Finance

What is 'points' in mortgage financing and how does paying points affect the interest rate?

APoints are monthly fees charged by the lender
BPoints are upfront fees (each point = 1% of loan amount) that can be paid to reduce (buy down) the interest rate✓ Correct
CPoints are penalties for early payoff
DPoints are required by all Idaho lenders

Explanation

Mortgage points are upfront fees where each point equals 1% of the loan amount. Discount points are paid to reduce the interest rate — typically each point reduces the rate by 0.125-0.25%. Origination points compensate the lender for processing. Whether paying points makes sense depends on how long the borrower keeps the loan.

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