Should I Pay Points to Reduce My Interest Rate?

Darren Meade
Should I Pay Points to Reduce My Interest Rate?

A common question among borrowers is 'Should I pay Points to Reduce my Interest Rate?'

In this report, we'll discuss this topic in detail and show you how you can determine if paying points is the right decision for you. Let's get started!

What are Points?

In their simplest form, Points are up-front mortgage interest fees paid on a loan to reduce the initial interest rate. Points are fees the borrower pays the lender at the time of loan closing. If you pay one point (1%) on a $100,000 loan, then you will pay the lender $1,000 at loan closing.

Most people pay points to reduce their long-term loan interest rate. For example, if you are taking out a loan, and the lender says you qualify for a 7.25% interest rate, it may be possible to reduce the interest rate to 7.0% or less by paying points. This is similar to making an investment. You monthly payment and total interest over the years will be reduced by paying points.

Am I required to pay Points?

First, it's important to understand that you are not required to pay points. It's your decision.

If you watch TV or read the newspaper, you might have thought you were required to pay points. The rates you see in the newspaper and on TV are usually expressed as a loan rate and points (i.e. - 6.75% and 2 points). But most lenders will be willing to remove points and simply charge a higher interest rate instead.

Should I pay Points?

Most lenders offer loans with 0 points. This may seem attractive at first, but you need to calculate how expensive a 0 point loan will be over time, because it's quite possible you could obtain the same mortgage with a lower long-term interest rate, by paying a couple of points.

The main factor in deciding whether or not to pay points is the length of time you plan to live in the home you are purchasing or refinancing. As a general rule of thumb, you should only pay points if you plan on keeping the mortgage for more than 4 years. Because points are prepaid interest, you need to be sure you will keep the loan long enough to recoup these costs through lower monthly mortgage payments.


Tax Advantages

Another consideration you should take into account is the potential tax advantage that points represent. If you are purchasing a home, any points that you pay up-front are immediately tax-deductible. If you are refinancing, however, points ARE NOT tax-deductible and must be amortized over the life of the loan.

How to Make Sense of This

Take this short pop-quiz to see how prepared you are to make an informed decision on your next purchase or refinance:

1.) Should I pay points or not?

2.) Since there are hundreds of loan programs, how do I know which one is best for me?

3.) How can I tell if I am getting the best rate?

4.) How will the choices I make with now affect me 10-15 years in the future?

5.) Which loan choice will allow me to have a better retirement or money for my child's college education?

If you are unsure of the answers to any of these questions, you should seek expert advice for a knowledgeable, respected lender.

Your home purchase or refinance will be one of the largest financial transactions you will ever be involved in and the choices you make now could affect you for years to come. This is why we offer a NO-COST, no obligation 'Borrower Coaching Session' to help people just like you get answers to the most important questions.

We put our experience to work for you, preparing you to make an informed decision that could save you thousands of dollars.

Why? Simple - if we do a good job helping you prepare, maybe we can earn your mortgage business. We are sure willing to try. Are you willing to spend 30 minutes with us? If so, please visit our website to request a 'NO-COST Borrower Coaching Session'.

Visit my website at: http://www.freemortgageinformationsoutherncalifornia.com or contact me at 866-676-4325.
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Darren Meade

To share with you a brief history, I was homeless as a teenager for two-and-half years where I lived in the streets begging for food and change. As you can imagine, my life was filled with a great deal of uncertainty.

By divine grace and guidance, I took shelter in the parking lot of a gym. The owner of the gym noticed me camping out there and after several weeks took me in. Pretty soon I had been adopted by the group of bodybuilders there and was given the nickname 'Pup'.

However, it was after the very painful experience of my father committing suicide six months after getting off the street that I began my personal journey into spiritual growth and began questioning how I could affect a greater number people in a more loving, profound and personal way.

Over the course of several years I went from being homeless to living in a condo on a golf course and representing the United States in international events culminating in winning the middleweight title of the IFBB Mr. North America bodybuilding competition. At the same time I co-founded a nutritional which exploded in the nutrition market and by age 27 I made my first million. Being young, I then squandered my first 3 million to turn around and build it again and again...slow learner at times!

Many of my lessons learned through out my spiritual path have been in the face of adversity. While "crisis" has often had its own way of waking me to the moment and reminding me of what is important to me now, it is not a requirement of this journey.

Just when I thought I had a handle on life, the handle broke.

I've learned another new lesson about life; including truly releasing and forgiving those whom hurt you. In April 2008 my aorta (main artery from your heart) ruptured in three (3) places.

I was given less than a 10% chance of survival and I was on life-support for 3 weeks. During this time the charge nurse spoke to a family friend and informed them they were going to amputate my leg, and that I was to young to die and they needed to transfer me to a new hospital (UCLA).

While I lived, my personal relationship ended within 10 days of my being discharged from the hospital. To be fair the doctors said I might never walk again, and that they believed I would be on a catheter for the rest of my life. I lost 50lbs of muscle. So she was leaving someone who might never be able to walk; make love or be able to return to work. However I've always been an over-achiever.

For instance I went off diaylisis, my bladder which had nerve damage returned to normal, the catheters out and I the leg another hospital wanted to amputate is responding and I'm learning to walk on it once again. I no longer use my wheel chair and am learning to walk without crutches.

The only suffering came from my own thoughts, believing this person would be with me to over-come these issues. I now realize that was the largest blessing of all.

EXECUTIVE BIOGRAPHY OF DARREN M. MEADE


Darren Meade, of Kairos-Meade, has a life, which exhibits the quintessential triumphant story. He was abandoned by his parents and homeless at the age of 14, weighing less than 100 pounds and today negotiates multi-million dollar agreements.

His business career developed initially from his passion for body building. As a youth, after being homeless for two-years, he was taken in by individuals who allowed him to utilize their company gym. Darren focused that passion and successfully won several awards in competitive body building, culminating in winning the Mr. North America title for the middleweight division and represented the United States in international events. His extensive exposure in competitive body building assisted in developing relationships with industry leaders in the medical device and nutritional supplement industries.

As Darren rapidly progressed in
professional endeavors, he designed a new business model not yet used in the industry for a then unknown nutritional company. The retail experiment led by Darren worked, and within two years he drove sales from $1 million to in excess of $40 million.

Moving forward to his next success, Darren proved that he could do it again and took another company to $35 million in a single year. He diligently oversaw all facets of assisting an international research organization´s quest to gain acceptance in the U.S. biotechnology sector by partnering with one of the world´s largest biotechnology companies within only five-months. This was accomplished after the organization had tried for years and used over 50 consultants and development personnel without results.

A key to Darren´s success is his passion for each new business he enters. He specializes in building profitable long-term relationships with clients, vendors and staff.
He has proven that success is contagious.

In addition to his business accomplishments, Darren has actively participated through service of time and finances to homeless shelters and civic community organizations. He is a Deputy CEO of the Invisible Youth Foundation. Darren recently volunteered on Arnold Schwarzenegger´s successful run for Governor. Due to his efforts, he was offered a position in Sacramento. He was selected by the Orange County Register to write columns regarding the process of the campaign through to the inauguration and planning for policies.

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