Tips for Choosing a Mortgage Lender
However, if the perfect loan comes from a less than perfect lender, you can easily get in trouble.
That is why it pays off to research and compare the different loan providers in order to pick the right one for you.
Use some practical advice that will help you with this task.
License The mortgage lender that you choose to work with must be licensed to provide home loan products and services in your area.
This is the first and foremost requirement that must be met.
You can now check whether a loan provider is licensed online.
It will take no more than a few minutes.
You simply need to visit the Consumer Access web page of the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) and use the tools and information available there.
Service Criteria Once you confirm that the home loan provider is licensed, you can move on to evaluating their service.
There are five main criteria that this service must meet.
These include honesty and reliability, communication and assistance and expertise.
It is easy to evaluate a provider based on these criteria.
You simply need to evaluate them based on the initial dealings that you have with them and on the reviews of other customers.
The perfect mortgage lender is honest and keeps their word.
If you find that there is considerable difference between the quote that you have got and the loan ad you first saw, then it is best to stay away from this company as it may attempt to mislead you again.
It is essential for the provider to establish good communication with you as a lender.
They should respond to your calls and queries timely and give you all the attention that you require.
You should get all the assistance which you require when you compare the different types of loans available and when you are making your application.
The more information and advice you can get the better.
It is easy to recognize if the loan provider or more precisely their representative has expertise.
The professional will explain everything from the application to the closing in detail and give you an overview of the main financing options available to you.
They will be able to answer each and every question sufficiently quickly and confidently.
Product Criteria You should evaluate the diversity, quality and affordability of the mortgage programs offered by the lender that you consider working with.
Check what types of programs the provider offers.
The more they are the better.
You should be able to select from fixed-rate programs, variable-rate and other high-risk programs and government-backed programs as well.
You must check what interest rates the lender offers.
Your best bet is to ask about the rate on the 30-year fixed-interest loan.
If it is competitive then the rates on the other programs should be competitive as well.
It is equally important that you request a breakdown of the closing cost and get a precise estimate of its size.
This will help you greatly in evaluating the affordability of the programs.
Finally, it definitely helps to get recommendations from friends and coworkers when selecting a mortgage lender.