ComputerHunter.org

 

A New Choice for Home Financing: Correspondent Lenders


When 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







Google News - Top Stories

ABC News

Fed Moves to Thaw Credit Markets
Washington Post - 23 minutes ago
By Steven Mufson and Neil Irwin The Federal Reserve said today it is establishing a special fund to make sure businesses have adequate cash to operate, a major move by the central bank to ensure that "main street" businesses are not crippled by the ...
Fed to Purchase US Commercial Paper to Ease Credit Crunch Bloomberg
Business loan bailout CNNMoney.com
Reuters - MarketWatch - USA Today
all 632 news articles


Seattle Post Intelligencer

Obama gaining in 5 battleground states, polls say
CNN - 45 minutes ago
By Alan Silverleib WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Polls in five key battleground states in the race for the White House released Tuesday suggest that Sen. Barack Obama is making major gains.
Video: Character Attacks CBS
McCain Goes On The Offensive U.S. News & World Report
ABC News - MSNBC - Indianapolis Star - Newsday
all 1,818 news articles


The Age

Thai Protesters Trap Legislators
New York Times - 57 minutes ago
By SETH MYDANS and THOMAS FULLER BANGKOK - Thousands of anti-government protesters surrounded Parliament on Tuesday, trapping hundreds of legislators, cutting off power to the building and vowing to remain until the government falls.
100 Thais are hurt as protesters lay siege to Parliament International Herald Tribune
Fatal car explosion hits Bangkok protests guardian.co.uk
Bloomberg - Aljazeera.net - The Associated Press - Swissinfo
all 982 news articles


Boston Globe

Father kills family and himself, despondent over financial losses
Los Angeles Times - 4 hours ago
LAPD investigators work at 20644 Como Lane in Porter Ranch, a home where authorities said a man who was despondent over his financial situation killed five family members and himself Saturday.
Video: 6 Die in Family Murder-suicide in Upscale Home AssociatedPress
Man with financial woes kills family, self San Francisco Chronicle
guardian.co.uk - New York Times - CNN - Reuters
all 688 news articles


Sofia News Agency

Mexico Braces for Wind, Rain as Marco Moves Closer (Update1)
Bloomberg - 1 hour ago
By Alex Morales and Chris Dolmetsch Oct. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Mexico shut schools and offshore oil wells as it braced for Tropical Storm Marco, with the system forecast to bring heavy rains and strong winds before possible landfall in Veracruz state today.
Tropical Storm Marco nears Mexican coast United Press International
Tropical Storm Marco Nears Mexican Coast Voice of America
Sofia News Agency - Daily Green - CNN - NBC5.com
all 1,737 news articles

Google
 

Copyright © 2006 Computer Hunter - A Division of Arthur´s Job Base