A mortgage is a document signed by a borrower when a home loan is made that gives the lender the right to take possession of the property if the borrower fails to pay off the loan. Listed below are the many types of mortgage loans available to the home buying consumer. There are many types of home mortgage loans to select from with lots of different offers and home mortgage loan application decisions. In the past the most common mortgage types were a 25, 29 or 30-year fixed interest rate home mortgage loan ... Now, there are so many different options well targeted toward borrowers and individuals that are in different financial situations.

ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans)

If you are only going to be living in your home for a few years an Adjustable Rate Mortgage is the best. An adjustable rate mortgage is also referred to by the acronym "ARM". ARMS's have a set interest rate and steady monthly payment for a number of years. The mortgage loan payment is usually based on the amount to payoff the entire mortgage balance at the end of the term, which is usually 30 yrs.

The most common types of ARMS are 1 yr, 3/1 yr, 5/1 yr and 7/1 yr ARM, After the initial period is over, the rate and term of the mortgage will be adjusted annually to current market mortgage rate if you do not refinance the loan. Most ARMs have caps on how much the interest rate may increase after the loan expires. ARMS are very popular because the rates are usually about 2-3% lower that a fixed rate which means lower payments. The less number of years usually means the lower interest rate. A 1 yr ARM will have a lower interest rate than a 5/1 year term. ARM.

Fixed Rate Mortgage Loan

If you know that you are going to be in the house for a number of years then a fixed rate mortgage is best. A fixed rate mortgage is the most common home finance method and usually are 15 yr or 30 yr mortgage loan. A fixed rate mortgage loan is good if you know you will be living in your home for a long time and you don't have to worry about your payment ever increasing. Monthly loan payments will be the same for the entire life of the loan. The first payment will be the same as the last payment.

If home mortgage interest rates increase you have an advantage because your loan interest rate is locked-in at a lower rate which means your mortgage loan payment will not increase. But alternatively if interest rates drop your rate will not go down unless you refinance your mortgage. Rates went up to 18% at one time and as low as 4% recently so it is hard to tell what will happen in the future.

A 15 year home mortgage will have a somewhat lower interest rate but higher monthly payments than a 30 year fixed mortgage rate. The advantages to this type of mortgage financing is that you will get more home-equity by paying down the principal balance. You also will have the loan paid off faster and will not have paid as much total interest when the loan ends. It could save you $100,000 or more in interest.

A 30 or 25 year year home mortgage loan will usually have a higher interest rate than a 15 year and a lower payment. This is a good type of loan to get if you are short on money or cannot qualify for the higher mortgage payment. If you start to make more money and want to pay off the mortgage balance faster you can always set up bi-weekly payments with your lender. You also can just pay more money every month and apply it to the principle balance. Mortgage lenders rarely impose a penalty for this.

Interest-only mortgages

An interest only mortgage is where the borrower only pays the interest on the loan each month. This means property debt never declines. Many borrowers get this type of loan because the rates are real low and the payment is low. An interest-only mortgage may be good if you expect to earn a lot more in a few years and know you will be able to afford a higher mortgage payment later on where you can always refinance your loan. Homeowners may choose interest only mortgages because they are going to invest funds and make money on the savings on the difference between an interest-only mortgage and a regular amortizing house mortgage loan with principle and interest.

When looking for the best mortgage you should always shop around many different lenders for the best deal because it could save you thousands. Don't just be aware of the monthly payment but all the other fees, point and charges that the lender is charging. The lenders want your business and their rates and terms are always negotiable.