You can begin your real estate financing education by asking friends, family, co-workers, real estate agents, real estate brokers, mortgage brokers and real estate professionals for help and search the Internet for local lenders and get current interest rate quotes. First of all you'll need to find a lender for your real estate financing and potential residential, home or other investment. Keep in mind when financing real estate that the lenders will be able to tell you only what you MIGHT be able to afford based on your salary and level of debt including credit card debt.

Most adjustable rate mortgage programs do offer "rate cap" protection, which limits the amount the rate can be increased, both each year and over the life of the loan; all adjustable rate mortgages are amortized over 30 years. An adjustable rate mortgage may be a good choice because on the average, most people move or refinance within seven years. The FICO credit score is just one of many myriad factors that are considered in loan or mortgage applications; although it's taken into account there are no minimum scores expected.

The 30-year loan is your best choice if you're looking for a long-term stable loan; for instance, if you're planning to stay in your house for a long time. A fixed-rate mortgage means the interest rate and principal payments remain the same for the life of the loan but the taxes may change. Interest rates can go up if a rosy picture is painted that the economy is flourishing - like more jobs being available; this can lead to inflation which will send the rates up.

Loan programs for down payments of 20% or less require you to purchase Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). If you have a less-than-perfect or a 'bad credit' credit report don't worry too much about it. A 20-year fixed rate mortgage term means higher payments, when compared to the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

If you're buying a second home or second property, you'll need to identify the sources for your down payment, since you will not be selling your current house and using the proceeds, and you'll need to expect a larger monthly payments for housing or other expenses too. Your income and your debts will typically play the biggest roles in determining your house price range. Borrowers can submit information about income, assets and equity to determine how much a down payment should be, which is usually processed through an automated underwriting system.

Usually an adjustable rate mortgage is the best choice for homeowners who are purchasing their first home and plan to be in the property for just three to five years or for those people who plan to relocate in that period of time. Insiders know that the advertised mortgage rates you find are not always what you'll get from the lender; it could be market fluctuations, economic news, any other of a dozen reasons, but interest rates can change throughout the day. If you're having a problem getting a loan or home mortgage consider a lease-option on a property; a lease-option on the real property will allow you to set a good purchase price now, and then apply a portion of the rent each month toward your down payment, building equity in the process.

A range of mortgage options are available; some loans require little money down. You'll also need to consider closing costs and the escrow account for taxes and insurance.

Before you finish any real estate financing read every real estate contract and loan or home mortgage contract thoroughly before you sign on the dotted line: every line is important - look for anything vague; don't be afraid to question what you don't understand. As I may have mentioned, rates can change fast, one way or another; this is true for residential, commercial and investment real estate financing - get current interest rate quotes--today's rate. Make sure you can make the mortgage payments for a reasonable length of time to build up equity, so if you do get sick or lose your job you can easily sell your house or other real property before you get into a foreclosure situation; try to think ahead.