Final answer:
c) Shared appreciation mortgage
The loan package that typically benefits both the lender and borrower in commercial lending is the shared appreciation mortgage, which allows lenders to share in the property's appreciation. For homeowners with an adjustable-rate mortgage, a fall in inflation is likely to decrease their interest rates and payments. Borrowers benefit most when interest rates are lower than inflation, while lenders benefit when rates exceed inflation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of loan package typically used in commercial lending that rewards both the lender and the borrower is the shared appreciation mortgage (SAM). This type of loan allows the lender to share in the increased value of the property in exchange for offering a below-market interest rate. It benefits the borrower by providing reduced upfront loan costs, while the lender potentially earns more through the property's appreciation.
In the case of an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM), if inflation unexpectedly falls by 3%, the market interest rates are likely to decrease as well. Consequently, a homeowner with an ARM could expect their interest rate, and potentially their monthly payments, to decrease, as ARMs have interest rates that adjust with the market.
When analyzing the relationship between mortgage interest rates and the rate of inflation over different years, it can be said that it would have been better to be a borrower when interest rates were lower than the inflation rate, because in real terms, the cost of borrowing was lower. Conversely, it would have been preferable for the bank to be lending when interest rates were higher than the rate of inflation, as this signifies that the real value of the repayments received over time is higher due to the relative decrease in inflation.