A fixed rate is a system of accruing interest in which the loan payments will be calculated at an unchanging interest rate for the entire term of the loan. That is, the borrower receives the amount at a specific interest rate, which is prescribed in the contract and does not change during the loan period.

In the case of FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loans the minimum acceptable credit score is directly related to the amount of the down payment. If we are talking about a minimum down payment of 3.5% of the property value, your credit score must be 580 or higher. However, if you can make a 10% down payment, the credit score requirement goes down to 500.

A VA loan represents a mortgage loan guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of the United States. The program is for veterans, various military personnel currently doing military service in the army, reservists and spouses (provided they do not remarry). It can be used to buy single family houses, condominiums and apartment buildings, as well as for building new houses. You can apply for a VA loan multiple times, as long as you meet the above requirements.

An FHA loan is a Federal Housing Administration guaranteed low down payment mortgage loan that allows you to purchase your first home. FHA loans help families become homeowners by lowering the cost of financing and reducing the size of the down payment that makes it difficult to purchase a house. According to the Mortgage Reports website, approximately 20 percent of eligible buyers apply for and receive an FHA loan due to moderate credit history and income requirements.

Before taking out a consumer loan, it is worth calculating all the interest and overpayments in advance, so that you understand the acceptability of the loan offer before applying. This way you will know in advance how much you will need to pay each month to repay the loan. Loan payments are most often calculated using two payment schemes: annuity and differential. Which of them is applied in a particular proposal is specified in the loan agreement. Knowing the formula of a particular scheme, you can calculate the amount of the monthly payment and know in advance its full amount with all the overpayments. In rare cases, a bank offers to choose the scheme.

In essence, a loan estimate is the same thing as a loan disclosure, only in a preliminary form and solely for introductory purposes. It is a document containing detailed information on the selected loan proposal, including the interest rate, term, repayment schedule, etc.