Getting a Low Interest Rate

When you are offered a "rate lock" from your lender, it means that you are guaranteed to keep a specific interest rate over a determined period while you are working on your application process. This means that your interest rate will not get any higher while you are working through this application phase. Rate locks can vary in length, between 15-60 days, with the longer time periods usually costing more. You can get a longer period for your rate lock, but in making this choice, you will probably have a higher interest rate than you would have with a shorter rate lock period.

In addition to going with a shorter rate lock period, there are several ways that you can attain the best mortgage interest rate. The bigger downpayment you pay, the better your rate will be, since you will have more equity from the beginning. A borrower can opt to pay points to improve an interest rate for the term of the loan, which means you will have to pay more initially.  Joe Costa from San Diego's Park Place Financial Group educates his clients on this strategy and is a good option for certain borrowers to pay points up front to improve the interest rate over the life of the loan. You will pay more initally but you will come out ahead in the end.