Mortgage Brokers vs Mortgage Lenders

One of the most confusing parts of the mortgage process Middletown can be figuring out all the different kinds of lenders that deal in home loans and refinancing. There are direct lenders, retail lenders, mortgage brokers, portfolio lenders, correspondent lenders, wholesale lenders and others.

Many borrowers simply head right into the process and look for what appear to be reasonable terms without worrying about what kind of lender they’re dealing with. But if you want to be sure of getting the best deal, or are looking for a jumbo loan or have other special circumstances to address, understanding the different types of lenders involved can be a big help.

Explanations of some of the main types are provided below. These are not necessarily mutually exclusive - there is a fair amount of overlap among the various categories. For example, most portfolio lenders tend to be direct lenders as well. And many lenders are involved in more than one type of lending – such as a large bank that has both wholesale and retail lending operations.

Mortgage Lenders vs. Mortgage Brokers

A good place to start is with the difference between mortgage lenders and mortgage brokers.

Mortgage lenders Middletown are exactly that, the lenders that actually make the loan and provide the money used to buy a home or refinance an existing mortgage. They have certain criteria you have to meet in terms of creditworthiness and financial resources in order to qualify for a loan, and set their mortgage interest rates and other loan terms accordingly.

Mortgage brokers Middletown, on the other hand, don’t actually make loans. What they do is work with multiple lenders to find the one that will offer you the best rate and terms. When you take out the loan, you’re borrowing from the lender, not the broker, who simply acts as an agent.

Often, these are wholesale lenders (see below) who discount the rates they offer through brokers compared to what you’d get if you approached them directly as a retail customer. However, the broker then tacks on his or her own fee, which may equal the discount – where the customer usually saves money is by getting the best deal relative to other lenders.