Disadvantages of a Balloon Payment Usage Restrictions. Car finance with a final balloon payment typically requires usage restrictions. Not Ideal for Those With Lower Credit Scores. Not Optional for Lease Agreements. Expensive Final Payment.
The most significant risk of a balloon mortgage is foreclosure if the borrower can't make the balloon payment at the end of the term. Foreclosure can result in the loss of the home, emotional distress, and impact the borrower's credit negatively, generally for seven years.
Potential Downsides of Balloon Mortgages for Homebuyers Foreclosure can result in the loss of the home, emotional distress, and impact the borrower's credit negatively, generally for seven years. The first balloon mortgage payments primarily cover the interest rather than the principal.
Balloon mortgages are short-term loans that begin with a series of fixed payments and end with a final, lump-sum payment. That one-time payment is called a balloon payment because it's often at least twice as much as the previous ones, leaving many borrowers with a final bill for tens of thousands of dollars (or more).
Often, these types of mortgages can only be found through small or private lenders, as they don't conform with qualified mortgage guidelines. Additionally, the eligibility criteria for balloon mortgages may be slightly different than a traditional mortgage.
The term of a balloon mortgage is usually short (e.g., 5 years), but the payment amount is amortized over a longer term (e.g., 30 years). An advantage of these loans is that they often have a lower interest rate, but the final balloon payment is substantial.