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• Will you charge an application fee? This can vary drastically from lender to lender, and in some cases
fees are negotiable.
• What happens if I pay off my loan early? Some lenders will include a pre-payment penalty in their contract, actually penalizing you for paying off your loan early. If one is included in yours, try to negotiate around it, or look for another lender.
• Can I lock in my rate? Be sure to ask specifics about this. Will it be possible to lock in a rate at
application stage, or will you have to wait until you’ve been approved? After you’ve locked it in, how long is it good for?
• Will I be assigned a person that I should call with questions? It is vital that one person is familiar with your application and loan documents so you don’t have to explain yourself every time you call with a question.
• How long will it take you to approve a loan? With
Internet and other modern advances, there should no reason that a lender can’t process your loan in a jiffy. If a lender appears to be slow, you should take it as a red flag.
The best way to find a good lender is to use a home mortgage loan company online that will give you multiple offers from different lenders. You want to let lenders compete over your business. To see our list of these types of recommended mortgage lenders, visit: Recommended Home Mortgage Lenders

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website with articles and the latest news about various types of loans.