What Are Mortgage Points And How Do They Work

How Mortgage Points Affect Apr

Banks will sometimes use a mortgage shopping tool known as APR to make a loan with discount points look more attractive than it really is.

APR, which stands for Annual Percentage Rate, is a calculation that shows the long-term cost of holding a mortgage.

But APR also assumes youll hold your loan for 30 years and pay off the total loan amount on schedule. Very often, you will not, which nullifies the APR math.

This is why its important to remember that your APR is not your mortgage rate.

Comparing loan estimates using the lowest APR method is rarely a good plan. It uses discount points against you.If youre not clear how much youll pay to borrow, ask your loan officer to walk you through your Loan Estimate or a truth-in-lending disclaimer.

Do I Need Mortgage Points

Buying points can be valuable when your seller has offered to pay a certain amount of your closing costs. Talk to your lender about how many discount points you could buy while sticking fairly close to the amount of closing costs the seller is willing to pay. You also can buy partial discount points, if that works better for your circumstances.

What Are Mortgage Points And Should You Buy Them

Mortgage points can be helpful for home buyers. But should you buy it? Is it a smart move? Read this article to learn more

Because buying a house will likely be one of the largest purchases in your life, it is understandable that you will want to save money where possible. Beyond finding your dream home, negotiating the best price, and pursuing the best mortgage rates, there is another approach: buying mortgage points.

as part of our client education series, we invite our regular mortgage professional readers to pass this along to who have questions about mortgage points. In addition, if you have a professional opinion to add, please use our comment section at the bottom.

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Founded in 1976, Bankrate has a long track record of helping people make smart financial choices. Weve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next.

Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that were putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts, who ensure everything we publish is objective, accurate and trustworthy.

Our mortgage reporters and editors focus on the points consumers care about most the latest rates, the best lenders, navigating the homebuying process, refinancing your mortgage and more so you can feel confident when you make decisions as a homebuyer and a homeowner.

Mortgage Points Can Save You Money On Interest

The best thing about mortgage points is that they reduce the cost of your loan. You can take advantage of that benefit either by reducing your mortgage payment or putting the savings toward your principal balance and paying your loan off early.

The mortgage points calculators found on various lenders websites show you how that plays out in real terms. For example, a $200,000 loan with two points that reduce the interest rate from 4% to 3.5% would cost you an additional $4,000 at closing but save you $16,427 over the life of the loan, according to the calculator on the Chase website.

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Definition And Example Of Mortgage Points

Mortgage points are a way to prepay interest on your mortgage loan in exchange for a reduction in your interest rate. Following the upfront cost, you receive a lower interest in exchange, and therefore pay less over time.

Mortgage points are calculated in relation to the loan amount, and one point will generally cost 1% of the total loan amount. So, for example, it would be $2,000 per discount point on a $200,000 mortgage. The lender reduces your interest rate in exchange, often by a quarter or so of a percent per point, although it can vary.

• Alternate name: Discount points, points

Lets say that you’re offered a $200,000 mortgage at 5% interest for 30 years. You know that you can reduce your mortgage rate to 4.5% by buying two discount points at closing for $4,000. This reduction will save you more than $4,000 in interest costs over the life of the loan, so you decide to buy those points. When deciding whether or not to purchase discount points, it is important to consider whether you’re likely to refinance at some point in the future, and whether you want to live in the house for a long time.

How Many Points Can You Buy On A Mortgage

Points typically cost 1% of the loan amount. If you are borrowing $250,000 to buy a home, one point would cost you $2,500. You may buy fractions of a point, such as half a point for $1,250 or 1.5 points for $3,750. Each point that you buy reduces the interest rate by a set amount.

No specific limit applies to the number of points you may buy, but both federal and Texas laws might limit the total amount that a lender may charge you for closing costs. Too many points would push your closing costs over that limit. Different rules apply to different types of loans, such as purchase-money mortgages, cash-out refinance loans, or home equity loans. A mortgage professional can discuss whether any limits apply to the type of mortgage loan that you need.

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Pay Attention To The Numbers

Because youâre paying more up front, the reduced interest rate will only save you money over the long term. The longer you plan to own your new home, the better the chance that youâll reach the âbreak-evenâ point where the interest you’ve saved compensates for your initial cash outlay. If you have a shorter-term plan, have limited cash, or would benefit more from a bigger down payment, paying points may not benefit you.

Your mortgage loan officer can help you decide whether paying points is an option for you.

Mortgage Points: The Bottom Line

Homebuyers can lower their interest rate and pay less each month and over the life of their loan through mortgage points. Even so, buyers who plan to relocate or refinance soon should restrategize since they may not have enough time to break even and start saving.

Bear in mind that points also raise closing expenses. As such, if youre a home buyer paying points, be ready for the increased upfront fees. All in all, as long as a borrower has cash on hand, paying points can be a good method to save money if they plan on staying on their property for a long time.

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Dont Lose Sight Of Your Total Closing Costs

The backdrop of rising interest rates and a slowdown in the housing market means some lenders may become more competitive with various types of mortgages and mortgage points. Youre likely to see more variation in ratesand some lenders are scrambling for business by getting more aggressive on the rates they advertise, even though many home owners wont qualify for the lowest rates, Knoell cautions.

Thats why its important to make sure you fully understand the mortgage rate, the associated terms and closing costs. Closing costs can range from about 3% to 6% of the total home loan, meaning $12,000 to $24,000 on a $400,000 home, and also vary by location.

When youre pricing the mortgage, you need to look at the total cost, Cecala says, adding that some lenders cover the cost of things like documentation prep fees which can add up to several thousand dollars. That goes into your equation about whether it makes sense to buy a discount point.

Whether youre considering buying points or debating between various mortgage terms, its important to be a well-informed borrower, Knoell says. That way you can weigh the pros and cons of the various options. Its your home and your mortgage, he adds. Whats the best financial decision for your personal situation?

Finding Your Break Even Point

Home finance experts call this period of time needed to recover your upfront cost the break even point.

Every mortgage loan will have its own break even point for buying points.

If you plan to stay in your home beyond the break even point and this is key! if you dont think youll refinance before the break even hits, paying points may be a good idea.

The longer you stay in the home beyond the break even point, the more youll save because the interest rate reduction continues generating monthly savings as long as you have the loan.

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Should I Buy Mortgage Points

Maybe. If you can afford to pay for the points upfront and intend to keep the home for several years, then you should buy mortgage points. Ideally, you want to at least break after buying points.

As an example, lets consider a $400,000 loan financed for 30 years at a 5 percent interest rate. If you dont purchase points, your monthly payment would be about $2,147 per month. If you bought 2 points, it would cost you around $8,000 and lower your interest rate to 4.5 percent. You would pay $2,026 per month . You would need to own the home for at least 49 months to break even, and you could potentially save more than $43,000 in interest over the life of your loan.

In this example, youd want to own the home for at least four years to break even. To begin saving money, you should be in the home longer.

This calculation assumes you can pay for the points upfront and dont roll them into your loan cost. If you financed these same points, you would need to live in the property for 119 months to break even. You can use a mortgage calculator specifically for points to help you decide if purchasing points is the right decision for you.

Other Ways To Lower Your Mortgage Rate

Paying for mortgage points isnt the only way to lower your mortgage rateand may not be a viable option if you dont plan to stay in your home long enough to reap the savings. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage recently reached the highest level in more than 13 years, based on Freddie Mac figures, so you may want to consider other mortgage options.

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Tips For Buying A Home

• Buying a home is no small feat, so it can be helpful to work with a financial advisor to figure out your finances beforehand. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
• Before you fall in love with your dream home, figure out what prices are actually within your budget. To help you out, check out SmartAssets how much home can I afford calculator. All you need to know is where youre looking for homes, your marital status, your annual income, your current debt and your credit score.
• SmartAssets no-cost closing cost calculator will help you understand your total closing costs and amount needed at settlement.

How Do Mortgage Points Work

One mortgage point will typically cost 1% of your loan amount and lower your interest rate by about 0.25%. If you were to take on a $200,000 loan, for example, one mortgage point would cost $2,000 and land you a 0.25% discount on your interest rate, while two mortgage points would cost $4,000 and lower your interest rate by 0.5%.

The cost for each mortgage point depends entirely on your loan amount in other words, the larger your home loan is, the more you’ll need to pay for each one. Keep that in mind for budgeting reasons when it’s time to figure out how much money you’ll need to pay upfront to buy your home.

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Which Is Better Banks Vs Online Mortgage Lenders

Negative mortgage points, also known as lender credits, are the reversal of points, where you minimize your closing costs by increasing your loans interest rate. Using the previous example, if you obtain a $4,000 lender credit or a negative 1 point on a $400,000 mortgage, youll get 1% of the loan amount to assist cover closing expenses.

In comparison to a loan with no lender credits, youll also be charged a greater interest rate. This implies youll pay more interest overall and a greater monthly mortgage payment.

When Are Discount Points A Waste Of Money

Selling your home or refinancing the mortgage before its breakeven point can make discount points a waste of money. In this case, youd do better to put the money toward your down payment to increase your home equity.

According to Freddie Mac, the typical 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loan carries between 0.5 and 0.7 discount points. Adjustable-rate mortgages tend to carry fewer points because ARM homebuyers intend to sell or refinance sooner. Points pay off only if you keep the loan long enough to realize savings from the reduced interest rate.

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Dont Confuse Discount Points With Origination Points

There is another type of point that lenders may refer to when discussing your closing costs. These are origination points, and they have nothing to do with lowering your interest rate. Heres what you need to know about origination points:

• Origination points are fees that go directly to the lender to pay them for structuring and processing your loan application.
• They are typically 0.5% to 1% of the total loan amount.
• You should be told about these fees in advance. If they are sprung at you last minute, like on the day of closing, somethings fishy.
• Unlike discount points, there is no tax-deduction for origination points.

Are Mortgage Discount Points Worth It

Discount points can save you money if you stay in the home loan long enough to make them worthwhile.

The following example will show the impact of discount points on the monthly payments for a $300,000 home loan financed over 30 years:

Payment estimates do not include real estate property taxes or homeowners insurance. They include mortgage principal and interest only.

In the above example, the mortgage applicant saves $42 a month by spending $3,000 on discount points upfront.

To reclaim the full $3,000 cost of the point, the homebuyer would need to make 72 regular monthly payments. That would take six years of making the loans regularly scheduled payments.

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Should You Buy Mortgage Points

You should buy mortgage points if you have the resources to pay for them and plan to stay in your home long enough to recoup them. There are a few other situations where it may make sense to pay points for a mortgage:

The seller has agreed to pay your closing costs. Some loan programs allow a seller to pay a percentage of your sales price toward your closing costs, which is commonly called a seller concession. If youre able to negotiate this into your purchase agreement, it may be worth it to use the sellers money to buy a lower interest rate. The table below gives you a snapshot of the maximum percentage of your purchase price the seller is allowed to pay on your behalf:

• You may be able to deduct the cost of mortgage points at tax time.

Mortgage Points Explained: What They Are & How They Work

A common question for home buyers, especially first-time buyers, when they first see a loan estimate , is about mortgage points. Unless youre familiar with the mortgage industry, you probably arent aware of how mortgage points work or if they might make sense for your situation. Because your interest rate is impacted by the points included on your mortgage, its important to know the basics of what they are and how they work to fully understand the pros and cons.

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How To Calculate Mortgage Points

Picture a scenario where you take out a 30-year-fixed-rate mortgage for $200,000 with an interest rate of 5.5%. Your monthly payment with no points translates to $1,136.

Then, say you buy two mortgage points for 1% of the loan amount each, or $4,000. As a result, your interest rate dips to 5%. You end up saving $62 a month because your new monthly payment drops to $1,074.

To figure out when youd get that money back and start saving, divide the amount you paid for your points by the amount of monthly savings . The result is 64.5 months or ~5.3 years. So if you stay in your home longer than this, you end up saving money in the long run.

Keep in mind that our example covers only the principal and interest of your loan. It doesnt account for factors like property taxes or homeowners insurance. Also, you may want to take advantage of various free mortgage point calculators that are available.