ARMs Flashcards
What is an ARM?
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage
ARM Program 5/1. How long is the rate fixed for and then how often does it adjust?
5 years - rate fixed.
Adjust every 1 y ear after.
ARM Cap 2/5. What is the limit the interest rate can go up or down each adjustment? Which is the lifetime cap?
2% = limit rate goes up/down each adjustment.
5% is the lifetime cap.
What is the lifetime cap added to?
The starting rate. This equals the highest the rate can go over the life of the loan.
Ex. Starting rate is 4% and the lifetime cap is 5%. The highest the rate can go over the lift of the loan is 9%.
What is the ARM margin?
The number a lender ADDS to an index to determine the interest rate of an ARM.
It is also the floor, meaning the interest rate cannot go below the margin.
What is the most common index?
LIBOR - London Interbank Offered Rate. It changes throughout the day.
What is a Fully-Indexed Rate?
Addition of the Index and the Margin.
The borrower is underwritten at the higher of the starting interest rate, or the Fully-Indexed Rate.
An ARM frees lenders from being locked into a ____ interest rate for the entire life of the loan
Fixed
In an ARM, interest rates may adjust, according to the terms in the ____, to reflect the current cost of money.
Note
What is another term for an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM)?
Variable Rate Loan
The interest rate on the ARM only changes if the chosen _____ changes.
Index
What are the 5 main components of ARMs?
- Index
- Margin
- Rate Adjustment Period
- Interest Rate Cap/Floor (if any)
- Conversion Options (if any)
What is an Index?
An economic measurement that is used to make periodic interest adjustments for an adjustable-rate mortgage.
What is a fully indexed rate?
Index + Margin = Fully Indexed Rate
What are the 2 places you’ll see the index?
- Loan Estimate
2. Promissory Note
The index is NOT under control of the lender. What determines the index?
Market conditions
What are the 5 most common indices?
- CMT (Constant Maturity Treasury)
- COFI (Cost of Funds Index)
- LIBOR (London Inter Bank Offering Rates)
- CODI (Certificate of Deposit Index)
- Prime Rate (Bank Prime Loan Rate)
What is the margin also sometimes referred to as?
Spread
Is the margin a fixed or variable number?
Fixed
What does the margin represent for the lender?
Operating costs and profit margins