Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Selection Of Best Mortgage Loan For Caribbean Property

By Adriana Noton


The process for selection of best mortgage loan, for Caribbean real estate, differs only slightly from the process for selection of standard mortgage loans. Even though many countries have experienced economic troubles, the Caribbean islands are still teeming with tourists. Vacationers looking to escape to the lush environment, the warm climate, and the variety of the islands will need places to stay, and investors will be able to count on tourism to generate rental income.

The most crucial way to save money is to compare interest rates. After obtaining a list of current rates, investors should ask their lender if those rates are the lowest which have been quoted for the day, or the week. Also, investors should know their Annual Percentage Rate, or APR, which includes broker fees, points, and other charges, as a component of the annual interest rate.

In exchange for lower rates, some lenders may charge points. A point is equal to one percent of the total amount of a loan, although investors may avoid the need to calculate, by simply asking the lender to quote a dollar amount, instead of a percentage. Online calculators are available, to help investors decide whether to go ahead and pay points, or whether to make a larger down payment, to obtain the lowest possible loan costs.

All loans come with associated fees. Some fees are paid when investors apply for loans, and some are required at the closing. Investors should ask their lender or broker what is included with each fee, and should ask for an explanation of any fees, which they do not understand. In many cases, fees are negotiable, so investors may save even more money by asking lenders or brokers to adjust their quotes.

Private mortgage insurance, or PMI, may be a requirement. Standard loans require PMI if the down payment does not reach twenty percent of the loan's value. However, because Caribbean mortgages may have different expectations for down payments, investors should ask their lender if PMI will be required, and should ask for their total monthly payment, with PMI included.

After comparing mortgages, investors should lock in their interest rate. A locking-in agreement includes the agreed-upon interest rate, the number of points to be paid, and the length of the lock-in period. Lenders or brokers may charge a fee for locking in a rate, but the fee may be refundable at closing.

Visiting a Caribbean property is not generally necessary. Loans are similar, and interest rates typically follow variable rates in the US. Lenders may require different down payments, and may require a minimum loan amount, and shorter borrowing terms. For a Caribbean mortgage, lenders usually charge a percentage of the loan as their fee, and add it to the annual interest rate.

Knowing a monthly payment for a loan helps, but it does not provide sufficient information about the lifetime cost of any loan. To determine the lifetime cost of their investment, investors should be aware of the term, the type, and the amount of their product, in addition to the interest rate, as well as any associated fees. While research may be tedious, selection of best mortgage loans may provide investors with hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings, over the borrowing term.




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