Wednesday, 28 March 2012

Lenders Offering Mortgage Loans

By Kerry Fisher


Different types of financial establishments provide mortgage loans, including commercial banks, credit unions, thrift institutions such as savings banks and savings & loan associations and mortgage bankers.

Savings & loans associations, credit unions, and banks pool the money deposited in checking and savings accounts. These funds are used to provide loans and mortgage loans, and loans are either sold in the secondary market or held in portfolios. Mortgage bankers operate on the secondary market and sell mortgages. Although mortgage bankers sell loans, they do not always sell the servicing of mortgage loans. Mortgage bankers specialize in making mortgage loans, and they often offer attractive interest rates and loan programs. Mortgage brokers have access to different financial institutions and generate around 50 percent of all mortgage loans. They help borrowers find a suitable lender and mortgage loan and guide them through the application process. The lender or borrower pays a fee to the broker on closing.

Generally, two types of mortgage brokers offer mortgage financing - brokers that represent borrowers and brokers that sell mortgage loans like other loan providers. The first type of brokers do not offer mortgage loans or make a decision to extend loans. Mortgage bankers are intermediaries between borrowers and financial establishments. This does not mean that they charge high fees. Given that mortgage brokers get funds from different sources, they shop around for mortgage loans and may even save borrowers a substantial amount of money.

There is an important difference between mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders. Mortgage brokers act as intermediaries meaning that they do not make a decision whether to offer a loan or not. Mortgage lenders, on the other hand, make decisions meaning that they are the ones to make loans.

Speaking of mortgage loans, how to choose the right type? Canadian financial institutions offer different types of mortgages, including equity mortgages, bridge financing, conventional mortgages, first mortgages, etc. One type of mortgage financial institutions offer is the cash back mortgage whereby borrowers receive up to 7 percent of the loan amount. For instance, they can receive up to $21,000 on a $300,000 mortgage. This type of mortgage is offered to everyone, but first-time homebuyers benefit the most. The money can be used in different ways - for debt reduction, to cover closing costs, buy appliances and furniture, etc. Other types of mortgages offered by mortgage lenders and mortgage brokers include closed and open mortgages, preapproved mortgages, fixed term mortgages, and others. Lenders offer different types of mortgages based on the borrower's financial goals and risk characteristics. Financial institutions offer variations of the basic types of mortgages and combinations of different mortgage types to meet the requirements of borrowers.

Borrowers are allowed to refinance, and this is a process whereby they set up a new mortgage after paying off the existing mortgage, along with any legal claims against the house/property .




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