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Buy-Down When the lender and/or the home builder subsidized the mortgage by lowering the interest rate during the first few years of the loan. While the payments are initially low, they will increase when the subsidy expires. These are sometimes used to qualify borrowers for a loan amount that they would not otherwise qualify for but will be able to pay in subsequent years as their income increases. | |
Effective interest rate The effective interest rate is the mortgage cost on a yearly basis expressed as a percentage includes charges paid when closing the loan including compounded interest. Higher closing costs or more frequent compounding result in a higher effective interest rate. | |
Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) A revolving line of credit secured on the equity in the mortgagor's house, usable for any purpose. | |
Refinancing The process of paying off one loan with the proceeds from a new loan secured by the same property. The main reasons for refinancing is to better the borrower with a lower interest rates, loan term reduction, switch to or from a fixed or ARM loan, receive cash out, debt consolidation, or to eliminate a balloon payment. | |