Adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) are appealing to many homebuyers, but what are the risks?
An adjustable rate mortgage is one in which the rate changes based on the market interest rates. The rate will adjust on a specific schedule, say once a year, after an initial fixed period. Fixed periods range from six months to five years. Some may have even longer fixed periods.
The risk in an ARM comes from having a payment that can change significantly. When you have a fixed rate mortgage, you know that your payment will be the same now, ten years and twenty years later. The payment doesn’t change because the interest rate is fixed.
When you choose an adjustable rate mortgage, you accept the risk of a rising payment in return for a lower initial interest rate. This rate is usually much lower than the market rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. The more risk you accept, the lower your initial interest rate. The more adjustments the loan will go through, the more risk. The traditional thinking is that even after a loan adjustment, the rates will be lower than those offered to new borrowers for 30-year fixed mortgages. However, it does happen where this gap...