OTHER, LESS COMMON MORTGAGES

Although the majority of buyers will go with the standard fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgages, there are other types of mortgages that are available to finance your piece of real estate:

Balloon: gives borrowers lower rates and payments for a specific period of time - anywhere from three to 10 years. After that point, the borrower has to pay off the principal (amount borrowed) balance in a lump sum. Under certain conditions, they can be converted to fixed-rate or adjustable-rate loans. Many borrowers either sell their homes before they get to their due dates, or end up refinancing their balances into new mortgages. This is a great mortgage option for buyers who don't plan on living in the property for long. A disadvantage is that if your plans change and you decide to remain in your home, you will have to pay off your mortgage, or refinance the balance, which will result in more closing costs.

Jumbo: considered a nonconforming loan because it exceeds the loan limit set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the two publicly chartered corporations that buy mortgage loans from lenders), thereby ensuring that mortgage money is available at all times in all locations around the country. If you require more money in your loan, then a jumbo mortgage may be a good option. You'll have the opportunity to purchase larger, more expensive properties, but you'll also be paying a higher interest rate in exchange for the lender's higher risk.

Subprime: reserved for individuals with less-than-satisfactory credit, based on their FICO scores (FICO scores are a number assigned to you based on your credit rating). These mortgage loans have higher interest rates and more burdensome terms than conventional loans, but they give bruised-credit borrowers a chance to reap the benefits of homeownership just like their more creditworthy cousins. Be prepared for inconsistent terms because interest rates, fees, and underwriting guidelines can vary drastically among lenders.

Assumable: relatively rare, but a homeowner with an assumable loan can “hand off” the loan to a buyer instead of paying it off using proceeds from the home sale. If rates are low and you can get one, by all means, do so. If rates rise, buyers will be able to assume your loan at the rate you currently pay (and will be willing to pay more for your house) because it will be much cheaper than any loan they could get from a bank or other source. An advantage of an assumable mortgage is that it reduces monthly payments and saves money on closing costs. A disadvantage is that sellers will charge more for their property, so buyers need more cash to cover the difference between the asking price and the loan balance.

Two-step: combines elements of fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages. Features a fixed rate and payment for an initial period, followed by one adjustment, then a fixed rate and payment for the remainder of the loan term. These mortgages will have names such as 2/28, 5/25 or 7/23. A 7/23 mortgage, for example, has an initial fixed period of seven years, an adjustment, and then 23 more years of payments following the adjustment. These mortgages give borrowers with damaged credit an opportunity to buy a home and to establish better credit. However, if your credit does not improve, you could be stuck in a high-rate loan for much longer than two or three years.

Biweekly: a fixed-rate mortgage in which payments are made every other week instead of monthly. It is a method used to shorten the life of a 30-year mortgage simply by dividing what would be your monthly payment into two. That means you will be paying 26 “half-payments” a year (the equivalent of 13 monthly payments), with the 13th monthly payment being applied entirely to the balance of the principal. By making more payments, you'll have a dramatic impact on the length of the loan. For example, a 30-year loan can be paid off in about 23 years through this method. The only tricky part of changing to a biweekly mortgage is in making sure your lender accepts your payments and correctly credits the extra portion to the principal. Besides cutting your mortgage short, biweekly payments could serve as a good budgeting tool for many people, although it is not recommended for people who may encounter financial problems since these payments are made so close together.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA): Eligible parties may qualify for a down payment (as low as three percent). Loans come from lenders approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

VA loans: The Department of Veterans Affairs helps eligible veterans and service personnel to get loans through conventional lenders. Down payments may not be required.