With the current Orlando foreclosure woes, and the strains of the economy these days, many people are worried about what they’ll do when their ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) resets. Here are a few suggestions to help you weather the current financial storm:
What is an ARM?
ARM refers to a mortgage loan that has a variable interest rate. The amount of the monthly payments will change several times over the life of the loan. ARMs usually have a lower introductory interest rate than a fixed-rate mortgage. After a period of time, the interest rate is recalculated, resulting in a higher interest rate and monthly payment.
Get Out Your Loan Paperwork
Many homeowners are worried about what will happen to their monthly payments when the ARM resets. Foreclosure is a real worry. The best way to avoid Orlando foreclosure is to know exactly what the terms of your loan agreement are. Look for the date that the interest rate is set to change. Find out what the cap is on each interest rate adjustment, and what the cap is for interest increases throughout the life of the loan.
After you have gathered that information, you can calculate what your ARM will reset to. It’s best to know what the worst-case scenario payment could be when your ARM adjusts. This information can help you determine if you are going to need help getting your loan payments manageable. The next step is to make a detailed list of your current and future income and bills. This will give you a better understanding of your financial status.
Call Your Mortgage Company
If, after you make this list, you can see that you are going to have trouble making the difference in the monthly payments, call your mortgage company. It’s best to call them before you miss a payment. They may be able to renegotiate the terms of your loan for you.
If you're ready to sell your home, we can help. Call us at 407-876-5771 for more information.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
National Foreclosure Trends and Orlando Real Estate
Everybody wants to know how the housing market is doing, especially if they own Orlando real estate. I try to keep the newsy pieces to a minimum and spend most of my Internet space on helpful pointers, but a lot of readers have asked about the market. In response to high demand, here’s a peak at the current national foreclosure trends:
Foreclosure Trends
It’s a wonderful thing to own any kind of real estate (although I’m partial to Orlando real estate, of course). Unfortunately, many people have lost their homes due to foreclosure since the housing crisis started; there have been over 7.8 million since 2007. California, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois and Michigan have been topping the count for foreclosures, adding up to 62% of the nation’s foreclosures.
California’s numbers reached 349,435 foreclosures last month, and it was feared that those numbers might escalate. However, there’s some good news there. Even though homeowners are still teetering, lending institutions are caving in under government pressure to work with those homeowners. For that matter, they may even be working with the government to stem the deluge of foreclosures.
HousingPredictor.com conducted a survey of homeowners that shows we may have as many as 25 million foreclosures before everything is said and done, mainly due to homeowners who are tired of watching housing prices fall. Such a glut of the market could cause some serious repercussions for the economy. However, again, there are some positive points.
For instance, current mortgage interest rates are ranging from as low as 4% to 5.5%, cut almost in half from the “housing boom” years. While housing prices may be dropping, the fall is slowing down. As well, lower prices mean more affordable homes. While this may not be a good thing for homeowners, it’s an excellent thing for home buyers.
As prices drop and homes become more affordable, the glutted housing market of foreclosed and for sale homes is slowly shrinking. As the reserve market (the number of houses per capita that are for sale) shrinks, consumer confidence will build up (something we desperately need). Housing demand will rise, surplus will shrink, and prices will stabilize.
Of course, in the meantime, while you’re waiting for things to stabilize, hold on to your Orlando real estate. Take advantages of the tax breaks available to upgrade your existing property, maybe get the renovations done you’ve always wanted. There are still opportunities in this market – you just have to find them!
If you’re a buyer looking for a great home, act now to find amazing bargains. We can help. Call us at 407-876-5771 for more information.
Foreclosure Trends
It’s a wonderful thing to own any kind of real estate (although I’m partial to Orlando real estate, of course). Unfortunately, many people have lost their homes due to foreclosure since the housing crisis started; there have been over 7.8 million since 2007. California, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois and Michigan have been topping the count for foreclosures, adding up to 62% of the nation’s foreclosures.
California’s numbers reached 349,435 foreclosures last month, and it was feared that those numbers might escalate. However, there’s some good news there. Even though homeowners are still teetering, lending institutions are caving in under government pressure to work with those homeowners. For that matter, they may even be working with the government to stem the deluge of foreclosures.
HousingPredictor.com conducted a survey of homeowners that shows we may have as many as 25 million foreclosures before everything is said and done, mainly due to homeowners who are tired of watching housing prices fall. Such a glut of the market could cause some serious repercussions for the economy. However, again, there are some positive points.
For instance, current mortgage interest rates are ranging from as low as 4% to 5.5%, cut almost in half from the “housing boom” years. While housing prices may be dropping, the fall is slowing down. As well, lower prices mean more affordable homes. While this may not be a good thing for homeowners, it’s an excellent thing for home buyers.
As prices drop and homes become more affordable, the glutted housing market of foreclosed and for sale homes is slowly shrinking. As the reserve market (the number of houses per capita that are for sale) shrinks, consumer confidence will build up (something we desperately need). Housing demand will rise, surplus will shrink, and prices will stabilize.
Of course, in the meantime, while you’re waiting for things to stabilize, hold on to your Orlando real estate. Take advantages of the tax breaks available to upgrade your existing property, maybe get the renovations done you’ve always wanted. There are still opportunities in this market – you just have to find them!
If you’re a buyer looking for a great home, act now to find amazing bargains. We can help. Call us at 407-876-5771 for more information.
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