According to a recent Primerates.com survey of Philadelphia mortgage rates offered by the largest area banks & credit unions, two Philadelphia institutions offered rates at 4.00% on 30-year fixed-rate conforming loans in the Philadelphia area for well-qualified borrowers. Wells Fargo (www.wellsfargo.com) offered 3.88% and the Sovereign Bank (www.sovereignbank.com) offered rates at 3.99%. The PNC Bank (www.pnc.com) offered 4.00% and two other institutions offered rates above 4.00%.
While most lenders will push one of the three products on the list below, there are other options for the borrower. The 30-year fixed rate loan is the most popular since it offers the lowest monthly payment. The trade-off is paying a higher interest rate. For those who have a better cash flow, the 15-year product may be more suitable. The 15-year fixed rate loan will allow the borrower to pay more toward principal with each payment, and since it has a lower interest rate the overall amount of money that is paid in interest will be much lower. While many people steer clear of the 5/1 ARM it is beneficial to some borrowers. For instance, a person with a smaller loan (usually due to refinancing) may have the cash flow to pay off their ARM in 5 years or less. This person could save an extra 1% in interest payments over the 15-year product and never worry about the rate adjusting later in the life of the loan.
| Top Philadelphia Area Banks and Credit Unions | As of | 30 Yr-Rate | 30 Yr- APR | 15 Yr- Rate | 15 Yr- APR | 5/1 ARM-IR
|
5/1 ARM-APR |
| Wells Fargo | 04/06/2012 | 3.88% | 4.04% | 3.25% | 3.54% | 2.25% | 3.06% |
| PNC Bank | 04/06/2012 | 4.00% | 3.98% | 3.13% | 3.15% | NA | NA |
| Citizens Bank | 04/05/2012 | 4.25% | 4.29% | 3.50% | 3.57% | 2.88% | 3.16% |
| Sovereign Bank | 04/06/2012 | 3.99% | 4.15% | 3.25% | 3.53% | NA | NA |
| Citibank | 04/07/2012 | 4.25% | 4.43% | 3.63% | 3.86% | NA | NA |
Listed rates from banks, thrifts, and credit unions were listed on their websites on the date indicated for conforming loans with 0 points. Data is believed accurate at time of collection, can change without notice, and will vary based on an individual’s credit history. Contact a specific institution for current rates.
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