There are always a few things that you can ask to see if they know what they are talking about.
There is no one list, because it depends on the situation.
The list of predatory tricks and scams is endless.
You need to let someone prove to you that you can trust them. Nobody can “guarantee” that you are getting the cheapest/best/lowest rate on the planet, as in any product, it just isn’t possible, but some do.
Just insist on getting all of your questions answered, and knowing your options and having them explained to you so you can decide what is right for you. If you cannot understand what they are explaining, walk away.
Know what you are paying, and be willing to learn.
If they are only trying to “sell” you a loan without discussing your needs/wants/goals, RUN.
Virtually nobody wants to educate you at their expense.
I am in the loan origination business. I do what I say.
My honesty & integrity doesn’t change.
Sometimes things go wrong with a loan that come out of left field, totally out of my control. If they do, I don’t hide it.
People that want to spend months trying to read everything still need to find someone honest to deal with. Even if I read about how to put an engine together, I wouldn’t be able to do it.
When you find the right person, it doesn’t matter what you know at the beginning, you will have learned what you need to know by the end.
If you just get a loan and learn nothing from it, I don’t think that you got what you paid for.
If you’d like to post your email address, I’d be happy to contact you privately.
The biggest joke to me is that many people go to “friends & family” who are often the biggest predators. They don’t need to earn your trust and take advantage of that.
