The best mortgage rates available can be located, but do you know where to look for these best mortgage rates? Often the best place to look for the best mortgage rates is the bank you have been using for years, but sometimes they may not offer the rates that are the best for your needs. There are many factors that go into deciding what mortgage rates are best for the home mortgage you are trying to obtain, so being aware of the different components of the terms that go along with the best mortgage rates before you begin searching for a home.

Be sure before you make a final decision regarding the best mortgage rates available for your home that you have weighed your options from different companies and are aware of the pros and cons of all of the options. Oftentimes borrowers see the lowest APR and believe that the lowest rates equate to the best option, but be sure you understand what goes into that deal before signing papers for something as large as a home loan.

One of the first things the average homeowner looks for when purchasing a home are the APR offered from the loan company. Usually when comparing the best mortgage companies for first time home buyers, a lower APR is the one that most homeowners would choose. Even though the APR is lower, it may not be the best plan in the long run for your loan. Be sure you understand all the fine print that goes along with the rates as well.

An important factor that can affect your mortgage rate drastically is the difference between fixed and ARM. If you are looking for the best mortgage and you are offered a 5.75% mortgage today but with a variable APR, that APR could change over time. The upside of variable rates is that there is an opportunity for your best APR to decrease, but the downside is that rates could also go up on those best rates. Deciding whether or not an ARM rate mortgage is best really depends on whether or not you are willing to take a risk with your mortgage. There really is no way to determine what will happen to mortgage rates in the future.

Most mortgage companies consider an adjustable rate to be a loan of a certain amount of time, like a 30-year loan, where the borrower pays back some of the principal with each payment. Often an ARM will be set at a limit like 3/1, 5/1, 7/1, and so on. With a 3/1 loan, the loan will stay fixed for the first three years and then the rates can adjust after that three years. If the term is 5/1, then the rates will adjust after five, and so on.

If you are not up for a risk, a fixed rate loan may be your best bet. The rate will not change over time, so you are safe from any interest rate fluctuations, but if mortgage rates ever decrease when the financial market looks better then you are stuck with a high rate of interest. Of course, at that point you would want to consider refinancing your home to the best mortgage rates available then, but for now with mortgage rates increasing weekly, you may be safer with the current best rates.

Just remember when looking for the best mortgage rates, that lowest available rate does not always mean best. Ask questions regarding fixed versus APR and be sure you know whether the monthly payment will be going towards the principal or only towards the interest. The best mortgage options usually place part of the monthly payments towards the principal of your home.