The first part of getting your mortgage is to understand the difference between a fixed rate and a variable rate mortgage. A fixed rate mortgage means that your interest will remain constant over the life of the loan and your monthly mortgage payment will also remain the same. A variable rate mortgage will change depending on the current interest rates. You will usually get a low interest rate for a fixed period of time and the interest rate will then be adjusted on a yearly basis according to current market conditions.

When interest rates are low and you are planning to stay in your home for a long period of time, it is a good idea to get a fixed rate mortgage. If interest rates are high or you are planning to stay in your home a short period of time you may want to consider a variable rate mortgage. No matter what type of mortgage you are planning the most important thing you can do is lock in you mortgage rate.

Locking your mortgage rate guarantees you will receive the interest rate you locked even if the mortgage rates increase. When you lock your mortgage rate make sure to get it in writing so there is no confusion later on. If the lender won’t put it on paper you should find a new lender.

When you lock your interest rate it will usually last one or two months. In some cases you can pay to have the locked interest rate for a longer period of time. You can think of it as taking out insurance on your mortgage rate.