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Locking In Mortgage Interest Rates

By
Real Estate Agent with Best Buyer's Broker Realty

 

Consider the following four things when deciding whether or not to lock in your mortgage interest rate:

  1. Lock in your rate as soon as you know you have a good deal in front of you, and you know roughly when you can close (30 to 60 days should be the longest lock period).
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  2. Lock it in with a lender who has the option of a “float down” if possible. If rates get better, you can participate in a portion of that improvement.
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  3. Lock it in with a lender who has a liberal rate-lock extension policy. No rate-lock extensions are free. Some even expire beyond the ability to extend. Make sure, whenever possible, that you work with a lender who will allow you to extend your lock if for some reason your deal takes a little longer to close than anticipated.
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  4. Don’t think about it very long. The rates go up a whole bunch faster than they come down. If the above is to your liking, lock in the rate.

No one can time the market. No one knows – plain and simple. If anyone tells you what will happen to interest rates in the future, consider not working with them – they think they know things they could not possibly know.

We do know what moves rates. We can even know anecdotally (after the fact) what did move rates. But then, we also know who won the Super Bowl – on Monday morning. We even know why, almost exactly why.

But, we never know for sure what will happen to mortgage rates. Lock in your interest rate, bearing in mind the above options, as soon as you are able to.

If you have questions about locking in interest rates, use the comment link below to contact us with your questions and we'll get back to you with answers.

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Best Buyer’s Broker Realty is an Exclusive Buyer Agent specializing in Long Island real estate (Nassau and Suffolk properties) and neighbouring Queens County properties.

We don’t take any seller listings (yet we have more homes for you to see than most agents) and never have any potential conflict of interest like other agents who also represent sellers. We represent buyers only, 100% of the time. We can show you more homes for sale because we have access to MLS, FSBOs, Exclusives (homes that agents try to keep secret), foreclosures and homes not on the market that may be of interest to you.

We are not your traditional real estate agent. Our goal is to advise and protect home buyers and help them obtain the lowest price and best terms on their dream home. Call us at 516-887-6901 to see how we can help you save time and money. Or visit our sites at http://bestbuyersbroker.com or http://bestbuyerbroker.com

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Comments(2)

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Nor Yeretsian
Envoy Capitol Realty Inc. - Toronto, ON
Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage Toronto

Thanks Ira, good post.

Do you do anything in Toronto, Canada yet ?

cheers

Nor

Mar 13, 2011 04:29 AM
Pat Champion
John Roberts Realty - Eustis, FL
Call the "CHAMPION" for all your real estate needs

Great explanation for buyer's on locking in interest rates. Thanks for the detailed information.

Mar 13, 2011 04:55 AM