A mortgage point is equal to 1 percent of your total loan amount. For example, on a $100,000 loan, one point would be $1,000.
The borrower is required to pay 2 points on a $50,000 loan. A point is a fee equal to 1% of the loan amount. Therefore, 2 points on a $50,000 loan would be 2% of $50,000. Therefore, the borrower has to pay the lender $1,000 in points.
In some cases, a lender will offer you the option to pay points along with your closing costs. In exchange for each point you pay at closing, your mortgage APR will be reduced and your monthly payments will shrink accordingly. Typically, you would buy points to lower your interest rate on a fixed-rate mortgage.
Each mortgage discount point usually costs one percent of your total loan amount, and lowers the interest rate on your monthly payments by 0.25 percent. For example, if your mortgage is $300,000 and your interest rate is 3.5 percent, one point costs $3,000 and lowers your monthly interest to 3.25 percent.
Generally, buying four mortgage points will lower your interest rate by 1 percent. That's also the maximum number of points most lenders will let you purchase. If you don't pay off your loan early, you'll eventually save more in interest than you spent upfront.
Points. Money paid to the lender, usually at mortgage closing, in order to lower the interest rate. One point equals one percent of the loan amount. For example, 2 points on a $100,000 mortgage equals $2,000.
Buying down your interest rate can be a smart strategy if: You plan to stay in your home for a long time. You have extra cash on hand after covering your down payment and closing costs. You're getting a fixed-rate mortgage with a longer loan term (like 30 years).
Current mortgage interest rates in California. As of Sunday, January 12, 2025, current interest rates in California are 7.33% for a 30-year fixed mortgage and 6.61% for a 15-year fixed mortgage.
On a $200,000, 30-year mortgage with a 6% fixed interest rate, your monthly payment would come out to $1,199 — not including taxes or insurance. But this can vary greatly depending on your insurance policy, loan type, down payment size, and other factors.
Break-Even Point
For example: On a $300,000 loan with a 7% interest rate, purchasing one point brings the mortgage rate to 6.75%, dropping the monthly payment from $1,996 to $1,946 — a monthly savings of $50. The cost: $3,000. The break-even point: $3,000/$50 = 60 months (5 years).
Points. An amount paid to the lender, typically at closing, in order to lower the interest rate. Also known as “mortgage points” or “discount points.” One point equals 1% of the loan amount (for example, 2 points on a $100,000 mortgage would equal $2,000).
Example of Paying Discount Points
Purchasing the three discount points would cost you $3,000 in exchange for a savings of $39 per month. You would need to keep the house for 72 months, or six years, to break even on the point purchase.
Foreclosure is the process that allows a lender to recover the amount owed on a defaulted loan by selling or taking ownership of the property. Although the foreclosure process varies by state, there are six common phases of a foreclosure procedure.
The most common numbers of points associated with a mortgage are between zero and 1.5 points. Each point is a percent of your mortgage amount, so if you choose one point, you pay the lender 1% of the loan amount in order to get a lower rate.
Each point is equal to 1 percent of the loan amount, for instance 2 points on a $100,000 loan would cost $2000. You can buy up to 5 points. Enter the annual interest rate for this mortgage with discount points as a percentage.
The Bottom Line. No one likes high interest rates, but they're not the end of the world. This is still a great time to buy a house—you'll just pay more than you would've a few years ago. It's also a good time to sell a house.
Government Assistance
For example, California has the CalHFA program available to qualified low-income buyers. The program provides grants and loans to eligible borrowers, and the money can either directly subsidize part of a down payment, or cover the entire thing, depending on certain factors.
Each point costs 1% of your mortgage amount.
How much are closing costs? Average closing costs for the buyer run between about 2% and 6% of the loan amount. That means, on a $300,000 home loan, you would pay from $6,000 to $18,000 in closing costs in addition to the down payment.
You can deduct the points to obtain a mortgage on your principal residence, in the year you pay them, if you use the cash method of accounting. This means you report income in the year you receive it and deduct expenses in the year you pay them.
Lenders make money from origination fees, yield spread premiums, discount points, closing costs, mortgage-backed securities (MBS), and loan servicing.