Archive | October, 2009

Understanding Mortgage Costs

As with any other loan, mortgage has costs and fees attached to it. These costs will influence the total cost of ownership on your house, at the slightest variance can make a huge difference especially hen accumulated. There are several costs commonly found in a mortgage application, and we are going to discuss some of them in this article.

One of the first costs you will come across when applying for a mortgage is appraisal cost and the fee the lender needs to pay for pulling out your credit report. You will also be charged with the costs for lender’s title policy and pest inspection reports. Among other costs you may have to deal with when applying for a mortgage, recording fees and taxes are probably some of the most dominant ones. These preliminary costs are clearly listed as the Goof Faith Estimates or the GFE. Your lender is obliged by law to give you the GFE report prior to further mortgage agreements.

Other costs such as interest rate and fees along with late charges and insurance premiums are included in the monthly payments of your mortgage. Understanding these cost factors and negotiating discounts can make a huge difference in total over the period of your mortgage.

Comparing Annual Percentage Rates

Instead of interest rates, annual percentage rate can actually depict the total cost you are paying on your mortgage. Annual percentage rate, or simply APR, is the result of complicated calculation, taking every cost factors of a mortgage into consideration. That is why APR is more representative when it comes to finding the cheapest and most profitable mortgage deal available.

Remember that it is almost impossible to calculate an accurate APR for adjustable rate loans. The jargon will still be used by your lender, but you must ask for further details regarding the lender’s APR before using the rate to compare mortgage deals. For fixed rate mortgage loans, the APR calculation can be done more accurately. You can simply ask for details about the mortgage plan and calculate the APR yourself to get the most accurate results. Make sure you double check with the lender about hidden fees or other charges before calculating APR.

Another thing you need to make sure before doing your calculations and comparing mortgage deals is to set the right mortgage term and make sure you consider the possibility of early payoffs. With the right APR calculation results, you can compare mortgage deals and find the most profitable one easily.