HOW TO SHOP FOR A MORTGAGE

When you’re making a big purchase, like a car or a new computer, you tend to shop around for the best deal, right? While you may not realize it, you should do the same for a mortgage. After all, a home is likely the most expensive thing you will ever buy. Shopping around for a mortgage could save you thousands of dollars, yet nearly half of all homebuyers don’t compare lenders.

When you’re making a big purchase, like a car or a new computer, you tend to shop around for the best deal, right? While you may not realize it, you should do the same for a mortgage. After all, a home is likely the most expensive thing you will ever buy. Shopping around for a mortgage could save you thousands of dollars, yet nearly half of all homebuyers don’t compare lenders.

If you’re getting ready to search for a home and find a lender, here’s what you’ll need to know in order to get the best deal on a mortgage.

CHECK YOUR CREDIT

Your ability to qualify for a home loan and get a good interest rate will be largely determined by your credit score. Before shopping around for a lender, you should check your credit score so you aren’t going into the process uninformed. You should also order a copy of your credit report and check it for accuracy. If there are any mistakes, have them corrected before you apply for the loan.

ASK AROUND

So, which lenders should you approach? Don’t just rely on those who are looking to make a deal with you for a recommendation, such as your agent (though they can be a good source of information). Ask around, especially family, friends or colleagues who own homes. They can give you an honest appraisal of their mortgage lender and whether or not they would recommend them. Don’t forget that institutions other than banks can be sources for a mortgage as well, such as a credit union or labor union.

RESEARCH COSTS

Once you’ve decided which lenders you’d like to compare, you should contact them for information about the costs associated with the loan. These can include:

Rates – Ask about current mortgage interest rates, and whether the rate is adjustable or fixed. Also ask about the APR (annual percentage rate).

Points – Ask about points, which are the fees paid to the lender and are linked to the rate. You can ask for points to be quoted in monetary values so you understand what the cost will be.

Fees – Find out what fees will be incurred with the processing of your loan, including broker fees, underwriting fees and closing costs.

Down payment requirements – If less than 20 percent of the purchase price is paid upfront, you may need to purchase Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). Ask what the cost of the PMI will be, and how it will affect your monthly payments.

NEGOTIATE

Just like many other business transactions, the fees associated with a mortgage are negotiable. If you find that one lender is willing to lower their fees or offers cash back at closing, you can use that information as a bargaining point with another lender.

GET PRE-APPROVED

Once you’ve compiled all your information and met with several lenders, you can choose which lender gives you the best deal and has the best reputation. Once you’ve decided, be sure to ask for a pre-approval letter. Getting pre-approved for you mortgage will signal to sellers that you are a serious buyer, and your offer is more likely to be accepted.

HOW DO FED RATE HIKES AFFECT MORTGAGES?

Eeeeek! Rates are going up … or are they?

Last week, for the first time after years of historically low rates, the Federal Reserve decided to raise short-term interest rates. For homebuyers, any rate hike often is seen a negative, but here are some reasons why this rate increase is good.

First of all, understand that the interest rate hike was NOT on mortgages. The Federal Reserve does not directly control interest rates on mortgages. What the Fed does control is the overall money supply. By raising interest rates at the Fed level on the “Federal Discount Rate,” they have begun a trickle-down effect that will begin to tighten the money supply. This makes it more expensive for commercial banks to borrow money and so decreases the amount of money available for short-term borrowing.

1. It’s a good sign

For the Federal Reserve to take such a bold step after years of low rates means that the Federal Reserve Board believes that the economy has improved enough that it can withstand an increase. Because the Federal Reserve has a mandate to achieve maximum employment rates AND keep prices relatively stable (curb inflation), raising rates means that employment levels have improved. An improved economy is a good sign that homebuyers will be able to afford to buy a home.

2. It does not directly influence mortgage rates

The discount rate does NOT directly influence mortgages. Mortgage-backed securities (bonds made up of pools of mortgages) track with the percentage yield on 10-Year U.S. Treasury bonds. Regular mortgages follow the mortgage-backed securities. While some mortgage rates increased slightly after the announcement, the bond markets have not settled on rate hikes, so the could end up either higher or lower once it becomes apparent how the economy reacts to the Federal Discount Rate increase.

3. It should be a slow increase

Because of the dual mandates of the Federal Reserve (low unemployment and stable pricing), the increases should be gradual rather than quickly increasing hikes because the Fed needs to make certain the economy is keeping pace with the increases. While it seems counter-intuitive, the Fed would like to see inflation rise slightly and this move is one way they can affect inflation in a gradual manner.

4. It might be good for your bottom line

Yes, your mortgage rates might increase a bit, but so will the interest on your savings accounts and securities. You’ll begin to see higher offerings on CDs and other interest-based income streams.

5. It’s still historically low

The current generation of homebuyers has not experienced high rates. Most millennials or Generation Xers do not remember when mortgage interest rates were in double digits and may fear the worst, but the changes in mortgage interest rates, at least for the near term, won’t increase their payments by more than their designer coffee or energy drink habits.

As always, if you have questions about the housing market, contact us. We stand ready to help you make sound decisions on the home of your dreams.