Consider Different Reverse Mortgage Options

There are many different reverse mortgage options: single purpose reverse mortgages, federally insured reverse mortgages, and proprietary (private sector) reverse mortgages. Each option has different pros and cons that need to be considered when looking into taken out a reverse mortgage.

Single-Purpose Reverse Mortgages

A single purpose reverse mortgage is the lowest-cost type of reverse mortgages to obtain, but as the name indicates it can only be used for one specified purpose. They are typically offered by state or local government agencies. These loans a great for individuals who need cash for a specific purpose like paying property taxes or fixing up there homes. Here are descriptions for several different types of single purpose reverse mortgages:

Property tax deferral (PTD) mortgages are reverse mortgages that provide loan advances for paying property taxes.

Deferred payment loans (DPLs) are reverse mortgages providing lump sum disbursements for repairing or improving homes.

Federally Insured Reverse Mortgages

A federally insured reverse mortgage is the only reverse mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). These reverse mortgage are one of the lowest-cost multipurpose reverse mortgages currently available. Overall they typically provide the largest total cash benefits of all the reverse mortgage options. The proceeds from a federally insured reverse mortgage can be used for any purpose. These loans are also known as Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs).

Proprietary Reverse Mortgages

A proprietary reverse mortgage is a mortgage product owned by a private company. These type of loans are more expensive then the other reverse mortgage types and should be approached with caution. Anyone looking into these type loans should get a comparison with a similiar HECM. One benefit of proprietary reverse mortgages are the higher home value limits. So, if you live in a home that is worth a lot more than the average home value in your county, a proprietary loan may give you greater loan advances than a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM).

As with any financial decision, you should get professional help to help you decide which option is best for your situation. Reverse mortgage counselors can help you evaluate each of your options and help you make an informed decision.

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How a Reverse Mortgage Can Benefit Homeowners 62 or Older

Reverse mortgages give eligible homeowners the ability to access the money they have stored up as equity in their homes.  They are designed to build seniors' personal and financial independence by providing funds without the requirement of a monthly payment for as long as they live in the home.

Homeowners age 62 or older may benefit greatly by discussing the possibilities and options a reverse mortgage can afford them with a lender or counselor.  These types of loans offer a way to borrow against the equity in your home to create a stable, continuous and tax free source of usable income or a substantial source of supplemental income, all without having to change your current living conditions.

The best part of this type of loan is that you aren’t required to repay any part of the loan as long as you live in your house and don't breach any of the terms and conditions of the reverse mortgage.  However it is important that you are diligent in researching this unique loan product as it may not be right for every situation.  This is why we encourage any potential borrower interested in a reverse mortgage to investigate their options first with a HUD certified counselor or lender. 

Other great sources of information include family and friends who have experience dealing with reverse mortgages before, nonprofit organizations offering help to seniors’, the AARP, American Society on Aging, and authority sites on the internet that provide helpful articles and resources concerning the reverse mortgage industry.

While simple to understand in theory, it is important to know how reverse mortgages work.  The reverse mortgage loan product got its name due to the fact that instead of making mortgage payments, the lender actually pays the borrower creating a kind of inverse relationship compared to the traditional mortgage product.  The source of funds for the money received is the equity stored in your home.  The unique feature of this loan is that unlike conventional mortgages where the loan balance becomes smaller each moth you make a payment, the loan balance of a reverse mortgage grows larger over time.

The principal on the loan increases with each payment received, this includes interest and other charges accrued each month on the total funds advanced to you.  You retain ownership of your home in all reverse mortgages, and many do not require repayment for as long as you occupy your home, pay your property taxes and hazard insurance charges, and continue to maintain the property.

When you leave your home permanently your loan balance becomes due.  It is also important to note that your legal obligation to repay the loan cannot be more than the market value of your house at the time you leave the property.  This means that your lender can never require repayment of the loan from your heirs or from any asset other than the property itself.

Today the 2 major reverse mortgage loan types provided by the Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association) are the HECM and Home Keeper. These loans assure the borrower that he or she will never owe more than the loan balance or the value of the property, whichever is less, and no assets other than the home must be used to repay the debt.

Also unlike conventional mortgages these loan types have neither a fixed maturity date nor a fixed mortgage amount. Many borrowers familiar with the home equity loan are often times skeptical about reverse mortgages and simply see it as a different type of home equity loan and sometimes even think it’s a scam. 

For this reason it is important to understand the difference between home equity loans and reverse mortgages.  With a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) you must make regular monthly payments to the lender in order to repay the loan, in fact, your repayments begin as soon as your loan is made. If you fail to make the monthly payments on a traditional home equity loan, a mortgage lender can foreclose on your home, putting you in a position where you either have to sell your home to repay the loan or lose it to the lender.

Another notable difference is the fact that some home equity loans also require you to re-qualify for the loan each year, and if you fail to re-qualify, the lender may require you to pay the loan in full immediately.  In addition, in order to qualify for a traditional home equity loan, you must have sufficient funds and debt-to-income ratio in order to be approved on the loan.

Reverse mortgages however, such as the HECM and the Home Keeper Mortgage, do not require monthly repayments, saving you from the need to qualify through the traditional and often times difficult loan process.  In fact, repayment of these loans is not required as long as your property remains your primary residence and you stay current in paying your property taxes and hazard insurance charges.  Another stipulation that makes the reverse mortgage so special is the fact that your income does not become a factor in qualifying for these loans, nor are you required to re-qualify each year.

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What Is A Reverse Mortgage?

Reverse mortgages are becoming popular among the senior citizens. They give seniors easy money in lieu of the part ownership of their home.

If you want to go for a reverse mortgage, the information below will help you:

What is reverse mortgage?

For senior citizens above 62 years, lenders offer instant cash without any monthly payments. This allows the pensioners with a home, but no cash, to get easy financing to meet their daily needs or for any other purposes. This allows them to convert their equity tied up in their home into cash.

What are the advantages and risks of this type of mortgage?

This mortgage allows you to reside in your own home. You get monthly income which will help you maintain a comfortable standard of living.

The money generated is non-taxable since it is a loan and not income. In the short term, the advantages seem to be very attractive but in the long term the risks far outweigh the benefits. Unlike a conventional mortgage, in reverse mortgages the lender pays you money based on the equity in the home. But in return the lender imposes strict conditions on you. You get the mortgage only on the primary residence. So if there is another home where you do not reside, you will not get the mortgage. If you die, sell home or change your main residence, you need to pay back the loan along with the accrued interest. To do that, you will have to sell off the home. Also, this mortgage can erode the accumulated equity in the house rapidly. Besides, if you want to leave the house as an inheritance, you will not be able to do so.

How much mortgage will I get?

You can get any amount between 10 to 40% of the value of home obtained after appraisal. It is directly dependent on your age, the present rate of interest and the value of the property.

You can get free online reverse mortgage quotes through the internet. There are lots of reverse mortgage websites, which would be useful to you.

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Option ARM - The World's Most Dangerous Mortgage

Home prices have reached record levels, and in many parts of the country, homes have become nearly unaffordable.Real estate has replaced the tech stocks of the late 1990's as the hot investment, and everyone has sold their stocks and jumped into investment property.Real estate prices have increased at a far greater rate than salaries, and the lending industry has attempted to solve this problem by introducing a tremendous number of mortgage options for borrowers who barely capable of purchasing a home.Most of these loan types feature adjustable interest rates and minimum down payments. One of these, the option ARM, is the most dangerous type of loan ever introduced.Borrowers who are considering an option ARM should be aware that this loan could leave them with a loan that is worth far more than the home it's used to buy and with a loan that he or she cannot afford to pay.The option ARM is not for the squeamish.

So what, exactly, is an option ARM?An option ARM is a mortgage with an adjustable interest rate that typically gives the borrower four different payment choices each month. The first choice is based on a 30-year amortization table; the second on a 15-year amortization table.These would correspond to payments for adjustable-rate 30 and 15 year mortgages, respectively.The third choice is an interest-only payment, which pays the interest that accrues during the month but pays nothing towards reducing the loan amount.The fourth choice, the one that makes this loan so dangerous, is called the "minimum payment."The minimum payment is calculated upon the first month's interest rate, which is usually a very low "teaser" rate that can be as low as 1-2%.Most borrowers with an option ARM opt to pay the minimum payment each month, and that's where the trouble comes in.

The loan carries and adjustable interest rate, and this rate can adjust as often as every month.If the borrower is paying only the minimum payment, then he or she isn't even paying enough to cover that month's interest on the loan.What happens then?The unpaid interest that has accrued is added to the loan principal.The principal can actually grow larger, and as interest due is calculated on the loan principal, the interest due will increase, as well.Interest rates are currently near all-time lows and are sure to increase.A buyer who continues to make minimum payments on an option ARM will find that the principal on the loan is actually increasing over time!This is known as negative amortization.

In a negative amortization situation, only bad things can happen.The lender can require refinancing under certain conditions stated in the loan agreement.The buyer may find himself unable to pay the loan and may have to default.And the lender could find himself holding a note that is worth far more than the house that it represents.

The option ARM is a loan that is best suited to investors and homeowners who only intend to keep the home for a short time.It is not a good choice for anyone who may be using it to buy more home than he or she can afford.Unfortunately, that describes a lot of buyers who are taking out this type of loan.Anyone who is considering a home purchase should be very careful if this type of loan is offered, as it could leave you both bankrupt and homeless.

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Helpful Information On Reverse Mortgages

A popular method of borrowing against your home is the reverse mortgage. The reverse mortgage is becoming increasingly popular among senior citizens who wish to pay off their debts and increase their retirement income. It is expected that as the Baby Boom generation moves towards retirement, use of the reverse mortgage will become more and more frequent.

Reverse mortgages differ from a traditional mortgage in that there are no monthly payments.

The funds can be paid out as a monthly income, taken as a lump sum or withdrawn as needed. Interest is charged each month and deducted from the home equity balance.

The most common reverse mortgage is the federally insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage. This mortgage guarantees a retiree can remain in his or her home until he or she passes away or moves out. Any remaining equity in the home is the retiree's or his or her heirs. The lender gets none.

One advantage of reverse mortgages is that your ability to obtain one is not tied to your income. In fact, you can get one without any income at all!

You must, however, repay the loan upon your death or when the home is sold.

Reverse mortgages are not without their drawbacks, and they are not for everyone. While interest rates are comparable to conventional mortgages, there are high startup fees. Part of this is to insure the loan, which tends to be riskier than conventional mortgages, as the borrowers must be at least 62 years of age.

In addition, as the reverse mortgage draws upon the equity of the home, you could find yourself with no equity remaining if the value of your home should drop over time.

Reverse mortgages may become more popular in Texas and reverse mortgages will soon allow line of credit paymentsThose seeking a reverse mortgage or home equity loan in Texas were long disappointed, as Texas was one of the last states to allow such lending.  Mortgage laws dating to the nineteenth century prohibited such lending, as the state’s founders feared that lenders would take advantage of people and intentionally seize their homes through foreclosure. This made it virtually impossible for Texans to use their home equity for purposes of debt consolidation, home improvement, or other legitimate uses, as citizens of other states may do.In 1997, the Texas legislature finally amended the state constitution to allow home equity loans, but did so in an awkward, poorly worded way that left many questions unanswered. The new laws did allow for traditional term loans and lines of credit for home equity loans, and also allowed for lump sum payouts for reverse mortgages.  The law did not allow for a line of credit for reverse mortgages, however, and that has created a problem.A reverse mortgage allows homeowners who are at least 62 years of age to borrow against the equity of their home by agreeing to pay back the money when the homeowner dies, sells the home, or moves.  Reverse mortgages have been quite popular in recent years, particularly in areas such as California, where high real estate prices have left many homeowners short of cash but “equity rich.”  These people have been able to fund their retirements using the equity in their homes, purchasing vacation homes, recreational vehicles, or taking long-desired vacations. Nationally, nearly 90% of those who take out a reverse mortgage do so by utilizing a line of credit.  This allows them to use the money when and how they see fit, and no interest accrues unless the money is actually used. It’s a very convenient product, and it costs the homeowner much less in interest than a lump sum payment. Unfortunately for citizens of Texas, a lump sum payment is the only option, and as a result, very few reverse mortgages have been offered to date.This may soon change, however. The Texas Legislature has recently approved an amendment to the state constitution that will allow homeowners who take out a reverse mortgage to accept payment in the form of a line of credit. Texas law requires that this change be placed on the ballot for a referendum, and it is expected to be voted upon this fall.  Those who work in the lending industry expect the vote to pass, and say that it will lead to a tremendous increase in the number of reverse mortgages offered in the state.  With more than twenty million people, Texas ranks second only to California in population, and there are many people in Texas who would qualify for a reverse mortgage.By eliminating laws that have been on the books for more than one hundred and fifty years, Texas may soon join the rest of the states in having fair and equitable home lending laws.This might be of interest to those concerned about California adjustable pay mortgagemastersonline.com and that is why we have included this information.

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Has Your Adjustable Rate Mortgage Become a Gamble?

Three or four years ago, interest rates on home loans dropped to levels not seen since the 1960's.  Millions of Americans took advantage of the favorable rates, which bottomed out near 5% for fixed rate, 30-year loans.  For adjustable rate mortgages, they rates were even lower.  Many buyers passed on the opportunity to lock in at fixed rates and gambled on the lower payments afforded by adjustable rate loans in order to buy either larger or more expensive homes.  That worked out fine at the time, as the rates kept the monthly payments affordable.  Unfortunately, the sixteen increases in the Federal interest rates since 2004 are about to have a dramatic effect on those buyers, many of whom many find out that they can no longer afford to pay for the homes in which they live.

Many adjustable rate loans are set up in such a way that the interest rate is fixed for the first three years of the loan's repayment schedule.  After that, the interest rate adjusts regularly, based upon prevailing market rates.  For the millions of homeowners who gambled and took out these loans in 2003, the Big Adjustment is going to come soon, and it isn't going to be pretty.  As the rates adjust to current rates from the low rates of 2003, many homeowners are going to be shocked to see that their monthly payments rise by as much as 50%.  Some will be fine with that, having anticipated this increase for some time.  Others will suddenly find themselves unable to pay for a house that they have long thought they could afford.  This will undoubtedly lead to an increase in the foreclosure rate, which is already some 60% above the rate of last year.  In Michigan, the rate is up by 90% over last year, as hundreds of owners have walked away from their home loans.

What can you do if you have an adjustable rate loan that is about to become unaffordable and may yet become even more so?  Your best bet may be to refinance and take out a 15 or 30-year, fixed-rate loan.  The benefit of doing so is the security that comes with knowing that your payment will remain stable over a long period of time, no matter what happens to the interest rates in the marketplace.  If you cannot afford your loan now and refinancing with a fixed-rate loan will still leave the payments unaffordable, you may have no choice but to sell the property and move to something smaller and/or less expensive.  You will not be alone.

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Consider a reverse mortgage - as your last option

Home buyers often save rigorously for their home, forgoing expenditures and making sacrifices to pay down the mortgage and save for retirement. At retirement they get to enjoy their dream home debt-free. The only problem with this scenario for a lot of retirees is that they live on a fixed, and often not very large, income.

One option is to take a reverse mortgage - a loan against the home, which brings you money while you still live in your home. You can usually borrow between 10 to 40 percent of the value of your home depending on your age. A reverse mortgage loan requires no repayment for as long as you live in your home and you will never owe more than the value of your home.

This loan is different from a traditional mortgage in two ways. In order to qualify for a traditional mortgage, the bank checks your income to see how much you can afford to repay each month, but with a reverse mortgage there are no monthly repayments. With most loans, if you fail to make your repayments, you are in trouble. With a reverse mortgage, you don't have any repayments. Thus, the debt grows larger as you keep getting cash advances and the interest is added to the amount you owe. This is why a reverse mortgage is called a "rising debt, falling equity" loan. As the amount you owe (your debt) grows larger, your equity (the value of your home less debt) is getting smaller.

You can receive income from your reverse mortgage in two ways. You can take the loan and invest it in an annuity. In turn, this annuity will provide you with income until your death. The second alternative is to receive monthly income from your reverse mortgage provider. Here you simply increase the size of your loan on a regular basis in order to receive income.

There is one big downside to all of this - you still owe money on your home. The total amount you will owe at the end of the loan will equal the loan plus all the interest accrued. All the interest can be a substantial amount of money.

Before you apply for a reverse mortgage, discuss your options with your family. Remember that a reverse mortgage will reduce the size of your final estate.

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