Please note that if the home doesn’t close before the end of the agreed-upon mortgage rate lock period, then the guaranteed rate that you “locked in” will expire, and further, any deposit that you paid could be forfeited to the lender. If the expiration date passes because of something you failed to do, or something you did that you shouldn’t have, then most likely you’ll be out of luck for that rate you tried to lock in. However, if the date passes because of the lender’s action or inaction, then the original rate you agreed on could still be available. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that a mortgage rate lock will provide unlimited protection. Yes, a lock will certainly protect you against rising interest rates when the market sh ifts, but a lock will also prevent you from taking advantage of an even lower interest rate if rates fall when the market sh ifts in the other direction. Before you enter into a rate lock agreement, ask your lender if they will o ff er you a “one-time election,” or a mortgage rate lock “ fl oat down,” which will allow you to exchange your current rate for a lower rate if prevailing rates have generally fallen. BE PREPARED FINANCIALLY Finally, before locking in a mortgage rate, be sure that you are fin ancially prepared for this step. Financial preparation is key to the totality of the home-buying process, and locking in a rate is no exception. If you fin d and try to lock down a great rate, but in the end, you aren’t fin ancially ready to apply for and qualify for a mortgage, then you’ve not only lost on a great rate, but you’ve wasted time and energy for nothing. As I’ve said a number of times throughout this book, some of the pieces of being fin ancially prepared including checking (and possibly fixin g) your credit score, saving and having enough for a down payment, keeping on top of building up your regular savings account, determining how much you’ll need for monthly 105
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