Home Financing

Homeloans

Before starting the homeownership or monthly mortgage installment ; take a minute to find out what goes into an installment since majority of the people this kind of knowledge is vast. Without carefully noted the rules of the mortgage installment it can quickly grow beyond our budget.

A monthly home loan installment contains three parts. First is your monthly repayment loan amount with capital and interest payments. Second is their monthly administration charge. Third is the insurance premium of the homeowner and sometimes life insurance premium also.

To begin calculating your payment, you can access home loan calculators on banking or real estate websites. This will give you a base to start from. Keep in mind that your home loan installment cannot exceed 25 percent of your gross monthly income if you are single or 30 percent of a joint income.

Installments of loans taken by you are highly affected by the rates of intrest fixed by bank. Home loan base rate are fixed for you by your bank as per your credit record. If your record is good you may get rate reduction but above all negotiation for a bettr deal is advisable.

Your repayment terms can also affect your monthly installment. Normally, the repayment period is 20 years, though you can choose to extend the period to 25 or 30 years. If you choose a longer term, your payment will be less but you can end up paying much more in interest. Use your online payment calculator to find the best option for you.

Administration fees payable every month differs with each loan, so check what amount applies for you before agreeing on the loan.

Because of the National Credit Act, borrowers are no longer obliged to purchase homeowners insurance from the bank that provided money for their home loan. Individuals can now shop around and select one that suits your requirements. You will nonetheless be expected to surrender the policy to the bank financing you. Also buying a policy with another carrier will increase your monthly administration fees. If indeed you opt to buy insurance from your lender, the premium will be added to your monthly payments.

Your banker may or may not require you to purchase life cover to pay off your home loan in the event of your death. The premiums can be added to your installment. Even if your bank does not require this additional step, it is wise to consider it for your familys peace of mind.

A great way to determine your monthly installment payment is to get a pre-qualification certificate before you start house hunting. Getting this certification will let you know exactly how much you qualify for and what you will pay. It will also indicate to sellers that you are making a serious offer and help speed up the final mortgage process once youve found that perfect home.

Tom Martens is the content coordinator for South Aricas leading Homeloan portal which amongst others offers origination services for FNB homeloans

Home Financing

Home Loans Tips

There is mounting evidence that even South Africa is not immune to the current credit crisis that is affecting the entire globe. It should be mentioned first that home prices are continually dropping. Statistics that were releases by bond originator ooba state that the home prices have fallen 6.6 percent overall compared to last October. Broken down into simple terms, it basically means that a house that is sold last year would have brought R803,908, would only bring in R751,118 in October of this year.

The second indication of the poor property market is that potential homeowners are finding it increasingly difficult to get financing for their properties. Banks are being cautious in light of the credit crisis, the National Credit Act and deteriorating economic outlook. Though the rate of home loan declines were down slightly, 1.4 percent, it doesn’t really dent last month’s rate of 51 percent.

Another reason that banks are clamping down on their lending is because of the increasing number of late payments by homeowners. In just the third quarter of the present year, loans that were more than two months late increased by 21.5%.

What choices does a potential homeowner have in today’s market? Remember that decline rates are different for each individual bank, so take the time and before giving up, try applying with other banks.

Obtaining a home loan is not what it used to be. Simply having a steady job will not qualify you. It is essential that you have a positive credit rating. Lenders require that an applicant be able to prove their ability to make the required payments. Be sure that you have not defaulted on any other payments in the previous two years before submitting an application for a home loan.

Lenders are looking for stability in their borrowers, as evidenced through a good record of paying of credit card debt, hire purchase obligations and any other form of debt. A history that shows you have already successfully managed a home loan will also go a long way with lenders.

If your history is not stellar, it is best to be honest. Lenders appreciate a borrower who is upfront about a rough spot in his credit history instead of trying to cover it up. Also, show that you are serious about your financial obligations by opening savings account for the express purpose of building a home deposit fund. The average deposit requirement is 10 percent, but this can vary from bank to bank, so do your research.

Make sure your monthly installment is no more than 30 percent of your monthly income. Less is preferable. Banks will not consider your application if the installment does not meet this requirement.

All in all, today’s property market is fraught with frustration. On the one hand, sellers are having a difficult time finding buyers and are being forced to accept lower offers, which is great news for buyers. On the other hand, potential buyers are struggling to secure financing.

If you are thinking of purchasing a home,it is very much worth your time to explore each avenue to receive a home loan as long as you are able to afford the payments and you have a job stable enough to allow the commitment.

Tom Martens is the content coordinator for South Arica’s leading Home-loans portal which amongst others offers origination services for ABSA homeloans