The best way to save money on your home loan is to get the interest rate reduced. Cutting the interest rate by even a quarter point can save tens of thousands of dollars in interest payments over the life of the loan. Unfortunately, lenders are very resistant to cutting interest rates. The only bullet you really have in your arsenal is to bluntly state that you will take your business elsewhere if they do not cut the rates. Since the real estate market is cooling off, lenders are becoming more receptive to these suggestions since they no longer have loans just pouring through the doors. If the market heats back up, you can forget about the viability of this position.
If you are going to try to get the interest rate knocked down, information is your friend. You will have far more success if you can show the lender a better interest rate being offered by another lender. Look for marketing pieces by other lenders on the same or similar loans.
There is really only one definite way to cut down the interest rate on the loan. It has to do with points. If you have a pool of cash at the time of application, you can attempt to buy down the interest rate by paying more points at the outset. While lenders are receptive to this approach, most people do not have large piles of cash lying around. Scraping enough together for the down payment is usually a sufficient problem. Still, there are other ways to save money on your mortgage.
If a lender is charging you points on your home loan, they are highly negotiable. Lenders view points in a more flexible manner. The higher the value of the home you purchase, the more a reduction in points can save you money. If nothing else, you have nothing to lose by asking for a quarter or half point reduction.
Cutting the best deal possible at the time you apply for a mortgage is critical. Even small concessions by the lender can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.
