In the past, homebuyers more or less had limited mortgage loan options. These days, there are more options than you can shake a stick at, but heres a primer on the basics.
Mortgage Loans
With the real estate market explosion over the last 10 years, a call has gone out for unique mortgage loan programs. Bankers have been more than happy to answer the call. For many borrowers, traditional mortgage loans still fit the bill. Heres an introduction.
1. Conforming Loans The loans comply with requirements set down by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government sponsored entities that buy and sell loans from mortgage lenders. These entities put strict caps on the loans they will buy, with single-family homes having a mortgage cap in the range of $360,000. With the booming real estate market, many areas such as San Diego do not come close to fitting into the conforming loan market since homes average in the $600,000 range.
2. Non-Conforming Loans Known as Jumbo Loans, these mortgages are written for loans that exceed the $360,000 cap mentioned previously. They tend to have slightly higher interest rates, but are readily available.
3. Bad Credit...