By Jon Spears (e)
In Texas you can refinance your home as well as your investment property. And with today's low mortgage rates, lots of people are doing just that using home equity loans
Plus some are doing the two-birds-one-refinance-approach: Refinance the home and pull cash out.
When it comes to refinancing, you have two options. A "rate and term" refinance or a Texas home equity loan "cash out" refinance.
With a home equity loan you pull equity out of your home or investment property.
Most people refinance to get a lower rate; this is called a "rate and term" refinance. One is keeping the same loan amount, they are just lowering or changing the rate or term of the mortgage.
Maybe they are moving out of a 30 year note to a 15 year note. This is called a rate and term refi because they are just changing the rate or the term of the original loan.
Lower mortgage rates do mean lower payments. But some clients choose a "cash out" refinance (Home Equity loan)- which means they pull equity (cash) out of their homes or investment properties for other purposes ...like paying off debt or buying additional property.
For example, let's say a family has a $450 car payment where they owe $15000. If they have enough equity in their home, it's common for a family to refinance the home and pull enough cash out of their home to pay off other costly debt; like credit cards, cars, etc. The house payment might go up $50 but the car payment is eliminated. So a family has $400 more each month.
Some suggest against home equity loans to pay off debt stating it's not wise to take a 3-5 year debt and spread it across 15-30 years. And these people are right. However, when I help a client save $400-500, sometimes $1000/month now these families can afford to pay extra on their 30 year mortgage and pay it off in 12-15 years.
In fact, most of the time a family will pay their home off earlier-after a home equity loan-than they would have before.
You can always call us to see if Texas home equity loan cash out refinance makes sense for you.
Home Equity Rules
Home equity loans have slightly higher rates than traditional rate and term refinances because one is raising the original loan amount. Plus when one pulls cash out of a home or investment property this is a higher risk loan. Higher risk = slightly higher rate.
And in Texas you are limited to 80% of your home's value. Meaning if your home is worth $200,000, the most your new loan could be is $160,000. If you owe 100K, you could take out 60K or up to 80%
Then there's the 3% home equity rule: This means the total fees associated can't exceed 3% of the loan amount. This mostly effects those with smaller home loan balances. For example, if your home is only worth 75,000 and we are limited to 80%-your loan could only be 60K. 3% of 60k is $1800. So if your title company charges $700 for the title policy and your appraiser charges $325 and the bank charges $500 to underwrite your loan it's not hard to be over 3%. This would mean the mortgage company could only charge $275 to be under the 3% rule.
12 day Home Equity Rule, 3 day wait-until-we-fund rule:
In Texas we have to wait at least 12 days from mortgage application to close. I even have to get a special 12 day letter signed. Then once we close, we then can't fund the home loan for 3 days. Texas has weird home equity refinance rules so you want to work with an experienced mortgage company who does a lot of these type of loans. If you have additional questions, please call us at 512-996-8194, we help people all over Texas.
For many people home equity refinances can be a great way to jump start a new financial plan. I offer them to my clients to help them: Get out of debt, pay off bills, have more money to save and invest. My clients have saved hundreds each month by paying off high interest credit cards. My personal record is saving a family $1000/month using a home equity loan.
Once they save this money they plan to pay extra on their mortgage so they pay a 30 year note in 15 years. So used correctly, a home equity mortgage is a great way to move forward financially.
After 5 years in the mortgage business I've come up with my personal lending philosophy. Because anyone can do a home loan. However, my business is helping move people forward financially-starting on the mortgage level; the biggest expense for a family.
Most of my clients know my personal philosophy with mortgage lending. There are lots of mortgage people out there who promise "the lowest 30 year mortgage rate or the "best Texas 15 year mtg rate"-but this isn't really my approach. I tend to favor what is best for the client's short and long term. If one needs a 15 year mortgage with low closing costs, let's use this program. Need to consolidate debt, let's use a home equity loan.
I just don't believe in one-size fits all mortgage plans. As soon as my clients all look the same, have the same income/debt, goals, then I'll become a one-size fits all mortgage guy. But for now, I work with low income people, millionaires, investors, first time home buyers, second home mortgages, etc.
One's mortgage can be either a debt instrument or a better financial tool, it's really up to you and your mortgage professional. And in today's economy where the realities of $5 gas aren't really unreasonable you should work with a professional who will take the time to listen and bring the right mortgage plan to the table. Because once a mortgage is in place you must live with it.
Some questions you should ask yourself when buying or refinancing a home or investment property:
1) How much debt do I currently have? How much debt am I currently servicing each month?
2) How much in liquid savings do I currently have? Could I choose a mortgage that will help (a) lower my bills and (b) help me to save more money each month? Rate is important but now the only thing to consider. Who cares if the 15 year mortgage rate is the best rate, if it's not affordable to you-it's not the wise loan. Go with the 30 year rate.
3) How long do I plan to keep this home? Is this home appreciating?
4) What is my long term financial plan, and how does this new mortgage help me accomplish this plan?
#4 is where the rubber meets the road. And this is where I spend the most time with my clients; constructing the long term plan and then customizing the mortgage to fit this plan. Most people chase the lowest rate when getting into homes however without a mid-long range goal they usually end up paying more in the long-term.
Take the sub-prime meltdown. There's nothing wrong with sub-prime loans. Sometimes things happen that cause people's credit to go in the trash. Divorces do happen and sometimes medical bills come out of no where and people have a lot of collections. Jobs are sometimes lost and savings are use up before they were originally intended. The problem with sub-prime loans is not that they are bad, but that they need to be on Fixed rates. Not adjustable. This country has lost billions of dollars during the sub-prime meltdown for one reason: People chased the lowest rate when they bought the home and ARMs have lower rates than FIXED rates. And since ARMs had lower rates people chose ARMs over Fixed rates.
So thousands of people with bad credit bought homes on ARMs and today we have a major problem: Because people chased the lowest rate.
Having a long term financial plan. Example, let's say you're self employed and don't have a company retirement plan-401k-to rely on. One approach in solving the "no 401K/IRA" problem is to own real estate. The goal is to own a few choice properties so when you do retire you will have these properties paid off and creating passive retirement income. Imagine if your mortgage broker took the time to understand your long-term goals and structured the new loan around these goals. Funny thing, most people are 15-30 years from retirement and the typical home loan is paid off in 15-30 years. Bottom line: The home you buy today could help you retire tomorrow-and you need the right home loan to go along with it.
Remember, most mortgages are based on a 15 or 30 year basis, why not structure your first home to help you retire in 30 years. I know this seems unrealistic because most people don't keep homes that long, but going into a mortgage with a plan is better than just going into a mortgage.
Most people don't want to take the time to think about money-but in the end-the lack of money causes a lot of other challenges in life.
This is how I'm different from the other Texas Mortgage Loan people. I believe I can either help people move forward financially or I can just get them into debt. Sure it's easier to "sell low rates" but not at the expense of helping a client in the long term.
PMI (just so no-or at least try to get out of it.)
My clients avoid PMI when possible. But to do an 80/15 or 80/10 or an 80/10/10 one's mortgage rate is slightly higher but the benefit is avoid pointless PMI and having lower closing costs. This is another example of why "chasing the lowest rate" isn't always the best. Loans with PMI are better than loans without. But the benefit of not have PMI is huge. Not only will you pay less when your home loan doesn't have PMI but your closing costs are less too.
Right now I want to touch briefly on these 3 issues and why one should be thinking of them when you buy or refinance a home. Actually, your mortgage person should customize your loan around these three points for you. If they don't-run. If all they sell is a mortgage rate did they really serve you?
Mortgage brokers and banks love to advertise low mortgage rates. "We have the lowest rates in Texas!" But let's think about the loan like this: "How much did it cost you to get this rate." Because low mtg rates are one thing, but how much did it cost to get the rate?
Let's look at one of Today's Mortgage ads. (April 17) They are advertising a 4.87% rate.
Funny. The real 30 year rate is around 6% but they know people want "low rates" so they advertise a great rate. But when you look at the points it will take to get this rate, you'll see there's more to getting a mortgage than just rate. Closing costs.
For example, if you're buying a $200K home should you really "buy the rate down" with points to get a good rate? To buy this low, low rate, it will cost $6,000 just for discount points. And yet people do this all the time. Mortgage people advertise low rate because people want low rates.
Sorta reminds me of when I bought my Toyota Tundra. I wanted to save a nickel so I went for the 2×4 instead of the 4×4 all-wheel drive. I was so proud of getting the "lowest price in town" but when it snowed or iced I had to ask my wife to drive her front-wheeled drive Honda Accord.
This is one reason why I suggest working with a mortgage broker (like me) who approaches mortgage lending from a total financial planning perspective. Because if I notice a client has a ton of credit cards and misc. debt-this 6K should not go towards a new (tax deductible) debt but towards paying off old, high interest debt that's not tax-deductible.
Or to use real numbers, if you have the $6000 to pay towards debt, retire 15% interest debt that's costing you $500/month instead of trying to save $200 on your mortgage. Then pay $100 extra and you're still saving $300. Use this $300 for savings, investing or having fun.
But what about all the interest I'll save by having a low rate? Shouldn't I try to get the best rate so I can have lower monthly bills? Yes. Once you're out of consumer debt-and you no longer have to pay $500 out, begin to apply $100-$200 extra on your mortgage payment. This will take years off your mortgage, usually taking a 30 year mortgage to a 12-15 year. This will save you tons in interest and give you lower payments.
When you buy or refinance any property take the time to look at the bigger picture because a mortgage or refinance can either help move you forward financially or just get you into debt.
Plus some are doing the two-birds-one-refinance-approach: Refinance the home and pull cash out.
When it comes to refinancing, you have two options. A "rate and term" refinance or a Texas home equity loan "cash out" refinance.
With a home equity loan you pull equity out of your home or investment property.
Most people refinance to get a lower rate; this is called a "rate and term" refinance. One is keeping the same loan amount, they are just lowering or changing the rate or term of the mortgage.
Maybe they are moving out of a 30 year note to a 15 year note. This is called a rate and term refi because they are just changing the rate or the term of the original loan.
Lower mortgage rates do mean lower payments. But some clients choose a "cash out" refinance (Home Equity loan)- which means they pull equity (cash) out of their homes or investment properties for other purposes ...like paying off debt or buying additional property.
For example, let's say a family has a $450 car payment where they owe $15000. If they have enough equity in their home, it's common for a family to refinance the home and pull enough cash out of their home to pay off other costly debt; like credit cards, cars, etc. The house payment might go up $50 but the car payment is eliminated. So a family has $400 more each month.
Some suggest against home equity loans to pay off debt stating it's not wise to take a 3-5 year debt and spread it across 15-30 years. And these people are right. However, when I help a client save $400-500, sometimes $1000/month now these families can afford to pay extra on their 30 year mortgage and pay it off in 12-15 years.
In fact, most of the time a family will pay their home off earlier-after a home equity loan-than they would have before.
You can always call us to see if Texas home equity loan cash out refinance makes sense for you.
Home Equity Rules
Home equity loans have slightly higher rates than traditional rate and term refinances because one is raising the original loan amount. Plus when one pulls cash out of a home or investment property this is a higher risk loan. Higher risk = slightly higher rate.
And in Texas you are limited to 80% of your home's value. Meaning if your home is worth $200,000, the most your new loan could be is $160,000. If you owe 100K, you could take out 60K or up to 80%
Then there's the 3% home equity rule: This means the total fees associated can't exceed 3% of the loan amount. This mostly effects those with smaller home loan balances. For example, if your home is only worth 75,000 and we are limited to 80%-your loan could only be 60K. 3% of 60k is $1800. So if your title company charges $700 for the title policy and your appraiser charges $325 and the bank charges $500 to underwrite your loan it's not hard to be over 3%. This would mean the mortgage company could only charge $275 to be under the 3% rule.
12 day Home Equity Rule, 3 day wait-until-we-fund rule:
In Texas we have to wait at least 12 days from mortgage application to close. I even have to get a special 12 day letter signed. Then once we close, we then can't fund the home loan for 3 days. Texas has weird home equity refinance rules so you want to work with an experienced mortgage company who does a lot of these type of loans. If you have additional questions, please call us at 512-996-8194, we help people all over Texas.
For many people home equity refinances can be a great way to jump start a new financial plan. I offer them to my clients to help them: Get out of debt, pay off bills, have more money to save and invest. My clients have saved hundreds each month by paying off high interest credit cards. My personal record is saving a family $1000/month using a home equity loan.
Once they save this money they plan to pay extra on their mortgage so they pay a 30 year note in 15 years. So used correctly, a home equity mortgage is a great way to move forward financially.
After 5 years in the mortgage business I've come up with my personal lending philosophy. Because anyone can do a home loan. However, my business is helping move people forward financially-starting on the mortgage level; the biggest expense for a family.
Most of my clients know my personal philosophy with mortgage lending. There are lots of mortgage people out there who promise "the lowest 30 year mortgage rate or the "best Texas 15 year mtg rate"-but this isn't really my approach. I tend to favor what is best for the client's short and long term. If one needs a 15 year mortgage with low closing costs, let's use this program. Need to consolidate debt, let's use a home equity loan.
I just don't believe in one-size fits all mortgage plans. As soon as my clients all look the same, have the same income/debt, goals, then I'll become a one-size fits all mortgage guy. But for now, I work with low income people, millionaires, investors, first time home buyers, second home mortgages, etc.
One's mortgage can be either a debt instrument or a better financial tool, it's really up to you and your mortgage professional. And in today's economy where the realities of $5 gas aren't really unreasonable you should work with a professional who will take the time to listen and bring the right mortgage plan to the table. Because once a mortgage is in place you must live with it.
Some questions you should ask yourself when buying or refinancing a home or investment property:
1) How much debt do I currently have? How much debt am I currently servicing each month?
2) How much in liquid savings do I currently have? Could I choose a mortgage that will help (a) lower my bills and (b) help me to save more money each month? Rate is important but now the only thing to consider. Who cares if the 15 year mortgage rate is the best rate, if it's not affordable to you-it's not the wise loan. Go with the 30 year rate.
3) How long do I plan to keep this home? Is this home appreciating?
4) What is my long term financial plan, and how does this new mortgage help me accomplish this plan?
#4 is where the rubber meets the road. And this is where I spend the most time with my clients; constructing the long term plan and then customizing the mortgage to fit this plan. Most people chase the lowest rate when getting into homes however without a mid-long range goal they usually end up paying more in the long-term.
Take the sub-prime meltdown. There's nothing wrong with sub-prime loans. Sometimes things happen that cause people's credit to go in the trash. Divorces do happen and sometimes medical bills come out of no where and people have a lot of collections. Jobs are sometimes lost and savings are use up before they were originally intended. The problem with sub-prime loans is not that they are bad, but that they need to be on Fixed rates. Not adjustable. This country has lost billions of dollars during the sub-prime meltdown for one reason: People chased the lowest rate when they bought the home and ARMs have lower rates than FIXED rates. And since ARMs had lower rates people chose ARMs over Fixed rates.
So thousands of people with bad credit bought homes on ARMs and today we have a major problem: Because people chased the lowest rate.
Having a long term financial plan. Example, let's say you're self employed and don't have a company retirement plan-401k-to rely on. One approach in solving the "no 401K/IRA" problem is to own real estate. The goal is to own a few choice properties so when you do retire you will have these properties paid off and creating passive retirement income. Imagine if your mortgage broker took the time to understand your long-term goals and structured the new loan around these goals. Funny thing, most people are 15-30 years from retirement and the typical home loan is paid off in 15-30 years. Bottom line: The home you buy today could help you retire tomorrow-and you need the right home loan to go along with it.
Remember, most mortgages are based on a 15 or 30 year basis, why not structure your first home to help you retire in 30 years. I know this seems unrealistic because most people don't keep homes that long, but going into a mortgage with a plan is better than just going into a mortgage.
Most people don't want to take the time to think about money-but in the end-the lack of money causes a lot of other challenges in life.
This is how I'm different from the other Texas Mortgage Loan people. I believe I can either help people move forward financially or I can just get them into debt. Sure it's easier to "sell low rates" but not at the expense of helping a client in the long term.
PMI (just so no-or at least try to get out of it.)
My clients avoid PMI when possible. But to do an 80/15 or 80/10 or an 80/10/10 one's mortgage rate is slightly higher but the benefit is avoid pointless PMI and having lower closing costs. This is another example of why "chasing the lowest rate" isn't always the best. Loans with PMI are better than loans without. But the benefit of not have PMI is huge. Not only will you pay less when your home loan doesn't have PMI but your closing costs are less too.
Right now I want to touch briefly on these 3 issues and why one should be thinking of them when you buy or refinance a home. Actually, your mortgage person should customize your loan around these three points for you. If they don't-run. If all they sell is a mortgage rate did they really serve you?
Mortgage brokers and banks love to advertise low mortgage rates. "We have the lowest rates in Texas!" But let's think about the loan like this: "How much did it cost you to get this rate." Because low mtg rates are one thing, but how much did it cost to get the rate?
Let's look at one of Today's Mortgage ads. (April 17) They are advertising a 4.87% rate.
Funny. The real 30 year rate is around 6% but they know people want "low rates" so they advertise a great rate. But when you look at the points it will take to get this rate, you'll see there's more to getting a mortgage than just rate. Closing costs.
For example, if you're buying a $200K home should you really "buy the rate down" with points to get a good rate? To buy this low, low rate, it will cost $6,000 just for discount points. And yet people do this all the time. Mortgage people advertise low rate because people want low rates.
Sorta reminds me of when I bought my Toyota Tundra. I wanted to save a nickel so I went for the 2×4 instead of the 4×4 all-wheel drive. I was so proud of getting the "lowest price in town" but when it snowed or iced I had to ask my wife to drive her front-wheeled drive Honda Accord.
This is one reason why I suggest working with a mortgage broker (like me) who approaches mortgage lending from a total financial planning perspective. Because if I notice a client has a ton of credit cards and misc. debt-this 6K should not go towards a new (tax deductible) debt but towards paying off old, high interest debt that's not tax-deductible.
Or to use real numbers, if you have the $6000 to pay towards debt, retire 15% interest debt that's costing you $500/month instead of trying to save $200 on your mortgage. Then pay $100 extra and you're still saving $300. Use this $300 for savings, investing or having fun.
But what about all the interest I'll save by having a low rate? Shouldn't I try to get the best rate so I can have lower monthly bills? Yes. Once you're out of consumer debt-and you no longer have to pay $500 out, begin to apply $100-$200 extra on your mortgage payment. This will take years off your mortgage, usually taking a 30 year mortgage to a 12-15 year. This will save you tons in interest and give you lower payments.
When you buy or refinance any property take the time to look at the bigger picture because a mortgage or refinance can either help move you forward financially or just get you into debt.
Jon Spears is a licensed mortgage broker in Austin, Texas and helps families all over Texas buy or refinance homes. He specializes in purchases money mortgages as well as refinances. He also helps people consolidate bills with a Texas home equity loan. He also helps people buy and refinance investment properties.
He started his mortgage company, http://www.mylendingplace.com, in 2005 and has closed millions of dollars in mortgages and refinances. His office is 512-996-8194
He started his mortgage company, http://www.mylendingplace.com, in 2005 and has closed millions of dollars in mortgages and refinances. His office is 512-996-8194
