Mortgage & Refinancing Information

Mortgage Prepayment Penalties - Just Say No


One of the most common terms found in a new home loan is a prepayment penalty. This type of penalty says that if the borrower pays off the loan early, commonly during the first five years of the loan, then the borrower will be responsible for paying an additional amount of money, typically about six months interest on 80% of the mortgage balance. Sub-prime market loans will typically carry prepayment penalties more than standard mortgage loans.

You may plan on keeping the house for the entire duration of the prepayment penalty, and be tempted not to worry about it much. But sometimes life circumstances change, so it's wise to avoid any type of prepayment penalty if you can. A typical prepayment penalty might equal five months worth of monthly loan payments, so it's worth checking on. Of course, you should always ask (before you sign) if a new loan has a prepayment penalty. In fact, ask the lending officer to point out to you in the document where a prepayment penalty is discussed.

Most items in a loan are subject to negotiation. If you haven't signed loan papers yet, and you find that your loan has a prepayment penalty, you might offer to pay an additional closing point or so to see if it can be removed. The key at this stage is that if you agree to the prepayment penalty, you should try to find ways to reduce either the amount, the term, or both as much as possible.

If you already have a loan, you are bound by the terms of the document, unless you can negotiate them. There are perfectly legitimate reasons why you may want to pay off a note early - most often, due either to refinancing or selling the house. You may be able to contact your lender to see if they will waive the prepayment penalty if they are able to provide refinancing. If interest rates have dropped a lot, and you can't get out of the prepayment penalty, it may be worth rolling that amount into a new loan. And of course, try to get the new loan without a prepayment penalty.

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.cashbazar.com. Visit his website for the latest on personal finance, debt elimination, budgeting, credit cards and real estate.


MORE RESOURCES:

MonitorBankRates.com

Mortgage Refinance: 30 Year Mortgage Refinance Rates at 4.91%, 15 Year ...
MonitorBankRates.com
Mortgage refinance rates continue to drift down this week. 30 year mortgage refinance rates are down to 4.91 percent, down from an average 30 year refinance ...
Bank of America Home Loans – Mortgage Refinance Rates Lower This WeekSubprime Blogger (blog)
Knowing the All-New Obama Mortgage Refinance PlanBatchBuzz (satire)
Obama Refinance Mortgage Relief Plan – Get Out of Troubling Debt TodaySubprime Blogger (blog)

all 25 news articles »



US Money Talk News

Can I Do A Refinance Loan For Debt Consolidation On Credit Cards?
US Money Talk News
The main reasons most people refinance their mortgages is either to make improvements on ...

and more »




UPI.com

New Article on Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac HARP Mortgage Refinance Program ...
PR Web (press release)
In a new article, AimLoan.com explains why Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's program to refinance underwater homeowners should be expanded, as lowered mortgage ...
Will Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Short Selling Help Underwater Homeowners In Obama ...Red, White, and Blue Press (blog)
Obama Admin Too Busy To Deal With Fannie, Freddie, Says Assistant Treasury ...Huffington Post (blog)
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and The Obama Underwater Mortgage Home Affordable ...Red, White, and Blue Press (blog)

all 270 news articles »


Bankrate.com

Bankruptcy haunts home mortgage refinance
Bankrate.com
We have about 60 percent equity in our home. We both have credit scores above 700 and both have good incomes. ...

and more »


FreeRateUpdate.com

Get Lower Bad Credit Mortgage Refinance Loan Rates
TMCnet
However, there are some websites that will help you get bad credit mortgage refinance loan without a lot of hassles. Some of them will also to give you a ...
Home Loan Mortgage Refinance Rates For Wells Fargo Stay Below 5%Red, White, and Blue Press (blog)
Bad credit home mortgage refinance Loan is starting to make a revivalPressitt
How to Choose a FHA Mortgage RefinanceBatchBuzz (satire)
Subprime Blogger (blog) -Bleacher Report -MonitorBankRates.com
all 256 news articles »


Mortgage Rates & Trends (blog)

The Death of Mortgage Refinance Looms
FreeRateUpdate.com
Even with sub 5 percent mortgage rates available to well-qualified consumers, mortgage refinance is slow. When rates do rise to 6%, and they will, ...
Underwater Mortgage Refinance Plan—Is It Working, Is Walking Away Okay?Red, White, and Blue Press (blog)

all 3 news articles »


A good case for refinancing
The Star-Ledger - NJ.com
The downside of a first mortgage refinance is the higher closing costs associated with that mortgage. The national average for closing costs on a $200000 ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006