Interest Rates Content Index - Page 4

Home equity line of Credit is now more difficult to get. The credit crisis has caused lenders to become more cautious and in some cases withdraw from the second home loan mortgage market, including home equity lines of credit or any type of home equity credit line. Why? Lenders have been burned with these home equity lines of credit, or any type of second home loan or home equity line of credit. Now lenders are pulling back and getting out of the equity line of credit market.

Taylor, Bean and Whitaker Mortgage Company filed for bankruptcy earlier this August, and problems for the customers continue. The Taylor Bean and Whitaker Mortgage Company situation continues to change. The latest news comes from the Director of Mortgage Supervision at the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance: Bank of America is going to take over the servicing rights for FHA loans and Ginnie Mae loans previously held by Taylor Bean and Whitaker Mortgage Company. Property owners and Taylor Bean customers should be aware of information on where they should send their payments (to Taylor Bean or Bank of America). Payment information for Taylor Bean customers is listed in the article below.

ARM refinance may be required to lock in your mortgage rate. It depends on the type of ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) you hold. When you refinance an adjustable rate mortgage or ARM, the lender may allow you to lock in your mortgage rate at a certain point in the loan. Other ARM terms may require you to refinance your loan to prevent your mortgage rate from resetting every year, depending on what your mortgage is tied to.

Obama’s Making Home Affordable Mortgage Loan Modification Program is helping some but delinquent mortgages are still on the rise. Delinquent mortgages are on the rise as loan modifications are taking longer to complete. Delinquent mortgages, those that are 30 and 60 days late, have usually had a high rate of "self-cure" or homeowners finding ways to make their mortgage payments. However, as home values fall, more homeowners are letting their delinquent mortgages turn into foreclosures. These delinquent mortgages will continue to turn into foreclosures as it continues to take longer to complete loan modifications even under the Obama Making Home Affordable Loan Modification Plan works its way through the system.

A lower monthly mortgage payment should be the goal of a loan modification or a streamline refinance. If your lender offers you a loan modification but raises your monthly mortgage payment, see what else they can do to help lower your monthly mortgage payment. Maybe you can participate in the Obama Making Home Affordable Refinance Program and extend the life of your loan and reamortize to lower your monthly mortgage payment. My personal finance and real estate advice is to go to a your lender and get your lender to lower your interest rate to lower your monthly mortgage payment. Lowering your monthly mortgage payment is a goal of the Obama Making Home Affordable Refinance Program.

A debt management plan can help someone whose credit history and credit score have likely already suffered either because their debt-to-credit limits are out of whack or because they have started to pay some of their bills late. As personal finance advice goes, a debt management program can help you improve your credit history and credit score by helping to encourage you to pay their bills on time and in full. However, some debt management programs are really scams and they will take your money instead of helping you pay your bills. Look for a reputable credit counseling service provider.

Buying or Renting a Vacation Home. What's the Better Choice? Vacation homes can be a great way to enjoy your summer vacation, but should you rent or buy these homes? If you buy, you get all the investment benefits on owning a home, but you still have to take care of it. You may end up spending more time tending to your vacation home, than vacationing. Renting a vacation home may be the right way to go, if you're not prepared to pay for the right to have the vacation home for the short period you might want to stay there.

The future of the housing market doesn't look too grim, according to RE/MAX CEO Dave Liniger. He sat down with Ilyce Glink after a press conference to answer a few questions on his experience with RE/MAX, what he thinks will happen with the recession, his thoughts on foreclosures and the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit, how agents are handling the current market, and the future of the housing market. Listen to the podcast here and read the transcript below.

Credit card debt is still high even as some claim the recession might be over. The recession has affected credit card debt, unemployment, consumer sales and foreclosures, but now one of those is bouncing back. Based on a report from Credit Karma, consumer credit card debt has decreased in the month of July. Decreased consumer credit card debt is a positive sign for the recession, and it is tied to consumer sales, unemployment and foreclosures.

Home prices decline while existing home sales rise slightly in the second quarter. Median home prices fell 15 percent from a year ago, thanks to home prices going down due to foreclosures and short sales. According to the latest survey out from the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales are up 3.8 percent from the first quarter. Home sales rose due to lower median home prices, the first time home buyer tax credit and lower interest rates.