Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Mobile Home Loan Refinancing is Different

With a mobile home you can literally put wheels on the structure and drive away with it, and this increases the risk of the loan compared to a home on a foundation. This is exactly why many traditional mortgage lenders and brokers don't want to work on mobile home loans. Another issue with mobile home loans is that they are considered personal property, not real estate. Therefore, financing a mobile home loan without the land beneath it is similar to purchasing a car or RV.



Mobile homes are manufactured off site, so they are not the same as a standard stick-built home. The laws concerning the financing for mobile home loans vary from state to state, so it is very important to make sure the lender or mortgage broker is compliant with your state laws, and is licensed to lend the funds to finance or refinance a mobile home loan, known as a chattel mortgage. Knowledgeable lenders that have experience in Manufactured Home Loans will be able to answer questions in regards to the laws and regulations in a specific state. The costs associated with refinancing your home mortgage should be similar to the fees that are paid when financing a mobile home purchase.



Most lenders who specialize in Mobile home loans treat them similar to conventionally built homes and will consider refinancing a loan for mobile homeowners who already have built equity. Why would someone consider refinancing their home? There are some really good reasons to refinance a mobile home; lowering the current mortgage interest rate and monthly mortgage payment, paying for children's college tuition, paying off high interest credit cards and auto loans, or making improvements to maintain the value of the home.



Refinancing a manufactured home is essentially getting a new loan with better terms to pay off a current loan, and it usually has one of many benefits. If you are currently in a situation where you can afford your monthly payments, then refinancing your mobile home with a lower interest rate could allow you to pay off your loan sooner, shorten the length of your loan, or easily make additional principal payments towards the principal balance of your loan from time to time. Financing for manufactured homes and mobile homes is available for mobile homes in space rent parks, parks where you own your own lot, co-op parks, and mobile homes or manufactured homes located on privately owned land.



Some lenders like California Manufactured Home Finance, offer a low, flat rate fee, if you are looking to refinance with the lowest fees possible. Most borrowers have the option to go ahead and pay the fee(s) up front, however you can also include the fees into the new loan amount and keep out of pocket expenses as low as possible. Just like a traditional home loan, borrowers can also buy down their interest rate. To do this, borrowers must be charged with points. Points are additional fees that are paid at the time of closing to the lender that is financing your new loan. Usually a point is considered one percent of the new loan amount.



by John Cain

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