgage broker based on the performance of the mortgage brokers in your interview. Choose a mortgage broker only if you feel confident about that person.

When you choose a mortgage broker, make sure that the mortgage broker has an office. See to that the mortgage broker is experienced, highly professional and has enough knowledge. A best mortgage broker must know all the necessary market information and must provide you with relevant options regarding the various loan products available. They should have the capability to suggest the loans suitable to your situation. They should help you in selecting the loan with best features.

Before choosing a mortgage broker, confirm the experience of the mortgage broker. Check for how long has the mortgage broker has been working. Confirm whether the mortgage broker can provide you the best service. The mortgage broker you choose must be in a position to assist and guide you throughout the mortgage processing. He must be a well experienced and professional mortgage broker so that he can easily clarify your doubts regarding the mortgage process.

Ask whether the mortgage broker you choose can help you to identify your needs regarding house purchase and mortgage, can explain you all the offers, deals and documents associated with the mortgage process, can assist with negotiations while you finalize your loan, can help you in preparation of necessary documentation.

Do not arrange an appointment with any mortgage broker until you are confident of that person. Once you are confident of a mortgage broker, make an appointment with him and interview him with all essential questions and confirm all the necessary things. Check whether the mortgage broker is licensed. At least your mortgage broker must be a reputed broker. Make sure that you are aware of the fees associated with the mortgage broker. Once you choose the best mortgage broker, they will offer you proper advice and guidance, and will help you to get best deal and service.

The above tips are just a few points that you can consider while choosing the best mortgage broker. However, you should bear in mind that a mortgage broker who has proved to be the best for your friend, colleague, neighbor or relative need not be the best for you also. So look out for your own mortgage broker who can give you the best deal.

Choosing the Right Mortgage – Mortgage Basics

There is an astounding range of commercially available mortgage products, which makes choosing the right mortgage increasingly difficult without a firm grasp of mortgage basics. Here we try to give the consumer struggling to understand the basics of what a mortgage is, how it operates, and what features are right for him or her, the basic terms and distinctions that will allow the consumer facing an all-important mortgage decision – perhaps for the first time – to begin to choose the right mortgage from the thousands of mortgage products available on the market. But a word of caution – there is an incredible range of mortgage products commercially available. Before making a final decision on which mortgage is right for you, it would only be prudent to consult with an experienced and knowledgeable mortgage broker.

What Is a Mortgage?

A mortgage is a loan – but a loan that is secured, in this instance, against a home and/or piece of land. The person who borrows the money to buy a house is the mortgagor and the person, company or bank etc. who lends the money is the mortgagee. In most instances, the person buying the house will be required to pay some amount, perhaps as little as 5 per cent, as a down payment on the house or property. A mortgage from a commercial or private lender is secured to pay the balance of the purchase price. The mortgagee/lender provides the balance of the money to buy the house on the ‘closing date’ (i.e., the day the deal for the house is completed and the property ownership changes) and the mortgagor/purchaser pays back the money borrowed to purchase the house over time, usually over a number of years.

Key Mortgage Terms & Concepts

Amortization Period – A mortgage is written based on an understanding that the mortgagor/borrower will pay back the money borrowed over a number of years, rather than months. When purchasing a home that is typically worth several times what the purchaser earns in a year, it is understood that a the number of years will be needed to fully pay off the mortgage. The ‘amortization period” is the number of years that it will take to pay off the mortgage in full under the terms of the mortgage that is agreed to. The usual amortization period is 25 years, although shorter and longer amortization periods are available.

The amortization period sets out how long it will take to pay off the mortgage in monthly payments. Monthly payments consist of two parts – one part goes towards paying the ‘principal’ (the amount of money borrowed) and other part goes towards paying the ‘interest’ (the fee charged for borrowing the money.) The longer it takes to pay back the principal – i.e., the longer the amortization period – the greater the amount of interest that will be paid over the life of the mortgage.

Term – A mortgage agreement will not typically be for the full length of the amortization period. It is too difficult for either party – mortgagor and mortgagee – to foresee all the changes in financial circumstances over such an extended period. Accordingly, the parties – mortgagor/borrower and mortgagee/lender – will agree to a mortgage covering a specific number of years of the mortgage – e.g., 5 years. When the term of the mortgage expires the mortgagee is paid in full for the money that was borrowed to purchase the home. Typically, since it is anticipated that the mortgage will be paid off over the length of the amortization period, at the end of the term the mortgagor will have to negotiate a new mortgage – either with the initial mortgagee/lender or a new mortgagee. This process of ‘refinancing’ is normal, yet is an excellent way for prudent borrowers to re-examine their financial circumstances – for example, to see if their circumstances have changed so that they can shorten the amortization period and pay their mortgage off more quickly, thereby cutting down on the total interest they will pay in purchasing their home.

Fixed-Rate vs. Variable-Rate Mortgages – In a fixed-rate mortgage, the same interest rate is charged throughout the entire mortgage term. In a variable-rate mortgage the interest rate will change based on changes in interest rates that are being charged in the market.

Since interest rates do change based on the financial markets, risk is being assigned and the mortgage rates for both fixed-rate and variable-rate mortgages will reflect who is taking the risks – the mortgagor/borrower or the mortgagee/lender. When mortgage rates are relatively high it is the borrower who takes the risk that interest rates will not fall lower than the rate he or she agrees to for a fixed-rate mortgage. So when mortgage rates are relatively high, mortgagee/lenders will usually be willing to offer fixed-rate mortgages for a lower interest rate than the current interest rate for a variable-rate mortgage. The opposite is, of course, true. When mortgage rates are relatively low – as they are now – the mortgage/lender assumes the risk that interest rates will not go up. Since there is always the risk that rates will go up, a fixed-rate mortgage will have a slightly higher interest rate than a variable-rate mortgage when interest rates are relatively low. (The advantage of a fixed-rate mortgage is, of course, that the mortgagee will always know the cost of his or her mortgage payments over the term of the mortgage.)

Open Mortgages vs. Closed Mortgage – With an open mortgage some or all of the balance of the mortgage can be repaid during the term of the mortgage without a financial penalty. This is particularly advantageous, if the home purchaser has to move for employment or other reasons and if one’s financial circumstances change. Under a closed mortgage, no extra payments or changes in the mortgage can be made before the end of the mortgage term without a penalty being charged. Such penalties can be onerous for the homeowner who is forced by circumstances, such as a change of job, to relocate before the term of the mortgage expires.

Open mortgages can also prove to be very advantageous for the prudent homeowner who is able to make periodic payments directly to the principal owing under the mortgage. Each mortgage payment is split between interest costs and money that goes towards paying off the principal of the loan. If the borrower makes periodic payments over and above the regular mortgage payments that are required (the amounts and timing of which are usually set out in the mortgage itself), these payments directly reduce the amount owing under the mortgage. Doing so effectively reduces the amortization period of the mortgage, since in every subsequent mortgage payment more money will be going to pay off the principal of the mortgage and less money will be going towards the interest costs.

The Importance of Mortgage Advice

While this covers some of the mortgage basics that the consumer will need to choose the right mortgage product, it is important to note that there are quite literally thousands of mortgage products to choose from – each with its own intricacies and detailed terms. Accordingly, the prudent mortgage shopper should consult with someone with advanced expertise in the products and range of choices that are available on the market, given the borrower’s circumstances. An accredited mortgage broker will have the expertise and knowledge to assist the borrower in choosing the right mortgage for his or her situation. Moreover, since an accredited mortgage broker typically receives his or her fee from the lender, a mortgage broker with expertise and knowledge of the thousands of mortgages that are commercially available can assist the borrower in understanding and choosing the right mortgage from the thousands that are available at no cost to the borrower.

Foreclosure is a terrible situation to have to experience. Unfortunately, the world-wide recession has foreclosures happening on a daily basis. Although you may feel that your world is falling apart, you might find comfort in the fact that you do not have to go through the process alone. There is someone you can turn to who can help you pull through such a difficult time. Taking care in picking out a good Chicago foreclosure lawyer is the first step to getting your life back onto the track of normalcy. It is very important that you choose an experienced lawyer, one who will not only offer you legal support, but emotional support as well. You will not be going through this process alone, and shouldn’t feel that you are.

With so many foreclosures happening all over the world, you should know that you aren’t the only one worrying about the possibility of a foreclosure, or facing an imminent foreclosure. There is one small comfort to be had from this experience, however.

Know that most foreclosures that have occurred recently haven’t been through any personal fault of the owners. Many people fell for a “minimum payment” scheme offered by their mortgage company, in which they could make a smaller mortgage payment for 3 – 5 years (usually this payment does not include interest, which is why it’s so cheap). Then, after the 3 – 5 years is up, the interest that wasn’t being paid for the first couple of years is suddenly tacked on and people are faced with a raised mortgage payment that they are unable to afford.

The chances are very likely that you know someone, be it a family member, friend, work colleague, or acquaintance, who has gone through the same thing. They may be able to give you some advice or recommend a good foreclosure lawyer to help you out.

First you need to gather a list of possible Chicago foreclosure defense lawyers. You can easily do this by searching on the internet and making a few phone calls. It’s best if you can manage to stop by each lawyer’s office, though, just to see how you get along together.

Make sure, as well, that the foreclosure defense attorney you ultimately choose is qualified to handle your case. Ask him or her about his or her experience, where he or she went to school, and things of that nature.