There are several key points that can affect your rate. Below is a detailed breakdown of some attributing factors that may apply:
• Credit Score: Your credit score is one of the most important factors that will determine your rate.
• Loan to Value: Your down payment in a purchase transaction or your equity in a refinance transaction also plays a key role in determining your rate. The lower your loan to value (LTV), the better your rate may be.
• Rate/term refinance vs. Cash out refinance: A rate/term refinance has a loan amount that is just enough to repay the balance of your existing mortgage. You may include all third party fees, taxes, insurance and interest into the loan amount. A cash-out refinance, on the other hand, has a loan amount that exceeds your current mortgage balance.
• Purchase vs. Refinance: There are times when lenders offer purchase specials, which allow us to offer even lower rates than we already do.
• Property type: Often times there can be pricing adjustments for condos and multi-family properties.
• Escrow Reserve: Paying your property taxes and homeowners insurance on your own rather than having them included in your house payment may cost you an additional fee. Most lenders charge a onetime fee for the impound waiver.
• Loan amount: Your loan amount can affect your pricing. If you have a large loan amount (over $417,000) there will be pricing adjustments. If your loan amount is low, there can also be pricing adjustments generally starting at $165,000 and lower.
• Subordinate financing: Having a second mortgage or Home Equity Line of Credit tied to the property can impact the terms of the first mortgage even if no money is owed on the equity line. The line is still considered a lien against your property and impacts your Combined Loan to Value.