Adjustable Rate Mortgage
What is an ARM?
An ARM is an Adjustable Rate Mortgage. Unlike fixed rate mortgages that have an interest rate that remains the same for the life of the loan, the interest rate on an ARM will change periodically. The initial interest rate of an ARM is lower than that of a fixed rate mortgage, consequently, an ARM may be a good option to consider if you plan to own your home for only a few years; you expect an increase in future earnings; or, the prevailing interest rate for a fixed rate mortgage is too high.
A 3/1 ARM, or adjustable-rate mortgage, is a type of 30-year mortgage that has a fixed interest rate for the first three years and an adjustable (or variable) interest rate for the remaining 27. The “3” in 3/1 indicates the fixed-rate period, or three years.
5/1 ARMs typically come with an overall term of 15 years or 30 years. The interest rate remains fixed for the first five years and then adjusts every year after that for the remainder of the loan.
A 7/1 ARM refers to an adjustable rate mortgage where the interest rate is fixed for the first seven years of the loan, with annual interest rate adjustments when that term is up. So from years 8-30, your mortgage rate will change.
There are three kinds of caps:
Initial adjustment cap. This cap says how much the interest rate can increase the first time it adjusts after the fixed-rate period expires. It’s common for this cap to be either two or five percent – meaning that at the first rate change, the new rate can’t be more than two (or five) percentage points higher than the initial rate during the fixed-rate period.
Subsequent adjustment cap. This cap says how much the interest rate can increase in the adjustment periods that follow. This cap is most commonly two percent, meaning that the new rate can’t be more than two percentage points higher than the previous rate.
Lifetime adjustment cap. This cap says how much the interest rate can increase in total, over the life of the loan. This cap is most commonly five percent, meaning that the rate can never be five percentage points higher than the initial rate. However, some lenders may have a higher cap.
