Annual percentage rate is a calculation to accurately reflect the cost of the mortgage considering the note rate of interest, financing fees and charges based on the term of the mortgage.
Annual percentage rate, APR, calculates the interest rate and loan fees over the life of the loan expressed as a rate. A mortgage has a quoted interest rate plus a specified number of points which may be paid at closing or rolled into the loan, in some instances.
For example, a $400,000 loan amount at 2.98% interest for 30-years with 0.7 points would have an annual percentage rate of 3.0349%. While the mortgage rate is quoted at 2.98%, the borrower must additionally pay 0.7 points or slightly less than one percent of the amount borrowed as a fee to the lender in consideration of making the loan.
This increases the yield to the lender on what they are earning by making this loan and is expressed as the annual percentage rate for the benefit of the buyer.
Since the lender is required to include all the loan fees being charged in the APR calculation, if the seller is paying some of those fees on behalf of the buyer, the APR would not accurately reflect the cost to the buyer.
The lender is required to disclose the APR to the borrower in the Truth in Lending document referred to a TILA. Your mortgage officer will be able to answer any specific questions regarding what is included.
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.
Lifestyle
September 12, 2025
Unlock Your Full Potential with Creative Home Office Solutions
Real Estate
August 31, 2025
Navigating the Hidden Expenses of Home Buying in Powers Lake
Bob Webster | August 29, 2025
August 28, 2025
August 22, 2025
August 14, 2025
Real Estate
August 14, 2025
Expert Tips for a Hassle-Free Home Renovation in Lake Geneva
August 13, 2025
August 11, 2025
Bob is dedicated to offering the finest real estate service available in the Lake Geneva area. He attempts to make each buyer or seller he works with feel like they are the one and only client he has and strives to make each transaction a pleasurable experience with the least amount of problems, stress, and inconvenience to them.