Financial Resource

Buying that first home is an emotional experience for everyone who goes through the process. For those first time buyers who are considering a brand new just built house a manufactured home can be a good choice.

This of course raises the question “is manufactured home financing the same as when buying a traditionally built house?” The answer is yes, the vast majority of banks and lending institutions treat factory built home the same as traditional stick built offerings. This makes attaining the dream of new home ownership a reality for those who can secure mortgage financing.

The first thing we need to understand is what exactly a mortgage is?

In the simplest of terms a home mortgage is the most widely used home buying financing option available to consumers today. It is a loan from any one of a variety of lenders that include banks, credit unions, and mortgage brokers for the specific purpose of buying a home. The mortgage lender lends the money at a certain interest rate over a certain term (amount of time) during which the borrower makes payments according to the terms of the loan agreement; usually every month.

The terms and conditions stated in the loan papers are the rules that govern the mortgage throughout the length of its term. The most important part of these is terms and conditions is normally the interest rate as it will ultimately be the major determining factor for the monthly payment and how much house one can afford.

Most manufactured home financing loans offer a variety of options when it comes to how the interest rate will affects the terms. The two most common types of mortgages are the fixed rate mortgage and the ARM or adjustable rate mortgage. Just as their names suggest the way they work are pretty straight forward.

The interest rate of the fixed rate mortgage remains the same for the term of the loan, ensuring that the monthly payment will not change until the loan is paid in full. An ARM works a little differently in that the interest can and will adjust at pre-determined dates. This adjustment is based on current rates and because ARM’s usually start at a very low rate it generally adjusts in an upward direction meaning higher monthly payments that can come as quite a surprise to many homeowners. Unless you are dealing with special circumstances it is recommended to avoid adjustable rate mortgages and stick with safer fixed rate financing.

The most important thing to consider when looking for manufactured home financing is your own budget and how those monthly payments will affect it. Remember that the collateral for that mortgage is your home. Stretching your budget too far to buy that “dream home” can create future problems with your finances leading to foreclosure proceedings. As long as you stay realistic with your finances a mortgage is the way to make home ownership a reality.

Tags: consumer, finance, interest rate