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The Peoples Guide to Mexico: Real Estate in Ajijic and Lake Chapala, Mexico People's Guide Homepage • Copper Canyon • Live & Retire • Carl's Notebooks • Letters • Favorite Books • Visit our Sponsors • Table of Contents • The Best of Mexico: Favorite Places Live & Retire in Mexico Lake Chapala area Buying Property in the Lake Chapala Area by Tony Harries & Teresa A. Kendrick In the last decade or so, it is estimated that more than 10,000 foreigners have purchased property on the Northshore of Lake Chapala. Long prized as a weekend retreat by wealthy Guadalajarans, the villages from Lake Chapala to Jocotepec now boast an expatriate community said to be the largest in the world. Ajijic has become the prime location for foreigners because of its infrastructure of services, such as internet access, and the existence of the Lake Chapala Society, an English-speaking resource center for newcomers and residents. The Real Estate Climate on the Northshore At present, the Northshore has 20 real estate agencies. Their level of competency and expertise vary. In Mexico, the real estate industry is not regulated by the government. It is self-regulated. Two associations are responsible for training agents and policing the ethics of the agencies: AMPI (Asociacion Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobiliarios) is the national organization (with a lakeside chapter) and Gil (Grupo Inmobiliario del Lago) is the local organization. Many offices belong to one or the other, and some belong to both. They provide multiple-listing services that allow agents to show properties listed by other agencies, an advantage for both buyer and seller. The most professional agencies also provide their own in-house training for new agents. Several agencies have websites that will allow you to get a feel for the company, the houses that are available and the prices of property and land. The websites allow you to interact with the agency via email, and, if the site is good, will offer background information and answers to frequently asked questions. It can also provide you with the name of an agent. Choosing an Agent Good agents tend to work for well-run organizations. When walking into the office for the first time, take a look around. Does it look professionally managed? Are key personnel bilingual? Are listings photographed, detailed and organized so you can spend time reviewing available properties and evaluating how much your money will buy? Talk with several agents to find one you feel is knowledgeable, experienced, available, compatible, and upfront. Professional, reliable agents provide service before, during, and after a sale. If a problem or error arise, your agent should work hard to correct it. After your initial meeting, ask around about the reputations of various agencies and agents, but be aware that while gathering information, it is very likely you will also gather misinformation. One person can easily contradict another; this is human nature and common in a small communities. Being a Good Client/Firing an Agent Agent- and agency-hopping is an ethical no-no, but after viewing several properties reevaluate your agent. If you feel that the agent is not listening to you, tell him or her; they will appreciate you restating your requirements. Often clients are confused about what they want, or unrealistic about what their money can buy. Be clear about what you want. Buying a house is an emotional process, so be prepared to experience some unusual feelings and reactions and understand that an agent has the dual job of steering you through the process of buying property in another country and your own learning curve. If you are unable to work with your agent, graciously fire that agent and find another. You might use a simple, “Thank you for your time and efforts. We feel we wish to expand our search and thought we might consult with another agency. If we feel you can be of further service, we will get back to you.” Remember, the agent you are releasing is a member of the community in which you will live and diplomacy will save some feelings down the line. How to be a good Client If your first visit to the area is an exploratory excursion, tell your agent. He or she will guide you as you gather preliminary information. If you are not in a position to buy at the time, limit the time you spend with the agent as he or she has other clients to serve. If you have funds available to buy property, the agent will intensify the search for a suitable property and guide you through the process. Be clear about how much you can spend and when you plan to resettle. Remember agents often work for months without reimbursement for their out of pocket expenses. The Nitty Gritty At this time, prices for houses on the Northshore run anywhere from $22,000 US to 1.35 million US. The average home with the amenities sought by North American buyers are in the $100,000 US range. Location, as everywhere, is one of the most determining factors for setting the price. The further out from services you go, the lower prices will be. View, construction type, size and amenities determine the rest. Clients can choose from gated communities which offer security (a plus for residents who spend 6 months in Mexico and 6 months elsewhere), large country estates, and village living. Village homes are connected to one another by common exterior, and, occasionally, interior walls and allow residents to live within walking distance of most services and activities. Do not let any agent sell you ejido land. No matter what future promises anyone may make, you will not get a legal title. This is land set aside by the government for the indigenous people of Mexico and cannot be sold to foreigners. Also, there are a few places on the Northshore known for their instability due to soft soil or geothermal faults, and some places have water supply problems. Informed, wise agents will steer you away from these trouble spots. The Buying Process Purchasing a home or lot on the Northshore is primarily a cash transaction, but occasionally short-term owner financing is available. When you make an offer to the seller you must present a check for 10% of the value of the house. A photocopy is made of this “earnest money” and the check itself is placed in the agency safe. Once negotiations are completed under the supervision of the respective buying and selling real estate agents, and both parties have signed a purchase agreement, the check is deposited into the escrow account of the selling agency. The check is later applied to the balance of the purchase price at the notary public’s office. (Note: The actual sale price of a property is not a matter of public record in Mexico, nor is it registered with the government. It is unethical for an agent to tell you the sale price of a property. He or she can tell you what the property was listed for, but not what was paid.) The Closing Closings take place in the office of a Notario Publico, or notary public. These are lawyers of very high standing who, after 5 years of legal practice, apply to the government for notario status and must undergo strict scrutiny to be awarded the title. With it comes many responsibilities and important legal functions. One of these is to preside over and ensure the legality of property transfer. The notary authenticates the seller’s right to sell the property, scrutinizes the history of the property for any irregularities, and makes sure the deed is clear and free of liens through appropriate government offices. Since the buyer pays for the closing costs and notary’s fees, it is his or her privilege to select the notary. The notary can advise the buyer which type of deed meets his needs: direct deed or bank trust deed. The notary will file with the Mexican government the application for the transfer of the deed from seller to buyer. His official signature on all documents finalizes the purchase and makes it a legal transaction under Mexican law. From purchasing to closing the norm is 30 to 60 days, but motivated parties can complete the process within 15 days. Differences in Home Construction There is no slab-frame construction in this part of Mexico. A home here is usually of concrete, glass, stone, brick, iron and rebar construction. Wood is expensive and used little except for design affect. Each wall is load-bearing and has its own foundation. Many houses have exterior walls and decorative metal work to ensure privacy and security. There are "aljibes" (cisterns) for water storage and in some of the newer homes, water purification and pressure systems are built-in. You will also find tanks for storing propane used for cooking and heating water as there is no infrastructure to supply natural gas. You will notice a lack of central heating and air conditioning, as it’s not essential. A fireplace on a cool evening or morning is charming and does the trick. There are no building codes so a good agent will provide you with information about levels of construction quality and what might be buried within the walls. Developers The north shore of Lake Chapala has recently seen a rise in new, speculative construction meant to appeal to buyers from the North. Much of this work is being done by young, Mexican architects from monied Guadalajara families with varying degrees of experience and dependability. There are also projects being developed by American, Canadian and European companies. Remodeling Many buyers purchase a home with the intent of upgrading and remodeling the existing structure. Craftsmen, laborers, architects and artisans abound in the area. If you are in the market for such services, perhaps your agent can help direct you to a general contractor who has a good reputation. Be sure to get a signed, witnessed contract stipulating prices and the quality of work and materials to be used. If language is a problem, get a translator to help you. Several translators are listed in the Lake Chapala Society directory, a members-only book that can be loaned to you by your agent. If, during the remodeling, you feel you have been financially abused, the government has an agency with an office in Chapala called PROFECO which helps consumers receive satisfaction. The pace of work is probably not what you are used to, but in Mexico, patience is required as distribution of materials, cultural standards, and community -- and family-based events interrupt building schedules. Real Estate Agencies/Developers/Internet Websites In Ajijic: Abode Realty: Adj Corporation Ajijic Developments: http://www.ajijicdevs.com Ajijic Real Estate, http://www.ajijic.com ; email: ajijic@infosel.net.mx Ambience Fine Home Builders: http://www.ambiance.com.mx America Mexico Builders Camille’s Realty/Coldwell Banker Chapala Realty: http://www.chapala.com Continental Realty Chula Vista Norte Eager & Asociados: http://www.mexconnect.com/MEX/ea/ea.html Laguna Real Estate: http://www.mexconnect.com/amex/lgna/ Marnher Group RE/Max Ajijic: http://www.desconresorts.com In Chapala: Coldwell Banker/Chapala Realty (Chapala Office), http://www.chapala.com Sierra Vista: In Chula Vista: Century 21 Vistas: http://www.lagunanet.net.mx/c21vistas In Jocotepec: Semprex Realty In Riberas del Pilar: Sunset Realty: http://www.sunsetrealty.com.mx In San Antonio Tlayacapán: Re/Max Fenix About the authors: Tony Harries is a real estate agent who has been working in the Lake Chapala area since June 1997. He is an award-winning school teacher from Texas who retired after 31 years of service. Proficient in Spanish, he has developed a deep appreciation of Mexico following several decades of travel in Mexico before his retirement. He has helped clients from all over the world buy property in the area and this year became a top producing agent for one of the area’s leading agencies. His email is tonyharr@prodigy.net.mx Teresa Kendrick is the author of the recently published book “Mexico’s lake Chapala and Ajijic: The Insiders Guide to the Northshore for International Travelers” Highly detailed and up-to-date, the 208 page book boasts 143 color photographs, a well-organized table of contents and index, and information about nearly everything available on the Northshore of Lake Chapala for travelers and newcomers. The book is available with a full-color map of the Northshore for $26 US plus shipping and handling. The book will be available to purchase locally by calling 76-6-3163 or by ordering from her website: http://www.chapalaguide.com Teresa's email is ajijic@chapalaguide.com . Top of Page Homepage Table of Contents Site Map Write to us, Carl & Lorena http://www.peoplesguide.com ©1972-2001 by Carl Franz & Lorena Havens Copper Canyon • Live & Retire • Table of Contents • Book Reviews • Letters

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Real estate listings and homes for sale - RELO National Home Search Real estate listings and homes for sale - RELO National Home Search Search 2 million mls listings from The Leading Real Estate Companies of the World U.S. State Search U.S. Map --- Quick Search -- select state -- Alaska Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont Washington Wisconsin West Virginia Wyoming Selecting a Community Real estate agents play an important role in helping you find the right community. Whether relocating your family across the United States or buying a new home a mile from your current home or apartment, purchasing a home in the “right” community depends ... >> Click to continue Zip Code Home Search: County Search: Jump to State: Alabama Alaska Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut D.C. Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Search by Metro Area: New York Chicago San Francisco Los Angeles Washington DC Boston Save 15% on your FICO credit score. Enter promo code "RELO" to redeem your discount. RELO National Home Search helps consumers find real estate listings, homes for sale or real estate agents. The tool enables consumers to search 2 million local real estate listings and homes for sale. Before buying a home, search mls listings and homes for sale to find a real estate agent through RELO National Home Search. According to the National Association of Realtors, 72 percent of consumers look for a residential property online. RELO National Home Search provides moving assistance to relocating consumers and second-home buyers. RELO Home Search links over 600 RELO members' websites together, the majority offer local mls listings in their area. Further, RELO provides relocation assistance services and international relocation through the RELO network. Whether you are buying a home, considering moving to a new city, considering a second home or selling a home, use RELO National Home Search to tap into the country's largest network of leading independent residential real estate firms across the nation and around the world. All RELO real estate companies focus on relocation and home buying help. © 2002 – 2003 RELO ® All Rights Reserved. | Terms and Conditions | Bookmark Page | Read Real Estate Articles

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Anchor Vacation Properties, Inc. & Anchor Realty & Mortgage Co. Purveyors of Fine Homes and Estates Real Estate Sales Area Information Vacation Rentals Anchor Realty and Mortgage Co. is a full service real estate brokerage firm with 11 offices in the Forgotten Coast of the Florida Panhandle. Our 90+ professional Realtors have a superb track-record in assisting clients in their search for investment properties, beach front, and/or water front real estate. To best serve you, we have two offices in Apalachicola and one office in each of the following markets: Carrabelle, St. George Island, St. Joe Beach, Gramercy Plantation in Eastpoint, Cape San Blas, Simmons Bayou, Mexico Beach, Tallahassee and Lynn Haven near Panama City Beach. Our professional Realtors specialize in platted subdivisions (new and re-sales), vacant land, historic homes, beach homes, town homes, condominiums and commercial property. Just stop by and meet with a REALTOR® or view our website or simply call us for more information. Telephone Directory Anchor Vacation Properties, Inc. offers approximately 150 beach rental homes and townhomes in St. George Island, the St. George Plantation, Apalachicola and Carrabelle, Florida available by the night, by the week or by the month. Guests may also choose the convenience of our hotel, The St. George Inn. Property locations are: beach front, beach view, bay front, river front and interior. Some rentals feature: swimming pools, elevators and docks. Some of our homes and cottages are pet friendly. The St. George Inn on St. George Island offers rooms and suites from $59 to $169 per night. For more information, to request a free brochure, to book your next family vacation, to schedule a fabulous romantic getaway, or to plan your next fishing trip, click the above Rental link or call 1.800.824.0416 or 1.850.927.2625 Site Map

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Addison read - Romanian Property Investment Romania Home About us Properties News Contact us Romania or Bulgaria ... exciting property investment opportunities.. learn more about.. ADDISON READ ROMANIA REQUESTS FOR PROJECT PROSPECTUSES Romania Property Market Land Price Guide - 2005 Bucharest residential market supply & demand Investment - Commercial property Residential property - New build Foreign ownership of land in Romania Martha Bibescu - Villas - New build project Representative projects South-East Europe drives growth in the New Europe REPORTS Addison Read Brochure pdf Romania Property report 2005 pdf PROPERTY MARKET Industrial Parks in Romania Bucharest office market Business Park -Bucharest Business Park - Iride GENERAL REPORTS GDP comparison - ro - hu - bg - cz Relocation services Cost of living Indices by country / Descending order Detailed report - Bu News Commercial Investment Property Projects Offices 34 office buildings are already under construction to be ready during 2005 or 2006. 21 office buildings will be completed in 2005 and 13 during 2006. Kardan from Israel intends to build 26,000 square meters of A class offices, project value of 50m . America House under construction is well located at Piata Victoriei now a focus of Bucharest's office developments. The Israelis have also developed Europa House, which, on completion was sold to the Austrian property fund Europolis. National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) intends to place 15m in Romania and 150 million in the area. In this regard, it recently launched an investment fund for CEEE to be called Watani Central European Real Estate Fund. The assets targeted by the fund include A class offices, commercial areas and logistics to be let to international companies. The Belgium company Liebrecht & Wood is currently negotiating several important projects. They will enter the office market in Bucharest with a 20,000 square meters building, an investment estimated at 20m-22m . "The land is fully owned by Liebrecht & Wood, and the building and development authorisations are in progress. The new Liebrecht & Wood project will be composed of four buildings with a surface of circa 5,000 square meters each, connected to one another. It will have an excellent location and whoever will come to Bucharest would not miss it, declared Johan Rogiers, managing director with the company. Warehousing Liebrecht & Wood will also develop a warehouse project, called the Bucharest Logistic Centre located in NW Bucharest on the ring road. For a first development phase, Liebrecht & Wood is negotiating the rental of the site with a potential client. The third Liebrecht & Wood project in Romania refers to the Bucharest Industrial Park, located in the Eastern Bucharest close to the Bucuresti-Pitesti motorway. Liebrecht & Wood also holds a 25 hectares land, but they did not decide on its destination yet. Autoker Holding, one of the most important real estate and logistics companies in Hungary is indenting to enter the Romanian market by building office buildings in a first phase. "Although we continue with the projects in Budapest, we started to look for investment opportunities in Romania, Poland Czech Republic and Ukraine as well. As it is risky to enter into residential projects on new markets, we will probably start with investments in office buildings:, declared Ehud Amir, the company president, quoted by Budapest Business Journal. Business Opportunities and Development Projects The Israeli investment fund Africa Israel Investment bought a 121,000 square meters plot last month for which it paid 9m . Here they intend to build a residential complex in Bucharest. Four international companies will jointly develop the largest logistics centre in Romania, Cefin Logistic Parc, which will be spread on 30 hectares in close to Bucharest, next to the Bucuresti-Pitesti motorway. The development of the project estimated at 75m will be the responsibility of the Romanian division of the Italian group Cefin specialising in real estate investment ad the Austrian Europolis will provide the funding via a loan contracted from HVB Bank Romania. The building of Cefin Logistic Park will include several phases for the next three years. The centre will have 13 hectares and it will include distinct units of at least 2,500 square meters each. European Future Group, UK, is targeting eight potential investments totaling 150m . But, everything is at the intention level. The American Apollo Real Estate division, last year's leader in terms of CEEE investment, plans to invest up to 150m in Romania. 11 new shopping centres will be built in Bucharest The real estate companies confront a great number of retail projects, but 11 projects are a certainty for Bucharest. There will be three new hypermarkets, a Cora in Drumul Taberei, a Kaufrand in Colentina and a Carrefour in Baneasa. 5 new malls will be built: City Mall on Sos. Oltenitei, Concorde Mall in Rahova, Esplanada oposite the Pasajul Marasesti, Sun Plaza at the crossing between Vacaresti and Oltenitei, Metropola at Eroilor. They are added three shopping parks two in Baneasa and one in Otopeni. Major Projects The Esplanada project includes the development under a Public-Private-Partnership, in the central Bucharest, of a multifunctional complex with several malls, office buildings, residential buildings and 10-20 floors hotels, the development of a pedestrian area and commercial spaces on circa 10 hectares in central Bucharest. The total investment for this project to start soon will exceed 800m. Projects in negotiation Other projects represent an intention. The real estate company Meinl European Land, registered in the UK, has planned investments of 100m in Romania, declared Nadine Gilles, representative of the company. "We are currently negotiating to purchase several retail projects in Romania with a value exceeding 100m". They mainly target projects in the commercial sector and potentially industrial developments. Other investments of the company in Romania are targeting the extension of the Military shopping centre. "The project could be extended on approximately 150,000 square meters. The extension will be done depending on the demand, step by step, in the following years". The Militari shopping centre, which Meinl bought last year from Liebrecht & Wood for 20m, is the first investment of the company in Romania. Jurnalul - 6 APRIL 2005 If you are interested in a Property Investment with High Capital Growth Check out why Romania's property market has Europe's highest investment potential Why Invest in Romanian Property Addison Read's Romanian Brochure For more information contact: Addison Read Romania 5 Intr. Temisana Street Apt. 4 Bucharest 010795 Romania Richard Prior email Richard Tel +40 722 304 773 Phil Stapley email Philip Tel +40 743 145 443 Fax: +40 21 232 6737

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Mortgage Refinancing, Loan Refinance Contact | Mortgage Rates | Mortgage Calculators Mortgages Refinancing Debt Consolidation Mortgage Resources Loans FHA Loan VA Loan What Type Of Loan Are You Looking For? Please Select.... VA Home Loan Home Loan VA Home Refinance Home Refinance FHA Home Loan What Is The Approximate Value Of Your Property? Factors to consider before refinancing a mortgage If you are considering refinancing your home, there are several factors you should think about before making your decision. These factors include the interest rate on your current mortgage, the current market interest rate, how long you plan to live in your current home, and whether or not you need money for other things (such as home improvement, a new car loan, or paying off credit cards). Qualify for a Streamline Refinance Today's Mortgage Refinancing Rates If you would like advice about refinancing, you may speak to a refinancing specialist at 800-930-9201 . Things to consider before refinancing: 1) The Interest Rate You Are Paying Consider the interest rate you are now paying before refinancing . Compare it against the current interest rate to see how much you would save by mortgage refinancing. Use our free mortgage calculator to determine your new monthly payments. (Use our Mortgage Calculator ) 2) The Current Interest Rate Check the current interest rate. To get the benefits of a lower rate, you may have to pay fees associated with the loan, unless your lender is doing a no fee loan. Before committing to a refinance , be sure you have discussed the fee options with your loan officer. [Get the Current Mortgage Refinancing Rates ] 3) How Long You Will Live In Your Home The median length of stay in a home is 8.2 years. However, you may have a better idea of how long you will be in your home. If you do not plan on owning your home for much longer, the lower payments associated with the refinancing may not cover the mortgage refinancing fees. If you plan on staying in your home for a long period of time, refinancing could be an excellent way to reduce your monthly payments. Also, if you are planning on moving into a new home while retaining the old home as a rental property, refinancing is a solid plan. You can lower your monthly mortgage payment and in turn, increase your rental income. 4) Consolidation If you have several outstanding bills, you may want to consider refinancing your home and in turn, consolidating and paying off your other debts. If you have equity in your home, you may be able to access that equity through a "cash out" refinance . You could choose to apply that equity to a debt consolidation plan, a new car, or home improvements. For what reasons would it make sense for me to refinance my mortgage? 1. If you are able to get a lower interest rate If you are able to get a lower rate that what you currently have, you can save tens of thousands of dollars over the life of your loan. Also, most lenders don't charge as many fees to refinance a mortgage and depending on how much equity you have in your home you may be able to roll the closing costs into your new loan, still have a lower balance than your original loan, a lower rate, and a lower payment. 2. Change the term of you mortgage Changing the term of your mortgage can help in several ways. First, if you were to refinance your current mortgage from 30 years to 15 years, you will accelerate the rate at which you pay towards principle each month meaning your house will be paid off quicker. Also, you will save an unbelievable amount of money in terms of interest because you would likely be taking 10 to 15 years off the life of your loan. Second, you can also refinance a 15 year mortgage to a 30 year mortgage. It seems like it might not make sense to do this, but if you have an immediate need to free up monthly cash-flow and you don't want to take out a home equity loan, this can work out to your benefit. When you take a 15 year loan and refinance it to 30 years you will have the same balance only the payments can be hundreds of dollars less than the 15 year loan. The only draw back to this is you will pay more in interest over the live of the loan. 3. You need a large amount of cash, now When you do a cash-out refinance you are leveraging the equity in your home in order to receive a lump sum of cash at closing. Many individuals and families use this type of loan if they want to remodel their home, or they have kids that are attending college soon. 4. You know you will be moving soon If you know that you will be moving in 3 to 5 years, you might want to consider refinancing to a 3 or 5 year ARM (adjustable rate mortgage). These loans typically have a much lower rate that a traditional fixed rate loan such as a 30 year fixed, but they do have a fixed rate for the first 3 or 5 years of the loan. This will enable you to benefit from the lower rate, but you won't ever have to worry about the risk of a rate adjustment because you will be selling the home before the fixed-rate period ends. What you should look for in a mortgage company 1. Is the company reputable There are literally thousands of mortgage companies all over the country. It is important that you choose a reputable one. Most reputable companies will be part of the Better Business Bureau or other community watchdog group. Good companies will also have websites that rank well on search engines such as Yahoo and Google. 2. Integrity of their loan officers Many companies in this industry will do what ever they can to get away with charging you as much as they possibly can. Some of the ways they do this is not disclosing all the third party fees involved in a loan such as title insurance, appraisals, pre-paid tax and insurance escrows etc. It is important that you ask the loan officer you're speaking with about third party fees. If you don't they may not tell you and give you a good faith estimate that sounds fair, but at closing you'll find out that you have to pay a couple of thousand dollars more in fees you were unaware of. A good loan officer at a reputable company should have no problem disclosing all fees that pertain to your loan and should also make sure you understand what the fees are for. Divorce and Refinancing If you are divorced, refinancing your home can make things easier in regards to what happens to mortgage payments when the home is given to one of the parties. If you refinance the house, you can have your ex-spouse's name removed from the deed. Whoever gets the home will now be the sole owner and will be solely responsible for the payment. If you don't have one of the names taken off the deed, the person who is responsible for making the payments might fall behind and will effect the credit of the person's whose name is still on the deed even if they don't have the house. Refinancing Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) An adjustable rate mortgage is just that. After the fixed-rate period of your loan, typically 3 or 5 years, the rate will adjust with the market. If rates remain low, no problems arise. On the other hand, rates can go up. Sometimes this can cause a mortgage payment to almost double. Many people that have an ARM are not financially ready for a large increase in their house payment. You can do several things to hedge the risk of a rate increase. First, you can refinance your loan into a fixed-rate loan before the end of the fixed period of your ARM. You will likely see a payment increase, but it will be a one time increase. If you keep the ARM, your payment might keep increasing year after year. Anther thing you can do is refinance into another ARM and have a fixed-rate for another 3 to 5 years. Just realize that you will likely have to refinance every 3 to 5 years. The same principles apply to home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) Your home is not just a home - it is a financial tool You can do many things with your home other than just live in it. You can use the value in your home for fiscal gain. First off, you can use the equity in your home to pay off debt at a much lower rate. For instance, say you're paying $1,500 a month on $30,000 of debt. If you have the equity, you can do a cash-out refinance and pay off the debt and your mortgage payment might only go up $300. This gives you an additional $1,200 in monthly cash flow. For this to be really effective you need to realize that you can't get into that much debt again because you might not have the equity to bail you out again. Another thing you can do is take all the equity out of your home and invest it. You may be able to make more money on the investment than you pay out in interest over the life of the new loan. It is important to know that if you choose to take cash out of your home and invest it, you should seek the advice of a certified financial planner. Not many people take advantage of this because it can be risky, but it is an option. If you are considering refinancing , also remember that there are a variety of different mortgages. If you plan on living in your home for a long period of time, you may want to consider the traditional fixed-rate 15- or 30-year loan. Another option is to choose an adjustable rate mortgage and consider refinancing again in a few years. By refinancing , you can choose the perfect mortgage for your needs, which may have changed since you first bought your home. A mortgage broker can be a useful tool to help find the most appropriate mortgage for your refinancing. Info on an FHA STREAMLINE REFINANCE You may also call a specialist at 800-930-9201 to get additional advice about what factors you should consider when deciding whether or not to refinance. The specialist can also show you what mortgage brokers and lenders are the best to deal with. If you have served in the Armed Forces, you can qualify for a VA Loan . A Debt Consolidation Loan may save you hundreds of dollars per month. If you have questions or would like help with your mortgage, you can call us at 800-930-9201 . "Nathan, I wanted you to know that everything went very well at our closing. It was quite pleasant. Thank you for everything." -Vicki Ficklen Mcdonough, GA More Testimonials Equal Opportunity Lender License Information We can help you find the lender (mortgage bank) that can get you the best deal for your financial situation (including setting you up with the best financing rates and loan term). MRC does not originate loans in MA, NJ, NY, ND, PA, VT, NV, WV, or DC. If you are getting a mortgage in one of these states, we will help you by directing your information to a lender in your state. Get additional information about a VA Loan , Home Loan , or 1031 Exchange : Privacy Policy .