Are all you’re eggs in one basket, your home mortgage for example. For a lot of investors, their largest investment and sometimes their only investment is their home. They quietly make the mortgage payment each month and over the years the value of their home has generally appreciated, sometimes rather nicely, and their home now represents a sizable chunk of their net worth.
For some investors, it might make sense to use some of the net worth tied up in their home for other investments. Lenders are more than willing to refinance a home and return some of the equity to the homeowners. For some this might mean an opportunity to develop a wealth building strategy with participation in bond investing, stock investing, and/or option investing for example. Even though mortgage rates have risen over the last year or so, mortgage rates are still fairly low compared to historic values. Below is a sorted sample of mortgage lenders and their current advertised loan offerings at 5/5/2006:
| Term | Type | Institution | Rate | APR | Points |
| 10 | Fixed | Absolute Mortgage | 5.125 | 5.370 | 2.250 |
| 10 | Fixed | Quick Quote Mortgage | 5.375 | 5.477 | 0.000 |
| 10 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 5.375 | 5.726 | 1.500 |
| 10 | Fixed | Absolute Mortgage | 5.750 | 5.780 | 0.125 |
| 10 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 5.625 | 5.899 | 1.000 |
| 10 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 5.750 | 5.945 | 0.500 |
| 10 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 5.875 | 5.992 | 0.000 |
| 10 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.250 | 6.250 | -0.750 |
| 10 | Fixed | Ent | 6.000 | 6.323 | . |
| 15 | Fixed | Absolute Mortgage | 5.250 | 5.550 | 2.500 |
| 15 | Fixed | Doctor Mortgage | 5.314 | 5.670 | 2.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Quick Quote Mortgage | 5.625 | 5.697 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Quick Quote Mortgage | 5.500 | 5.728 | 1.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Millennium Mortgage | 5.625 | 5.772 | 1.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Regal Mortgage | 5.750 | 5.780 | 0.990 |
| 15 | Fixed | J.D.P. Mortgage | 5.750 | 5.890 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Absolute Mortgage | 5.875 | 5.895 | 0.125 |
| 15 | Fixed | Regal Mortgage | 5.875 | 5.905 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 5.625 | 5.978 | 1.500 |
| 15 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 5.875 | 5.992 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Millennium Mortgage | 5.875 | 5.994 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 5.750 | 6.025 | 1.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | NorthStar Mortgage | 6.000 | 6.027 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | MYFLORIDARATES.COM | 5.625 | 6.037 | 2.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | First Nat. Mort. Sources | 6.000 | 6.039 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Loans4Less | 5.875 | 6.066 | 0.750 |
| 15 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 5.875 | 6.071 | 0.500 |
| 15 | Fixed | MYFLORIDARATES.COM | 6.000 | 6.097 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Loans4Less | 6.000 | 6.113 | 0.250 |
| 15 | Fixed | MYFLORIDARATES.COM | 5.875 | 6.130 | 1.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Chase | 6.000 | 6.157 | 1.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Loans4Less | 6.125 | 6.198 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Capital Federal Bank | 6.125 | 6.206 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Ent | 6.000 | 6.228 | . |
| 15 | Fixed | East West Mortgage | 6.125 | 6.233 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | E-LOAN | 5.875 | 6.240 | . |
| 15 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.250 | 6.250 | -0.750 |
| 15 | Fixed | Commerce Bank | 6.375 | 6.375 | . |
| 15 | Fixed | Ameriquest | 6.250 | 6.752 | . |
| 15 | Fixed | SunTrust | 6.125 | 6.754 | 0.250 |
| 15 | Fixed | GMAC Mortgage | 6.500 | 6.791 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 5.500 | 0.000 | 0.375 |
| 15 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 5.625 | 0.000 | 0.250 |
| 15 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 5.750 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 20 | Fixed | Absolute Mortgage | 5.500 | 5.730 | 2.500 |
| 20 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 5.875 | 6.158 | 1.500 |
| 20 | Fixed | Absolute Mortgage | 6.125 | 6.180 | 0.125 |
| 20 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.000 | 6.220 | 1.000 |
| 20 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.125 | 6.282 | 0.500 |
| 20 | Fixed | MYFLORIDARATES.COM | 6.125 | 6.329 | 1.000 |
| 20 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.250 | 6.344 | 0.000 |
| 20 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.500 | 6.500 | -0.750 |
| 20 | Fixed | Ent | 6.375 | 6.560 | . |
| 20 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 5.750 | 0.000 | 0.500 |
| 20 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 5.875 | 0.000 | 0.375 |
| 20 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 6.000 | 0.000 | 0.250 |
| 20 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 6.125 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 25 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 6.000 | 0.000 | 0.250 |
| 25 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 6.125 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Quick Quote Mortgage | 5.750 | 5.886 | 1.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Absolute Mortgage | 5.875 | 5.990 | 2.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Regal Mortgage | 6.000 | 6.030 | 0.990 |
| 30 | Fixed | Quick Quote Mortgage | 6.000 | 6.044 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | MYFLORIDARATES.COM | 5.875 | 6.122 | 2.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.000 | 6.213 | 1.500 |
| 30 | Fixed | NorthStar Mortgage | 6.250 | 6.266 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Regal Mortgage | 6.250 | 6.277 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Millennium Mortgage | 6.250 | 6.279 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | MYFLORIDARATES.COM | 6.125 | 6.279 | 1.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Absolute Mortgage | 6.250 | 6.280 | 0.125 |
| 30 | Fixed | First Nat. Mort. Sources | 6.250 | 6.289 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.125 | 6.292 | 1.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.250 | 6.321 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Doctor Mortgage | 6.114 | 6.330 | 2.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Loans4Less | 6.250 | 6.366 | 0.750 |
| 30 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.250 | 6.369 | 0.500 |
| 30 | Fixed | J.D.P. Mortgage | 6.250 | 6.375 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Quicken Loans | 6.250 | 6.430 | . |
| 30 | Fixed | MYFLORIDARATES.COM | 6.375 | 6.434 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Loans4Less | 6.375 | 6.444 | 0.250 |
| 30 | Fixed | E-LOAN | 6.250 | 6.463 | . |
| 30 | Fixed | Loans4Less | 6.500 | 6.545 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Capital Federal Bank | 6.500 | 6.549 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Chase | 6.500 | 6.597 | 1.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | East West Mortgage | 6.500 | 6.607 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Home Finance of America | 6.625 | 6.625 | -0.750 |
| 30 | Fixed | Ent | 6.500 | 6.642 | . |
| 30 | Fixed | Amerisave | 6.625 | 6.657 | . |
| 30 | Fixed | Commerce Bank | 6.750 | 6.750 | . |
| 30 | Fixed | Ameriquest | 6.625 | 6.936 | . |
| 30 | Fixed | GMAC Mortgage | 6.875 | 6.988 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | SunTrust | 6.500 | 7.128 | 0.250 |
| 30 | Fixed | Capital City Bank | 6.500 | 0.000 | 6.569 |
| 30 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 5.875 | 0.000 | 1.000 |
| 30 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 6.000 | 0.000 | 0.500 |
| 30 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 6.125 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 40 | Fixed | Global Mortgage | 6.625 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Regal Mortgage | 5.750 | 5.770 | 0.990 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Millennium Mortgage | 5.750 | 5.887 | 1.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Absolute Mortgage | 5.625 | 5.900 | 3.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Doctor Mortgage | 5.564 | 5.920 | 2.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Millennium Mortgage | 6.000 | 6.019 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Regal Mortgage | 6.000 | 6.030 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | First Nat. Mort. Sources | 6.000 | 6.064 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | MYFLORIDARATES.COM | 5.875 | 6.074 | 1.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | NorthStar Mortgage | 6.125 | 6.139 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Loans4Less | 6.000 | 6.214 | 1.125 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Loans4Less | 6.125 | 6.221 | 0.375 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Loans4Less | 6.250 | 6.287 | 0.000 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Ent | 6.250 | 6.405 | . |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Absolute Mortgage | 6.125 | 6.500 | 0.125 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Global Mortgage | 6.000 | 0.000 | 0.125 |
| 15 | Fixed Jumbo | Global Mortgage | 6.125 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Absolute Mortgage | 5.750 | 5.770 | 3.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Millennium Mortgage | 6.000 | 6.144 | 1.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Regal Mortgage | 6.125 | 6.155 | 0.990 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | NorthStar Mortgage | 6.375 | 6.383 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Millennium Mortgage | 6.375 | 6.401 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Regal Mortgage | 6.375 | 6.405 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Doctor Mortgage | 6.194 | 6.410 | 2.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | First Nat. Mort. Sources | 6.375 | 6.414 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Loans4Less | 6.375 | 6.494 | 1.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | MYFLORIDARATES.COM | 6.375 | 6.508 | 1.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Absolute Mortgage | 6.500 | 6.530 | 0.125 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Loans4Less | 6.500 | 6.559 | 0.375 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | J.D.P. Mortgage | 6.500 | 6.625 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Loans4Less | 6.625 | 6.648 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Ent | 6.750 | 6.847 | . |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Doctor Mortgage | 6.764 | 6.950 | 0.000 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Global Mortgage | 6.250 | 0.000 | 0.375 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Global Mortgage | 6.500 | 0.000 | 0.125 |
| 30 | Fixed Jumbo | Global Mortgage | 6.375 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
[tags]home investing, stock investing, bond investing[/tags]