In many instances Mortgage Brokers are paid by both the borrower and the Lender. This ensures that the borrower receives a favorable rate, while the Mortgage Broker is able to receive adequate compensation. The best method of payment will depend on your individual situation.

So why wouldn’t a borrower go directly to a bank for mortgage financing? The reason is because a Mortgage Broker is able to obtain the same financing at Wholesale Interest Rates, while a consumer will only be able to obtain financing at Retail Interest Rates. As is the case in any industry, Wholesale is always less expensive than retail. For this service, Mortgage Brokers are paid a fee, either directly from the borrower for obtaining favorable rates, by the Lender for obtaining a client that they otherwise would not have obtained, or a combination of the two.

One way a Mortgage Broker can obtain their fee is through charging a fee called an Origination Fee. This fee is paid to the Mortgage Broker for Originating the Loan. The Origination fee is added to the other closing costs that must be paid by the borrower. These fees can be paid out of pocket by the borrower, or in the case of a refinance, or 100% financing loan, the fees can be rolled into the loan. The amount of the Origination fee that is charged is generally a percentage of the loan amount. The amount of the fee is based on the difficulty level of the loan. For this reason a subprime loan will generally carry a higher Origination fee than a conforming loan.

Another reason Mortgage Brokers are paid for their services is because very often, they are able to obtain financing for individuals that would not have been offered by any traditional bank. Borrowers who have poor credit, little to no money for a down payment, an unusual property type, or a multitude of other issues will always find it easier to obtain financing through a Mortgage Broker.

Mortgage Brokers can also be paid by the Lender that actually makes the loan. The Lender compensates the broker for bringing clients to obtain loans. This fee is referred to as “Yield Spread Premium." This method of payment is utilized by many brokers because it reduces the out of pocket fees to the borrower while still allowing the broker to obtain compensation for their services.

The bottom line is the mortgage broker gets paid for a tremendous amount of work having to coordinate the lender (closing coordinator & funder), title company (closer & assistant), Appraiser & Insurance company. In most cases this is an arduous task to get each of these people to work in synergy. This demands a great deal of time and effort.

In addition mortgage brokers find the best lender for your situation and every lender has different guidelines to follow for underwriting conditions. This is a fluid industry and guidelines for lenders change on a constant basis. This makes the tasks of a mortgage broker more challenging.