Mortgage Lenders

Whether you are in the market for a mortgage refinance, a new home loan, or even a bad credit mortgage loan, it is important to choose a good mortgage lender.  Some of the things you should consider when looking for the right one for you include the mortgage products offered, the interest rates, and their track record.

Mortgage lenders will usually have many of the same loan products as each other.  In other words, you can get a fixed rate mortgage with a term of 30 years from practically any lender you talk to.  The important difference is the guidelines that are required by the different lenders.  Each lender will have slightly different loan qualification requirements, so if you do a little bit of research on those requirements and find out which lender specialized in the type of loan or mortgage refinancing you are looking for, you may be able to reduce your paperwork and streamline the process.

Of course, interest rates are the key to any mortgage and will probably tip the scale in favor of whoever is offering the lowest rates.  Whether you are looking for a bad credit mortgage, a mortgage refinance, or a traditional home loan, the interest rate will be a determining factor.  Rates are low and lending institutions are being very competitive, so you should be able to find a rate you are happy with.  It is important that you don’t compare rates using the simple interest rate.

You need to look at the APR, or Annual Percentage Rate.  The APR factors in all of the closing costs including discount points where the simple interest rate does not.  So if one lender offers a simple interest rate of 5% and the APR is 5.4% and another lender offers a simple interest rate of 4.75%, make sure that the APR for the second lender is less than 5.4% or you will not be getting the best rate.

One more tip for choosing the right mortgage lender is to make sure they have lots of experience.  You don’t want to go with a start-up company that has no track record.  You should verify that the lender you select has been in the business for many years.  This can give you the confidence you need that the lender knows what he is doing and has the experience to recommend the best loan product for you.

If you shop around, understand the interest rate, and look at the track record of the different lenders you are considering, you will be able to pick one that works for you.