ARM, MD Maryland

ARM - MD Maryland: mortgages, loans of any type, refinancing, quick easy online quotes, home equity loans, See if you could save on your mortgage today.

With a 15-year mortgage you could get an interest rate that is typically one-quarter to one-half percent lower than a 30-year mortgage. The shorter the term, generally the lower the interest. Yet, the main advantage is the fortune in interest you will be saving during the life of the loan. Check out the latest bankrate.com survey of interest rates on 15-year fixed mortgages.

Keep in mind that there are ways to prepay your mortgage and whittle away at the principal each month, so that the loan is paid off sooner than 30 years.

Usually, however, the broker is compensated by commission based on the sale price of the house. So, in spite of what were about to tell you, know that the payment structure still favors a higher sales price -- and that does not benefit you (unless you negotiate your commission with the buyer broker, as described later).

With interest rates still at relatively low levels, many lenders will encourage you to take out a home-equity line of credit on your primary residence to fund all or part of your second-home purchase. Watch your step here. Most home-equity lines of credit float a point or two higher than the prime rate, so you could end up repaying this piece at a much higher interest rate than if you had simply taken a mortgage for the entire amount. Plus, unlike mortgage interest, which is deductible on up to $1 million of debt on your first and second homes combined, the home-equity cap is $100,000. (You get a break on $1.1 million total.)