Article: Mortgage brokers can give you more options because they're independent from lenders and banks. They'll help you find the lender that has the best loan package. Talk to people you know, your realtor, and your current bank to ask for a recommendation.  Find out how the mortgage broker will be paid before you agree to work with them. You don't want to end up paying unexpected fees. Call your current mortgage lender or bank, if you've had a good experience with them in the past. Being a return customer may give you some leverage with negotiations. Search the Internet financial sections for mortgage interest rates. Talk to friends for recommendations. Take recommendations from real estate professionals for mortgage lenders they've had a good working relationship with. Make sure you get the rates for the type of loan you want. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand the type of loans they're proposing.  For example, you should always ask for the specific interest rate charged on each loan duration. This is also known as the annual percentage rate (APR). Additionally, you should ask whether the stated interest rate on each loan is fixed (non-changing) or adjustable (changing). Get interest rates for various different types of loans and loan durations from each lender so that you can compare these different loan types between them. This also will be helpful if you change your mind about the loan duration you want. For example, imagine you are considering either a 15 year or a 30 year loan. You ask for rate estimates from two lenders. The first offers you a 15 year loan at 3.1 percent and a 30 year estimate of 3.8 percent. The second offers rates of 3.2 and 3.7 percent, respectively. You would then see that the first lender offered a better rate for the 15 year loan but was not as good of a choice for the 30 year loan. These will include any charges, costs, and/or fees that the lender requires. This statement is a "Good Faith Estimate." Mortgage lenders are required by law to provide you a "Good Faith Estimate" within 3 days of you submitting your application.  Make sure the Good Faith Estimate includes costs for all points, processing, legal fees, filing and closing fees. You can also have the lender email or fax this estimate to you as a backup.
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Ask for recommendations for reputable mortgage brokers. Request interest rates from each prospective mortgage lender. Gather interest rates for different loan terms at each mortgage lender. Request a written explanation of the estimated closing costs.