The United States has one of the most active mortgage markets in the world. Therefore, it is easy to understand why so many different mortgage services are available and provided by a number of entities, ranging from individual companies to large organizational mortgage providers. Property in the US is a fantastic financial investment both for North Americans and people living outside of the country wishing to invest in its property market.
There are many different types of mortgage brokers who work in both individual and as organizational capacities and these brokers can provide you with a lot of advice, expertise and support when buying your US property and selecting the right US mortgage for you. With all the players involved and with intense competition spurring constant innovation, there are numerous types of mortgage products available in the US and these choices just keep on expanding, making property investment more and more attractive and realistic by the day.
There are two basic types of mortgages in the United States: fixed-rate mortgages and variable-rate mortgages.
Fixed-rate mortgages offer an interest rate that stays the same throughout the tenure of the mortgage. Variable-rate mortgages, which are also known as adjustable-rate mortgages or floating-rate mortgages, offer rates that can be changed, adjusted or that fluctuate. Clearly the fixed-rate mortgage offers the buyer less of a risk, but it also does not allow the buyer to take advantages of possible fluctuations in the market. Depending on your ability to deal with risk, you will either be tempted by the variable-rate mortgage or completely scared off by it.
Normally, fixed-rate mortgages have terms of either 15 or 30 years, which is the length of time the mortgage borrower has to pay off the mortgage. In the case of variable-rate mortgages, terms are normally only one year in duration. It is important to note is that interest rates for fixed-rate mortgages with 30-year terms are higher than those with 15-year terms because the money is being borrowed over a longer period of time and therefore the mortgage lender is having to wait longer for their debt to be settled.
In the US, people can get mortgages from government sponsored entities or GSEs, including Fannie Mae, Ginni Mae and Freddie Mac. These organizations operate under federal charter and are overseen by the federal American government.
Well-reputed mortgage companies in the US also include:
* Capital Mac
* Ameriquest Mortgage Company
* Mortgage Secure Massachusetts
* America's Mortgage Corporation
* MCA Mortgage Division 000
* ABN Amro Mortgage Group Inc
* ValuMortgages
* Americas Money Center
Buying property in the US is not an uncomplicated venture. It takes time to find the desired property, organize the funds, go through with the sale and then deal with all the backlog of paperwork that comes along with it.
However, there is a huge number of highly trained professionals at all levels of the US mortgage process who are there to guide you and help you achieve your goal. There is a way for everyone to buy into property investment in the US without too much difficulty and therefore it is always worth the time and effort to look into the possibility if taking out a mortgage on a US property.
Angela Gallardo writes on the variable mortgage rate available today in the U.S.