FHA Loans

An FHA loan is a loan insured against default by the FHA. In other words, the FHA guarantees that a lender will not have to write off a loan if the borrower defaults, the FHA will pay. Because of this guarantee, lenders are willing to make large mortgage loans.

VA Loans

The VA Loan became known in 1944 through the original Servicemen’s Readjustment Act also known as the GI Bill of Rights. The GI Bill was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and provided veterans with a federally guaranteed home with no down payment. This feature was designed to provide housing and assistance for veterans and their families, and the dream of home ownership became a reality for millions of veterans. The GI Bill contributed more than any other program in history to the welfare of veterans and their families, and to the growth of the nation’s economy.

Conventional Loans

A conventional loan is any mortgage which is not guaranteed or insured by the federal government. Conventional loans were the first traditional mortgage loans made by local lenders. The loans were held in the lender’s investment portfolio until they were either paid in full or foreclosed upon. Although it enabled the borrower to build a business relationship with the lender, this practice was generally not in the lender’s best financial interest. When rates rose, lenders found themselves in the position of receiving below-market interest on their loans, in addition to not being able to recycle the funds to lend to other borrowers.

Refinancing

Refinancing refers to the replacement of an existing debt obligation with a debt obligation under different terms. The most common consumer refinancing is for a home mortgage.
If the replacement of debt occurs under financial distress, it is also referred to as debt restructuring.
A loan (debt) can be refinanced for various reasons:
To take advantage of a better interest rate (which will result in either a reduced monthly payment or a reduced term)
To consolidate other debt(s) into one loan (this will result in a longer term)
To reduce the monthly repayment amount (this will result in a longer term)
To reduce or alter risk (e.g. switching from a variable-rate to a fixed-rate loan)
To free up cash (this will result in a longer term)