When purchasing a home, you will pay a fraction of your home’s cost upfront. This portion of the payment is called the down payment. A bank or mortgage broker will then loan you the remainder to cover the home’s cost. The interest incurred throughout the mortgage is called the mortgage rate.
The home interest rate is figured based on the original total value of the loan. A higher balance naturally means more interest owed. The amount of interest incurred lowers as the loan is paid off. This lowering means your mortgage rates are more expensive at the beginning of the mortgage loan.
Interest is paid before taken from the original mortgage amount. Lower interest rates allow you to pay your mortgage off faster.
Knowing how mortgage rates are determined
Understanding mortgage rates mean understanding the different factors that affect them. Market conditions are key factors. These factors can be consumer sales, bond yields or employment.
The ten year Treasury bond yield is key to grasping interest rates. This is because the average mortgage is refinanced or paid off within the first ten years.
Your personal financial situation is another determining factor. Current financial flow along with past finances are used to help calculate the final mortgage rate. If you have bad credit, you are more likely to receive a higher interest rate than someone with good credit and vice versa.
Once you know your mortgage rate, you can pay off points. A point is an interest that can be paid off right away by the borrower. By doing so, you have a higher upfront cost. Using this method can save an enormous amount of money long term. Interest will cease to build on the remainder of the loan amount.
Another factor for your mortgage rate is the amount you have available for the down payment. The more you have, the lower mortgage rate you are likely to receive. The lender has less risk the more you have upfront. They are typically more willing to offer the client a lower interest rate the lower their risk.
