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[A241]Adjustable Rate Home Mortgage

by Alan Lim, Ala

If you are getting yourself a home mortgage loan, you will most likely encounter a phase where you are torn between choosing a fixed rate or an adjustable type of mortgage. No one can really say that one loan is better than the other. The choice you make is dependent on a number of factors which may include your interest rate outlook, your budget, the number of years you intend to stay in your home, and how much risk you can tolerate. Let us look through these two types of mortgage loans so you can determine which among the two is best for you.

A fixed rate home mortgage loan (FRM), as its name itself suggest, involves loans whose interest rates remain the same all throughout the lifetime of the mortgage. They generally cost more to compensate for the lesser risk and the greater comfort involved. If the current interest rates are low, an FRM will prove to be a good choice as you will be assured of locking in at a low interest all throughout your loan term.

On the other hand, an adjustable rate home mortgage loan (ARM) is that whose rate fluctuates as the interest rates in the market rise and fall. ARMs are given initially cheaper than FRMs since they involve greater risk. They are a great option if the current interest rates are high and you foresee them to lower in the coming years. If you know that you will stay in your home for a relatively short period, you can get a good deal with an ARM.

The downside of getting an adjustable home mortgage loan is that you can run a real risk of having to pay more if interest rates rise sharply. This means that you will need to pay more in monthly payments. The rate of your ARM loan varies depending on your loan agreement terms. Some rates change as frequently as three months, while others change once a year or every three years. ARMs generally come with a rate cap, which limits the amount by which the lender can raise their rate. The cap is usually set to 2% meaning that the rate increase should only be a maximum of two percent for a given adjustment period.

Because of its stability and lesser risk, FRMs are understandably more popular. Even if they come more expensive, getting a fixed rate home mortgage loan will enable you to easily manage your monthly budget so you can have better control of your finances. It is also less risky since you always have the option to refinance in case interest rates drop uncontrollably. Conversely, although ARMs can be risky and confusing, there are good deals provided by many lenders which are actually better than FRMs.

The type of home mortgage loan you should choose depends on various factors. It all boils down to how open you are with taking risks. To help you figure out which one is best, you can try to imagine your worst and best case scenarios. You can calculate and compare your options and determine which one can give you the best deal possible.

If you are currently trying to buy a new home you've probably noticed the endless stream of numbers being tossed to and fro. Things like monthly payment, down payment, home price, affordability and a host of other fees and figures. This can be daunting but in a strange way all these requirements, in the form of numbers can be used to work for you.

It's not easy to see but there is a wide mix of funding options available to home buyers today. Brokers, banks and other lending institutions have an amazing variety of mortgage options from traditional 30 year fixed to the less conventional but ever more popular 2 year adjustable rate mortgages.

How do you decide what option is best. Of course, that depends on your current circumstances. A few key factors will include your credit score, how long you plan on staying in your home and whether you have money for a down payment.

The traditional 30 year fixed rate mortgage will give you the peace of mind of knowing that the interest rate of your mortgage is not at the whim of the ever changing housing market. On the other hand, if interest rates drop it will cost you thousands in refinance charges to refinance your mortgage to a lower rate and if your financial or credit situation has changed you may no longer qualify at the best rates.

An alternative to the traditional 30 year fixed mortgage is the adjustable or variable rate mortgage - also known as an ARM. An ARM is different than a fixed mortgage because the interest rate is normally dependant upon some type of index (i.e. the 10 year Treasury Bill). ARMs come with an initial lower interest rate and monthly payment - that's their appeal, but with the lower initial rate comes additional risk because the interest rate is based on index rates that are subject to change.

On the other hand, you also have the potential to benefit if interest rates fall but rates normally have to fall quite a bit for you to realize any savings due to a number of reasons beyond the scope of this article. Just be aware that the odds of your rate dropping, is very low regardless of what interest rates do.

There are advantages to obtaining an adjustable rate home mortgage other than the initial lower monthly payments. Factors include: if you intend to pay down a big portion of your mortgage principal early or if you anticipate higher income in the future or if you would like to completely payoff your mortgage as quickly as possible. The initial lower interest rate of an adjustable rate mortgage allows you to apply more of your monthly payment to the principal.

You should understand the risks associated with an adjustable rate mortgage before agreeing to one so be sure to ask your lender to explain the interest rate ceilings or caps associated with the loan so that you are not blindsided a few years down the road with a much higher mortgage payment because your interest rate just jumped 2 points.

A viable option if you have little income flexibility is to ask your lender about payment caps. Payment caps can help to stabilize your monthly payments during periods of interest rate fluctuations. However, on the down side, this option can result in negative amortization on your loan. Negative amortization occurs when the balance of your mortgage increases because your mortgage payments are not big enough to cover both interest and a portion of the outstanding principal.

Clearly there are both pros and cons of adjustable rate mortgages but one option you may want to seriously consider is an option that allow you to convert your mortgage to a fixed rate if interest rates go against you. In most instances, this option will cost you some money but the fee is much less than a full refinance and could potential save you thousands of dollars and bunch of stress.

For options in finding the best mortgage, new or refinance, check out the links below.

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Both Alan Lim & Shelby Ryan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Alan Lim has sinced written about articles on various topics from Colorado Springs Refinance, Flirting Tips and Online Dating. Looking for ways on how you can have a financially stable future? Visit us at or get more comprehensive. Alan Lim's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.

Shelby Ryan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Home Loan Mortgage and Bad Credit Home. Visit or or. Shelby Ryan's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.