A 5/1 ARM is a type of adjustable rate mortgage loan (ARM) with a fixed interest rate for the first 5 years. ... Once the fixed-rate portion of the term is over, the ARM adjusts up or down based on current market rates, subject to caps governing how much the rate can go up in any particular adjustment.
ARM benefits
The advantage of a 5/1 ARM is that during the first years of the loan when the rate is fixed, you would get a much lower interest rate and payment. If you plan to sell in less than six or seven years, a 5/1 ARM could be a smart choice.
A 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage (5/1 ARM) is an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) with an interest rate that is initially fixed for five years then adjusts each year. The “5” refers to the number of initial years with a fixed rate, and the “1” refers to how often the rate adjusts after the initial period.
If you get a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with an interest rate of 4.5%, that's what the loan's interest will be based on every year until the balance is paid off. ... On the other hand, with a 5/1 ARM, your initial interest rate will be fixed for a period of five years.
A 5-year adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is a mortgage loan that has a fixed interest rate for the first 5 years of the loan. After that initial period, the interest rate of the loan can change once a year for the remaining life of the loan, which is typically 30 years.
ARMs are easier to qualify for than fixed-rate loans, but you can get 30-year loan terms for both. An ARM might be better for you if you plan on staying in your home for a short period of time, interest rates are high or you want to use the savings in interest rate to pay down the principal on your loan.
A 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage (5/1 ARM) can be paid off early, however, there may be a pre-payment penalty. A pre-payment penalty requires additional interest owing on the mortgage.
Options to pay off your mortgage faster include:
Adding a set amount each month to the payment. Making one extra monthly payment each year. Changing the loan from 30 years to 15 years. Making the loan a bi-weekly loan, meaning payments are made every two weeks instead of monthly.
If you have a payment-option ARM and make only minimum payments that do not include all of the interest due, the unpaid interest is added to the principal on your mortgage, and you will owe more than you originally borrowed. And if your loan balance grows to the contract limit, your monthly payments would go up.
The shortest mortgage term you can get is 5 years. This type of mortgage is often reserved for those who can afford the high monthly repayments and want to avoid interest repayments, whereas fixed rates allow borrowers certainty and the ability to plan around fluctuating rates.
An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is a loan with an interest rate that changes. ... Your payments may not go down much, or at all—even if interest rates go down.
Like many types of loans, you can refinance an ARM. When you refinance an ARM, you replace your existing loan with a brand new one.
The primary advantage of an ARM over an interest-only mortgage is that you're paying down a little bit of the principal with each monthly payment, which enables you to pay less in interest over time.
Payment-option ARMs.
You could choose to make traditional principal and interest payments; or interest-only payments; or a limited payment that may be less than the interest due that month, thus the unpaid interest and principal will be added to the amount you owe on the loan, not subtracted.
In most cases, you can pay your mortgage off early without penalty — but there are a few things to keep in mind before you do. First, reach out to your loan servicer to find out if your mortgage has a prepayment penalty. If it does, you'll have to pay an additional fee if you pay your loan off ahead of schedule.
But unlike other home loans, a balloon mortgage doesn't fully amortize over the life of the loan. What does that mean? With a traditional mortgage, the borrower makes monthly payments consisting of principal and interest over a fixed period of time (usually 15 or 30 years), after which the loan is completely paid off.
The Bottom Line: 5/1 ARMs Can Save You Money Under The Right Circumstances. If you don't plan to live in a home longer than the introductory period of an ARM, you might save money. If your plans change, you might need to refinance to avoid the interest rate adjustments that can wreak havoc on your monthly budget.
After the initial three- or five-year rate period, the interest rate and payment of an ARM will be adjusted to a new rate based on the terms of the ARM contract. The new rate and payment may be higher or lower than the previous levels.
Why is an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) a bad idea? An ARM is a mortgage with an interest rate that changes based on market conditions. They are not recommended since there is increased risk of losing your home if your rate adjusts higher, and if you lose your job, your payment can become too much for you to afford.
Paying an extra $1,000 per month would save a homeowner a staggering $320,000 in interest and nearly cut the mortgage term in half. To be more precise, it'd shave nearly 12 and a half years off the loan term. The result is a home that is free and clear much faster, and tremendous savings that can rarely be beat.
Let's say your outstanding balance is $200,000, your interest rate is 5% and you want to pay off the balance in 60 payments – five years. In Excel, the formula is PMT(interest rate/number of payments per year,total number of payments,outstanding balance). So, for this example you would type =PMT(. 05/12,60,200000).
By adding $300 to your monthly payment, you'll save just over $64,000 in interest and pay off your home over 11 years sooner. Consider another example. You have a remaining balance of $350,000 on your current home on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage.
Paying off your mortgage early can be a wise financial move. You'll have more cash to play with each month once you're no longer making payments, and you'll save money in interest. ... You may be better off focusing on other debt or investing the money instead.
3. Make one extra mortgage payment each year. Making an extra mortgage payment each year could reduce the term of your loan significantly. ... For example, by paying $975 each month on a $900 mortgage payment, you'll have paid the equivalent of an extra payment by the end of the year.
Making additional principal payments will shorten the length of your mortgage term and allow you to build equity faster. Because your balance is being paid down faster, you'll have fewer total payments to make, in-turn leading to more savings.