Mortgage APR Made Simple

Mortgage APR represents the Annual Percentage Rate payable on a home loan. Potential home buyers can use it for comparing various loan products. The Federal Truth in Lending Act (TILA) necessitates lenders to advertise this rate while marketing their loan products. The APR shows the overall cost of borrowing a loan and it is typically calculated on a yearly basis.

The Annual Percentage Rate essentially indicates the relationship between the overall amount that you’ve borrowed and the cost of acquiring the borrowed amount and it is expressed as a percentage.

Various lenders use various methods to work out the Annual Percentage Rate and hence, a precise comparison of loans by applying the APR is not possible all the time. Some lenders would use software programs to figure out the APR on the various loan products that they offer to the consumers. Because of this, some mortgage advisors might not even understand which fees are being taken into account for the calculations.

What is the goal of APR?

The principal purpose of the APR is to restrain lenders from publicizing unbelievably low interest rates and subsequently hiding additional costs for the mortgage to compensate the difference. Consumers who are looking for a loan must take into consideration the APRs of every loan they’re thinking about. If the Annual Percentage Rate on one mortgage is considerably higher than the Annual Percentage Rate on a same type of loan from another lender, then this is a signal that something is distinct like higher fees. Hence, a lower Annual Percentage Rate doesn’t essentially indicate a better loan.

Why APR is always higher than the interest rate?

As Annual Percentage Rate calculations take into consideration other extra costs related to the loan, the ultimate number is always higher than the interest rate applicable for the loan. Nevertheless, this doesn’t affect the monthly mortgage payment amount. The monthly mortgage payment is worked out only on the basis of the amount borrowed, the loan term and the interest rate.

While obtaining a loan, the borrower has to incur different fees. Most of the fees or charges are comprehensively uniform. Furthermore, the lender has control on particular fees and no control on some fees that are generated externally. Some fees are normally included in the calculation of APR, some fees are seldom included and some fees are not at all included.

What are the fees that are typically included?

The fees that are typically included in the Annual Percentage Rate calculation are the following:

• Underwriting fee
• Loan processing fee
• Document preparation fee
• Private mortgage insurance (if applicable)
• Origination points
• Prepaid interest (Discount points)

What are the fees that are seldom included?

The following fees are seldom included in the calculation:

§ Loan application fee

§ Credit life insurance expenses

What are the fees that are not included?

Given below are the fees that are not included in the calculation:

• Notary fee
• Escrow fee
• Appraisal fee
• Attorney fee
• Recording fee
• Transfer taxes
• Title fee
• Home inspection costs
• Credit report fee
• Document preparation fees

The Annual Percentage Rate is a helpful loan comparison tool. You shouldn’t forget to take this number into account along with the interest rates applicable for the loans that you are thinking about.