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Home Purchase

There are a few milestones in life you’ll remember forever - your first kiss, your first car and even buying your first home. For most of us, obtaining a mortgage is a necessary part of purchasing a home, but it doesn’t have to be stressful, and getting the right mortgage on the right terms can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the length of the loan.

Fixed Mortgage Rates

With a fixed rate mortgage your interest rate and monthly payment stay constant for the entire duration of the loan. Fixed rates are popular because they protect home owners from the possibility of future rate increases, unlike variable and adjustable rate mortgages.

The two most popular fixed rate durations are 15 year and 30 year terms. Because 15 year terms are shorter and less risky for lenders, they tend to have lower interest rates than 30 year fixed rate mortgages.

Home Refinancing

Here at LowestRates.com, we want you to own your home outright as soon as possible. That means paying off your mortgage as quickly as you can! In many cases, refinancing your home is a great way to get there, because you’ll be replacing your old mortgage with a new one at a lower interest rate. And, with interest rates at historic lows, there’s probably never been a better time to refinance your mortgage. It could be a valuable step for those looking to pay off their home loan sooner.

Variable Mortgage Rates

Variable mortgage rates rise and fall, or “float” based on whatever index they follow. Some variable rate mortgages follow the London Inter Bank Overnight Rate, or LIBOR, while others follow the Fed Funds Rate or treasury yields. Variable mortgages usually offer lower interest rates than their fixed rate counterparts but they also pose a much greater interest rate risk to borrowers. Should interest rates rise, borrowers could face an increase in their monthly payments.

VA Mortgages

This type of mortgage is insured by the Department of Veterans Affairs. VA mortgages are only available for U.S. military veterans and current or surviving spouses, and only then from VA approved lenders.

VA loans are designed to make homeownership more affordable for our military men and women. Because they are guaranteed by the government, VA loans usually have much lower interest rates and only require a small downpayment.

Adjustable Mortgage Rates

Most lenders offer a product called fixed-period or hybrid adjustable rate mortgages(ARMs). While these products can seem complicated at first, they really aren’t on closer inspection.

An adjustable rate mortgage(ARM) generally features an initial fixed interest rate period, typically lasting 3, 5, 7 or 10 years. Once the fixed period expires, the interest rate then becomes adjustable for the remainder of the loan term.

FHA Loan

If you’ve ever looked into getting a mortgage, you’ve probably heard of an FHA loan. This type of home loan is insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). In the event of a default by the borrower, the lender’s claim is guaranteed by the federal government. This in turn allows lenders to provide mortgages to riskier borrowers and on better terms than would otherwise be possible. FHA loans usually require smaller downpayments and charge lower interest rates than regular mortgages taken out on the open market.

Reverse Mortgage Rates

Mortgage payments take on a whole new meaning with a reverse mortgage.

If you’re 62 or older and require funds for retirement, to pay off debts or to cover important needs like healthcare, then a reverse mortgage may be for you. Unlike a regular mortgage, where you pay your lender in monthly installments, in a reverse mortgage you actually get a cheque from the bank every month!

Jumbo Mortgage Rates

Go jumbo or go home – that’s the phrase used in America’s most expensive housing markets.

Also called nonconforming loans, a mortgage is considered jumbo if it exceeds the conventional conforming loan limits set by government sponsored housing entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These vary from state to state and city to city, but the standard limit is $417,000. Loans above the limit are not eligible for purchase by these entities and must be held directly by the financial institutions themselves.

Second Mortgages

Sometimes one mortgage just isn’t enough, and at LowestRates.com we’ll make sure you find a great second mortgage to fulfill your unique financial needs.

Open vs. Closed Mortgages

There are some crucial decisions to be made in the process of buying a new home, and when you’re looking to secure a mortgage, there are some important questions you need to answer. Besides deciding between a fixed or adjustable rate mortgage, you also need to choose either an open or closed mortgage. Each offers specific advantages to the homebuyer, and LowestRates.com has all the information you need to help you decide which one is right for you.

Home Insurance FAQ

While insurance providers are helpful and supportive when it comes to explaining your policy, we know that there are some things that may be left unsaid. To help you better understand your home insurance plan, LowestRates.com has compiled a list of the most commonly asked questions about home insurance policies.

Auto Insurance FAQ

Still unsure about how you should insure your car?

Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions about auto insurance.

Insuring your vehicle is required by law in nearly every state, and drivers who don’t take out a policy risk heavy fines, vehicle impoundment – even jail time. More importantly, insurance protects you and your family from financial ruin in the event of a car accident. It also covers damages caused by fire, vandalism, theft and a variety of other untoward scenarios.

How to Get Cheap Auto Insurance

Purchasing car insurance may seem like an expensive undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact there are plenty of ways to get cheap car insurance, and LowestRates.com is here to help you understand all of the discounts that are available to you.

Auto Insurance Basics

Many drivers don’t actually know how car insurance works. To help get you up to speed, LowestRates.com has provided a brief guide covering the auto insurance basics that you should be aware of.

Home Insurance Policy Types

Your home is the center of your life and the place where many of your memories are made, so you’ll definitely want to protect it with a high quality insurance policy. At LowestRates.com, we’re here to provide you with an overview of the types of home insurance policies available so you can choose the one that suits your home best.

Home Insurance - How Much Coverage Do I Need?

Insuring your home is essential, whether you rent or own. Using our site will ensure that you find the right plan at the lowest rate possible. Determining how much home insurance coverage you’ll need is a vital consideration, and LowestRates.com is here to help you make the right decision.

Types of Auto Insurance

Many drivers will fiercely negotiate the price of their vehicle while barely spending any time finding the best insurance rates. They probably don’t understand that shopping around for an economical policy can save thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the vehicle.

Of course, auto insurance isn’t just about price. It’s also about getting the right coverage for your unique needs so you and your loved ones will be protected financially in the event of an accident, fire or theft.

Credit Card FAQ

Finding the right credit card and keeping track of your bills can be complicated, and we understand that you may have questions. Check out our FAQ guide to get answers to some common credit card questions.

Eight Questions To Ask When Choosing Your Next Credit Card

Whoever said dog is a man’s best friend never had a credit card. After all, you can buy stuff with credit cards. Lots of stuff. And what good is Fido when you’re trying to reserve a hotel room or pay for parking? Not much.

Plus, dogs can bite you if you don’t treat them well or happen to choose the wrong one – but then again, so can credit cards! Which is why you need to know the eight key questions to ask when choosing your next card.

Home Equity Loan

Most homeowners have equity in their home – houses are a store of value as well as a place to live – and many decide to withdraw some of this value in the form of a home equity loan. A home equity loan allows you to tap your equity for the things that are important to you – college tuition, home renos, healthcare, even an aging parent. By borrowing against the equity in your home you can get money out when you need it most. All you have to do is pay the money back to your lender over a fixed schedule, usually at fixed interest rates.

Debt Pay Off

Between mortgage and car payments, credit card charges, and maybe even student loans, paying off your debts can seem like an insurmountable task. However, LowestRates.com is here to help by providing valuable information and resources to let you get a handle on these debts and a plan for paying them off.

Debt consolidation is a useful strategy if you have debt in multiple places. This kind of plan compiles all your debts together into one low interest rate loan. All you’ll have to do is make one monthly payment!

Debt Consolidation

Between mortgage, insurance and credit card payments, it can be difficult to stay on top of your bills, let alone pay off your outstanding debts. If you owe money to several different lenders and you want to lower the amount of interest you are paying, as well as simplify the payment process itself, then debt consolidation may be for you. With debt consolidation, you pay off all of your smaller high interest loans with one large low interest loan. That means less money going out the door every month and only one simple payment!

Credit Card Calculators

If checking how much you owe on your credit card sends you into shock, never fear – there is light at the end of the tunnel. With a credit card calculator and a goal date of when you would realistically like to pay off your credit card debt, getting a handle on your outstanding balances has never been easier.