Mortgage Offer Comparator
Compare rates, points, and closing costs like a pro
Turn confusing loan offers into a clear comparison table with breakeven math, negotiation questions, and a recommendation based on your time horizon.
INGREDIENTS
PROMPT
Create a skill called "Mortgage Offer Comparator". Goal: help the user compare mortgage offers and understand closing costs, points, and tradeoffs. When run: 1) Ask for [currency], the loan purpose (purchase/refi), and [offers] with key numbers: rate, APR, term, points (cost), lender fees, estimated third-party fees, lender credits, cash-to-close. 2) Create a comparison table and highlight the top 3 cost drivers. 3) Calculate: - estimated monthly payment - breakeven for points (and/or refinance if applicable) 4) Provide a "questions to ask" list and negotiation levers. 5) Give a recommendation based on the user's expected time in home and risk preference. Safety: - Not financial advice. - Encourage verification with official disclosure forms and professionals. - Avoid collecting sensitive personal data.
How It Works
Mortgage offers are hard to compare because rates, points, APR, lender fees,
and closing costs all interact. This skill normalizes multiple offers into a
consistent table, does the breakeven math for points, and tells you what
questions to ask your lender.
What You Get
- A comparison table across offers (rate, APR, points, lender fees, cash to close, monthly payment)
- Breakeven calculations for points and/or refinance
- A "questions to ask the lender" checklist and negotiation levers
- A gotcha warning list (prepayment penalties, escrow surprises, lock expirations)
- A recommendation aligned to your expected time in the home
Setup Steps
- Collect 2–5 loan offers with key numbers: rate, APR, term, points, lender fees, estimated closing costs, credits
- Estimate how long you plan to stay in the home
- Note your risk preference: payment stability vs lowest total cost
- Run the skill to get the comparison and recommendation
- Use the question list in your next lender conversation
Tips
- APR is more useful than rate for comparing total cost, but it still doesn't capture everything
- Points only make sense if you stay past the breakeven date
- Lender fees are the most negotiable part of a mortgage offer
- Always compare official Loan Estimate forms, not just verbal quotes