There are going to be many factors which affect your mortgage rate, some of which are under your control and others which you can do nothing about. You should be aware of all of the factors which might affect your mortgage rate and take them into consideration before applying for a mortgage loan. You can take steps to improve some of the factors which affect your mortgage rate and make decisions about when is best to apply based on basic knowledge about your mortgage.

What is a mortgage?

Most people understand the basic definition that the mortgage is a loan which is used to purchase a home. There is slightly more to the mortgage than this. The mortgage is a loan which uses the property itself as collateral. If you fail to make the payments on your mortgage, the property may be taken over by the lending institution who has given you the mortgage.

You want the best mortgage rates

The mortgage is a long-life loan meaning that it is not going to be fully repaid for many, many years. A standard home mortgage is often a fifteen or twenty year loan. This means that you want the best mortgage rate possible because you are going to be needing to pay this rate for a long, long time.

Factors affecting mortgage rates

Major factors affecting mortgage rates include:
- Amount of down payment on mortgage
- Consideration of closing costs
- Income of mortgage borrower
- Life of mortgage loan
- Life of mortgage rate
- Total mortgage loan amount
- Whether or not the mortgage rate is adjustable

Factors making up a desirable mortgage rate

The basic premise of the desirable mortgage rate is that it is within your budget, has a low interest rate and is paid back as quickly as possible. How all of this plays out in terms of each individual mortgage depends upon the independent factors of each borrower. For example, you might prefer a fifteen-year mortgage loan to one that is paid over thirty years. This will allow you to save money over time because you pay less in interest. However, if you can not afford the higher monthly payments and you default on the mortgage loan, you have not helped yourself out any.

Negotiating a desirable mortgage rate

The simplest method of achieving a desirable mortgage rate is to work with a mortgage broker. You will have to pay up front fees to the mortgage broker, usually at the time when all of the closing costs are paid on the home purchase, but you will save money and time in the long run. The mortgage broker plays the role of assessing your personal financial situation and working with lending institutions to negotiate the best possible mortgage rate for your situation. The mortgage broker has experience with all of the factors and terms used in the mortgage loan negotiation and can use this expertise to your benefit.

Repayment of the mortgage loan

When you are working out a plan of repayment for the mortgage loan, you should look at the amount of money available for down payment, the amount you can reasonably pay on the loan each month, the grace period of any adjustable mortgage loan interest rates and any fees owed for early repayment of the mortgage. Working with the mortgage broker, you should be able to develop a repayment plan for your mortgage which allows you to purchase and remain in your home through the life of the loan.