How Can I Tell If My Broker is Really Getting Me a Good Rate?

The job of your mortgage broker is to get you the best-possible deal on your mortgage that best fits your needs. You might feel as though you're taking your broker's word for it that you are, in fact, getting that best-possible deal. But there are some ways you can make sure you're getting your money's worth out of your broker.

Ask For the Comparisons

Your broker may or may not show them to you, but you can ask your mortgage broker to see the different deals he or she was able to obtain for you. This would allow you to compare these deals yourself. Many brokers like to keep the names of the lenders they work with close to their vest. They often like to only show you the one deal that is the best for you. But if you ask for the comparisons, your broker might just show you how good your deal actually is.

Do Your Own Research

Another way to determine how good of a deal you're actually getting with your broker is to do your own research. Find your own lenders, by both using banks yourself and seeking out mortgage quotes and by using the internet to research different lenders and obtaining quotes that way.

Compare Apples-to-Apples

One thing to be cautious about when looking at the different quotes you obtain is to be sure you're comparing apples-to-apples. Just because one lender offers a better interest rate, doesn't mean it's the best overall deal. Compare not only the interest rates, but the closing costs and fees and terms. If you do your own research and are able to compare the loan quotes you obtained with the loan quote your broker located, you can then more accurately determine whether your lender is earning his money.