If you are a homeowner applying for a new mortgage, refinancing your existing mortgage, or looking for a home equity loan, you may feel overwhelmed with the number of choices you have. There are many different types of lenders; a lender exists for nearly any circumstance. Choosing the wrong mortgage lender could cost you a lot of money. As a homeowner you need to do your homework and learn about the mortgage industry, mortgages lenders, and what is the best option for your mortgage.

Mortgage Lender Types

There are many different types of lenders competing for your mortgage dollars. These lender types include traditional banks, credit unions, brick and mortar mortgage companies, online mortgage companies, and a variety of specialty mortgage lenders include subprime (bad credit) lenders.

Each one of these lenders had their advantages and disadvantages. Your local bank is typically not going to offer you the best interest rate. Credit Unions may offer somewhat more competitive interest rates; however, you will not find the best interest rates until you investigate lenders that specialize in mortgage products.

When looking for a specialty mortgage lender keep in mind that there are different lenders for different situations. There are mortgage lenders that specialize in bad credit and bankruptcy mortgages. Not all lenders offer these types of loans; banks and credit unions do not typically offer bad credit loans.

Mortgage Brokers

How do you find the best loan for your situation? The answer may be to use a mortgage broker, even a variety of mortgage brokers. Using mortgage brokers will allow you to comparison shop for mortgages while someone else does the legwork for you. This convenience does come for a price however; make sure you fully understand all the fees your broker is charging before you agree to them. It is best to comparison shop a variety of brokers so you will know what a fair broker fee is. Brokers are simply individuals that find loans for people. They work on a commission basis. Sometimes the lender pays the commission, sometimes you pay, and sometimes both you and the lender pay. Because mortgage brokers have extensive connections in the industry, they have access to a wide variety of mortgage products. A mortgage broker can often evaluate your situation and provide a variety of mortgage products tailored to you to pick from.

Louie Latour has twenty years of experience in the mortgage industry as a mortgage broker. He is the owner of Mortgages for Dummies, a mortgage resource site called Mortgage Refinance Advisor, devoted to saving homeowners money with a free guidebook