Mortgage Rates and Mortgage Brokers
To understand the function of a mortgage broker, a key component of understanding how they operate is to understand how the mortgage broker sets their mortgage rates.
A mortgage broker is predominantly a credit facilitator. Their job is to obtain the customer, which is the home loan borrower, process the loan request which entails verifying the borrowers employment as well as their assets and credit, submit the loan to a wholesale lender and upon loan approval, coordinate the loan closing.
Mortgage brokers may offer the lowest mortgage rates in the local market or they be the highest or just somewhere in between. Since mortgage broker is technically a facilitator of credit, the mortgage loan is funded by a wholesale mortgage lender or bank. Mortgage wholesale lenders fund the loans for the broker and provide the price at which they will fund the loans.
During the peak boom in mortgage originations, most all of the major banks in the U.S. engaged in wholesale mortgage lending or obtaining mortgage loans from brokers. Citibank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, US Bank, National City Bank, Chase Bank and HSBC all had wholesale lending divisions which acquired home loans from brokers.
The mortgage rate and any discount points determine the price the wholesale lender will pay for the loan. The mortgage broker makes their money on any extra fees and the increase in rate or points over that paid by the wholesale lender. As an example, if the wholesale lender offers to pay the mortgage broker a mortgage rate of 5.25% and 1 point for a standard $200,000.00 mortgage loan and the broker in turn offers the customer a mortgage rate of 5.25% and 2 points, the mortgage broker makes the 1 point. 1 point represents 1% of the loan amount. The broker could offer the customer 5.75% and 1 point and make their income based on the difference between the 5.25% and 5.75%, as well.
When the amount of money the mortgage broker makes is based upon the difference between the wholesale mortgage rate and the rate to the borrower, this difference is referred to as a yield spread premium.
The mortgage rates established by the mortgage lender will be influenced by the type of loan, the size of the loan and how long the loan is locked for. Different loan types such as adjustable rate mortgages or FHA mortgages have different rates. Since most of the income derived form mortgage originating is based on a percentage of the loan amount, it is not uncommon to see minor difference sin rates base on loan size. And finally, longer loan lock costs more money since the mortgage lender has to honor that rate regardless of what happens to interest rates and mortgage rates in the market during the time of the loan lock and loan closing.
As a real life example of how this functions, the following is a rate from a wholesale mortgage lender in the U.S that funds loans for mortgage brokers and also engages in retail mortgages or loan that are direct to the consumer. The mortgage lender’s name will not be mentioned.
For a 30 year loan, this mortgage lender offers brokers a mortgage rate of 5.00% on a 30 day loan lock at a price of 101.509. This price means the mortgage broker that delivers to the lender on that 30 day lock at 5.00% will be paid 1.509% of the loan amount as a fee or yield spread premium.
That same wholesale lender offers a mortgage rate of 4.625% on 30 day lock at price of 99.253. This means the mortgage lender needs to be paid .747 points to obtain that rate. This can be accomplished if the mortgage broker closed the loan with the borrower at a rate of 4.625% and 2 points. 0.747 points would go the wholesale lender and 1.253 points would be kept by the mortgage broker. This kind of pricing is similar to bond pricing, in which 100 represents the par rate, over 100 is a premium and under 100 is a discount where each point represents 1% of the loan amount.
The longer the loan lock the higher the cost of the home loans. In this example, that same mortgage lender offers the 5.00% rate at 101.022 for a 6o day lock. Since it costs more for a longer lock, the broker makes 1.509% on the 30 day lock and only 1.022% on the 60 day lock. It is a fair assumption that shorter lock makes more money. In this case, the mortgage lender in fact offers a price of 101.696 on a 15 day lock, which is a slightly higher fee for the mortgage broker than the 30 day lock.
Here is what the rate sheet would like to the mortgage broker with the mortgage rate, lock period and price paid:
Rate 15 Day Lock 30 Day Lock 45 Day Lock 60 Day Lock
4.625 99.455 99.253 99.005 98.765
4.750 100.450 100.253 100.000 99.764
4.875 101.188 100.997 100.738 100.509
4.990 101.530 101.343 101.080 100.856
5.000 101.696 101.509 101.246 101.022
5.125 102.122 101.940 101.672 101.453
5.250 103.119 102.943 102.669 102.456
5.375 103.798 103.628 103.348 103.141
Now, to make this fun. Since this example involves a mortgage lender that offers retail services, we can compare the current mortgage rate offered on their website to any old home borrower to those rates they offer mortgage brokers. ( the wholesale rate sheet is not available to consumers and therefore this comparison is available for those in the mortgage business that have access to wholesale mortgage lender rate sheets )
On the mortgage lenders website, this bank is currently offering a 30 year fixed rate loan on a 30 day lock with a mortgage rate of 4.875% and 0.488 points. The same loan can be had at a rate of 4.750% and 1.323 points or 4.990% and 0.142 points per the website on a home loan in Illinois for $200,000.00.
It has been some months since we have reviewed the mortgage broker / retail lender pricing and I must say that the rates to the mortgage brokers look fairly aggressive. If I apply for a mortgage loan with this lender, the 4.99% rate will cost me 0.142 points and whatever other closing costs they have at closing, the mortgage broker can offer a 4.99% rate to me as well and get paid 1.343 points from the lender and make another 0.142 points if they charged the same points that the retail division of that lender charges. That is a total of 1.485 points on the home loan. If the loan amount is $200,000.00 that equates to a payment to the mortgage broker of $2,970.00. Not bad income for originating one loan. Of course, the mortgage broker will have cost for processing the borrowers loan request as well as fixed costs and marketing costs to finds the customers.
Tips for a Fast Home Loan Approval
As a potential home loan customer, everyone wants to search and find the best mortgage deal and the best mortgage rate that they can. It seems everyone in the market for a new home loan is looking for the best mortgage rate for the lowest costs on a loan they can have right away without delay. For some prospective borrowers that find a mortgage lender or mortgage broker that is well respected and skilled, it is likely they will not have any problems in your search.
Sometimes, however, choosing the best mortgage lender doesn’t always equal a deal that is done the most swiftly. Mortgage loans that are not completed in a timely manner may unfortunately result in higher costs. Delays may bring higher costs due to a purchase not closing on time, higher costs to pay for additional services to complete the home loan transaction or higher costs due to the expiration of a mortgage loan lock that results in a higher mortgage rate.
If your home loan is supposed to close within 30 days but it winds up taking longer you may have to pay a higher interest rate because of the delay or worse experience a lost opportunity because you didn’t get the funding in time.
It is important to be able to evaluate the services of your mortgage lender or broker so you know what the home loan approval process entails with that mortgage lender so the loan closes in a timely fashion without extra costs and headaches. The first task should be to have some knowledge about the mortgage loan process as a whole. Knowing the different steps in the mortgage process will help avoid delays and unnecessary halts in the loan process and closing.
The first part of this process is the mortgage loan application and the submission of supporting documents. If the mortgage application process is not done right, the mortgage loan approval process gets off to a rocky start that will often lead to problems and delays.
It is in your best interest to make sure that your mortgage lender or broker has all of your personal information that is needed, and that the information is accurate and correct. Often a delay can be because of simple errors that are easily avoided.
This errors may slip by because the borrower did have the accurate information to complete the loan application or supply the necessary supporting documents or the error may occur because the home loan borrower did not think it was necessary to fill in all the details on the mortgage loan application or the loan officer was more interested in getting the loan application into processing rather than making sure it was completed properly. Whatever the reason, a simple rule is that the more information there the easy the process becomes.
When you complete a mortgage loan application it is important to make sure you fill out the application completely. The mortgage loan application details, among other things, your income, assets, and a description of the home you plan to buy or refinance. The application and the supporting documents is the most important step in the home loan approval process. This is where the information is garnered to calculate income, credit and debts outstanding. A well documented application helps avoid errors and improves the speed at which the data can be verified.
The process of completing and submitting the home loan application requires documents such as W-2’s and tax returns for the last two years, pay stubs covering a 30 day period, bank statements for the last two months, the purchase contract or a mortgage statement of the mortgage loan is for a refinance. Recent credit card account statements may also be routinely required.
Here are Some Easy Steps to Submit a Complete Mortgage Loan Application:
Double check that there are no spaces or blanks left on your mortgage application before you sign.
Make sure that when you sign the agreed terms spelled out in writing are what you are expecting, and do not be afraid or be shy about asking questions before you sign.
Anything you do not understand, don’t hesitate to question your mortgage lender before you sign. If there is a delay it won’t be because you didn’t understand what the process was.
Make sure you keep copies of all the documents and important papers and have them handy to produce if required.
Make sure you have given the data requested. Stress this point with the mortgage lending institution. If you give them everything they requested, the ball is firmly in their court to close the loan.
Make sure you understand all of the mortgage loan features, what they mean, and what may be available for other home loan programs. This includes the bottom line for what you are responsible to pay. As simple as this sounds, it avoids confusion and unwanted surprises.
Before submitting a mortgage loan application, search and find the mortgage lender that will give you the best service, and offer the best quotes for a low mortgage rate on your home loan. Once you find your mortgage lender, do not hesitate to give them all the financial details they need. Give them details on assets, your income, your debt situation, and your job history. After giving your mortgage lender all the information you have to give, follow up with them frequently, and make yourself accessible should they have questions and don’t be intimidated, do your research and remember this is your request; you can control many aspects of the process.
Mortgages and Yield Spread Premiums
Abusive lending practices and an uproar over deceptive sales practices in the mortgage industry often focuses on unscrupulous tactics regarding mortgage rates and closing costs that are exploited by loan officers and mortgage lenders. One such aspect of mortgage lending deceit involves the disclosure of the yield spread premium on the good faith estimate and settlement statement for a home loan.
The issue was addressed once again when the Federal Reserve Board (the Fed) adopted a number of new rules that involve certain prohibitions regarding good faith estimates regarding mortgage rates and closing costs and for mortgages made on or after October 1, 2009.
These new rules which are a combination of the rules adopted by the Fed and others from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ensure that consumers receive mortgage loan good faith estimates of the costs of a mortgage earlier in the mortgage application process and that the disclosures better explain the costs of the home loan and terms of the loan. The disclosures will cover areas such as the potential for monthly mortgage payments to rise, any prepayment penalty the mortgage loan may have for paying off the loan early, and any fees that may be paid by the mortgage lender to a mortgage broker for originating or bringing in the loan business. This last aspect is what the industry refers to as the yield spread premium.
Yield spread premium disclosures apply mostly to mortgage brokers but in certain cases it may also be a requirement for mortgage lenders or correspondent lenders as well.
A yield spread premium (YSP) is a payment the mortgage broker may receive from a mortgage lender when they sell or deliver the mortgage loan to the lender. A mortgage broker’s job is to facilitate the origination and processing of a mortgage loan. The mortgage broker may close the home loan in their name but ultimately the loan is funded by a mortgage lender. The mortgage lender pays the broker the difference in the mortgage rate and points that are required by the mortgage lender to fund or purchase the loan and the mortgage rate and points charged to the home loan borrower by the mortgage broker.
Technically, the yield spread premium is the dollar value of the difference between the lowest interest rate a wholesale mortgage lender would have accepted for a given mortgage loan transaction and the mortgage rate a mortgage broker induces or sells the borrower to agree upon. The greater the spread between the two mortgage rates, the higher the yield spread premium payment to the broker.
As an example, if a mortgage broker handles a borrowers request for a home loan with a rate of 5.5% and two points and the mortgage lender agrees to fund that same loan at a mortgage rate of 5.5% and 1 point, the difference between the two points charged and the one point the mortgage lender takes to fund the loan has is the brokers compensation or profit. Often the difference involves the mortgage rate and/or the points charged.
When the mortgage rate quoted by the mortgage broker is higher than the mortgage rate agreed to be the mortgage lender, the difference is the compensation to the broker which is referred to as the yield spread premium. The spread between the two mortgage rates, the rate charged the borrower and the rate the mortgage lender will agree to buy or fund the loan at, is paid as a percentage of the loan amount to the broker. If the mortgage broker quotes a very high mortgage rate of 6.50% and the mortgage lender is willing to fund or buy that same loan with a rate of just 5.00%, the yield spread premium would be very high. That is an extreme example that would not often be done. However, yield spread premiums are often a considerable amount of the mortgage broker’s income.
Many critics of the mortgage industry have charged that yield spread premiums amount to kickbacks that give brokers and other loan originators financial incentives to steer consumers to higher rate home loans. Clearly the federal government believes there are abuses with yield spread premiums as evidenced by the new disclosure rules and in fact, the issue of abuse in yield spread premiums and proper mortgage rate and cost disclosures is a topic visited by the federal regulatory agencies as well as state regulatory agencies in the mortgage lending industry regularly.
Tips for Avoiding Mortgage Fraud
Mortgage fraud continues to be a major problem for banks, mortgage lenders and consumers. Mortgage fraud is action that is not only investigated by local law enforcement but will be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well. In fact, engaging in mortgage fraud can be punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison or $1,000,000 fine, or both. Mortgage fraud scams impact banks and mortgage lenders with loans that default as well the real estate profession, the economy and a significant number of individual homeowners.
Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the FBI recently commented in a press release that, “We will not stand by while real estate professionals and others exploit the financial system for their personal gain. Mortgage fraud – and the foreclosures and boarded up houses that often follow from it – has a real and significant effect on neighborhoods and property values. The FBI is working tirelessly in every part of the country to protect communities and financial institutions from the effects of mortgage fraud.”
For those consumers that are buying a new home, refinancing an existing mortgage, or searching for help to reduce their home loan debt and other debts, they could be a target of mortgage fraud by individuals and mortgage professionals.
Mortgage fraud is defined as a material misstatement, misrepresentation, or omissions relied upon by an underwriter or lender to fund, purchase, or insure a loan. The FBI puts out notices that remind individuals that it is illegal for a person to make any false statement regarding income, assets, debt, or matters of identification, or to willfully overvalue any land or property, in a loan and credit application for the purpose of influencing in any way the action of a financial institution.
There are two general types of mortgage fraud, fraud used to acquire property and fraud used purely for profit. Mortgage fraud that is used to purchase a home or acquire property usually involves a borrower who is committing fraud on a single home loan transaction. Often, the individual committing fraud is buying the property to occupy it and fully intends to repay the home loan. Though the intentions may not sound bad, the borrower makes misrepresentations about their income or their debts, the value of the home or falsifies data about the down payment. At times mortgage and real estate professionals are involved in assisting the home loan borrower so that they qualify for the mortgage and can purchase or refinance the home.
Fraud that is committed for the motive of turning a profit will involve mortgage or real estate industry professionals. These cases of mortgage fraud generally involve several home loans and can often be for millions of dollars. Mortgage fraud cases with professionals can be much more complex and involve issues as wide spread and complicated as having straw buyers which involves a borrower that assumes the identity of another person, property value that are fraudulently inflated, scam down payments that do not exist or are borrowed and disguised as the borrowers own funds, as well as flagrant misrepresentations including: overstating income, overstating assets, overstating collateral, fictitious employment and other related untrue facts and figures.
Some tips for recognizing and avoiding being part of a mortgage fraud transaction include:
Make sure to read and understand everything you are signing. Speak to another mortgage professional or an attorney if you need something explained. Don’t sign anything you don’t understand at anytime in the purchase, mortgage application or closing process.
Do not sign any home loan documents that contain inaccurate information, such as inflated or inaccurate income, sources of the down payment, incorrect sales price, type and length of your employment, your intent to occupy the property as your primary residence, existing debts, etc.
Don’t sign any mortgage loan documents with information left blank. Blank spaces can be filled in later by other parties to the transaction yet still has your original signature.
Know and understand the terms of the home mortgage. Check your information against the information in the home loan documents to ensure they are accurate and complete.
Do not agree to a price above your asking price. If there are any unusual circumstances regarding the purchase price, take a second look at the transaction and ask for assistance if the arrangement seems unusual. This may be particularly important if you are asked to refund the difference after the closing or if the extra money is to be used for repairs or improvements that you know are unnecessary.
Do not let someone else use your name or social security number to buy a property, especially if he or she offers to pay you for using it.
Deal directly with the mortgage lender or the mortgage broker. Do not let a third party arrange your mortgage loan.
Make sure to get a complete set of the mortgage loan and related closing documents at the time of settlement.
Review the title history to determine if the property has been sold multiple times within a short period. It could mean that this property has been flipped or bought and sold recently and the value can possibly be falsely inflated.
It is always sound advice to get referrals for real estate and mortgage professionals before filling out the mortgage loan application or signing a contract. Check the licenses of the real estate professionals and mortgage lenders involved in the transaction with the local licensing authorities.
Shopping and comparing mortgage loans and mortgage rates involves some work, don’t skimp on the process since the long term costs of a mistake can be significant.