Balloon payment mortgage

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A balloon payment mortgage is a mortgage that does not fully amortize over the term of the note, thus leaving a balance due at maturity. [1] The final payment is called a balloon payment because of its large size. [2] Balloon payment mortgages are more common in commercial real estate than in residential real estate today due to the prevalence of mortgages with longer periods of amortization, in particular, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgages. [3] A balloon payment mortgage may have a fixed or a floating interest rate. The most common way of describing a balloon loan uses the terminology X due in Y, where X is the number of years over which the loan is amortized, and Y is the year in which the principal balance is due. [4]

Contents

An example of a balloon payment mortgage is the seven-year Fannie Mae Balloon, which features monthly payments based on a thirty-year amortization. [5] In the United States, the amount of the balloon payment must be stated in the contract if Truth-in-Lending provisions apply to the loan. [1] [6] Most commonly, term lengths are five or seven years. [7] [2]

Because borrowers may not have the resources to make the balloon payment at the end of the loan term, a "two-step" mortgage plan may be used with balloon payment mortgages. [1] Under the two-step plan, sometimes referred to as "reset option," the mortgage note "resets" using current market rates and using a fully amortizing payment schedule. [8] That option is not necessarily automatic and may be available only if the borrower is still the owner/occupant, has no thirty-day late payments in the preceding twelve months, and has no other liens against the property. [1] For balloon payment mortgages without a reset option or if the reset option is not available, the expectation is that either the borrower will have sold the property or refinanced the loan by the end of the loan term. That may mean that there is a refinancing risk.

Adjustable rate mortgages are sometimes confused with balloon payment mortgages. The distinction is that a balloon payment may require refinancing or repayment at the end of the period; some adjustable-rate mortgages do not need to be refinanced, and the interest rate is automatically adjusted at the end of the applicable period. Some countries do not allow balloon payment mortgages for residential housing: the lender then must continue the loan (the reset option is required). For the borrower, therefore, there is no risk that the lender will refuse to refinance or continue the loan. [9]

A related piece of jargon is bullet payment. With a bullet loan , a bullet payment is paid back when the loan comes to its contractual maturity (for example, when it reaches the deadline set to repayment at the time the loan was granted), representing the full loan amount (also called principal). Periodic interest payments are generally made throughout the life of the loan.

Amortization

The typical arrangement for repaying a residential loan is called amortizing payment or amortization .

With amortization, portions of the principal are periodically being repaid (along with the loan's interest payments) until the loan matures. With full amortization, the amortization schedule has been set so that the last periodical payment comprises the final portion of principal still due.

With partial amortization, a balloon payment will still be required at maturity, covering the part of the loan amount still outstanding. This approach is very common in automotive financing where the balloon payment is often calculated with respect to the value of the vehicle at the end of the financing term—so the borrower can return the vehicle in lieu of making the balloon payment.

Prevalence

Balloon payments or bullet payments are common for certain types of debt. Most bonds, for example, are non-amortizing instruments where the coupon payments cover interest only, and the full amount of the bond's face value is paid at final maturity.

Refinancing risk

Balloon payments introduce a certain amount of risk for the borrower and the lender. In many cases, the intention of the borrower is to refinance the amount of the balloon payment at the final maturity date. Refinancing risk exists at this point since it is possible that at the time of payment, the borrower will not be able to refinance the loan; the borrower faces the risk of having insufficient liquid funds, and the lender faces the risk that the payment may be delayed. Because balloon mortgages can carry risk, some lenders may require a minimum 20% down payment from the borrower. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debt</span> Obligation to pay borrowed money

Debt is an obligation that requires one party, the debtor, to pay money borrowed or otherwise withheld from another party, the creditor. Debt may be owed by sovereign state or country, local government, company, or an individual. Commercial debt is generally subject to contractual terms regarding the amount and timing of repayments of principal and interest. Loans, bonds, notes, and mortgages are all types of debt. In financial accounting, debt is a type of financial transaction, as distinct from equity.

A variable-rate mortgage, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM), or tracker mortgage is a mortgage loan with the interest rate on the note periodically adjusted based on an index which reflects the cost to the lender of borrowing on the credit markets. The loan may be offered at the lender's standard variable rate/base rate. There may be a direct and legally defined link to the underlying index, but where the lender offers no specific link to the underlying market or index, the rate can be changed at the lender's discretion. The term "variable-rate mortgage" is most common outside the United States, whilst in the United States, "adjustable-rate mortgage" is most common, and implies a mortgage regulated by the Federal government, with caps on charges. In many countries, adjustable rate mortgages are the norm, and in such places, may simply be referred to as mortgages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fixed-rate mortgage</span>

A fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) is a mortgage loan where the interest rate on the note remains the same through the term of the loan, as opposed to loans where the interest rate may adjust or "float". As a result, payment amounts and the duration of the loan are fixed and the person who is responsible for paying back the loan benefits from a consistent, single payment and the ability to plan a budget based on this fixed cost.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fixed income</span> Type of investment

Fixed income refers to any type of investment under which the borrower or issuer is obliged to make payments of a fixed amount on a fixed schedule. For example, the borrower may have to pay interest at a fixed rate once a year and repay the principal amount on maturity. Fixed-income securities — more commonly known as bonds — can be contrasted with equity securities – often referred to as stocks and shares – that create no obligation to pay dividends or any other form of income. Bonds carry a level of legal protections for investors that equity securities do not — in the event of a bankruptcy, bond holders would be repaid after liquidation of assets, whereas shareholders with stock often receive nothing.

Refinancing is the replacement of an existing debt obligation with another debt obligation under a different term and interest rate. The terms and conditions of refinancing may vary widely by country, province, or state, based on several economic factors such as inherent risk, projected risk, political stability of a nation, currency stability, banking regulations, borrower's credit worthiness, and credit rating of a nation. In many industrialized nations, common forms of refinancing include primary residence mortgages and car loans.

An interest-only loan is a loan in which the borrower pays only the interest for some or all of the term, with the principal balance unchanged during the interest-only period. At the end of the interest-only term the borrower must renegotiate another interest-only mortgage, pay the principal, or, if previously agreed, convert the loan to a principal-and-interest payment (amortizing) loan at the borrower's option.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annual percentage rate</span> Interest rate for a whole year

The term annual percentage rate of charge (APR), corresponding sometimes to a nominal APR and sometimes to an effective APR (EAPR), is the interest rate for a whole year (annualized), rather than just a monthly fee/rate, as applied on a loan, mortgage loan, credit card, etc. It is a finance charge expressed as an annual rate. Those terms have formal, legal definitions in some countries or legal jurisdictions, but in the United States:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second mortgage</span>

Second mortgages, commonly referred to as junior liens, are loans secured by a property in addition to the primary mortgage. Depending on the time at which the second mortgage is originated, the loan can be structured as either a standalone second mortgage or piggyback second mortgage. Whilst a standalone second mortgage is opened subsequent to the primary loan, those with a piggyback loan structure are originated simultaneously with the primary mortgage. With regard to the method in which funds are withdrawn, second mortgages can be arranged as home equity loans or home equity lines of credit. Home equity loans are granted for the full amount at the time of loan origination in contrast to home equity lines of credit which permit the homeowner access to a predetermined amount which is repaid during the repayment period.

In finance, negative amortization occurs whenever the loan payment for any period is less than the interest charged over that period so that the outstanding balance of the loan increases. As an amortization method the shorted amount is then added to the total amount owed to the lender. Such a practice would have to be agreed upon before shorting the payment so as to avoid default on payment. This method is generally used in an introductory period before loan payments exceed interest and the loan becomes self-amortizing. The term is most often used for mortgage loans; corporate loans with negative amortization are called PIK loans.

In the United States, a jumbo mortgage is a mortgage loan that may have high credit quality, but is in an amount above conventional conforming loan limits. This standard is set by the two government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and sets the limit on the maximum value of any individual mortgage they will purchase from a lender. Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC) are large agencies that purchase the bulk of U.S. residential mortgages from banks and other lenders, allowing them to free up liquidity to lend more mortgages. When FNMA and FHLMC limits don't cover the full loan amount, the loan is referred to as a "jumbo mortgage". Traditionally, the interest rates on jumbo mortgages are higher than for conforming mortgages, however with GSE fees increasing, Jumbo loans have recently seen lower interest rates than conforming loans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercial mortgage</span> Mortgage loan secured by commercial property

A commercial mortgage is a mortgage loan secured by commercial property, such as an office building, shopping center, industrial warehouse, or apartment complex. The proceeds from a commercial mortgage are typically used to acquire, refinance, or redevelop commercial property.

In the United States, a mortgage note is a promissory note secured by a specified mortgage loan.

In banking and finance, a bullet loan is a loan where a payment of the entire principal of the loan, and sometimes the principal and interest, is due at the end of the loan term. Likewise for bullet bond. A bullet loan can be a mortgage, bond, note or any other type of credit.

In banking and finance, an amortizing loan is a loan where the principal of the loan is paid down over the life of the loan according to an amortization schedule, typically through equal payments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mortgage loan</span> Loan secured using real estate

A mortgage loan or simply mortgage, in civil law jurisdicions known also as a hypothec loan, is a loan used either by purchasers of real property to raise funds to buy real estate, or by existing property owners to raise funds for any purpose while putting a lien on the property being mortgaged. The loan is "secured" on the borrower's property through a process known as mortgage origination. This means that a legal mechanism is put into place which allows the lender to take possession and sell the secured property to pay off the loan in the event the borrower defaults on the loan or otherwise fails to abide by its terms. The word mortgage is derived from a Law French term used in Britain in the Middle Ages meaning "death pledge" and refers to the pledge ending (dying) when either the obligation is fulfilled or the property is taken through foreclosure. A mortgage can also be described as "a borrower giving consideration in the form of a collateral for a benefit (loan)".

A Jumbo mortgage is classified in the United States as a residential mortgage or other home-equity secured loan in an amount greater than $650,000, although lenders differ on just what constitutes a super jumbo mortgage subject to their own internal investment criteria. Super Jumbo mortgages are made available to borrowers whose loan requirements exceed the guidelines commonly referred to as Jumbo loan limits, which apply to mortgage loan amounts in excess of the FNMA / FHLMC conforming loan limits of 417,000. Unlike Jumbo loan limits, the super jumbo mortgage category is not directly defined, controlled, or regulated by any of these aforementioned agencies. Instead, mortgage lenders internally and independently define their own parameters and criteria for what defines a Super Jumbo mortgage. The minimum loan amount for some lenders to classify a loan as Super Jumbo ranges from $500,000 to $1,500,000, with maximum super jumbo loan amounts generally running into the $10,000,000 to $20,000,000 range.

Terms pertaining to American mortgages include:

FHA-Secure was a Federal Housing Administration refinancing program to help borrowers avoid foreclosure. It is similar to other FHA loan.

Securitization is the financial practice of pooling various types of contractual debt such as residential mortgages, commercial mortgages, auto loans or credit card debt obligations and selling their related cash flows to third party investors as securities, which may be described as bonds, pass-through securities, or collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). Investors are repaid from the principal and interest cash flows collected from the underlying debt and redistributed through the capital structure of the new financing. Securities backed by mortgage receivables are called mortgage-backed securities (MBS), while those backed by other types of receivables are asset-backed securities (ABS).

The National Mortgage Crisis of the 1930s was a Depression-era crisis in the United States characterized by high-default rates and soaring loan-to-value ratios in the residential housing market. Rapid expansion in the residential non-farm housing market through the 1920s created a housing bubble inflated in part by ad hoc innovation on the part of the four primary financial intermediaries – commercial banks, life insurance companies, mutual savings banks, and Building & Loans (thrifts). As a result, the federal overhaul stemming from New Deal legislation gave rise to a paradigmatic shift in mortgage lending, popularizing longer-term maturity, fully amortizing mortgages and creating a thick secondary market for mortgage-related securities.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Wiedemer, John P, Real Estate Finance, 8th Edition, p 109-110
  2. 1 2 Nesbit, Josephine. "Balloon Mortgages Explained". Bankrate. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  3. ↑ Fabozzi, Frank J. (ed), Handbook of Mortgage-Backed Securities, 6th Edition, p 1125
  4. ↑ "Balloon loan terminology". January 2016.
  5. ↑ seven-year Balloon Mortgages At A Glance Archived 2006-11-10 at the Wayback Machine (PDF)
  6. ↑ Styme, Harry. "Balloon Mortgage insurance (PMI)". balloonmortgagecalculator.com. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  7. ↑ CEPF, Laura Grace Tarpley. "Balloon mortgages can secure a small monthly housing payment, but they're risky and hard to find". Business Insider. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  8. ↑ "Balloon/Reset Mortgages". Archived from the original on 2014-05-24. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  9. ↑ Onikiienko, Serhii; Dyba, Mykhailo; Gernego, Iuliia (2021). "Econometric modelling of bank activities: value-based approach to the problem loans terms' rescheduling". SHS Web of Conferences. 107: 09002. doi: 10.1051/shsconf/202110709002 . ISSN   2261-2424.
  10. ↑ "'Balloon' Loans Take off Again : Short-Term Home Mortgages Also Gain Popularity". Los Angeles Times. 1987-10-18. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
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