15 vs. 30 Yr Mortgages
Determining which mortgage term is right for you can be a challenge. With a 15 year mortgage you will pay significantly less interest, but only if you can afford the higher monthly payment. Use this calculator to compare these two mortgage terms, and let us help you decide which term is better for you.
Definitions
- Mortgage amount
- Original or expected balance for your mortgage.
- Interest rate
- Annual interest rate for your mortgage. Interest rates are generally lower for shorter term mortgages.
- Marginal tax rate
- This is your combined state and federal tax rate. This is used to calculate your potential income tax savings by deducting your mortgage interest.
- Monthly payment
- Monthly principal and interest payment (PI). Both 30 year and 15 year mortgages are shown.
- Total payments
- Total of all monthly payments over the full term of the mortgage. Both 30 year and 15 year mortgages are shown.
- Total interest
- Total of all interest paid over the full term of the mortgage. Both 30 year and 15 year mortgages are shown.
The mortgage calculators are provided by KJE Computer Solutions, LLC and made available to NUMBER1EXPERT as self-help tools for your independent use and are not intended to provide investment advice. We can't guarantee their applicability or accuracy in regards to your individual circumstances. All examples are hypothetical and are for illustrative purposes. We encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding all personal finance issues.
About Appraisals >Three Caballeros
When you buy a house or refinance your present home, your lender will ask you to pay for an appraisal to help ensure that the sales price and mortgage amount is consistent with the property's market value. The appraiser will look for "three caballeros" or three "comparables" -- homes that are very similar to the one you are buying -- and will make adjustments to reflect the differences between the properties.
Housing patterns tend to be homogenous, meaning that homes worth $300,000 are usually located in $300,000 neighborhoods. It is important for properties to be within the general pricing patterns of their neighborhoods because over-valued homes, even if they are exceptional, are sometimes difficult to sell at full market price.
This is not the only factor considered in determining the worth of a property, but it is an important one. The buyer or seller may view the property as a home or an investment, but lenders view it in a completely different way. To a lender, property means security in the event a borrower fails to repay a mortgage. Therefore, lenders must know real estate values in order to limit their risks.
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| Q |
What is a "jumbo mortgage"?
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| A |
The term "jumbo mortgage" currently refers to a mortgage loan in excess of $359,650, although the threshold amount may change as the market fluctuates. |
 See More Real Estate Trivia > |
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