http://www.shoprate.com/ Mortgage rates made easy http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/why-is-title-insurance-so-expensive.html Dear Liz, I would like to refinance my mortgage but I was shocked when I got a Good Faith Estimate from a lender. Is it my imagination or are the costs a lot more than they were when I bought my home? Roger, Ala [...] http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/does-a-mortgage-rate-buydown-or-paying-points-give-you-the-best-mortgage-rate.html   Dear Liz, I want to refinance and I want the lowest mortgage rate possible. I thought that was called "buying down" my mortgage rate. But I looked that up online and there is all this stuff about [...] http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/how-much-do-mortgage-brokers-and-loan-officers-earn.html Dear Liz, I am shopping for a mortgage as you advise and gettng mortgage quotes. In my quest for the best mortgage rates in California I noticed that interest rates and costs vary quite widely. Can you [...] http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/mortgage-refinance-when-is-a-15-year-loan-the-right-choice.html Dear Lorraine, You are right; you can save a lot of money by refinancing to a 15-year home loan, and yes, the payment is generally higher. Here's what you need to ask yourself before deciding to refinance: [...] http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/can-co-signing-for-my-kids-mortgage-keep-me-from-getting-one-myself.html What are you agreeing to when you co-sign on a mortgage loan application? Co-signers are used to bolster marginal applications for home loans--for example, if the applicant doesn't have a long employmen [...] http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/do-i-have-to-refinance-property-that-i-have-inherited.html Ordinarily, a lender can call in a loan (make the entire balance due and payable) if payments are not made or the property changes hands (for example when it is sold). If the current mortgage is an FHA lo [...] http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/why-does-my-mortgage-take-so-long-to-close.html Dear Liz, I'm trying to refinance my mortgage. It seems to be taking forever, and I'm worried that my interest rate lock will expire before I can close my loan. What gives? Clark, Arizona [...] http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/is-cash-on-hand-acceptable-for-the-down-payment.html Dear Liz, I have a large amount of cash that I plan to use as a down payment on a home purchase. With current mortgage rates as low as they are, I'd rather not have to put it in a bank account and let it sit for months [...] http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/can-energy-improvements-keep-me-from-refinancing-my-home.html Dear Liz, Current mortgage rates in California have dropped very low and I want to refinance my property. I have excellent credit and there is still quite a bit of equity in my home. But when I went to my local bank, I was to [...] http://www.shoprate.com/ask-the-expert/using-the-2010-good-faith-estimate-to-get-the-best-mortgage-rates.html Dear Liz, I am shopping for a mortgage for the first time in many years. I understand that many things have changed recently, and that the standard mortgage disclosure forms are different. I even heard that they are supposed [...]