Borrowing at Today’s Mortgage Rates

Today’s mortgage rates are lower than they have been in years past. The Federal Reserve has lowered the interest rates to help boost the economy. As prospective homebuyers sign on the dotted line and take out mortgage loans they are doing their part to help the economy. Things to consider when taking out a mortgage loan are:

• Your level of income
• Job security
• Existing debt
• Today’s mortgage rates.

You can find out if you qualify for today’s mortgage rates by going online to access a free mortgage calculator. Type in the data with your level of income and you will find out how much home you can afford. This will put a cap on how much you should ask for when asking for a loan.

Lenders look at your job security when they offer you a loan. It is important to be on your present job for a minimum of 2 years, in most cases. If you are thinking about taking out a mortgage, now is not the time to switch jobs, because at a new job the employee will most likely be hired on a probationary period that could be terminated at any time. The last thing you need is financial stress caused by losing a new job.

If you have lots of credit card debt, it is a good thing to pay that off before applying for a mortgage loan. Any outstanding debt should be cleared up before taking on a new mortgage. Taking advantage of today’s mortgage rates is great if you can make the payments; paying off any outstanding debts will clear your finances to afford a loan and take advantage of today’s mortgage rates.

Today’s mortgage rates are lower than they have been in years; however, if you shop around to dozens of lending institutions online you may be able to get them to compete for your business. Even a half or a quarter of a percent difference in the interest rate offered by the lender can save you thousands of dollars over the term of the mortgage. Try to research each lending institution’s policies on mortgage loans. Find out what your rights are as a borrower and what the lender’s policies and procedures are. These things are important to know because borrowing money costs money. As much as 2 percent of the amount borrowed can go for fees, which does not include the amount of interest that you will pay. Getting the best deal from today’s mortgage rates is key to saving money on the total amount of the loan, and it will also reflect a lower monthly payment.

Many lending institutions have their own brokers, but you can employ an independent broker to help you get a better interest rate based on today’s mortgage rates. An independent broker has more ability to negotiate than you may have, so if you want to get locked in on the lowest of today’s mortgage rates, you have that option, or you can negotiate on your own.