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Mortgage rates for fixed-rate loans are still lower than they have been in decades. Why in the world would anyone want to consider any sort of adjustable rate mortgage?
Even with today’s low fixed rates, opting for an ARM could save you significantly.
First, you should be aware of how ARMs work. The most popular loans are called “hybrid ARMs” or “Intermediate Term ARMs.” These loans have rates that are fixed for an extended period of time—typically 3, 5, 7 or even 10 years—before they begin to adjust. At that time, the interest rate will change annually based on the performance of an index, like the One Year Treasury.
The lender adds a number, called the “margin,” to the index to arrive at the new rate for that year. The index changes every month, but the margin is set at the time the loan funds; it never changes. If the index is 1.21 when it’s time to adjust the loan and the margin is 2.25, the new rate will be 3.46%.
There are limitations, called “caps,” on how much the rate can adjust initially, annually and over its lifetime. For ARMs with a fixed period of five years, for example, the initial and annual caps are 2%, but the “life cap,” the highest the rate could ever increase, is 5%.
This means that if you selected a start rate of 3.625% and an initial fixed term of 5 years, the loan could adjust to no higher than 5.625% at the first change, and no more than 8.625% at any time.
ARMs offer lower rates at the beginning than fixed rate loans. An ARM with a fixed period of 5 years will carry a rate of around .375% lower than a 30 year fixed rate. For a $300,000 mortgage, the monthly payment would start about $64 less than the fixed rate loan. Those savings could mount up over time: that same loan would accrue nearly $4,000 in savings in five years, compared with the fixed rate option.
But there is still the matter of the uncertainty of a loan that will change in the future. What if interest rates are higher in five years? That ARM that seemed such a bargain at 3.625% could rise to 5.625% after five years. The rate could rise all the way to 8.625% in just seven years; would it still be a good deal?
There is no simple answer to whether anyone should select an ARM over a fixed—although few people ever regret getting a fixed rate mortgage. But there are a few cases where an ARM could be worth considering.
It is true that the 30-year fixed rate mortgage is the most popular loan in the marketplace today—and for good reason. Rates are still low, and the knowledge that your rate won’t change for as long as you have the loan is very comforting. But if you identify with any of the circumstances mentioned here, you may decide that one of today’s ARM loans is an appropriate choice for you.
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Do you have questions about home loans? Are you ready to apply for a mortgage to buy a home? If so, Sammamish Mortgage can help. We are a local mortgage company from Bellevue, Washington serving the entire state, as well as Oregon, Idaho, and Colorado. We offer many mortgage programs to buyers all over the Pacific Northwest and have been doing so since 1992. Contact us today with any questions you have about mortgages.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.