Interest Rates Articles - Page 1

**Refinance Fees: How Much Is Too Much?** When you're refinancing your mortgage, how much should you be paying in refinance fees? It can be hard to tell what fees you're paying to the lender, what is prepaid interest, and what are the other costs of the loan. Refinance fees, especially for prepaid interest, can add up to the closing costs of refinancing your loan. Have your lender explain exactly what all the refinance fees are going toward before you make any decision about refinancing or canceling your refinance.

**Qualifying For a Mortgage Loan Stricter For Home Equity Lines Of Credit** Today, bank requirements for a loan are stricter for new home equity lines of credit than they were just a few years ago. Banks and lenders are tightening the requirements for home equity lines of credit and other personal lines of credit to make sure their funds are safe. Now, banks might require higher credit scores, more equity in your home, and other strict requirements before they will give you a line of credit. However, if you shop around, you may be able to find a bank willing to give you a home equity line of credit.

**Should I Refinance My Mortgage?** Mortgage interest rates keep falling, now below 5 percent. Should you refinance your mortgage? It's more difficult to get a mortgage refinance in today's lending market, but it might be worthwhile to try to refinance your mortgage. Will it reduce your monthly mortgage payments? Will a mortgage refinance shorten the term of your loan? You need to determine why you want to refinance your mortgage to determine the best refinancing scenario for your loan.

Majority of property owners experiencing higher vacancy rates. Seventy percent of property owners are experiencing higher vacancy rates this year. The vacancy rate has been above 10 percent since June 2009. A recent Rent.com survey looks at how property owners are coping with these trends and encouraging tenants to stay or move to their units.

Property owners are finding creative ways to fill vacancies during the recession. Over 70 percent of property owners have experienced higher vacancy rates over the past year. Recent vacancies are primarily a result of job loss and tenants trying to save money on rent by moving to a cheaper unit or doubling-up with roommates. Property owners are modifying credit policies to fill units during the recession. Owners are also lowering rent, relaxing pet policies and offering unit upgrades. Read the full press release below from Rent.com.

HUD Secretary Donovan and FHA Commissioner Stevens briefed leaders on the FHA's financial outlook today, in coordination with the release of its annual independent actuarial study. The study found the capital reserve ratio to be 0.53 percent of total insurance in force this year, well below the congressionally mandated threshold of two percent. The FHA holds $31 billion in total reserves today. Robert Ryan was introduced as the FHA's first-ever Chief Risk Officer. Ryan will focus on understanding risk to the FHA's insurance fund and develop policy responses that address that risk.

FHA cash reserves fall to the lowest level in history, below the congressionally mandated level. The Federal Housing Administration's mortgage insurance cash reserves fell to the lowest levels in recorded history, 0.53 percent. The FHA announced today FHA cash reserve levels have fallen below the congressionally mandated threshold. The annual independent accounting survey of the FHA came with the assessment that additional action needed to be taken to manage risk to prevent further losses.

**The Fannie Mae Rental Program will allow homeowners to avoid foreclosure for a year.** This rental program or "Deed to Lease" program will allow homeowners who haven't qualified for a home loan modification or for the Making Home Affordable Act to avoid foreclosure for a year. The Fannie Mae Rental Program has specific criteria that the homeowners must qualify for, including they must live in the home as their primary residence and they can't be more than 12 months past due. Read the full article below fore more information on the Fannie Mae Rental Program.

**Divorce Decree vs. Quit Claim Deed** You get divorced. You refinance your home. Your ex-spouse gives you a quit claim deed. End of story? Not so, says this reader whose ex-spouse wants half of the proceeds from the sale of the home 13 years after the quit claim deed and and 14 years after the divorce. Does the divorce decree trump the quit claim deed? Does the quit claim deed trump the divorce decree? What should the ex-spouse get in this real estate problem.

**Low Appraisal Caused By Declining Home Values Results In Change To Loan Refinance Terms** If you apply to refinance your loan and get quoted terms, can you force the lender to abide by those terms? What if your property received a low appraisal? What if declining home values caused your home value to drop below what you owe on your current mortgage? And what if you decide not to go forward with the loan refinance, can you get your application money back?