loan calculators, NC North Carolinaloan calculators - NC North Carolina: mortgages, loans of any type, refinancing, quick easy online quotes, home equity loans, See if you could save on your mortgage today. 6. Get a gift. Aunt Edna always liked you best. Take advantage of that favored family status and ask her to make a present of your down payment. Tax law allows gifts of several thousand dollars a year to be bestowed without tax consequences to either the giver or recipient. The gift-exclusion amount is adjusted annually to reflect inflation (its $11,000 in 2002), so check with the IRS to ensure guidelines are met. Many wealthy people use this tax rule to reduce potentially taxable estates while theyre still around to get the thanks. Not close to your family? Not a problem. The gift exclusion isnt limited to relatives. The monetary present can be from anyone, so track down a well-off friend now! Pension Plan Life assurance cover is provided and monthly payments are made into a pension fund. When the benefits are eventually taken, the mortgage is repaid using tax-free cash from the remainder of the fund. The plan holder can then draw a pension from the balance of the fund. This product, which tends to be used by the self employed, is only for those taking advice from a suitably qualified financial adviser. Loans Exceeding Fannie Mae/ Freddie Mac Guidelines On a weekend day, take a drive around the area. Whats it like? Take our checklist with you and make a note of your observations. Then do it again after work one weekday evening. 15-Year Fixed Rate This mortgage also is becoming a common loan because borrowers pay a lower interest rate in exchange for larger monthly payments. Note, however, that a smaller portion of your monthly payment goes for interest and therefore the tax deduction is smaller. Your credit history Your monthly gross income How much cash you can accumulate for a down payment, which is usually 10 percent to 20 percent of the sale price. For details on checking your credit history, see the bankrate.com report Credit: The Basics. Dont give the impression that you absolutely must have this loan now. Your greatest bargaining position is not desperately needing the product being offered. Calculate how much you can borrow. Borrowing the maximum you can afford means you can buy a more expensive house but your repayments will be higher. This may create problems for you if interest rates rise (as your repayment amount will rise) or if you were to lose your job as the repayments still have to be made. You must always have a back-up plan to cover such scenarios. The interest rate is the cost of borrowing money expressed as a percentage rate. Interest rates can change because of market conditions. Loan term Rate Mthly. payment Total interest 30 years 8.00% $699 $164,155 15 years 7.75% $941 $69,429 Interest savings: $94,726 To get an FHA or VA loan, you apply through an approved lender like Countrywide. In fact, were the number one lender for government loans. At every one of our branches, you work directly with local loan experts experienced with these loans. Whats In a Payment? A monthly mortgage payment typically includes the following, known as PITI: Principal Interest Real estate Taxes If you have enough equity in your 401(k) retirement plan at work, you can borrow the money from your account. You will be charged prime rate, with possibly a small margin added on, and you can have the payments from this loan deducted from your paycheck through payroll deduction plans. Borrow the down payment from family members or relatives and pay it back monthly. In some cases, the mortgage lender will require a statement that specifies the amount of the payment and work it into your overall debt load, unless both you and your relatives consider it a gift. Housing market reports can impact rates for the better allowing rates to maintain current levels or at the least contribute to smaller rises or drops. Endowment Mortgages Very much in the news in recent months, as projected payouts may not meet the value of many peoples mortgages. With this type of mortgage you pay only the interest due each month with the full capital debt to be repaid at the end of the mortgage term. An endowment is taken out to run alongside the mortgage to provide the capital repayment at the end of the term, or before should one or more of the persons insured pass away. What will buying cost? Buying a house is expensive and will inevitably cost more than you think. This is the minimum you can expect to pay. VAT at 17.5% has been added where applicable. |