When someone decides to buy a house, the first they they should do is shop around different lenders. Never go with the very first lender, and the type of loan they recommend to you. The problem is, that the lender presents borrowers with a lot of loan options, and borrowers think the best and most obvious thing to do is choose the loan with the lowest APR

An APR (annual percentage rate) is not the same thing as an interest rate. An interest rate is the basic percentage of your loan you need to pay the lender to take out the loan, while an APR is the interest rate plus any other lending-related fees the lender wants to add and spread out over the course of the loan. Here are some things that you should know about APR’s. See: How to Choose a Mortgage Lender – Zillow.

1. No standard exists in terms of what fees can and can’t be included in the APR. Closing costs vary depending on the lender, and the APR itself does not dictate which costs are negotiable.

2. The APR is calculated based on the entire life of the loan. So if you’re only planning on living in the house for a six years, instead of the full 30 year period of the loan, you’ll be paying a much, much higher APR.

3. APR’s cannot predict the future of the economy. Even a fixed APR can’t adjust to whether you’ll refinance in the future, move out before the end of the loan, or pay off your mortgage early. Some types of loans, such as an FHA and a USDA loan require mortgage insurance until a certain date. The APR can’t predict when or if you’ll stop paying mortgage insurance. Read: Home Mortgage Options – Bank of America (BOA).

Be sure to compare loans. 

Know that you cannot believe the APR is the lowest and best option just by looking at it because they work in different ways. It might be confusing to understand how to get the best mortgage deals if you can’t rely on APRs. So, the way to go about it is by comparing one mortgage rate with fees from different lenders at that rate, or you can compare mortgage rates with no closing costs.

You also can get a Good Faith Estimate (GFE), which will give you a very detailed list of all the fees associated with the loan. That way, you can figure out if any fees are unnecessary or too high. Always remember that you can negotiate on certain fees.

The bottom-line is to not choose the loan with the best APR. Be smart, and do your own research to make sure you’re getting the right mortgage for your needs. This is more important than anything else. You must be sure that you are comfortable with the terms, and can afford the terms you have chosen. For further information, read this article on: How to Choose Your Home Mortgage Loan – myFICO.

Don’t Listen To Everything Your Lender Says: Don’t Choose the Lowest APR For Your Mortgage

One thought on “Don’t Listen To Everything Your Lender Says: Don’t Choose the Lowest APR For Your Mortgage

  • March 3, 2016 at 10:07 am
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    Be sure to shop around lenders. Usually the lowest APR offer is the worst of all. I would, if you can, go for a fixed 30-year. Yes, it may be more expensive and 30 years is a lot to be tied to, but it can always be re-financed. The APR can keep going up-and-up and up. Be careful!

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