CREATE ACCOUNT | LOGIN | GUEST LIST LOAN OFFICERS GLOSSARY CHECKLIST LOAN TYPES MORTGAGE CALCS CONTACT LOAN TYPES LOAN OFFICERS GLOSSARY CHECKLIST MORTGAGE CALCULATORS CONTACT Loan Types Thirty-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Fifteen-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Hybrid ARM (3/1 ARM, 5/1 ARM, 7/1 ARM) Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) 2/1 Buy Down Mortgage Thirty-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage The traditional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has a constant interest rate and monthly payments that never change. This may be a good choice if you plan to stay in your home for seven years or longer. If you plan to move within seven years, then adjustable-rate loans are usually cheaper. As a rule of thumb, it may be harder to qualify for fixed-rate loans than for adjustable rate loans. When interest rates are low, fixed-rate loans are generally not that much more expensive than adjustable-rate mortgages and may be a better deal in the long run, because you can lock in the rate for the life of your loan. Fifteen-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage This loan is fully amortized over a 15-year period and features constant monthly payments. It offers all the advantages of the 30-year loan, plus a lower interest rate -- and you'll own your home twice as fast. The disadvantage is that, with a 15-year loan, you commit to a higher monthly payment. Many borrowers opt for a 30-year fixed-rate loan and voluntarily make larger payments that will pay off their loan in 15 years. This approach is often safer than committing to a higher monthly payment, since the difference in interest rates isn't that great. Hybrid ARM (3/1 ARM, 5/1 ARM, 7/1 ARM) These increasingly popular ARMS -- also called 3/1, 5/1 or 7/1 -- can offer the best of both worlds: lower interest rates (like ARMs) and a fixed payment for a longer period of time than most adjustable rate loans. For example, a "5/1 loan" has a fixed monthly payment and interest for the first five years and then turns into a traditional adjustable-rate loan, based on then-current rates for the remaining 25 years. It's a good choice for people who expect to move (or refinance) before or shortly after the adjustment occurs. Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM) When it comes to ARMs there's a basic rule to remember...the longer you ask the lender to charge you a specific rate, the more expensive the loan. 2/1 Buy Down Mortgage The 2/1 Buy-Down Mortgage allows the borrower to qualify at below market rates so they can borrow more. The initial starting interest rate increases by 1% at the end of the first year and adjusts again by another 1% at the end of the second year. It then remains at a fixed interest rate for the remainder of the loan term. Borrowers often refinance at the end of the second year to obtain the best long-term rates. However, keeping the loan in place even for three full years or more will keep their average interest rate in line with the original market conditions.