Compare your loan options
What does your Loan Estimate really cost?
Upload a Loan Estimate from any lender. It is read here on your device, every box is checked, and you get plain feedback on what the lender charges and what to ask before you sign.
- See what the lender charges, apart from the estimates
- Catch an unlocked rate, points and fees worth questioning
- Compare two offers on the same loan, box by box
Your Loan Estimate is not uploaded anywhere, and names and addresses on it are not read. Nothing is sent unless you press Send to Samantha, and then only the numbers.
Rather talk it through? Call or text Samantha at (248) 506-5727.
Your Loan Estimate
Drop the PDF here, choose the file, or take a photo.
The second Loan Estimate
The one you want to compare it with.
No Loan Estimate handy? or .
Check or type every box
| Box on the Loan Estimate | Loan Estimate A | Loan Estimate B |
|---|
Send it to Samantha
She can price the same loan with the wholesale lenders she works with and go over it with you. Only the numbers in these boxes are sent, never your PDF.
Sent. Samantha has your numbers and will text you. Your Loan Estimate stays on this device.
Why compare before you sign
The same loan can cost more or less depending on who prices it
Lenders price differently
Rates, points and lender fees vary from lender to lender for the same borrower on the same day. The Loan Estimate is the one place every lender has to show them the same way, which is what makes a fair comparison possible.
Lowest cash to close is not lowest cost
A later closing date, fewer months of escrow or a cheaper title quote can make one Loan Estimate look better without changing what the lender charges. The check separates the two.
A broker shops it for you
Align Lending is an independent mortgage broker. Samantha prices your loan with multiple wholesale lenders, then walks you through the Loan Estimate for the one that fits.
What the check looks at
Three questions every Loan Estimate should answer
Is it the same loan?
Loan amount, term, product, loan type and rate lock. Two offers for different loans cannot be compared on price, so the check flags every difference first.
What does the lender charge?
The interest rate, Section A (origination charges, including any points) and lender credits. This is where lenders really differ, along with the Section B services they choose.
What is only an estimate?
Sections C, E, F, G and H: services you can shop for, government fees, prepaids and escrow. They would be about the same with any lender, but they can make one cash to close look lower.
Before you sign
Six things to check on any Loan Estimate
Is the rate locked?
Page 1, Rate Lock. Until it is locked, the rate, points and lender credits can change before closing.
Points or credits?
Page 2, Section A and Section J. Points lower the rate for cash up front; credits lower closing costs for a higher rate. Ask to see both.
Section A, line by line
Application, processing, underwriting and origination fees are the lender's own charges. Ask what each one pays for.
Prepaid interest and escrow
Page 2, Sections F and G. They depend on your closing date and tax due dates, not on the lender, so they should not decide the comparison.
Mortgage insurance
Page 1, Projected Payments. Ask when it comes off and whether a different loan type or down payment changes it.
Prepayment penalty or balloon
Page 1, Loan Terms. Either one limits refinancing or selling early. Both should read NO unless you chose them.
Questions about the Loan Estimate check
If yours is not here, send it to Samantha with your numbers.
Is my Loan Estimate uploaded anywhere?
No. It is read inside your browser, on your device. Names and addresses on the form are not read at all. If you press Send to Samantha, only the numbers in the boxes go to her, never the PDF.
Which numbers matter most when comparing two Loan Estimates?
Start with the interest rate, Section A (which already includes any points) and lender credits. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also points to Section B and the total closing costs in Section J, and says differences in escrow and Sections E, F and G are not a reason to choose one lender over another.
Why does one Loan Estimate show a lower cash to close?
Often because it assumes a later closing date (fewer days of prepaid interest), fewer months of escrow, or a different title quote. Those lines change cash to close without changing what the lender charges. The check shows how much of the difference comes from them.
What if I only have one Loan Estimate?
Upload it on its own. The check shows what the lender charges, which costs are only estimates, and the questions worth asking about that offer. Samantha can price the same loan with the wholesale lenders she works with so you have a second one to compare.
Can I use a photo of my Loan Estimate?
The photo button opens your camera, and reading photos is the next step for this check. Today it reads the PDF your lender emailed, which most Loan Estimates are. With only a photo, type the boxes in, or text the photo to Samantha at (248) 506-5727.
Align Lending LLC, NMLS #2041154, is a mortgage broker. Samantha Shelton, NMLS 1647301. Equal Housing Opportunity. Licensed in Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. This check uses only the numbers on the Loan Estimates you provide. It is not a credit decision, a preapproval, a commitment to lend, or an offer of credit.
