Mortgage Articles
Simple Guides to Help You Get Your Mortgage
Why Picking the First Lender Can Cost You Big
✅ Key Takeaways:
- 💰 Comparing lenders could save you $80,000+ over 30 years.
- 🔍 Just getting one more quote can cut your interest rate by up to 0.28%.
- 📉 Monthly savings often add up to $100–$200 or more.
- 📋 Sites like LendingTree, Freddie Mac, and National Mortgage Professional say borrowers pay the price when they skip the shopping step.
🏦 Does it Pay Off to Shop for the Best Rate?
Absolutely. Think of your mortgage like buying a car. Would you go with the first price a dealer throws out? Probably not.
Well, mortgages work the same way. But unlike a car, this one decision could cost or save you more than $80,000 over time. That’s because a lower interest rate means smaller payments month after month, year after year.
📊 Real Talk: How Much Could You Save?
If you’re getting a $300,000 loan and the rate drops just half a point—say, from 7.5% to 7.0%—you’re saving over $30,000. Add in closing costs and fees? Even more.
And according to Freddie Mac, people who compare at least 4 lenders can save more than those who don’t. Some folks even shave off nearly a third of a percentage point on their rate just by asking one more lender.
🛑 Most People Don’t Do It
Studies show over half of buyers only get one quote. That’s like accepting the sticker price on every car lot. Don’t be that buyer.
📱 What Should You Do?
- ✅ Get at least 3 or 4 quotes—more if you can.
- 🔗 Use rate comparison sites like LendingTree or ask lenders directly.
- 🧠 Don’t just focus on rate—ask about fees, APR, and points too.
🏁 Bottom Line
You don’t need a fancy degree to make a smart money move. You just need to compare. And in this case, it could put tens of thousands back in your pocket. Easy win.
The mortgage rates displayed on this site are collected daily from publicly available sources provided by more than 400 lenders. Mortgage-Rates.ai does not receive compensation for listing these rates, and all rates are presented as published by the respective lenders. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the information may contain errors or omissions. Mortgage rates are highly dependent on an individual’s financial circumstances, credit profile, loan terms, and other factors. As such, the rates you are quoted directly by a lender may differ materially from the rates displayed here.
Users should contact lenders directly to obtain formal, binding loan offers. If you identify any discrepancies in the data or would like to have your institution’s rates included, please contact us at content@mortgage-rates.ai
All logos, trademarks, and brand names appearing on this website are the property of their respective owners.
About the author
mortgage-rates.ai