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The Savvy Scot

Personal finance and lifestyle blog

How to Shop Around for the Best Loan Rates

By Pauline

Credit

Just because you get a good offer on a loan, it does not mean that you should jump on it immediately. It is always recommended that consumers shop around for the best loan rates. Today, we will discuss how this can be done effectively and save you some time.

Check Interest Rates

One of the most important things that you have to consider before signing up for a loan is the interest rate. Interest rates will vary and they are dependent on a couple of factors such as your credit history, down payment, and loan payment plan.

Check with Several Lenders

When shopping around many consumers go with the top two to three lenders.  It is important that you check with several lenders because you want to be 100% sure that you are getting the best rates. Keep in mind popular lenders will not be as willing to work with you because they already have a reputation that sends them tons of leads each day.

Read Reviews

During this day in age, reviews are written about everything under the sun. The same goes for financial institutions. If you want to know exactly what to expect from the company, the best way to find out is by reading what their current and prior customers have to say.  By doing so, you will find out exclusive information about the financial institutions that the brokers will not mention.

Check the Down Payment Requirements

You already know how much you can afford to put down upfront and maintain your obligations comfortably. Lenders vary in the amounts that they require upfront. Some lenders will accept less than 20% down while other lenders will want more than 20%. By checking the requirements out from several lenders, you can go with a loan that does not put you in a bind from the beginning.

Negotiate

Once you have narrowed down your selection to three lenders negotiate the best deal that you can get on the rates. For example, credit unions are willing to be more flexible than banks.

Closing Thoughts

Becoming a homeowner is a major investment. Therefore, you want to make sure that before you sign up for a loan with a lender that it is something that you will be able to afford to pay back. The last thing you want to happen is to go default on your loan, which ruins your credit and lose all of the money that you invested.

Filed Under: Money Tagged With: loan, loan rates

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