The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mortgage Brokers

Honesty is the most important aspect in dealing with mortgage brokers. Unfortunately not all brokers are honest. Being aware of the following good practices will help you pick the best mortgage broker and get the best refinance deal.

Habit 1: Not favoring their own loan product

You need to be aware if the mortgage broker is also a lender, i.e. do they have their own loan products? If they do, and they offer there own product, there needs to be a clear, understandable reason why their product is the best choice for your situation.

Habit 2: Unbiased lender choice

Mortgage brokers get commission from the lender you end up borrowing from. You will need to ask them to be up front about the amount of commission they are receiving from the lender. The best mortgage brokers are honest and won't mind you asking this question. The dishonest ones will think twice about doing the wrong thing by you.

Habit 3: Giving you the real cost of the mortgage

Make sure the broker provides you with the annual percentage rate (APR), when looking at or comparing any home loan products. The annual percentage rate shows you the real cost of a home loan by taking into consideration all the foreseeable fees and charges associated with the loan. This is so you can easily compare home loan products.

Habit 4: Providing all the information

You need to know the whole deal. What is the whole service provided by the broker. Do they provide ongoing service and assistance after you secure your loan? If so, find out for how long. Also, what are the fees involved? Theirs and the lender’s. The best mortgage broker will make this clear before any papers are signed.

Habit 5: Insuring client understanding

You need to understand what the benefits and the drawbacks are for you. The best mortgage brokers will explain this to you in a clear way, so you can understand it. This is so you can weigh it up and decide for yourself if refinancing is actually in your best interest. As stated inDangers of Refinancing there are some bad practices out there, e.g. churning. Making sure you understand the benefits and drawbacks will make it impossible for you to fall victim to this practice.

Habit 6: Being insured

The brokers need to have their own professional indemnity insurance? This protects professionals against liability claims resulting from negligent work. All lenders will have it. However the brokers should not assume they are covered by the insurance of an umbrella organization. The broker needs to know for sure if they are or are not protected.

Habit 7: Being qualified

Is the broker qualified to give you lending advice? All countries have reputable organizations that regulate their mortgage industry and can provide brokers with membership or certificates of credentials, provided they undertake certain courses. Make sure the broker your dealing with has the proper membership or credentials and is qualified to refinance home mortgages. In the United States the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators (AARMR) and National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) are two such companies.