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In order for you to get your best deal on a mortgage you must first understand the types of companies that are offering mortgage products. Learn how they make their money and half the battle is won! These mortgage companies can be simplified as:

• Brokers
• Broker/Lenders
• Mortgage Lenders
• Banks

Before we continue, I need to stress this single point. There ain’t no free lunch! All companies are in business to make a profit. If your intention is to get someone to work on your loan for free, you will get what you pay for.

Mortgage companies will make their money in one or more of these four categories, no exceptions.

Fees – Fees charged to the borrower, seller, builder or realtor included in the closing cost of the loan. They are often referred to as “front end fees”. These take the form of junk fees, (fees that are in excess of the actual cost of the service or are not representative at all of any service), origination fees and discount fees. More on this.

Yield Spread – Yield spread is when you qualify for one rate and are sold or closed with a higher rate. The company then makes an economic profit in the form of basis points against the loan amount from the institution they plan to sell the loan to. Incidentally, this is how “no closing cost” loans are done.

Securitization – This is when a lender packages loans as a group, FHA, Conventional, B or C grade loans and sells them on the securities market. A good example is an FHA loan. These groups of loans have a set, if you will, default rate. We know as lenders that xxx amount of these loans will go into default. We also know that xxx amount of these loans will go to term and pay all the interest on the loan scheduled to be paid. These loans as a group represent a dollar amount to other lenders who need to fulfill “money line” quotas. Therefore they can be sold at a premium above the face value of the loans they encompass.

Servicing – This is earning a profit the old fashioned way. Actually holding the loans that you originate to collect the interest that accrues on them that are above the price of the money you purchased to make the loan. Incidentally, this is the least used way institutions use to earn a profit.

This list below simplifies a large diversity of mortgage lending businesses; to a greater extent most mortgage companies will fall into one or more of these business models:

photo credit: Karen Eliot

Brokers

Brokers do just what the name implies they broker. They are registered or work in conjunction with a host of different lenders in order to offer a wide array of products. Each bank, lender or correspondent that they deal with has its own niche and lends diversity to the pool of loan programs the broker can offer. It is not uncommon to find a broker with dozens of correspondent lenders. Brokers typically do better with credit challenged clients.

Pros – They can offer many more programs than most traditional lenders and banks. They are usually smaller companies and can work with consumers on a one on one basis. They can usually get you a better rate than you would get if you were to directly apply with the institution they are using.

Cons - They have no underwriting authority. They are at the mercy of the banks and lending institutions they deal with as far as lending decisions. They typically take longer for approvals and have higher fees. They are charged “broker fees” from the institutions they deal with and pass them directly to the consumer in one form or another. They pull your credit and submit it to other banks and lenders to re-pull your credit to see if you qualify for the programs their investor offers. This creates more inquiries on your bureau, which typically brings down your FICO score.

How They Make a Profit - Brokers tend to make their money in fees and yield spread. Brokers offering “no closing cost loans” are selling you a higher rate to re-capture the actual cost of doing the loan plus make a profit. They will typically have junk fees that represent profit to the broker i.e. processing fees, funding fees, underwriting fees. The reason I call them junk fees is most if not all brokers do not underwrite their loans, pay their processors by the hour and table fund in the individual investors name they used to get you the loan.

Broker/Lenders

Broker/Lenders work very much like the Broker category above. The only difference is that they possess a line of credit or have a slush fund from which they “lend” from. Like the broker, they have the loans earmarked for immediate sell to individual investors to get their money line replenished for the next loan.

Pros - They can offer many more programs than most traditional lenders and banks. They are usually smaller companies and can work with consumers on a one on one basis. They can usually get you a better rate than you would get if you were to directly apply with the institution they are using. Added “Pro”, they have the ability to close loans on their timetable, which is an advantage over just plain brokers.

Cons - They have limited underwriting authority. They are at the mercy of the banks and lending institutions they deal with as far as lending decisions. They typically take longer for approvals and have higher fees. They are charged “broker fees” from the institutions they deal with and pass them directly to the consumer in one form or another. By having “Lender Status” in some states like Georgia, they can usurp the 5% cap on fee’s and profit by not disclosing the profit they make on yield spread by selling the loan at a premium.

How They Make a Profit – Broker/lenders tend to make their money in fees and yield spread. Brokers offering “no closing cost loans” are selling you a higher rate to re-capture the actual cost of doing the loan plus make a profit. They will typically have junk fees that represent profit to the broker i.e. processing fees, funding fees, underwriting fees. These are typically the companies advertising “we are a lender” no closing cost and so on.

Mortgage Lenders

Lenders typically have their own set of guidelines and programs and may tend to specialize in a specific niche of the market. They sell their loans and service their loans respectively. Typically the average mortgage lender, Opteum Financial, Homebanc, Countrywide, will securitize their loans 2 to 5 times a year. That is, they will sell their loans on the open market in bundles such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA insured loans. Also they will usually have “portfolio products”. These are niche products that differ from conventional mortgage types and offer them market share within a certain niche of the market.

Pros – Lenders are usually cookie cutter type organizations with more protocols, guidelines and consumer protection policies in place than the aforementioned companies. This is not to say the other companies aren’t’ customer oriented, it is to say they are characteristically less automated in their procedures. Mortgage lenders are usually where the “expert loan officers” land with their career decisions. Lenders are more apt to give full disclosure, lower fees and some sort of a service guarantee. They are usually the people who have pre-arranged deals with Realtors, Builders and other real estate professionals due to their high volume and multi-state capabilities. Lenders employ their own underwriters, processors and funding departments; this usually means a quicker deal with fewer surprises.

Cons - Mortgage lenders have a higher operating cost over brokers. Typically they will employ their own underwriters, processors and funding department. This may equate in their rates they offer their clients. However, most conventional rates i.e. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA loans which represent the bulk of loans done by all mortgage companies are usually within a 1/8th of a point from each other when compared.

How They Make a Profit - Lenders make a profit all four ways mentioned above. They securitize, have fees, generate yield spread and service their loans. The advantage is they have all avenues available and tend to be below average on all of them. In other words, Mortgage Lenders do not need to make all of the profit in fees; they can hold the loan and cut the fees. Or they can sell it in a sensitization package and recoup any losses they may have incurred in the loan. In other words, they have full discretion to do any loan that makes sense.

Traditional Banks

Traditional banks are usually where all loans end up. Banks like, Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and so on. What sets them apart is they are in the business of holding and servicing loans. They are the major buyers of securitized loans from lenders on the open market. The difference is, they are banks that happen to have mortgage departments, not the other way around like lenders.

Pros - Traditional banks are just that, banks; the chance of having your loan sold is far less likely than with the other lenders. Local banks that service their loans can offer the “good ole boy ” network and can usually make loans to farmers and local citizens in small town America with extenuating circumstances. They offer a face to associate with when paying your mortgage if you happen to bank with them. They offer competitive rates, although their most competitive rates can be found offered to their correspondent Brokers to resale to you.

Cons – As mentioned above, banks are unfortunately banks, which happen to have mortgage divisions. They tend to have program A, B and C. If you do not fit one of the programs, tough! Expertise is another con, meaning you are usually speaking with a customer service person instead of a mortgage professional. I hear month after month from customers who have started the process with the “Great American Bank” only to be told they do not fit the guidelines 30 days later.

How They Make a Profit - Banks make profits exactly the way Mortgage lenders do, but the emphasis is shifted to servicing of the loan.

To sum all of this up, ALL mortgage companies are in business to make a nickel or two. The companies that say “Ill do your mortgage for free” or “zero closing cost” are hiding the fees within their rate markup. My recommendation is to work with lenders or brokers who explain this option up front and explain the advantages and disadvantages to structuring your mortgage this way.

Aubrey Clark Editor http://lendfast.com

photo credit: VisitMyLuxuryHome.com

Introduction

Mortgages are loans that are used to purchase real estate and come in many different forms. The most common types are Conventional, FHA and VA. Other types are Second, Reverse and Balloon Mortgages. These loans often involve the use of Discount Points.

Conventional

The conventional loan is the most common type of mortgage used in the nation today. Conventional mortgages are loans between borrowers and lenders that are not insured or guaranteed by the government. Conventional mortgages are either privately insured through private mortgage insurance companies or not insured at all. Conventional loan guidelines typically require a minimum down payment of five percent on owner-occupied (non-rental) properties; higher for investment/rental properties. For mortgages that have a down payment of less than 20%, private mortgage insurance (PMI) is usually required. Most conventional mortgages have time frames of 15 to 30 years and may be either fixed-rate or adjustable.

Fixed rate mortgages mean that the interest is permanently “fixed” at the rate available when the mortgage was created. The interest rate never changes no matter what interest rates do later. Fixed rate loans provide a level principal and interest payment that a borrower can depend on and are especially attractive when rates are low.

Adjustable rate mortgages mean that during the first few years, the interest rate will be lower than a typical fixed rate loan but will increase (adjust) upward to rates that are prevalent at a later date. Adjustable rate mortgages are normally used only when the borrower cannot currently qualify for the normal fixed rate interest level, but anticipates a larger income in the near future. The risk for the borrower is if that extra income does not materialize or if other expenses occur later on that cause the adjusted rate to not be affordable.

FHA

FHA loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration, which is a division of HUD. The program was created in 1934 to stimulate the housing market during the Depression. FHA loans are insured by the government against default, but the mortgages themselves are made by major private lenders. FHA loans are often available from the same lenders who offer conventional loans. FHA maximum loan amounts are limited, and the maximum loan amount varies among geographic regions. High cost housing markets will normally have a higher maximum loan amount than lower cost areas. FHA mortgages are usually on a fixed-rate mortgage with terms of up to 30 years. FHA can lend up to 97% of the home value, and can be refinanced any time without a pre-payment penalty, and without having to qualify all over again. FHA insurance makes it possible for private lenders to provide mortgages to lower income families without attaching the rates and fees that sub-prime lenders do. FHA-insured loans have become an important element in the proposed solutions to the subprime mortgage crisis, and an FHA Reform package is making its way through Congress and will probably be a reality by the time you read this. The new package will enable FHA to accept even lower down payments and credit scores than they do now.

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VA

VA mortgage loans are loans insured by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The program was created in 1944 during World War 2 to assist returning military personnel in buying a home. VA mortgages are reserved for those who have served in the military or are currently in the military in active or reserve status. They are also available to qualified surviving spouses. VA loan guaranty is only for owner occupied properties, which can include homes, condominiums, townhomes, 2-4 family properties and manufactured homes, as long as it is owner occupied at least in part. By example, the applicant can obtain a mortgage for a duplex, live in one side and rent out the other side. VA mortgages offer the qualified veteran or active duty military person an opportunity to buy a home up to a specified amount with no down payment and do not require Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). Like FHA mortgages, VA places a limit on the maximum mortgage amount. VA determines your eligibility and, if you are qualified, VA will issue you a certificate of eligibility to be used in applying for a loan.

Balloons

A Balloon mortgage is a loan that is usually a short-term fixed-rate loan with even monthly payments amortized over a stated term, but provides for a lump sum payment to be due at the end of a specified term. These loans can be used as either a first or second mortgage. The nature of balloons are that the principal is not paid off entirely during its term and the monthly payments are often lower than they would be in a fixed rate first mortgage. Balloons are often used as a type of Second mortgage, especially when a borrower is seeking the lowest possible monthly payment in the short run. These loans carry an inherent risk for the borrower because that large lump sum becomes due and payable at the end of the term, so these financing options should be used with extreme caution.

Reverse

Reverse mortgages are becoming popular in America. They were designed only a few years ago and were made to help people who have retired and stopped working, but still have to make monthly payments. They are a special type of financing that lets a homeowner convert the equity in his/her home into cash. Reverse mortgages can be relatively complex, and their use should be considered carefully by the borrower. While they have been around for a long time, but it wasn’t until the early 1990s that they began earning respectability after the FHA began insuring reverse mortgages for repayment to lenders.

Second

These are used when a borrower needs additional financing to buy a home. Second mortgages are subordinate, meaning that in the event of default, the primary, or first lien would get paid off first, and then any funds remaining would be used to pay off any second liens. Second mortgages are also arranged for various purposes, such as financing home improvements, college tuition fees, debt consolidation or other emergency expenses. They are available as either fixed-rate loans, or adjustable-rate home equity lines of credit and are based on the market value of the home minus the balance of the first mortgage. Terms are typically shorter than the primary term and are commonly written at a higher rate of interest, due to the inherent risk of the loan. An advantage for the borrower is that the interest paid on a second mortgage is tax deductable, whereas payments for PMI are not.

Discount Points

Discount Points are used to buy your interest rate lower and are charged as a percentage of the loan amount. Discount points are entirely optional unless they are required for you to qualify for the loan payment, due to a lower than required income or higher than expected expenses. Discount points are paid in cash at closing and are typically charged to the seller. A common arrangement is that when discount points are charged, the seller will want to increase the price of the home to cover this expense. The result is that 80% or more of the discount point cost is actually financed by the buyer. Discount points are not to be confused with an origination or broker fee and are tax deductible only for the year in which they were paid.

Harry E. Davis is a Texas state certified residential real estate appraiser in Texas and is webmaster of the FHA Appraiser Directory Appraiser. Appraisals are available at Austin Texas Appraiser.