A New Choice for Home Financing: Correspondent LendersWhen you begin your search for a new home loan, one of the first things to consider is where you'll get the money. Your basic choices will be mortgage brokers and banks. Your first instinct may be to go with your local bank, who you know from doing business with them for other things, such as your checking and saving accounts. But you've probably also heard that mortgage brokers can get you a better interest rate, since they deal with hundreds of lending sources. It can be confusing, but there's a third source of funding that combines the best of both--the correspondent lender. In order to understand the differences, let's look at how the lending process works in each case. Mortgage bankers are given rate sheets by their institutions, telling them what interest rates they can quote to their clients on any given day. There's only so much a bank can do, with regard to interest rates, because it needs to remain profitable in order to stay in business. Mortgage brokers have an advantage in that regard. They're not loaning their own money, and are free to "shop your loan around," looking for the best terms from various lending sources. They make their money by getting loans at discount prices and then marking them up, making money on the difference. Since they have many sources to choose from, they can often find loans at lower rates than most banks. The third alternative, correspondent lenders, combines the best features from both groups. Correspondent lenders are similar to mortgage bankers in that they make the lending decision and fund the loan with their own money or credit line. However, as soon as a loan has closed, it's sold to another lender at a previously negotiated price. It's the best of both worlds for you as a borrower. You'll be dealing with the banker who is funding your loan, yet that banker is able to shop your mortgage around, which can obtain you a lower interest rate. Correspondent lenders can sometimes be difficult to find, since they're generally smaller institutions, operating on a regional basis, and it can be hard to tell whether a lender is a broker or a banker, based solely on the company's name. One way to find out is by visiting the lender's website, if they have one. You'll normally find a button you can click that will bring up a page containing a detailed description of the company. If the lender doesn't have a website, you may find their phone number in the Yellow Pages. Although they may not always be easy to locate, with a little digging, you may find that a correspondent lender offers an attractive alternative to a banker or mortgage broker when it comes to shopping for your next home loan. Copyright © 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher All rights reserved. Jeanette Fisher is the author of "Credit Help! Get the Credit You Need to Buy Real Estate," and other books. Real estate financing questions? Visit the new Real Estate Credit Help Center for articles, Credit Tips ezine, and blog: http://www.recredithelp.com
MORE RESOURCES updated Mon. October / 07 / 2024 Column | You don’t have to refinance your mortgage to cut your interest The Washington Post Mortgage and refinance rates today, October 6, 2024: Rates increase in response to jobs report Yahoo Finance Housing market update: More than 4 million homeowners could refinance their mortgages - Fast Company Roundup: Refinance demand / Rouses denied / Tax reform plan Greater Baton Rouge Business Report Mortgage Interest Rates Today, October 6, 2024 | Rates up As Big Fed Cuts Become Less Likely Business Insider Mortgage and refinance rates today, October 5, 2024: Rates surpass 6% for the first time in weeks Yahoo Finance Should You Refinance Your Mortgage After the Fed’s Interest Rate Cut? The New York Times These Are the Pros and Cons of a Cash-Out Mortgage Refinance U.S News & World Report Money Mortgage Refinance Rates Hit a 2-Week High Investopedia What are today's mortgage refinance rates? Yahoo Finance Best mortgage refinance lenders of October 2024 Yahoo Finance Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders of October 2024 Business Insider Today's Refinance Rates by State – Sept. 30, 2024 Investopedia Mortgage Interest Rates Today, October 4, 2024 | Rates Up Following Strong Jobs Report Business Insider Refinance Rates Today: Compare Mortgage Refinance Offers Business Insider Is Now the Right Time to Refinance Your Mortgage? Investopedia Will Mortgage Rates Fall More In October? Bankrate.com 15-Year Mortgage Refinance Rates: Compare Current Rates Business Insider 30-Year Mortgage Refinance Rates Business Insider Should You Refinance Your Mortgage In 2024? Bankrate.com Mortgage Interest Rates Today, October 5, 2024 | Rates Tick up Near 6% in Response to Labor Market Strength Business Insider Mortgage Interest Rates Today, October 1, 2024 | Rates Fell Far in September. Will They Drop This Month Too? Business Insider Mortgage Interest Rates Today, October 2, 2024 | Rates Hold Under 6% as Markets Wait for Fresh Jobs Data Business Insider Mortgage Refinance Rates Drop Back Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Hold Near 19-Month Low Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Keep Moving Higher Investopedia Should You Refinance Your Mortgage Now That the Fed Just Cut Rates? Kiplinger's Personal Finance How to Decide If a Mortgage Refinance Is Right for You U.S News & World Report Money Today's Refinance Rates by State – Oct. 1, 2024 Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Are Down, But Should You Refi to a 30-, 20-, or 15-Year Mortgage? Investopedia Mortgage Interest Rates Today, October 3, 2024 | Rates Stay Put as Labor Market Continues to Show Strength Business Insider Mortgage Interest Rates Today, September 30, 2024 | Rates Are Low. Will They Go Lower This Year? Business Insider Mortgage Refinance Rates Shoot Up from 19-Month Low Investopedia The Mortgage Refinance Window Finally Cracks Open Bankrate.com What current mortgage refinance rates mean for your situation CNN Underscored Experts urge due diligence before mortgage refinance Webcenter Fairbanks FHA Streamline Refinance | Rates & Requirements for 2024 The Mortgage Reports The Truth About Refinancing Your Mortgage The Motley Fool 30-Year Mortgage Refinance Rates Sink to Cheapest Level Since Early 2023 – Sept. 12, 2024 Investopedia Today's Refinance Rates by State – Sept. 19, 2024 Investopedia Best Refinance Lenders of October 2024: Refinance Your Mortgage The Motley Fool Mortgage Refinance Rates Drop for a Third Day Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Drop – Sept. 5, 2024 Investopedia 6 times when it makes sense to refinance your mortgage Yahoo Finance Current Mortgage Rates: See How Today's Rates Compare Business Insider
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