The 6 Worst Mortgage Mistakes You Can Make

Is your house a beloved castle? Or is it a monkey on your back?

The answer might depend on your mortgage. Getting an affordable property at a great rate can make you feel as if life couldn’t be any sweeter.

But ask anyone who bought a house with a mortgage they didn’t understand and couldn’t afford, and they will tell you the house has brought them frustration and tears.

If you’ll be in the market for a new place soon, avoid the following mortgage mistakes.

1. Not reviewing your credit first

You need a top credit score to get the best terms on a mortgage.

At least six months before you go to your first open house, go to AnnualCreditReport.com. That’s the official site where you can get free credit reports issued by the big three credit-reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You’re entitled to one free credit report from each agency annually — and, until April 2022, as often as weekly.

When you get the report, identify and correct any errors before applying for a mortgage.

Check your credit score. Some banks and credit card issuers now offer access to the most widely used credit score, the FICO score, as a monthly free perk for their customers.

If you find your credit score simply stinks, learn how to boost it fast by reading “7 Ways to Boost Your Credit Score Fast.”

Bottom line: Spend the time to get your credit in the best possible shape so that you can get the most favorable terms from lenders.

2. Failing to get preapproved

Getting preapproved by a bank for a given loan amount is one way to avoid the heartbreak that comes from falling in love with a house out of your price range.

It may also give you an edge: A seller feels more confident selecting a bid from someone with a mortgage preapproval rather than from a person who hasn’t begun the process.

However, don’t get carried away by the preapproved amount the bank gives you. Remember, what the bank thinks you can afford and what you can actually afford may be two different things. For more, check out, “How to Compute How Much House You Can Afford.”

3. Not shopping around for the best rate

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says nearly half of mortgage borrowers don’t shop around, and that’s a big mistake. Seasoned shoppers search for the best deals on soap, furniture and cars, but some fail to look for a better mortgage rate.

It may be convenient to use your primary bank for a mortgage, but that could also be expensive if its rates aren’t competitive.

So, go to the Money Talks News Solutions Center and start comparing mortgage rates.

4. Ignoring mortgage fees

While you’re investigating rates, don’t forget the fees. Many mortgages come packed with fees of all kinds. Some — such as your county recording fee — are likely to be fixed, but others are negotiable.

Before your closing, you should be provided with a good-faith estimate of the fees. Ask your lender to review what the fees are for and see if you can negotiate a lower price. These are a few of the fees likely to have the most wiggle room:

• Loan origination fee
• Application fee
• Broker fee
• Underwriting fee

5. Saving too little for a down payment

Not having the money for a down payment stashed away can sink prospects of getting a mortgage — or at least make your loan more costly. As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says:

“In general, the less money you put down upfront, the more money you will pay in interest and fees over the life of the loan.”

And if you put down less than 20%, be prepared to pay for private mortgage insurance.

6. Not understanding your mortgage terms

Underwater mortgages weren’t the only problem homeowners faced during the Great Recession. An untold number of people also lost their houses simply because they signed on the dotted line without understanding what the heck their mortgage entailed.

For example, people thought they had hit the jackpot with adjustable-rate mortgages, known as ARMs. Homeowners were fine for the first few years while their mortgage rate was fixed and low. But when it reset to a current market rate that was soaring, that affordable monthly payment suddenly wasn’t so affordable.

The moral of the story is to always understand what you’re signing up for. It’s not enough to know what your monthly payment is today.

If you’re not comfortable with the loan terms or don’t understand them, it’s better to walk away than to make an expensive and potentially life-altering mistake.