Home Loans

QThe Size Of House I'm Looking To Buy Is Around $350,000 And I'm Concerned About Paying A Higher Interest Rate On A Jumbo Loan. Should I Keep My Home Loan As A Conforming Loan And What Are The Jumbo Loan Limits?
AIf you're purchasing a single-family home that's going to cost $350,000 and you want to stay out of the jumbo loan limits, you're going to need to have $27,300 to put down on your home. The moment your loan amount exceeds $333,700 (for 2004) you've entered the realm of jumbo loans. Each year the loan limits change. In 2003, the limits were $322,700 for a single family home, and in 2005 you can expect them to be above the 2004 amount. Jumbo loans are considered nonconforming loans as they do not meet with the loan requirements set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two largest sources that lenders use to fund their mortgages. That means the lender is taking more of a risk when granting the loan, and as such, the loan comes attached to a higher interest rate and higher fees. Exactly how much more money you'll pay for a jumbo loan as opposed to a conforming loan will depend on the economy and your personal situation. If you want to keep your costs as low as possible, try coming up with a down payment large enough to keep your loan within the conforming loan limits or take out an 80/20 or piggy-back loan in order to keep your interest rates down.