Lauren Pfaff

Refinance/Cash Out

When you refinance your mortgage, you pay off your existing loan with a new loan that usually offers a better rate or a shorter term. Sometimes, refinancing to a different mortgage product can offer benefits as well. Refinancing provides you savings over the life of the loan and can also provide immediate benefits to your current financial or personal situation.

A cash-out refinance replaces your existing mortgage with a new loan for more than you owe on your home. The difference goes to you in cash, so you’re able to spend it on home renovations, improvements, debt consolidation or other financial needs. You must have equity built up in your house to take advantage of a cash-out refinance. Traditional refinancing, in contrast, replaces your existing mortgage with a new one for the same balance.

ARM Loan

The nature of an adjustable-rate mortgage allows buyers and those looking to refinance to, in a sense, ‘play the odds’ on future interest rates. ARM loans come attached with a fixed-rate during a preliminary duration of time. This can range from 5, 7 or 10 years, depending on your unique mortgage needs. After that, your loan interest rate will be dictated by whatever the going rate is for your loan. For example: You lock an ARM at 5 years at a 3.75% interest rate. After that 5-year period, interest rates on your loan product can rise, fall or stay the same. The latter is rarely the case unless a massive shift in the national economic picture rattles the bond market – of which interest rates are closely tied.

VA Loan

The VA home loan program is a mortgage program backed by the U.S. federal government that helps service members, veterans, active military and eligible surviving spouses become homeowners. The VA home loan allows qualified US service members and veterans to purchase or refinance a home at competitive interest rates and with $0 down payment. In addition, VA home loan benefits include reduced closing costs, no private mortgage insurance (PMI) or penalties for prepayment. While the VA loan is a federal program, the government generally does not make direct loans to applicants. Private lenders, including Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, finance the loan while the Veteran's Administration offers an insurance guarantee. This guarantee provides an incentive for private lenders to offer loans with better terms and protects them in the event of a customer default.

FHA Loan

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FHA loans are government-backed home loans distributed by private lenders like Mutual of Omaha Mortgage. FHA Loans are often used to fund homes for first-time home buyers, who come to Mutual of Omaha with short-lived or troubled credit history and smaller down payment goals. FHA loans are federally insured, meaning the buyer does not face steep down payment or PMI requirements relative to conventional loans. Financing a home loan is more attractive for FHA loan-eligible applicants. Conventional loan products typically require 10%-20% down on a loan, depending on the buyer’s preference toward PMI. FHA Loans allow qualified buyers the opportunity to purchase a home with as little as 3.5% down.

USDA Loan

The USDA loan program’s purpose is to provide affordable homeownership opportunities to low-to-moderate income households to stimulate economic growth in rural and suburban communities throughout the United States. A USDA loan is a mortgage that offers considerable benefits for those wishing to purchase a home in an eligible rural area. USDA home loans are issued through private lenders and are guaranteed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Jumbo Loan

Jumbo loans are discussed with the buyer when a buyer’s total down payment does not put the total finance value at less than the county loan maximum depending on a home's location. The loan maximums vary by county. An 1,800-square-foot home in one county could be valued at a higher amount than another due to the surrounding real estate market. Part of the standard application process on any loan is to verify credit history, income and employment information. Jumbo loans have stricter requirements simply due to the high-risk nature of the loan.