 |
 |
You must have Adobe®
Acrobat® to view this file. Download Adobe® Acrobat®
here >
Reprinted from REALTOR®
Magazine
www.realtor.org by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2003. All rights
reserved.
|
|
All agents are NOT alike! Find out why I am a top real estate expert. Call me today 509-737-3092.
|

Find Out About the Latest Homes for Sale First! I add my newest homes and other real estate listings to this web site first. It can be some time before they appear in the MLS. Find Out More > View All Offers >
|

"For the first time ever, we both believe we found an agent who was truly working for us - not just for a commission!..." The Kubiceks Read Quote > View All Quotes >
|
Compare three mortgages
at one time. Download TripleCalc now. It's free.
|
Laura Harris-Hodges is one of The Top Selling Real Estate Experts Find Out More > |
|
|
|
Are Balloon Mortgages For You?
A balloon mortgage can be an excellent option for many home buyers. A balloon mortgage is usually rather short, with a term of five to seven years, but the payment is based on a term of 30 years. They often have a lower interest rate, and can be easier to qualify for than a traditional 30 year fixed mortgage. There is, however, a risk to consider. At the end of your loan term you will need to pay off your outstanding balance. This usually means you must refinance, sell your home or convert the balloon mortgage to a traditional mortgage at the current interest rates.
Definitions
- Mortgage amount
- Original or expected balance for your mortgage.
- Interest rate
- Annual interest rate for this mortgage.
- Term in years
- The number of years over which you will repay this loan. The most common balloon mortgage terms are 5 years and 7 years. After the mortgage term is complete, you will then need to refinance or pay off the remaining balance.
- Monthly payment
- Monthly principal and interest payment (PI). The monthly payment is calculated using a 30 year term.
- Total payments
- Total of all monthly payments over the term of the balloon mortgage. This total payment amount assumes that there are no prepayments of principal.
- Total interest
- Total of all interest paid over the term of the balloon mortgage. This total interest amount assumes that there are no prepayments of principal.
- Prepayment type
- The frequency of prepayment. The options are: none, monthly, yearly, and one-time payment.
- Prepayment amount
- Amount that will be prepaid on your mortgage. This amount will be applied to the mortgage principal balance, based on the prepayment type.
- Start with payment
- This is the payment number that your prepayments will begin with. For a one time payment, this is the payment number that the single prepayment will be included in. All prepayments of principal are assumed to be received by your lender in time to be included in the following month's interest calculation.
- Savings
- Total amount of interest you will save by prepaying your mortgage.
The mortgage calculators are provided by KJE Computer Solutions, LLC and made available to NUMBER1EXPERT as self-help tools for your independent use and are not intended to provide investment advice. We can't guarantee their applicability or accuracy in regards to your individual circumstances. All examples are hypothetical and are for illustrative purposes. We encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding all personal finance issues.

Here is a scenario for sellers to avoid. You contact a real estate agent to list your home and the agent suggests that you might get more for your house than comparable homes on the market. The agent assures you that it only takes finding one person who is willing to pay your price!
Some agents approach a listing appointment as if they are bidding for your home. The unfortunate result is that you start out with an unrealistic opinion of your home's value. There is often a strong temptation to work with a person who says what you want to hear. An experienced, reputable real estate agent will back up their opinion of your home's value with hard data. The agent should give you information about the listing price of homes that are currently on the market, and recent selling prices of similar properties in your immediate area.
Even the most heroic marketing efforts won't work on a property that is obviously overpriced, (except in the most exaggerated of seller's markets.) Even if you find a buyer who is willing to pay more than your home is worth, the sale could fall apart when the appraisal comes in lower than the agreed-upon price. Listen to everything, but be careful!
|
| Q |
What does the abbreviation PITI stand for?
|
| A |
Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance are the four major items included in a monthly mortgage payment. |
See More Real Estate Trivia > |
|

NUMBER1EXPERT®
© Best Image Marketing and/or its clients.
All rights reserved. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
|