Ask Kate!
How To Lock A Mortgage Rate

by Laura
(Alexandria, VA, USA)

My mortgage question...I am searching for a home and have not yet found one to put in an offer. I have seen the rates go up and down the last two months and wonder when could I lock in a rate?

Do I have to have a contract offer in order to get and lock a rate?

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The First Step To Locking...Know What To Ask

Dear Laura,

Locking an interest rate, what a great mortgage question! It certainly makes sense to me that home buyers want the security of a mortgage rate lock while they are house shopping....a lock while you shop program, especially to get the best mortgage rate while they are so low.

Interest rates are not predictable so don't miss my mortgage rate lock guarantee I gave to my each of my clients before I retired.

Working at different mortgage companies and especially as a mortgage broker, I never stopped being amazed at the different spins lenders put on locking a mortgage rate. So to answer your question...it is very important to ask each lender how they treat a mortgage rate lock.

My friend Robin discovered a little too late that there was a better way to choose a lender. It wasn't her fault. They don't teach this stuff in school.

So, I'm sharing this secret that I learned from 20 years in mortgage lending with you. "Knowing what to ask is the first step to getting it."

Here are questions to ask for low mortgage payments, mortgage rate locks, and more! Qualify your lender before your lender qualifies you!

Happy home shopping.

Best wishes and good luck,
Kate

P.S. Go to my Best Mortgage Rate Blog, an entertaining source of mortgage information. Subscribe now to the RSS feed.

The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for financial, real estate or legal advice. You should consult an attorney, accountant, lender or real estate agent, as applicable, for advice regarding your individual situation.