Tips On Using a Mortgage to Consolidate Your Debt

By:T J Madigan

Many homeowners consider the possibility of using a mortgage to consolidate existing debt. If you have already repaid your mortgage, you can take out another primary mortgage. Taking out a second mortgage is an additional option to consolidate debts for those homeowners who still have a primary mortgage. How sound of an idea is it to use a mortgage to consolidate your debts?

You should never use a mortgage to consolidate your debts if the interest rate for your debt is lower than the interest rate you would have on a mortgage. This would mean that you are paying a higher cost for the mortgage than you were paying on your debts. This is not a sound financial decision. There is a slight exception to this rule. If you your current debt has some kind of introductory rate that will expire and leave you with an interest rate that will be higher than that of the mortgage, then a mortgage to consolidate debt is worth considering.

There are other factors, in addition to interest rate, that you should take into account when you consider using a mortgage to consolidate your debt. When you have less than 20% equity in your home, you are required to pay private mortgage insurance. If these premiums plus the amount of your mortgage without consolidating your debts is the same as or less than the amount of your mortgage with consolidating your debt, then you do not incur extra costs by consolidating. However, if the private mortgage insurance causes your monthly payment to increase, then consolidation is costing you.

A lot of homeowners make the mistake of thinking only about the monthly payment of their mortgage in addition to what they are paying on their debts without consolidating in comparison to the mortgage with debt consolidating. Take into account that when you consolidate debt with a mortgage, you are paying it over a longer period of time, which accounts for the lower monthly payment.

Before you apply for a mortgage, you should find out your credit score. Chances are if you are having trouble with credit, then you have a less than perfect credit score. Remember that your credit score will affect the interest rate and terms you receive on a mortgage. If your credit score is below 600, the likelihood of you receiving favorable loan terms is low; not impossible, just low.

Keep in mind that when you use a mortgage to consolidate your debt, that the debt is not eliminated. Instead, you are transferring your debt from one form to another.

The best way to determine what it will cost you to consolidate your debts using a mortgage or pay them straight out is to use a mortgage calculator as well as a debt repayment calculator. Logic can be flawed, but numbers never lie. There are calculators available that will assist you in both of these calculations. Use the calculator to test out different loan amounts and mortgage rates to get a good picture of how much consolidating will cost you.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article keywords: Using, a, Mortgage, to, Consolidate, Your, Debt

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

For more mortgage related articles or to view a selection of real estate articles and information and home value articles and information visit Articles.net.au - Your source for free Articles, Information and Website Content.

Top Mortgage Articles
1). Home Loan Center – Does The Type Of Lender Impact The Type Of Mortgage You Can Get? By : Dean Shainin While deciding on the right lender, one should address the following questions: Does it really matter where you get your first mortgage? What is the difference between different types of lenders, and how does that impact on the mortgage you can get?
2). Mortgage Refinancing Below 500 FICO By : Tristan Hunt If you have been turned down for a mortgage refinance, especially a cash out or debt consolidation refinance, because your lender says your credit score is under 500, there are a variety of new options and strategies available which can help you get the cash you need now to pay off your credit card debts, collection accounts, and other derogatory or poor credit accounts and improve your FICO credit score to the point where you can qualify for a low interest, fixed rate loan.
3). Mortgage & Refinance Tips: Determining Your Income By : Tristan Hunt When you apply for a refinance, debt consolidation or purchase mortgage, one of the most important factors in qualifying for the loan is your income. That may not seem like much of a surprise, but you may be surprised at all of the different ways your income can be calculated based on how well you can document it, and how much this can affect your loan process.
4). Mortgage Terms and Definitions By : Dan Lewis The mortgage process can be a little confusing if you aren't familiar with the terms used in the process. To help you out, here is a list of terms with corresponding mortgage definitions. Broker: An independent mortgage professional that oversees the entire home loan process. Lender: The business entity providing and funding the home loan. Processor: Prepares your loan for underwriting.
5). Is Your Subprime Mortgage Lender A Predatory Lender By : Subprime lenders offer financing for people with low credit scores who don’t qualify for a conventional loan. Subprime financing can be offered through traditional mortgage lenders like banks, credit unions, or mortgage lenders. There are also specialized lenders who only deal with subprime mortgages. Predatory lenders charge high fees, write loans in vague terms, and structure payments so they can foreclose on property.
6). Make the Most of Your Mortgage Leads By : Jay If you are a loan officer or mortgage broker and you invest in mortgage leads, or you are considering investing in mortgage leads, make sure you are making the most of them. A lead provider, if they are a good one, can provide you with a good quality lead, the rest is up to you. The lead provider has no control over what the potential customer might say.
7). Fha Mortgage Loans - The Benefits Of An FHA Mortgage By : Carrie Reeder The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures mortgages to allow low to moderate income families to purchase their own home. With government backing, families can buy a home at a lower initial cost. However, there are limitations with this program. Mortgage Insurance – Section 203(b) The FHA provides mortgage insurance, not mortgage loans to families.
8). Use A Mortgage Calculator To Guide Your Home Equity Loan Decision By : Gerald Mason The difference between a home loan and a home equity loan lies mainly in that the home equity loan, also known as a second or even third mortgage, is issued at a higher interest rate. This interest rate is lower than you could expect to pay on a credit card, but it will be still higher than the original interest rate. Use a home equity mortgage calculator to see what releasing different percentages of your equity makes to the payments required.
9). Fixed Rate Mortgage Loans - Understanding The Basics By : Carrie Reeder Fixed rate mortgages are the most common type of mortgage loan for home buyers. With predictable payments, long term homeowners can plan their budgets and guard against rising interest rates. But a fixed rate mortgage is not for everyone with its higher interest rates and a reduction in your buying power. Fixed Rate Mortgage Features A fixed rate mortgage features set rates, long term low monthly payments, and low risk.
10). FHA Home Mortgage Purchase Or Refinance Loan - Why You Might Consider Getting An FHA Loan By : Carrie Reeder Most borrowers have heard of FHA home loans. They are very common. You hear about them mostly as loans for first time borrowers, which is common. However, most people don't realize that FHA loans can also be does for refinancing. They are not only for purchasing a house. HUD owns and operates FHA, which is a program designed to help borrowers who might have difficulty buying a house.

New Mortgage Articles
1). Getting a Mortgage Approval By : MITCHELL HAMPSON Looking to get approved for your very first home mortgage? Here are the tips that you need to have for sure fire approval
2). Deciding on Whether a Reverse Mortgage is For You By : Search For Classes Many seniors want to enjoy their golden years, but are unable to find a way to increase their monthly income or decrease enough of their monthly expenditures in order to retire at an age that will afford them the opportunity to do so. One way to circumvent this problem is through obtaining a reverse mortgage. A reverse mortgage enables homeowners older than sixty two years of age to convert the equity in their homes into tax-free income while they continue to reside at their property.
3). The Basics of Reverse Mortgages By : Search For Classes Reverse mortgages are loans against your home that require no repayment for as long as you live there. As opposed to regular mortgage loans, reverse mortgages have no income requirements and are based solely on the equity of your home or condo. There are no monthly payments to make as the mortgage is due only when the borrower is no longer living at the residence.
4). When Will Ben Bernanke Blink? Is the Federal Reserve’s Rate Raising Fight Against Inflation Going Too Far? By : Sydney Jackson There is a lot of speculation and debate among economists about whether the Federal Reserve will raise the Fed’s short term interest rate to 5% in their meeting on Wednesday. If they do, it will make 16 straight jumps of .25%, since it reached it’s low point of 1%. Most people seem to feel that statements by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke have sent mixed signals about whether or not this meeting will be the time for a pause.
5). Remortgages: The Helps and Hazards By : James Smiths When you remortgage you home you, just as the name you imply, get a new mortgage that replaces the existing one. This is usually something that takes place when the market interest rates drop down below what you are paying. Most often this is something that is considered by homeowners who hold fixed rate mortgages. The Helps Remortgaging can be helpful in quite a few different ways.
6). Buying To Let: Is It For You? By : James Smiths If you read the title of this article and thought to yourself, "Let what? What am I letting happen buy buying? And what am I buying?", than this article is definitely for you. First let me establish that the "buy" refers to a house and second, the "let" part, that refers to renting that house out to someone else. Basically it means that you buy a house and let someone else pay the mortgage and live in it.
7). Mortgage and their debts By : devi Purchasing a house has been a vision for many. But it is impossible for an average man to possess a huge sum of ready cash to procure the property; the only remedy here is, going for mortgages. Mortgage can be defined as a loan which will provide monetary help to purchase any real estate property. The borrower can make his payments regularly to the lender.
8). UK mortgage and remortgage deals By : Groshan Fabiola Mortgage is a way of securing a debt by using your own property as a guarantee to the lender. If For some reason you cannot pay your debt in time you may lose the property. The term mortgage itself refers to the debt and also to the legal device used when securing the property. In the countries where properties are highly demanded and the prices are quite elevated, there are strong loan and mortgage markets.
9). Getting the right mortgage By : john Selecting a mortgage can be a difficult task. First of all, you need to decide which mortgage would suit your needs best. For those who want to know what their monthly outgoings are going to be, should look at a fixed rate mortgage, as these are mortgages that are set at a fixed price for a certain period, which can be anything from 1 year to 5 years.
10). Cheap Mortgage Rate By : Danny Wirken Must-Ask Questions When You Get Your Mortgage Whether you're buying a house or refinancing, there is more to a mortgage than the rate. Here are eight questions to ask while mortgage shopping. You'll have to ask yourself some of these questions; others can only be answered by mortgage professionals and insurers. How long do I plan to stay in the house? That's often a hard question to answer.