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Adjustable rate mortgage
(ARM)
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For certain
people, an ARM is the right mortgage. It allows you to fix the interest
rate for the length of time that you plan to hold the loan without paying
extra for interest rate protection you don’t need. |
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Advantages |
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A lower initial interest rate |
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Since the lender
is taking less risk that interest rates will go up and they won’t be able
to raise your rate, they offer lower initial interest rates. This means
a lower monthly payment, too. |
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The initial
interest rate on an ARM is fixed. The main difference among ARMs is the
length of this fixed period. The shorter the initial fixed period, the
lower your initial rate will be. |
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You can borrow more |
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If the lender
is taking less risk, they are willing to loan you more money. So, if you
are set on buying your dream home and you can barely afford it, this can
be very helpful. |
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Disadvantages |
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Your interest rate might go up |
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If interest
rates go up, and you stay in the house longer than expected, you may have
to face larger payments. |
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So, if you plan
to be in the house for 5 years and get a loan where the rate is fixed
for the first 5 years but you end up holding the mortgage for 10 years,
your monthly payments will probably rise. |
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Common types of ARMs |
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10/1 ARM |
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A loan with
fixed interest rate and monthly payments for the first 10 years, and then
an annually adjustable interest rate for the remaining 20 years. |
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7/1 ARM |
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A loan with
fixed interest rate and monthly payments for the first 7 years, and then
an annually adjustable interest rate for the remaining 23 years. |
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5/1 ARM |
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A loan with
fixed interest rate and monthly payments for the first 5 years, and then
an annually adjustable interest rate for the remaining 25 years. |
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3/1 ARM |
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A loan with
fixed interest rate and monthly payments for the first 3 years, and then
an annually adjustable interest rate for the remaining 27 years. |
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1 year ARM |
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A 30 year loan
with an interest rate and monthly payments that adjust annually. |
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6 month ARM |
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A 30 year loan
with an interest rate and monthly payments that adjust every 6 months.
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Example:
$100,000 loan that will be paid off in 7 years. |
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