1% Mortgage Refinance loans, you’ve probably seen 100 different advertisements, but how is it possible? There is really only one big secret to 1% mortgages: 1% minimum payments are below the interest payable on the loan. Once we’ve addressed this feature, most of the other facets of 1% mortgages are relatively logical. 1% mortgages, which now come in dozens of varieties with start rates from below 1% (some even starting at 0% for a few months after refinance) up to 4% or more, offer astonishingly low payments. Some of them offer fixed rates for 30 or even 40 years, some of them are adjustable from the day you take them out, all of these are basically “1% mortgages” and are extremely popular amongst homeowners today. 1% mortgages and their offspring are being used for debt consolidation, cash flow management, investments, and for tax purposes, and they are being used a lot.

A full 40% of home loans originated in 2005 and 2006 are estimated to be from the 1% mortgage family, with multiple payment options. By its proponents, the success of the 1% mortgage has been hailed as a new era of affordability and flexibility, of an extremely sharp financial tool once available only to the very rich now available to every family in the country. Its opponents tend to think that the 1% mortgage is a bit too sharp for the average homeowner to handle, they fear “Average Joes” could conceivably cut themselves. Despite their division, one thing is certain, the popularity of the 1% mortgage is driven by the relentless pursuit of the American dream. There are more homeowners in the United States today than in any other period in history, and many of those who own homes have only been able to accomplish home ownership, which was once a lifelong achievement, in their early 20’s and 30’s, largely because of the extended availability of these 1% mortgages to normal borrowers.

How much less expensive is a 1% mortgage payment option versus the comparable 30 Year Fixed traditional principal and interest payment?

For a $500,000.00 Mortgage:

1% Minimum Payment: $1200.00
Normal Loan Payment: $3000.00
—————————–
Cash Flow / Savings: $1800.00

It’s easy to see why the 1% mortgage refinance is so heavily marketed as a way to cut your mortgage payment in half. In the above example, the 1% mortgage minimum payment option is 60% less than a typical, traditional principal & interest loan payment. 1% mortgage minimum payments are usually 50% lower than even the highly lauded Interest Only payment mortgages, and most loans in the 1% mortgage family include the ability to pay more than just 1% if need be.

So How Does it Work?

In fact, 1% mortgages are more than just the 1% start rate. They have a fully indexed rate as well, which is the true amount of interest due each month. When making a 1% mortgage minimum payment, the borrower is not paying all of the interest due, which is seen by some as a good thing and some as a bad thing. Let’s examine some of the commonly perceived benefits and caveats of 1% mortgages:

Commonly Perceived Benefits of the 1% Mortgage Family:

1. Extremely Low Monthly Minimum Payment: As we’ve seen in our example, the minimum payment option is less than half of the typical traditional mortgage payment.

2. Flexibility to Control Your Own Money: Unlike a traditional mortgage, which requires a payment to principal each month, 1% mortgages allow borrowers to take the power into their own hands to make principal payments when they want to, e.g after a bonus or a particularly good year.

3. Separate Cash Flow from Equity: While many personal finance pundits laud the benefits of building home equity, the reality is that investing home equity yields a 0% return on investment on a month to month basis. In the above example, paying the traditional principal and interest payment forces the borrower to invest $1800 more each month in their home, money which is locked up entirely in the equity of the home. Home Equity is illiquid, meaning all this money locked in equity cannot be accessed unless the home is sold or refinanced. The bank won’t cut a check each month for the borrower’s home equity in a traditional loan. With a 1% mortgage minimum payment, that $1800 difference in payments is money in the borrower’s pocket, to invest or spend at their discretion. By deferring interest using a 1% mortgage, the borrower has full access to money that normally would be locked up until they sold the property. That $1800 per month adds up to over $100,000.00 in cash over 5 years on a 1% mortgage, and it’s available every time your paycheck does not get used up paying a huge traditional mortgage payment each month.

4. Maximize Debt Consolidation: Using a 1% mortgage refinance to pay off all of your other creditors, such as credit card companies and high interest rate lenders, means that you can save even more money than with a 1% mortgage refinance alone. Since you aren’t throwing high interest money at your creditors each month, the cash which you save by making the 1% mortgage payment actually goes into your pocket, your savings, your investments, or wherever you need it most. That’s ultimate control. Let’s say that in our $500,000 1% mortgage example above, we rolled in $30,000 of credit card and other high interest debt that have a monthly minimum payment requirement of $1,000. By using a 1% mortgage refinance to pay off those debts, total monthly savings using the earlier example would be over $2800 per month, $1000 from the debt consolidation plus $1800 from the difference between the traditional loan payment at 6% and the 1% mortgage minimum payment.

5. Turn Equity into a Tax Deduction: First, the 1% mortgage payment is 100% interest and therefore should be 100% tax deductible in most cases. Secondly, One of the most attractive benefits of 1% mortgages is the additional tax deduction available on deferred interest. What this means is that borrowers can realize a tax deduction on interest they did not have to lay out the cash for, and choose the time at which this deduction is realized, which can be a huge savings upon liquidity or refinance. For real estate investors, this is a huge advantage as it can often wash out the capital gains consequences of selling a property. Disclaimer: We do not dispense tax advice, and you should consider consulting a CPA.

6. Easy Qualification: Normally, to qualify for low payment mortgages, borrowers are required to have exceptional credit. However, 1% mortgage refinance loans are routinely available to borrowers with credit scores as low as 620, and if they are borrowing less than 80% of the value of their home, scores can even be in the 500s provided there are no late mortgage payments reported on their credit file. The borrower’s income can be stated, and sometimes no income or employment documentation is required at all.

7. Enhanced Protection from Foreclosure: Because the minimum payment option is so low, the cash savings each month so high, and the loan is so flexible, the 1% mortgage family offers homeowners a low minimum payment option which they have a much higher likelihood of paying should they suffer an interruption of income or become disabled.

8. Biweekly Payments: A popular way to maximize the benefits of the 1% mortgage refinance is to elect to make biweekly payments (which are available on select 1% mortgages). This optimizes the loan to coincide with most borrower’s payment cycles and reduces any possible negative effects of deferring interest.

Commonly Perceived Caveats of the 1% Mortgage Family:

1. Artificially Low Payments: Because the minimum payments are so low compared to traditional mortgages, many pundits fear that people who would normally not qualify for home ownership can now own a home. The fear is that new or “low income” homeowners could “get in over their heads” by buying more house than they can truly afford. Ultimately, it is up to the borrower to decide how much they can afford.

2. Deferred Interest: Often referred to as negative amortization, this concern is commonly cited by journalists as a “negative” because the loan balance may increase over time if the minimum payment is always selected. However, this perspective does ignore the advantages of dramatically increased cash flow in the borrower’s pocket each month and the tax benefits of deferring interest. Of course, the borrower can choose for themselves whether they want to spend their money paying interest to the bank or if they would rather put the difference into their own pockets.

3. Depreciation: If the value of the borrower’s home falls dramatically, and other factors force the borrower to sell the home while the value is low, the borrower may wind up owing more than the home is worth. This is a valid risk over short periods of time for all types of mortgages, not just 1% mortgages. Even a traditional principal and interest mortgage does not pay off enough principal over the first 5 years of its life to offset a dramatic short term decline in home values. The risk of property values declining is a real risk of owning property, period. However, history tells us that residential real estate appreciates consistently over any given ten year period in the past 50 years.

4. Too Easy To Qualify: This may not seem to be a disadvantage to most borrowers looking to purchase or refinance a home, but there are those who believe that borrowers should be forced to document significantly more income and assets to qualify for these types of loans. A lot of this sentiment is an outgrowth of antiquated conceptions of 1% mortgages as a “Rich Man’s Mortgage”, which used to require significant net worth to obtain, and some of it is attributable to equally antiquated “one size fits all” notions about mortgages. Your perspective will likely depend on whether or not you are in a position to provide extensive documentation of your income and assets in support of your loan application.

Many of the criticisms of 1% mortgages revolve around the adjustable rate variety of these mortgages, which like all adjustable rate mortgages go up and down with the rest of the market. However, in most 1% mortgages, the minimum payment stays fixed and can go up or down only 7.5% per year. So if your payment in Year 1 is $1000.00 , in Year 2 it can go no higher than $1075.00. Because the rate on the loan can change more or less than the minimum payment, which is extremely low, the loan can result in the deferral of interest if only the minimum payment is made. Many of the amortization issues which are seen by critics of 1% Mortgages as their key detractor have been recently resolved by the introduction of fixed rate minimum payment loans to the 1% mortgage family.

Fixed rate 1% mortgage variations, the latest additions to the 1% mortgage family, have fixed interest rates from 3 to 30 years or more. The minimum payment option is generally available for the first 5, 10, 15 or in some cases 20 years of the mortgage, at which point the 1% mortgage payment recasts or readjusts to the interest only payment or the full principal & interest payment. During the fixed period, the loan payment and interest rates of fixed 1% mortgages are utterly predictable and can be defined down to the penny. Many borrowers who would prefer a fixed rate can benefit significantly from the 30 year fixed 1% mortgage, which actually carries a minimum payment of 1.95% and a fixed rates in the 6% to 7% range for 30 years.

While there are those in the journalism community who believe that 1% mortgages have too much power for your average homeowner, ultimately the decision is in the homeowner’s hands. Make a high payment to the bank each month, or put the money in their pockets. And homeowners seem evenly divided, as refinances into loans from the 1% mortgage category are projected to represent over 50% of all refinances in 2007. Traditional mortgages are not a one size fits all solution, and neither are 1% mortgages, but with low minimum payment options, excellent debt consolidation capabilities, significant cash flow and tax advantages made possible by deferring interest, and flexibility to control your finances or insulate yourself from interruptions in income or disability, 1% mortgages continue to post significant growth across the country. Whether or not a 1% mortgage refinance is right for you should be determined by performing a detailed analysis of your personal financial situation with a home loan professional who has extensive experience with 1% mortgage products. As always, we welcome your calls and emails.

FHA Streamline Refinance Florida

Revised FHA Streamline Refinance Transactions

This Mortgagee Letter provides (1) revised procedures; and (2) reaffirms existing procedures regarding Streamline Refinance transactions.  This Mortgagee Letter is effective for new case numbers assigned on or after 60 days from the date of this letter.

Key Revisions:

• Seasoning
• Payment history
• Net tangible benefit for the borrower
• Maximum Combined Loan-to-Value
• New Maximum Mortgage Amount for Streamline Refinances WITHOUT an Appraisal
• Discounts Points no longer included in Existing Debt for Streamline Refinances WITH an Appraisal
• Verification of any assets needed to close
• Certification that borrower is employed and has income
• Elimination of abbreviated Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA)

Florida home buyers should know the many advantages of the FHA streamline mortgage refinance. FHA steamline refinance loans were created to help increase home ownership. For the Florida home buyer the FHA program can simplify the purchase of a home, making financing easier and less expensive than a conventional mortgage loan product. Some highlights of the Florida FHA loan program include:

Minimal Down Payment and Closing costs.

• Down payment less than 3% of Sales Price Gifts are allowed
• Seller can credit up to 6% of sales price towards closing and prepaid costs.
• 100% Financing available
• No reserves required.
• FHA regulated closing costs.

Easier Credit Qualifying Guidelines such as: 

•  
  • No minimum FICO score or credit score requirements.
  • FHA will allow a home purchase 1 year after a Bankruptcy.
  • FHA will allow a home purchase2 years after a Foreclosure.

Apply for an FHA streamline REFINANCE at:

http://www.fhamortgagefhaloan.com/

       I.             Revisions for ALL Streamline Refinance Transactions

A.    Seasoning

At the time of loan application, the borrower must have made at least 6 payments on the FHA-insured mortgage being refinanced.

B.     Payment History

At the time of loan application, the borrower must exhibit an acceptable payment history as described below.

1)      For mortgages with less than a 12 months payment history, the borrower must have made all mortgage payments within the month due.

2)      For mortgages with a 12 months payment history or greater, the borrower must have:

a)      Experienced no more than one 30 day late payment in the preceding 12 months,  

AND

b)      Made all mortgage payments within the month due for the three months prior to the date of loan application.

C.    Net Tangible Benefit 

The lender must determine that there is a net tangible benefit as a result of the streamline refinance transaction, with or without an appraisal.  Net tangible benefit is defined as:

• reduction in the total mortgage payment (principal, interest, taxes and insurances, homeowners’ association fees, ground rents, special assessments and all subordinate liens), 
•  refinancing from an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) to a fixed rate mortgage,

OR

• reducing the term of the mortgage.

Reduction in Total Mortgage Payment:  The new total mortgage payment is 5 percent lower than the total mortgage payment for the mortgage being refinanced.  Example:  Total mortgage payment on the existing FHA-insured mortgage is $895; the total mortgage payment for the new FHA-insured mortgage must be $850 or less. 

 This requirement is applicable when refinancing from a Fixed Rate to Fixed Rate, from an ARM to ARM, from a Graduated Payment Mortgage (GPM) to Fixed Rate, from GPM to ARM, from a 203(k) to 203(b) and from a 235 to 203(b).

 Fixed Rate to ARM:  Fixed rate mortgages may be refinanced to a one-year ARM provided that the interest rate on the new mortgage is at least 2 percentage points below the interest rate of the current mortgage   

ARM to Fixed Rate:  The interest rate on the new fixed rate mortgage will be no greater than 2 percentage points above the current rate of the one-year ARM.  For hybrid ARMs, the total mortgage payment on the new fixed rate mortgage may not increase by more than 20 percent .  Example:  total mortgage payment on the hybrid ARM is $895; the total mortgage payment for the new fixed rate mortgage must be $1,074 or less.

 Reduction in Term:   For transactions that include a reduction in the mortgage term, that loan must be underwritten and closed as a rate and term (no cash-out) refinance transaction.

Investment Properties/Secondary Residences:  In addition to meeting the requirement for a reduction in the total mortgage payment, investment properties or secondary residences are not eligible for streamline refinancing to ARMs.

D.    Certifications and Verifications

When submitting the loan for insurance endorsement, the lender must include a signed and dated cover letter on their letterhead certifying[1] that the borrower is employed and has income at the time of loan application.

If assets are needed to close, the lender must verify and document those assets.

The lenders must also include the pay-off statement in the case binder.

E.    Credit  Score

If a credit score is available, the lender must enter the credit score into FHA Connection.  If more than one credit score is available, lenders must enter all available credit scores 

F.     Maximum Combined Loan to Value

If subordinate financing is remaining in place, the maximum combined loan-to-value ratio is 125 percent.

• For streamline refinance transactions WITHOUT an appraisal, the CLTV is based on the original appraised value of the property.

• For streamline refinance transactions WITH an appraisal, the CLTV is based on the new appraised value.

G.    TOTAL Scorecard

Lenders should not use TOTAL on streamline refinance transactions.  If a lender uses TOTAL, that loan must be underwritten and closed as a rate and term (no cash-out) refinance transaction.

H.    Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA)

 FHA Home Refinance Loans

Take advantage of the many benefits of FHA  refinancing your Florida home – from getting cash out, to lowering your monthly mortgage payment, to protecting your Florida home investment – our FHA mortgage refinancing programs give you financial breathing room up to 85% of your Florida  home’s value. FHA refinancing offers financial freedom, a federally insured Florida home loan, and the low fixed rate you are looking for. If you already have an FHA loan, you may be eligible for a FHA streamline refinance that doesn’t require an FHA appraisal, credit check, income verification, or a face-to-face application. visit http://www.fhamortgagefhaloan.com/ for more information

Florida FHA Mortgage Refinance

Some advantages of using a FHA mortgage for your mortgage refinance your Florida home are as follows:

Cash-Out Refinance up to 95% for existing or new FHA mortgages.

• Cash-Out up to 95% of your properties value.
• Consolidate first and second mortgages into single loan.
• Bill consolidation programs.
• Easier credit and income qualifications.
• FHA regulated closing costs.

Rate and Term Mortgage Refinancing up to 97% of your homes value.

• Consolidate first and second mortgages into a single loan.
• No FICO score or credit score requirements
• Competitive rates for borrowers with a Bankruptcy older than two years.
• Competitive rates for borrowers with a Foreclosure older than three years.
• Easier credit and income qualifications.
• FHA regulated closing costs.

FHA Streamline Refinance for existing FHA loans only.

• No Cost Interest Rate Reductions programs.
• No Income or Credit Qualifications.
• Zero cost refinance options available.
• Easily switch amortization for adjustable to fixed or vice versa.
• Easily shorten or lengthen term of your existing loan.
• Easier credit and income qualifications.

FHA Secure Refinance with current mortgage lates.

• Refinance your mortgage at competitive rates even if you have a mortgage late on your credit that is directly due to adjusting mortgage.
• Qualify for refinance even if currently in foreclosure.
• Complete details of FHA Secure loan.

APPLY NOW AT

 http://www.fhamortgagefhaloan.com/

Our FHA Home Refinance Loan Benefits:

• Cash Out Refinancing: Tap your Florida home’s equity with Cash Out refinancing up to 85% of your home’s value.
• Lower Rate Refinancing: Lower your monthly mortgage payment by reducing the interest rate on your current Florida home loan. Current Florida Home owners with current FHA loans in good standing may further qualify for an FHA streamline refinance.
• FHASecure is a refinancing option that gives Florida homeowners with non-FHA adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), current or delinquent and regardless of reset status, the ability to refinance into a FHA-insured mortgage. With FHASecure, you will not automatically be disqualified because you are delinquent on your Florida home loan, and you may be offered a second Florida mortgage to make up the difference between the value of your Florida home and what you owe.

FHA refinancing is only available to Florida homeowners who are currently using their Florida home as their principal Florida home. FHA mortgage  refinancing is available for Florida homeowners of single-family, multi-family homes, with verifiable income and who are able to make their Florida mortgage payment. Cash out is not available under FHA Secure.

Florida FHA Mortgage Refinance, FLorida FHA loan Refinance

Some advantages of using a FHA mortgage for your Florida  mortgage refinance are as follows:

Cash-Out Refinance up to 95% for existing or new FHA mortgages.

• Cash-Out up to 95% of your properties value.
• Consolidate first and second mortgages into single loan.
• Bill consolidation programs.
• Easier credit and income qualifications.
• FHA regulated closing costs.

Rate and Term Mortgage Refinancing up to 97% of your homes value.

• Consolidate first and second mortgages into a single loan.
• No FICO score or credit score requirements
• Competitive rates for borrowers with a Bankruptcy older than two years.
• Competitive rates for borrowers with a Foreclosure older than three years.
• Easier credit and income qualifications.
• FHA regulated closing costs.

FHA Streamline Refinance for existing FHA loans only.

• No Cost Interest Rate Reductions programs.
• No Income or Credit Qualifications.
• Zero cost refinance options available.
• Easily switch amortization for adjustable to fixed or vice versa.
• Easily shorten or lengthen term of your existing loan.
• Easier credit and income qualifications.

FHA Secure Refinance with current mortgage lates.

• Refinance your mortgage at competitive rates even if you have a mortgage late on your credit that is directly due to adjusting mortgage.
• Qualify for refinance even if currently in foreclosure.
• Complete details of FHA Secure loan.

 Apply NOW at

http://www.fhamortgagefhaloan.com/ 

Florida FHA Mortgage Refinance

As a Florida homeowner, eventually, you’ll consider refinancing your Florida mortgage. Before you decide to refinance, you should confer with an experienced Florida  Mortgage Lender. Our licensed mortgage pros work hard to stay current on the best refinance mortgage programs. Our training objectives are to help each of our clients achieve the best combination of interest rate, mortgage terms, and low home loan closing fees for a Florida refinance. Call today at 1-800-570-0448 or use our quick application to learn more!

For over a decade, 1st Continental Mortgage has been the Florida mortgage lender of choice in Florida because we deliver excellent Florida mortgage rates and superb white glove mortgage service to Florida homeowners. 1st Continental Mortgage loan officers are well equipped to make refinancing your Florida Mortgage a smooth and pleasant transaction from application to closing.

After conferring with one of our loan officers, you may find that refinancing your existing mortgage loan isn’t the most suitable way to meet your financial goals. In finance, there are often many ways to achieve a goal, and a conversation with a Florida mortgage expert can save you time in locating the homeowner loan that is going to work the best for your unique set of circumstances.

Why not call one of our friendly experienced loan officers today for a free review your financial situation and objectives. We’re confident that when you complete your phone interview, you’ll be certain you are applying for the best Florida refinance homeowner loan. A loan that will serve your long-term interests and not just the interest of the Florida mortgage originator you’re working with. Call 1-800-570-0448 today or use our quick application for a free, no-obligation consultation.

For most of our clients, getting a Florida refinance on their Florida Mortgage is the most important single financial transaction they will ever undertake. It’s actually more important than when you first decided to purchase your Florida home! It’s not something that most people do every day. In fact, some homeowners may only refinance two or three times in a lifetime.

Nevertheless, differences among Florida mortgage programs for refinancing that appear small can make a huge difference over the life of a typical Florida mortgage. The hard truth is, refinancing your home into the wrong loan can cost you tens of thousands of dollars or even put you at risk of losing your Florida home to foreclosure.

At 1st Continental Mortgage, we’ll listen carefully to your objectives for the refinance loan, ask the right questions, and use our experience to match you with the best program and lender from among the hundreds of Florida debt consolidation refinance programs we offer.

At 1st Continental Mortgage, we’re experts at identifying the small differences in competing refinance mortgage loan programs that can save our clients big dollars. We’ll be glad to share what we know to help you create the best refinance scenario for your situation. Call 1-800-570-0448 or use our secure online quick application to see how simple it is to refinance a mortgage in Collier County or any of the other Florida counties we serve.

Whether you are motivated to refinance your Florida home by a desire to lower your interest rate, lower your monthly payment, change your terms, or remove a former spouse from a mortgage, we will be happy to help. Over the last decade, we have heard our share of excellent reasons for making changes to an existing Florida mortgage.  We have excellent Florida refi solutions for all kinds of homeowners from interest only refinances for a newly single professional; to refinancing a Mobile Home on land with a low fixed rate FHA mortgage in Wesley Chapel, Florida; to helping a young family avoid the shock of dramatically higher mortgage payments from an ARM.

Florida Debt Consolidation Refinance

Cash Out Refi in Florida

For some Florida clients, the need to refinance is driven by debt consolidation. It’s not uncommon today for borrowers to feel that their credit card debt or other installment debt has taken on a life of its own. We know how to help you get the most for your hard-earned home equity when it comes to doing a cash out refinance for debt consolidation. Refinancing for debt consolidation can help free up hundreds of dollars a month and in some cases, the mortgage interest may be tax deductible. If you have home equity and need a fresh start, call 1-800-570-0448 or use our quick application. We think you’ll be glad you did!

We don’t recommend refinancing a first mortgage to every client as a vehicle to consolidate debt or get cash out. Sometimes a prepayment penalty on the first mortgage makes a Second Mortgage or home equity line of credit a better way to access home equity. In other cases, the first mortgage may have a desirable characteristic, such as a below market interest rate, that makes refinancing simply not worthwhile. We’ll be happy to help you generate a range of refinance program options and to choose the best from among them.

Why not call us today at 1-800-570-0448 or fill out our quick application to get a fast quote on refinancing your Florida mortgage!

Here are just a few of the reasons our past clients have expressed for refinancing their Florida homes:

• Lower the interest rate on your present fixed rate mortgage;
• Convert a high risk Florida ARM to a stable 30 year fixed rate mortgage;
• Refinance out of a fully indexed Adjustable Rate Mortgage into a FHA fixed rate loan;
• Consolidate all your high interest credit card debts into a single monthly mortgage payment
• Refinance to pull cash out for hospital bills, college tuition, or to finance a wedding, honeymoon or exotic vacation;
• Escape a Florida bad credit mortgage program into a more permanent mortgage;
• Improve your cash flow with a refinance to an Interest Only mortgage.

With more than 100 lender programs to draw upon, 1st Continental Mortgage loan officers have been delivering the right homeowner refinancing loans for over a decade to thousands of Floridians. Here is a partial list of the mortgage programs that we can help you with:

• Fixed rate mortgage refinance with 10 year, 15 year, 20 year, 30 year and 40 year fixed rate terms;
• Interest only mortgage refi options;
• Debt consolidation refinance programs;
• Florida Jumbo mortgage and Super Jumbo mortgage refinancing programs;
• Bad Credit mortgage programs;
• Second mortgage, home equity loans, and home equity lines of credit options;
• Specialty mortgage products such as no income verification, no ratio, SISA and no doc mortgage programs.

The mortgage professionals of 1st Continental Mortgage are waiting to hear from you right now about your next Florida homeowner refinance opportunity. Just give them a ring at 1-800-570-0448 or apply securely online using our quick application. With so many excellent refinancing options for Florida homeowners, we’re certain to have a Florida refinancing mortgage program designed for you!