Tips on Finding the Best Home Loan Rates

By Jackie Smith

If you are purchasing a home or refinancing an existing mortgage, you are probably shopping for the best mortgage rates available. Many websites exist to assist you in obtaining mortgage quotes so you will be well aware of your options, When applying for online mortgage details, it is of the utmost importance that, in addition to comparing rates, you also comparison shop for fees associated with each offer.

Many of the lenders do not clearly disclose some of the additional fees that they attach to the mortgage offer, so you need to be cautious and do not jump into a offer because it is low. By moving to fast and not carefully reading all the information you may be responsible to pay hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in unanticipated fees. By law, a mortgage lender is required to provide you with a good faith closing estimate, prior to you accepting the offer. The good faith estimate that you receive should be very close to costs that will be listed on you closing documents.

If you currently own a home, and are happy with the rate that you have then the only reason to refinance your mortgage is if you are in need of extra funds. It is wise, in this case, to research home equity rates, that make funds available to you for anticipated expenses. The funds that you receive from a home equity loan can be used for any number of reason, from purchasing a new car, to renovating your home. What you spend the funds on is your choice, but you should remember that you are mortgaging your home for this expense, and using up most of its equity by doing so.

Today, however, it has become increasing difficult to get a home equity line of credit, unlike a few years ago. With the current economic crisis in America, existing credit lines are being canceled and place on hold, and new ones are impossible to receive. This leaves many taking a home equity loan instead. With a home equity loan it is a one time payment with specific payment terms. This makes them more readily available for home owners to obtain.

Whether you are trying to get a mortgage or a home equity loan, your lender will require that they be named the first loss payee. This gives the lenders a security by naming them the first to be paid from the homeowners policy value, in cases of loss. This is required by all lenders, prior to closing as this is how their investment is protected. Second to be paid in these cases would be the homeowners themselves. - 29969

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