The application process for a home loan can be complex and
hectic. When borrowers get caught up in the moment, they often forget to angle
for better deals.
Tips For Saving Money on Your Home Loan
The
best way to save money on your home loan is to get the interest rate reduced.
Cutting the interest rate by even a quarter point can save tens of thousands of
dollars in interest payments over the life of the loan. Unfortunately, lenders
are very resistant to cutting interest rates. The only bullet you really have in
your arsenal is to bluntly state that you will take your business elsewhere if
they do not cut the rates. Since the real estate market is cooling off, lenders
are becoming more receptive to these suggestions since they no longer have loans
just pouring through the doors. If the market heats back up, you can forget
about the viability of this position.
If you are going to try to get the
interest rate knocked down, information is your friend. You will have far more
success if you can show the lender a better interest rate being offered by
another lender. Look for marketing pieces by other lenders on the same or
similar loans.
There is really only one definite way to cut down the
interest rate on the loan. It has to do with points. If you have a pool of cash
at the time of application, you can attempt to buy down the interest rate by
paying more points at the outset. While lenders are receptive to this approach,
most people do not have large piles of cash lying around. Scraping enough
together for the down payment is usually a sufficient problem. Still, there are
other ways to save money on your mortgage.
If a lender is charging you
points on your home loan, they are highly negotiable. Lenders view points in a
more flexible manner. The higher the value of the home you purchase, the more a
reduction in points can save you money. If nothing else, you have nothing to
lose by asking for a quarter or half point reduction.
Cutting the best
deal possible at the time you apply for a mortgage is critical. Even small
concessions by the lender can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the
life of the loan.