This video explains the Loan Costs section of the mortgage Loan Estimate form. Key terms for which figures are provided include: Closing Costs: the set of fees involved in transferring title of the property to the buyer. Origination Charges: fees the lender collects for the mortgage process. These may include fees for handling the application itself, as well as "Origination Fees" — paid by the lender to a party that originates your loan, such as a mortgage broker. Points: essentially, a form of prepaid interest. Points are paid at time of the loan to lower the interest rate of the loan. Points may be tax deductible. Underwriting: fees charged by the lender to evaluate loan risks, based on the transaction and the borrowers financial attributes. The Loan Costs section is usually found on Page 2 of the Loan Estimate.

Lenders provide a Loan Estimate form within 3 business days of application for an approved loan. This form documents the terms, projected payment, costs and other details. These definitions may be helpful in interpretation: Loan Amount: total dollars borrowed, which is not the same as total borrowing cost. Interest Rate: cost you will pay each year to borrow, converted to a percentage rate. Not quite the same thing as: APR (Annual Percentage Rate): this includes interest rate, points (if used), mortgage broker fees, and other charges you pay to get the loan. Monthly Principal & Interest: payment amounts that go to reducing loan principal, and to paying interest, each month. (Mortgage insurance and escrow payments are not included here.) Projected Payments: approximate payment amounts over the years, with the major components such as principal, interest, mortgage insurance, escrow and assessment broken out. Estimated Closing Costs: specific costs to close, detailed. These are directly loan-related costs. Estimated Cash to Close: sum of estimate, plus any other known costs, to provide the total cash needed at loan close.

Laws set under the TILA- RESPA Integrated Disclosure Act - TRID - specify the details that lenders MUST supply to customers making an application for a real estate loan. Since Oct 1, 2015 loan providers are required to return two disclosures - the Loan Estimate and the Closing Disclosure. The Loan Estimate is, as the title suggests, an estimate that covers the key costs, risks and features of the proposed loan. When the lender approves a loan, the Loan Estimate must be returned to the consumer in three business days. (See related Video-Genius video on how business days are defined.) The Closing Disclosure applies if the loan process moves forward. This form covers the key costs of the loan transaction. It must be provide to the borrower a minimum of 3 business days prior to the final loan consummation.