ABA: Safe Harbor Essential for New Mortgage Rule
18.05.12
“A safe harbor with well-defined standards is the only path to ensure that qualified borrowers have access to affordable credit,” said Frank Keating, president and CEO of the American Bankers Association.
“The unpredictability of a rebuttable presumption would create litigation risks too great for most lenders to continue offering mortgages to all qualified borrowers,” said Keating. “This collection of housing groups, realtors, banks and credit unions are gravely concerned that a rebuttable presumption would be damaging to credit availability, communities and the housing market.”
The letter stresses that the structure of the Qualified Mortgage rule is the most critical housing finance issue facing the CFPB today and ramifications of the rule will be felt for years to come.
The American Bankers Association represents banks of all sizes and charters and is the voice for the nation’s $13 trillion banking industry and its two million employees. The majority of ABA’s members are banks with less than $185 million in assets. Learn more at aba.
Source: LoanSafe
The High Costs of a Low-Rate Mortgage
18.05.12
Mortgage rates are low . . . very low! In fact, 30-year fixed mortgage rates have been below or near 4 percent for several months. Often, it makes great financial sense to refinance your home at the lower rates. After all, who wouldn’t want to save a few bucks?
However, before you make the call to “1-800 GET-ME-A-GREAT-RATE,” you need to consider all the costs and fees that go into refinancing your home . The closing costs can get pretty steep, as there are many fees associated with getting that great new 30-year rate, such as: origination charges (sometimes referred to as “points”), an appraisal fee, title insurance, recording charges, transfer taxes, etc. On a $417,000 mortgage, these fees can total about $5,500. Despite these expenses, refinancing to a lower rate may still be the smart move.
The next step is to consider how long you intend to stay in your house and then calculate the “payback.” In other words, how long does it take to pay back the closing costs when you consider the monthly savings with new lower mortgage payment verses the original mortgage payment? For example, the closing costs on a $417,000 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage at 3.875 percent is $5,500, with a new monthly payment of $1,961. The old mortgage payment was $2,238, which means the homeowner will save $277 per month. The closing costs of $5,500 divided by the monthly savings of $277 equates to a payback period of nearly 20 months. So, if you are going to be in the house longer than that, it’s a good deal. However, if a potential move is in your future, you may want to stay with your current mortgage.
Source: U.S. News & World Report (blog)