Several years ago the U.S. Congress tried to protect consumers from a few unscrupulous lenders by requiring all lenders to calculate and disclose the annual percentage rate (APR) you pay on your mortgage loan. But most homebuyers will learn more by directing their attention to the Good Faith Estimate of Settlement Costs (GFE). Although Congress meant well, in practice the APR is not helpful and may be confusing.

If you are looking for a good way to understand your costs of borrowing and/or to compare one lender's costs to another, the GFE is your best bet. Get your lender(s) to provide a written GFE before you commit your mortgage business. When reviewing a GFE, keep in mind that the lender actually controls only a certain portion of the disclosed costs. Other parties typically control costs of appraisal, settlement, title insurance, recording fees and taxes, survey, and the "prepaid" expenses of homeowner's insurance, mortgage insurance, real estate taxes, etc. Review these origination fees, discount points, etc. and you will have the ability to understand the full costs of your proposed mortgage loan.

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Bonnie Wolfe
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
572A Ritchie Hwy
Severna Park, MD. 21146
Phone: 410-647-0157
Fax: 410-544-8974
Contact Bonnie: severnaparkrealestate@NUMBER1EXPERT.com

Hello. I'm Bonnie Wolfe. Anne Arundel County is a beautiful place to live, and I would love to help you find a home, or sell your old home. Selling houses and helping people find homes they love means a great deal to me. This is why I am Coldwell Banker's top producer in Anne Arundel County. Top producer ranking is not the result of high pressure tactics. It results from matching the right buyer with the right house. In real estate, a bad realtor is actually more expensive than a good one. The commission is the same, but a poor realtor could put you in the wrong home which becomes an expensive mistake. So choose America's #1 Real Estate Expert™ for Anne Arundel County, and let me put you with the right home! Call or email me today!

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