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07/26/2021 - Best Mortgage Rates from Big & Reputable Lenders and SD Reviews (30year @ 2.75%, 15year @ 2.25% etc)

5,049 1,724 July 4, 2020 at 01:27 PM in Free Shipping (6)
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Last Edited by shahhere July 26, 2021 at 06:35 AM
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Details on how to understand the Mortgage basics and information that I understand for your learning can be accessed on this post (Click this hyperlink to go to the post); If you are new to this process and have questions this is a Must Read before asking question on the forum!


Reviving my over a decade old thread from SD and FW as the rates have gotten competitive. This thread is a SD community thread to compare and post best rates received along with their lender experience for a quick compare and estimation from a starting point.


Please note that rates will vary on quite a few factors and just because one person has a rate will not guarantee you will receive the same rate but simply use this as a guide and negotiation tactic.

All below rates are based on assumptions of certain LTV, DTI, & Excellent Credit Scores:

30 Year Fixed best rates (Assuming Good Credit & 20% down, low LTV, low DTI, etc etc):
All listed lenders are here because I shopped them and have encountered competitive pricing and not because I get any sort of a kickback....use this as a gauge for the latest but note that things can change week to week, day to day and even hour to hour:

07/14/2021 2.875% Better.com- Will consider Lender Match to beat Competitors and combine with Amex cashback (Click here for additional Forum thread details). Amex's "Digital Assist" Team @ 800-297-7500

07/14/2021 2.875% LoanDepot.com - Is competitive but works better if you have another offer for them. My LO Luke Dean
[email protected] 949-652-4521

07/14/2021 BSMFunding (David Pressel) - Call to get the latest rates (no published online). Very competitive rates; get everything in writing via email!
https://bsmfunding.mymortgage-onl...essel.html
David Pressel (NMLS: 562175)- Branch Manager - Phone: 908-208-2036
[email protected]
07/14/2021 2.5% LoanCabin [loancabin.com] - Most Competitive but refinance times have grow to almost 6 months for many people so proceed with caution as recent reviews indicate normal 1 month closing. Generally do not charge for big Lender Fees (A+B on LE) as they are under $100 in most cases; esp if appraisal is waived for your scenario.

07/14/2021 3% LenderFi - Competitive but might be slow and not work on beating other lender rates.
30 Year Fixed Jumbo Best Rates (Assuming Good Credit & 20% down):
TBD
15 year Fixed:
07/14/2021 2.0 % Better.com; matches Bankrate rates for themselves.
07/04/2020 2.5% NIH Credit Union with Lender Credit
Title Company Comparisions:
RadianTitleDirect.com - OP has used them for almost a decade with getting best rates (closed after Covid, Lender must submit order as consumer side is closed).
ALTTitle.com
https://www.valerotitle.com/ - Texas only.
Alphabetical list of other lenders (some could be non-proven without direct member experiences posted here):
  1. AimLoan - Will provide LE without hard pull if credit is frozen https://www.aimloan.com/
  2. Amerisave - will give you scores from all 3 bureaus with just a soft pull https://www.amerisave.com/
  3. Better.com https://better.com/
  4. BoxHomeLoans https://www.boxhomeloans.com/
  5. Close Your Own Loan https://www.closeyourownloan.com/...sults.aspx
  6. Colonial Mort http://www.colonialmort.com/
  7. HighTechLending http://www.hightechlending.co/Default.aspx
  8. Interactive Mortgage https://interactivemortgage.com/ Eric from IM is super rude so good luck dealing with this guy!
  9. LenderFi https://www.lenderfi.com [lenderfi.com]if the link wont work try this backend link: https://app.lenderfi.com/app/sign...r/lenderfi
  10. Loan Cabin https://www.loancabin.com/
  11. Loan Depot https://www.loandepot.com/
  12. LoanLock https://www.loanlock.com/
  13. NavyFederal CU https://www.navyfederal.org/
  14. NIH credit union (Delware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia) https://www.nihfcu.org/
  15. Northpointe Bank https://www.northpointe.com/
  16. Owning.com (Operates only in CA) https://owning.com/
  17. Pentagon Federal CU https://www.penfed.org/
  18. Provident Funding - will give LE without locking rate https://www.provident.com/
  19. RatePlus (California) https://www.rateplus.com/
  20. Travis Credit Union (12 North Cal Counties only) https://www.traviscu.org/ Eligibility traviscu.org
  21. United wholesale mortgages https://www.uwm.com/
  22. Watermark Home Loans https://www.watermarkhomeloans.com/
  23. West Coast Mortgage Associates (The loan broker is in So.Cal. Debbie Morgan) https://wcmtg.com/


Shahhere

Old Thread - https://slickdeals.net/e/1223863-03-06-2009-best-mortgage-rates-from-big-reputable-lenders-30year-5-15year-5-arm-s-etc

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Quote from MeAPhool :
I think a lot of people get confused with regards to "no closing cost". Specifically I think that is with regards to A+B+C (as referenced in this post by volcomssj48 - https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=138543920&postcount=138)

As per volcomssj48, this is a good place to go for a basic understanding of the LE (Loan Estimate) that should be provided to you by each lender once you give all of your information: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/o...-estimate/

I'm in NJ so I can't really shop Title Insurance much as it's the cost is regulated by the state, however in other states, you can really cut down some of the costs in section "C".
Good site for daily mortgage news. Subscribe to their daily mortgage rate news to learn about their predictions. Also take a look at the rest of their site.
http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/...age_rates/



Potential Lenders - Mentioned in Thread
*Please add to this list and add locality if applicable*

  1. Loan Cabin https://www.loancabin.com/
  2. Better.com https://better.com/
  3. Interactive Mortgage https://interactivemortgage.com/
  4. LenderFi https://www.lenderfi.com/
  5. owning.com (Operates only in CA) https://owning.com/
  6. NIH credit union (Delware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia) https://www.nihfcu.org/
  7. Loan Depot https://www.loandepot.com/
  8. Travis Credit Union (12 North Cal Counties only) https://www.traviscu.org/ Eligibility [traviscu.org]
  9. Pentagon Federal CU https://www.penfed.org/
  10. Interactive Mortgage https://interactivemortgage.com/
  11. NavyFederal CU https://www.navyfederal.org/
  12. United wholesale mortgages https://www.uwm.com/
  13. BoxHomeLoans https://www.boxhomeloans.com/
  14. LoanLock https://www.loanlock.com/
  15. West Coast Mortgage Associates (The loan broker is in So.Cal. Debbie Morgan) https://wcmtg.com/
  16. RatePlus (California) https://www.rateplus.com/
  17. Northpointe Bank https://www.northpointe.com/
  18. HighTechLending https://hightechlending.mortgagewebcenter.com/
  19. Close Your Own Loan https://www.closeyourownloan.com/...sults.aspx
  20. AimLoan - will give LE without hard pull if credit is frozen https://www.aimloan.com/
  21. Amerisave - will give you scores from all 3 bureaus with just a soft pull
    https://www.amerisave.com/
  22. Provident - will give LE without locking rate https://www.provident.com/ Best Credit Back with 60% LTV or better.
  23. Watermark Home Loans https://www.watermarkhomeloans.com/ Skip these guys. They are being rude to Slickdealers. In one occasion they have explicitly said they don't want to do business with people from Slickdeals. They also have an approach where they give you the best rate initially and just raise it more each time you ask.
  24. Colonial Mort http://www.colonialmort.com/
  25. Annie Mac https://www.annie-mac.com/ Licensed in these states https://www.annie-mac.com/page/licensed-states/
  26. Rate Rabbit https://www.raterabbit.com/ Licensed in MA and others [raterabbit.com]

Discount lenders who DO NOT accept fully documented in tax returns self-employment income:
Owning.com
BoxHomeLoans
Lower.com

Discount Lenders that DO accept fully documented in tax returns self-employment income:
Sebonic
Caliber
Sage

Title Company Shopping
AltTitle.com
mytitlegenius.com (formerly entitle direct)
TO AVOID - Settlement LTD (local Pittsburgh run away from them - high cost, very bad service, lot of delays)


Feel Free to Add Sections for Each Lender - MeAPhool

Loan Cabin - DetailsWARNING. DO NOT GO WITH LOAN CABIN. TRUST ME.
I would have lost the home if i was trying to buy a house.
I just had a normal refi and it took then 127 days to close. out of the 27 emails i sent, they responded to 3. I even had to call (complain) their main office 2 times to get a response to any emails. they screwed the closing paperwork as well.


Loan Cabin does not charge lender fees. Actually all of this is in their FAQ but of course nobody reads anything and wants everything spoon fed.

This means A+B (reference the link above in the wiki regarding Loan Estimate) in the Loan Estimate should be 0 (as long as your appraisal is waived).

You will be responsible for Title Cost (of course you can shop that to your heart's delight)
You will be responsible for Recording Fee in your county
You will be responsible for Escrows (if you so choose OR if you are close to Homeowner's OR Property Tax payment - though you can negotiate and show evidence to get it waived. Most lender's will waive it if you are choosing not to escrow and you can show proof that you paid the upcoming Property Tax or Homeowner's Insurance)

You will be responsible for Prepaid Interest (this isn't a cost. If you didn't refinance, you'd be paying the interest at your current mortgage rate which I assume would be higher).

Lender Credit - If this covers A+B+C+E then you have a no-cost refinance. If you have a surplus aside from A+B+C+E, then technically you made money on your refinance.


If you apply and do no hear back for 3 days, then on the 3rd business day, reach out to [email protected]. They will usually help get a response on your application within a day.



If the information in this WIKI does not cover your questions, then please ask. We will answer and update WIKI accordingly.

Thanks - MeAPhool

Quote from arouncoumar :
For those needing clarity on LC closing costs, I was on the same boat. See what they charge here https://www.dropbox.com/s/r30ecea...t.png?dl=0
Quote from PeterLegend :
Here is a photo of my loan estimate from Loan Cabin, my lender credits should be closer to 3K based on my initial conversations with Bob so i'm following up with him on that.

I do see title insurance in my estimate. I reached out to Owning but I didn't quality for the no cost refinance option since my LTV was 73%, it has to be 50% or lower when I spoke to them.

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Joined Aug 2008
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kw001
07-18-2020 at 09:22 AM.
07-18-2020 at 09:22 AM.
Quote from shahhere :
Ironically I got that offer in my email but I did not want to confuse it with the better.com offer in the even it was just 1 referral but i dont see the email again. Better.com emails came a few times.


What was the end date on the Rocket Mortgage offer? Again, hardly anyone has mentioned them here so I doubt their rates are competitive at all...

Shahhere
Their rates are not competitive upfront, but they've been known to match aggressive offers. A lot of people have reported match + $2,500 incentive. I believe the Rocket/Amex offer has to be used by October 20th, 2020. But they told me today that it's currently unavailable.
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skdeal
07-18-2020 at 09:50 AM.
07-18-2020 at 09:50 AM.
Just for reference my agent mentioned the below while comparing LE's.

When comparing the two offers, it is most important to understand what is a true comparable. When looking at fees, it is important to only compare things that are specific to each lender. The things to compare are listed in sections A, B, C and letter J under lender credit.

Sections E, F and G are going to be the same for each lender, and therefore these fees should not be compared. Taxes are determined by the government, pre-paids will depend on your closing date, property taxes will also be determined by the government and insurance payments will be determined by the insurance company.
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vfx
07-18-2020 at 11:19 AM.
07-18-2020 at 11:19 AM.
I got lazy this time and didn't shop around. I called and locked with Loan Depot on 7/6. I still have a week until 7/24 to shop around. Also tried Better.com, but they wouldn't price match Loan Depot's LE. Appreciate all tips in advance.

Background: refi from 4.00 to 3.25 with better.com back in Feb. Locked with LoanDepot on 7/6 at 2.75 with 30yrs fixed conventional with following info:

Loan Amount: 485K
LTV: 58%
Debt to Income: 24%
Credit Score: 790+
A= $1595
B = $112 (Already paid $20 for credit report to lock the rate)
C= $900
I= $1056
D+I = 3663

Lender Credits: $4768

I saw someone can get 2.625 with Watermark and Loan Cabin. My LO at LoanDepot said he can try to price match, but need to send competitive LE up high to do so. He's pretty cool guy. Seems responsive to text and email. Also I kinda like loanDepot interface and everything is via web. Will try on Monday to shop around and see.

Anyhow, this is another helpful thread. Normally lurking in Hot Deals forum, but someone was nice enough to link from Better.com thread. I believe it was OP. Thanks again. Looking forward to hearing feedback from SDers.

Sidenote: Anyone's trying to get $100 from Better.com if they couldn't match it Smilie. I'll try so with SD fashion.
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Last edited by vfx July 18, 2020 at 12:22 PM.
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SlickTex
07-18-2020 at 12:11 PM.
07-18-2020 at 12:11 PM.
Quote from shahhere :
Ironically I got that offer in my email but I did not want to confuse it with the better.com offer in the even it was just 1 referral but i dont see the email again. Better.com emails came a few times.


What was the end date on the Rocket Mortgage offer? Again, hardly anyone has mentioned them here so I doubt their rates are competitive at all...


Shahhere

Quick one, I saw one your mortgage basics that you say that waivering escrow of insurance and RE tax cause a .25% higher rate. I've asked brokers a number of times on this and they always its a matter of preference and no difference. If I have a locked rate LE with no escrow can I ask the lender to put on escrows and expect my rate to drop with all else the same?
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SanDiegoSurf
07-18-2020 at 01:23 PM.
07-18-2020 at 01:23 PM.
i am in San Diego, CA and currently have a 30 year loan at 3.5% which about $230K and 22 years remaining. This house is a keeper and we plan on staying 20+ years.

I shopped for a 20 year loan for about $230K with no escrow impounding I have a 800+ credit score, high income / low debt, and my house is worth about #1.2M on Zillow.

I received quotes from Watermark, Loan Depot, Northpointe, Better.com, NavyFed, Prospect Financial, Lenderfi, DirectFincial, Aimloan, and others.

Most of the offers were 2.875% to 3.0% (or higher) w/ high closing costs which made the refinance a non-starter.

Watermark provide a quote and then a LE for 2.5% 20 year with no escrow account for $300 in points and $3000 in Loan Costs (Line D of LE). They tried but could not get the appraisal waived.

I thought this sounded to be good to be true and have not seen anyone offering a 2.5% 20 year that comes close to this price. Most lenders require $4-5K in points for this rate. Better said they could not offer 2.5% - 20 year loan and could not match it. I had another competitive LE for 2.75% and Better was able to beat it by $1000.

At Better, I was able to get a 2.75%, 20 year, no escrow for $1780 in closing costs (LE line D). I am also eligible for the $2500 AMEX credit and cost waiver for the appraisal With this AMEX credit, it covers my total closing costs and I will have a $100 extra in my pocket after closing.

For the monthly payment, the cost difference will be $20 more for the 2.75%.

Has anyone completed the process and closed with Watermark with a similar rate/LE? I am a little concerned the cost will go higher as the loan progresses. I have had several lenders state this is "to good to be true"
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Last edited by SanDiegoSurf July 18, 2020 at 01:25 PM.
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shahhere
07-18-2020 at 01:33 PM.
07-18-2020 at 01:33 PM.
Quote from SanDiegoSurf :
i am in San Diego, CA and currently have a 30 year loan at 3.5% which about $230K and 22 years remaining. This house is a keeper and we plan on staying 20+ years.

I shopped for a 20 year loan for about $230K with no escrow impounding I have a 800+ credit score, high income / low debt, and my house is worth about #1.2M on Zillow.

I received quotes from Watermark, Loan Depot, Northpointe, Better.com, NavyFed, Prospect Financial, Lenderfi, DirectFincial, Aimloan, and others.

Most of the offers were 2.875% to 3.0% (or higher) w/ high closing costs which made the refinance a non-starter.

Watermark provide a quote and then a LE for 2.5% 20 year with no escrow account for $300 in points and $3000 in Loan Costs (Line D of LE). They tried but could not get the appraisal waived.

I thought this sounded to be good to be true and have not seen anyone offering a 2.5% 20 year that comes close to this price. Most lenders require $4-5K in points for this rate. Better said they could not offer 2.5% - 20 year loan and could not match it. I had another competitive LE for 2.75% and Better was able to beat it by $1000.

At Better, I was able to get a 2.75%, 20 year, no escrow for $1780 in closing costs (LE line D). I am also eligible for the $2500 AMEX credit and cost waiver for the appraisal With this AMEX credit, it covers my total closing costs and I will have a $100 extra in my pocket after closing.

For the monthly payment, the cost difference will be $20 more for the 2.75%.

Has anyone completed the process and closed with Watermark with a similar rate/LE? I am a little concerned the cost will go higher as the loan progresses. I have had several lenders state this is "to good to be true"

Watermark was used and recommended by many people before I put them on the thread so its not a no name company for sure. Their online review are good as well and I understand it can be manipulated but this is from reputable websites.


If you have a locked rate I dont think your numbers should change as most lender including WM overestimate costs as there are limits on how much higher they can go from a LE to the final Paperwork (Legal rules).


Shahhere
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David9569
07-18-2020 at 01:52 PM.
07-18-2020 at 01:52 PM.
Quote from SlickTex :
Quick one, I saw one your mortgage basics that you say that waivering escrow of insurance and RE tax cause a .25% higher rate. I've asked brokers a number of times on this and they always its a matter of preference and no difference. If I have a locked rate LE with no escrow can I ask the lender to put on escrows and expect my rate to drop with all else the same?
I would think they'd be willing to do this. Not waiving escrow makes your loan more attractive to buyers and most of these guys are planning to sell it.
When I bought my house I did not waive, but after they sold my loan and a few months passed, I got the new company to waive escrow for no cost. I'm taking the same gamble again.
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missourian
07-18-2020 at 02:35 PM.
07-18-2020 at 02:35 PM.
Do watermark charge for locking Rate? I asked for a LE, but LO pushing to put a rate lock
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SanDiegoSurf
07-18-2020 at 03:00 PM.
07-18-2020 at 03:00 PM.
Quote from missourian :
Do watermark charge for locking Rate? I asked for a LE, but LO pushing to put a rate lock
Watermark did not charge for locking the rate. However,I had to complete the initial application and it took 3 days to get the LE with a hard pull credit report.

The lock is listed in the top right of the LE. I am assuming if the lock is shown on the LE, then it is locked. Another lender told me its not locked until you receive some lock paperwork from underwriting. .


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shahhere
07-18-2020 at 06:39 PM.
07-18-2020 at 06:39 PM.
Quote from SanDiegoSurf :
Watermark did not charge for locking the rate. However,I had to complete the initial application and it took 3 days to get the LE with a hard pull credit report.

The lock is listed in the top right of the LE. I am assuming if the lock is shown on the LE, then it is locked. Another lender told me its not locked until you receive some lock paperwork from underwriting. .

No, the rate lock is the rate lock and will be indicated on the LE along with when its valid for. The lender can still pull your application if you do not submit certain paperwork they need for underwriting in a timely fashion which at times is 2-3 days.


Shahhere
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stoneheath
07-18-2020 at 08:33 PM.
07-18-2020 at 08:33 PM.
My current rate is 2.75% on a 15 year with a local credit union in FL. Is it possible to get a rate lower than 2.75% with $0 out of pocket after Amex $2500 credit or with some money in pocket after Amex $2500 credit?
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nicemann
07-19-2020 at 06:56 AM.
07-19-2020 at 06:56 AM.
Quote from stoneheath :
My current rate is 2.75% on a 15 year with a local credit union in FL. Is it possible to get a rate lower than 2.75% with $0 out of pocket after Amex $2500 credit or with some money in pocket after Amex $2500 credit?
With a 15 year it should be. Depends on your LTV, Credit Score, loan balance.
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stoneheath
07-19-2020 at 06:58 AM.
07-19-2020 at 06:58 AM.
Quote from nicemann :
With a 15 year it should be. Depends on your LTV, Credit Score, loan balance.

My LTV would be between 55% to 65%. Credit score 780+. Loan balance $171k.
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nicemann
07-19-2020 at 07:13 AM.
07-19-2020 at 07:13 AM.
Quote from stoneheath :
My LTV would be between 55% to 65%. Credit score 780+. Loan balance $171k.
Yep that should be pretty easy. Check out https://hightechlending.mortgagew...CheckRates If you want a higher lender credit of course you can go with a higher interest % They are not even showing a 2.75% for a 15 year when I checked my state but the LO can do that if you want it.

You can also get a loan estimate from them and then get Better to match. There are of course a lot of other places on here that people mentioned. This site just gives you real rates upfront on their website.
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GianAngeloGiraffe
07-19-2020 at 07:20 AM.
07-19-2020 at 07:20 AM.
Quote from shahhere :
I've updated my second post with reoccurring questions and explanations for the mortgage process as I understand it and to answer many other questions. If you think I should include additional topics or clarifications please provide me the feedback. User that ask general questions should be pointed to the post directly:


https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=138528260&postcount=3




Homework and Understanding:

Step1: The goal is to get a formal Loan Estimate (LE) from any lender you apply with and provide them your Social Security to do a Hard Pull. Note that for Mortgage related SS Hard pulls they are combined as a single inquiry and do not drop your credit score like individual credit card applications as this applies to Student Loan and Auto Loan shopping as well and is looked at a 14-45 day window.
Reference: https://www.myfico.com/credit-edu...-inquiries
Reference: https://www.equifax.com/personal/...it-report/
Step2: Understanding the Loan Estimate as they are overall in a standard format:
A – Charges in this section are what the Lender charges you such as Origination; Points, App Fee etc. This is what you want to be Zero as most lenders will waive or give you credit toward this being zero.
B – Internal lender fees such as Credit Reporting Fee; Flood Certification fee. Again this is what the lender has to pay when you apply and in most cases the lender will not charge this while you are shopping and some will make you pay this upfront which is ok.
C – Title Costs – In most states (PA, VA, FL excluded) the title costs are reasonable and this is what you generally pay for but you can shop this with other Title Companies and not just the one brought in by the Lender.
D = A+B+C
E – Taxes & Fees – Standard items you pay Uncle Sam
F – Prepaid – Lenders will collect certain premiums on your behalf upfront such as Insurance and City/School Taxes.
G – Escrows – Similar to above Lenders will collect this on your behalf to reduce the risk of you not paying them. Escrows can be waived but will cost you a 0.25% as it's a risk that you won't pay on time to most lender/Fannie etc.
H – Other – Generally listed and standard.
I = E+F+G+H
J – (D+I) + Any Lender Credit that is offered to offset any charges in A&B or a bigger credit towards closing your loan.
Step3: Closing Cost shopping:
1. Lenders as of this writing are competing and are willing to have Zero Dollars charges in A&B from above and is considered a "No Cost" or "No Fee" loan.
2. All third party charges such as C=Title and Taxes and Escrows are in addition to this offering.
3. Many lenders will provide an even bigger credit than what the charges are in A&B as well as cover other items from C-I; this is termed "No Closing Costs" as it falls in 3 categories:
i. Negative Credit - Getting money left over from the credit to be used to either get up to a $2000 refund. Apply the remainder towards principle reduction (this changes your credit received as it changes the $$ you are borrowing as well.
ii. $0 – Most of the time you'll net very little left over or for you to pay out of pocket in this case. If you negotiated a "No Closing Cost" loan then the lender will should cover any unforeseen costs in A&B at the least.
iii. Cash required to close – In this scenario you'll have to bring additional funds to close the loan as after A-J would not cover all the closing costs.
4. Unless you LOCK the rate with the lender there are changes your numbers will change and so if the rates are low it's in your best interest to Lock.
5. Most lenders that I've shopped provide a "Float" option to further reduce your rate if there is a change of an 1/8 - ¼ % change in the rates. Many lenders are also willing to match other Lenders to match or beat the rates.
Applying:

Step4: Apply to 5-15 places to yield the best results when shopping. Apply to your local Banks but note that many smaller mortgage companies have a higher threshold for rates and credits in your favor. Applying means that you'll have to provide your Social Security# and some preliminary data in an application to get documents sent to you such as a Loan Estimate (LE). Note from above that Mortgage, Student & Car Loan Hard Pulls are groups as single hits and won't drop your credit score in most cases for 14-45 days. Below are the most competitive lenders that I've encountered for my scenario with my own feedback:


30 Year rates to use for other rate platforms and please note that my rate will not necessarily mean you'll get that rate as market and individual changes will determine that and even your negotiation pull will determine that:
2.625% - WatermarkHomeLoans.com - Michael C - 949-577-9120 – Most Competitive and might take 2-3 days to response. Should be able to get either no Costs for A&B or some credit back towards closing in J
2.625% - Loancabin.com - Competitive rates but are looking at 3-4 days response time - Should be able to kick you back some credit ($1000 to $2000)
2.75% Loan Depot – Competitive rates for many but get a bit pushy to lock which is OK if the offer is good.
3% LenderFi – No longer taking new application but were competitive and should be checked.
3.375% Better.com- Will consider Lender Match to beat Competitors and combine with Amex cashback
Not all Lender will service your state so keep looking and look for other local smaller lenders and banks.

Step5: While applying take note to provide and send/upload all documents to the lender in as little of a time as possible as many lenders will drop your application if it's not received in 2 business days. Normal documentation:
1. Last 2 Paystubs
2. Last 2 Bank Statements to show that you have money to pay during closing. Note; large transactions over certain dollar amount will get scrutinized and funds will need to come out of these bank account else you'll have trouble closing.
3. W2/Tax Filings from last 2 years. More years might be needed for some.
4. Home Owners Insurance – Declaration pages.
5. Current Lender Statement
6. Current Lender Payoff Statement
7. Driving License or other Government ID Scan.
Step6: Title Company. As noted above you are allowed to pick your own Title company and in many cases you'll find competitive rates here with large savings compared to the Lender's preferred Title Company. Title Companies I've used in the past with good success and others:
1. Radian Title Services - 412-494-0400 - [email protected] – Best rates I've found hands down in 12 years of shopping. Currently not taking consumer direct inquiries and will require your lender to be established with them so the lender will have to place the order using the above email/phone.
2. AltTitle – Competitive all-inclusive rates.
3. Fidelity Title – Competitive rates
Step7: Negative points.

Step8: Breakeven Calculations and understanding money factor


Shahhere
Great stuff - thanks so much for all of your efforts.

Would it be helpful to note that different lenders may list different (sometimes wildly different) amounts in boxes F and G on their LEs but that the final F and G costs will generally be the same with every lender? This might help people compare apples to apples when looking at different LEs, and also warn people that their final costs at closing may be higher (sometimes by thousands) than on an LE.
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