Mortgage Rates: Scoring a Deal

Denver mortgage rates are some of the best in the country, so why haven't you moved yet? Getting a great rate is key no matter where you move. Whether you are selecting your rate with the intent of selling in the next five years, or want to stay awhile, your mortgage rate can equal tens of thousands of dollars in savings.

When shopping for the best rate, the first step is to investigate the different lending opportunities. In the Denver area and around the country, there are many sources by which you can acquire a mortgage. Some examples of these sources are mortgage brokers, mortgage companies, savings and loan associations, commercial banks and credit unions.

A mortgage broker is different from the others, since they try to coordinating financing from several lenders. Due to the wide selection, you'll have a better selection of loans and rates to choose from. However, this does not mean that one broker will solve all of your problems. Just like the lending institutions themselves, different brokers can yield different results. In fact, it is only mandatory for a broker to find the best deal for you once a contract has been setup stating that the broker is your agent. Everybody needs to get paid, and the mortgage broker does this by adding fees or points to the mortgage.

Besides a mortgage broker, the other factor in getting a low interest rate is to discuss with your lender and carefully consider all of the charges involved. Rates vary from bank to bank, but is based on the country wide "prime" rate. It is for this very reason that the term "right time to buy" is tossed around by potential home buyers, as proper planning can capitalize on beneficial prime rate fluctuations, decisions that translate into thousands of dollars in savings.

Another way to lower your interest rate is with points. A percentage of your loan value, points represent the cost of getting a mortgage. The third factor to be aware of are the fees linked to the mortgage. Fees such as underwriting and closing are charged as services associated with the lending process. Usually borrowers are able to negotiate with the lender to adjust fees in exchange for interest rate adjustments. An example of this situation is a "no cost" loan, which lowers fees in exchange for higher interest rates.