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Mortgage Broker vs. Loan Officer: What's the Difference?

Very often, homebuyers do not understand the difference between a mortgage broker and a loan officer. A loan officer works directly for a lender while a broker is an independent party that does not work for anyone. In this way a broker can seek out loans from many different parties.
What is a Loan Officer?
A loan officer works directly for a bank or other lender; therefore a loan officer often considers the best interest of their employer, not the homebuyer. A loan officer is not required to have a license to work in the mortgage industry.
What is a Mortgage Broker?
A mortgage... more

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Mortgages

In addition to mortgage loans for home purchases, there are also other loans available for various purposes that use the home for collateral.

Rates

Mortgage interest rates are determined by credit history strength, the number of points you pay, the size of your down payment and the type of loan program you choose.

Home Buying

Obtaining funding is crucial to buying a home. This requires applying for a mortgage, choosing a house that meets the appraisal standards, and determining the amount of the down payment.

Loans

There are dozens of different types of mortgage loan programs. They have been created to suit the varying needs of homebuyers.

Moving

When making a big move, it's essential to find out as much as possible about the schools, the neighborhoods, the housing costs and the community resources.

MORE MORTGAGE ARTICLES

The Best Time to Buy Mortgage Points

Mortgage points are offered by lenders and are added into the closing costs of a loan. A mortgage point equals one percent of the total mortgage balance. Depending on the loan, you may have the option of buying a few mortgage points. While you can almost always buy them if you want to, it is not always in your best interest to do so. more

Selecting a Construction Loan Lender: 3 Tips

Choosing the right construction loan lender can help you a great deal in the process of building your house. Building a house is exciting. However, the problems that come with selecting a bad construction loan lender can negate some of that joy and excitement. Here are a few tips to select the right construction loan lender for your project. more

Can Bankruptcy Stop Foreclosure?

A common question for many homeowners in financial peril is can bankruptcy stop foreclosure? There are two main types of bankruptcy, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. The Chapter 13 bankruptcy was originally created to stop foreclosure. In the event the date of the bankruptcy case is filed before the date of the foreclosure, the bankruptcy will prevent the foreclosure sale from taking place. more

The Mortgage101 Blog

FROM THE MORTGAGE101 BLOG

Fed Official Predicts Housing Market to Stay Near the Bottom in 2010

If you were hoping for a dramatic recovery of the U.S. housing market this year, you might be in for a disappointment, according to statements from a Federal Reserve official. “I don’t think we will see any further deterioration in 2010, but you probably won’t see a lot of rapid improvement either. You’ll just hang around... more