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Thursday, July 30, 2009

How to Make Sure You Get the Right Fixed Rate Mortgage

By Julie Hammond

Now that banks are enforcing stricter lending requirements and interest rates are projected to climb over the coming years, it is now important than ever to consider those fixed rate mortgages that so many of us ignored previously.

In fact, many mortgage borrowers have already opted for fixed rate mortgages because of some of the benefits they offer, namely the fixed payment, amortization and rate to name a few. However, others who are new to fixed rate mortgages are probably nervous about whether they are getting the "best deal" out there. Here are some of the things you should do to make sure find the best rate:

1. Ask what others are doing. Consult with friends and family, people you work with and see what they say about the financial institutions or brokers who offer great rates. It may be that your local lender offers better deals than its national counterpart or that one broker seems to get better rates than another.

2. Do your homework and never settle for the very first mortgage that is presented to you, no matter how appealing it might be. Make sure you do a bit of research to ensure you are indeed being offered a fair if not the best rate out there. By weighing your options, you will literally save tends of thousands of dollars over the term of your new fixed rate mortgage. There are many sites out there that monitor regional and national rates and will allow you to determine if the deal before you is indeed worth considering.

3. Consider paying points. If you're concerned with obtaining a lower interest rate or more economic payments, you may actually want to consider paying points at closing so that you can receive a lower amount. Although this will require you to pay money upfront, this simple act could lead you to paying less money on your fixed rate mortgage.

In summary, you should conduct a bit of research on your own when you are looking at fixed rate mortgages. While this can be as simple as surfing a few websites or making a couple of extra calls, you will not only sleep better knowing that the mortgage you accepted as the best one out there, but it can save you tens of thousands of dollars in the process.

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