Mortgage Rates: APY vs. APR

mortgage-rates-apy-vs-aprMortgage Rates: We have all seen rates offered as APY or APR. APY means annual percentage yield and APR means annual percentage rate. The different between the two is compounding interest. 

Compounding interest can be interest you earn on-top of interest you already earned, like on certificates of deposit. The more frequently interest is compounded the higher the APY will be.

On mortgages, the rate is interest you pay, just like on deposit products, the more interest is compounded the higher the APY will be. Though in this case you'll end up paying more for a loan that compounds more often. Banks and lending institutions usually publish the APY or APR that makes the rate of return higher in the case of deposit products and lower in the case of loans.

Loan Term
Lender
APR / Rate
Fees / Points
Payment
AimLoan.com
NMLS #2890
License: 413-0477
5.651%
15-Year Fixed
5.500%
$3,923
Includes 0.732 points for $2,928
Lender Fees: $995
$3,269 /mo
Bison State Bank
NMLS #757416
5.726%
15-Year Fixed
5.625%
$2,632
Includes 0.658 points for $2,632
Lender Fees: $0
$3,295 /mo
Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, Inc.
NMLS #1025894
5.778%
15-Year Fixed
5.625%
$3,984
Includes 0.821 points for $3,284
Lender Fees: $700
$3,295 /mo
AimLoan.com
NMLS #2890
License: 413-0477
6.713%
30-Year Fixed
6.625%
$3,659
Includes 0.666 points for $2,664
Lender Fees: $995
$2,562 /mo
Home Simply
NMLS #2473786
6.731%
30-Year Fixed
6.625%
$4,399
Includes 0.826 points for $3,304
Lender Fees: $1,095
$2,562 /mo
DECO Mortgage
NMLS #2561451
6.763%
30-Year Fixed
6.624%
$5,811
Includes 0.954 points for $3,816
Lender Fees: $1,995
$2,561 /mo
Bison State Bank
NMLS #757416
6.804%
30-Year Fixed
6.750%
$2,220
Includes 0.555 points for $2,220
Lender Fees: $0
$2,595 /mo
Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, Inc.
NMLS #1025894
6.834%
30-Year Fixed
6.750%
$3,440
Includes 0.685 points for $2,740
Lender Fees: $700
$2,595 /mo
PenFed Credit Union
NMLS #401822
6.896%
30-Year Fixed
6.750%
$5,995
Includes 1.000 points for $4,000
Lender Fees: $1,995
$2,595 /mo
HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
NMLS #399799
6.969%
30-Year Fixed
6.875%
$3,976
Includes 0.662 points for $2,648
Lender Fees: $1,328
$2,628 /mo
PenFed Credit Union
NMLS #401822
7.804%
15-Year Fixed
7.500%
$7,500
Includes 0.875 points for $3,500
Lender Fees: $4,000
$3,709 /mo
Rate data provided by RateUpdate.com. Displayed by ICB, a division of Mortgage Research Center, NMLS #1907, Equal Housing Opportunity. Payments do not include taxes and insurance premiums. Actual payments will be greater with taxes and insurance included. Rate and product details.

When you compare mortgage rates from different banks make sure you are comparing apples to apples. To make it easier for consumers to compare mortgage loan interest rates, the federal government developed a standard format called an "Annual Percentage Rate" or APR to provide an effective interest rate for comparison shopping purposes.

For mortgage loans, banks usually will quote an APR  but when you are quoted a mortgage rate be sure to ask the mortgage broker or lending institution if the rate is the APR or APY so there are not any nasty surprises when you are about to close on a loan.

Tip: Before closing on a mortgage be sure to ask the mortgage broker, bank or lending institution to provide you a  HUD-1 statement. The HUD-1 will give you a statement of actual charges and adjustments. Having this information before hand will prevent any nasty surprises at the closing.

 
Author: Brian McKay
May 30th, 2009

Explore Other Mortgage and Refinance Offers