California Mortgage Rates

The term “loan purpose” is used in the mortgage industry in the US to describe the reason why an applicant is looking to apply for a loan. The lender will use the purpose of the loan to make decisions on the risk level of the borrower. The loan purpose could also affect the interest rate offered by the lender. The most common examples include purchase, rate/term refinance (no cash-out refinance) and cash-out refinance.

The down payment refers to the equity amount that the buyer puts towards the purchase price of a home. For instance, a home being purchased for $500,000 with a $100,000 down payment means the buyer will have 20% equity in the new home. In general a larger down payment results in better rates and closing costs for your loan. Down payments below 20% usually require some form of mortgage insurance which would be an added cost to you. The exception is for VA financing.

This term refers to the amount that the borrower must pay back to the lender as stipulated in the loan contract. The loan amount is one of the main factors in determining what rate and loan program you’ll be eligible for. For the most common loan programs such as conforming or FHA financing there are loan limits. Anything above those limits results in a borrower being ineligible for that program and subject to different rates and fees. In general VA loans have the best terms followed by conforming loans and select jumbo loans for really qualified borrowers or high net worth clients.

A credit score is a numerical figure that expresses the creditworthiness of a consumer. A higher credit score is better when it comes to taking out a loan, as it reduces the lender’s risk when loaning out funds. A credit score is affected by repayment history, number and age of open accounts, total debt levels, and credit utilization. Credit is a key deciding factor in determining what rates and costs you’re eligible for. High credit scores over 740 will get you the best rates available. Adjustments to the terms available for most loan programs occur in 20 point increments. For example the second best credit score range would be 720-739, then 700-719 and so on.  Once your scores drop below 640 the programs you will qualify for will be severely limited.

The purchase price refers to the price that a buyer pays for a property.

Property type refers to the characteristics and configuration of a dwelling. For instance, detached homes, townhomes, and condos are all examples of different property types. Single Family Home will have the best terms when compared to other property types. Provided you put down more than 25% condos will be second best followed by multi-family 1-4 units. Properties like co-ops and manufactured homes will usually have higher rates and it will be more difficult to find lenders that will accept those property types.

Occupancy refers to the status of the people living in a home. For example, a home may be occupied by the owners, or by tenants who pay the owner rent in exchange for the right to live in the home. Owner Occupied homes will have the best rates followed by second homes (vacation homes that are not rented) and investment properties which include any property that does not fit the classification of a primary residence or second home. This includes rental properties, homes a family member occupies for free or a speculative property that is vacant.

A loan program or loan type refers to the type of loan being taken out to finance the purchase of a property. In the US, common mortgage loan programs include fixed-rate mortgages, variable-rate mortgages, conforming loans, FHA loans, and VA loans. Fixed-rate loans can come with different terms such as a 30 year fixed, 20 year or 15 year fixed. ARM’s or adjustable rate mortgages are usually fixed for a specified period of time and then adjust annually after the initial fixed rate period.