Conventional Housing Loan

What Is Conventional Housing Loan?

If you’re in the market for a home, then conventional loan options might be something you’ll want to consider. Yes, there are different forms of loans on the market these days, but some of them can be intimidating to those who don’t understand them or are just accustomed to the customary way of doing things.

With conventional housing loans lenders are able to provide borrowers with what they need and they charge interest on the principle amount. A borrower will have the option of going for a rate that’s either fixed of adjustable. Both of these come with pros and cons. A fixed rate offers more security while an adjustable rate is less predictable.

You’ll make payments over the course of a set amount of installments. An increment of each payment is going to be used in order to take care of the interest owed. The part that’s left will be used to pay down the principle. Seeing as how these forms of loans aren’t based on the price the house is sold for, the faster a borrower can get the principle down, then the less they’ll end up paying in interest.

Here are some common questions people might have regarding conventional housing loans:

  • If a conventional housing loan is one where the bank aims to make interest on the principle amount of the loan, then wouldn’t it be in the banks best interest to never offer low interest rates? Would they always want to take measures to offer the highest interest rates, even to borrowers with low risk profiles?
  • With conventional housing loans does this mean that the bank will never want to provide you with opportunities to payoff the principle amount faster than what was expected? In essence you (meaning you the person) are the true asset being used in order to back the loan. The longer you take to pay it, then the more money a bank could make off of you right?
  • With these forms of loans does it benefit you the borrower to get a fixed rate option or to get an adjustable rate? In the case of getting a fixed rate at least you could know that you’re interest rate is going to go up and you could make future plans based on this. With a floating/adjustable rate you’re at the mercy of market conditions, meaning there’s more volatility for you.
  • With conventional housing loans is there any room for people who would have bad risk profiles? On one hand it would make sense, because the banks could charge higher interest rates. On the downside the person being given the housing loan would be a bigger risk. The probability of the borrower struggling to meet the requirements of the loan become greater and this risk has to be considered.
  • If a conventional loan offers the best options for most borrowers, then why would potential borrowers want to go with any other loan type? Conventional loans have terms that are easy to understand and usually focus on people who want to do things in a more traditional way.

All of the above are important questions to consider, but understand that for the most part these loans are a fairly safe option for those who qualify. You’ll need proper documentation, a good risk profile and any other information the bank will need in order to consider how much and if to lend to you at all. Conventional housing loan options are perfect for those who want simplicity and a high degree of stability in order to feel reassured in the short term as well as in the long term.