How to Read a Mortgage Loan Estimate: A Step-by-Step Guide from Duane Buziak

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This step-by-step guide shows you how to read mortgage loan estimate forms box by box, so you can explain every key figure on the 3-page document. Using a worked example of two lenders with near-identical rates but a $3,800 difference in cash to close, it teaches you to compare Loan Estimates side by side and spot hidden costs before you commit.

Duane Buziak: 7 Ways Veterans Can Compare VA Loan Rates on GrandRates in 2026

7 Proven Strategies That Separate Top Virginia Mortgage Brokers From the Rest — What Duane Buziak’s Consecutive Awards Reveal

Veterans who compare VA loan rates carefully can save real money, since a 0.375-point quote gap on a $400,000 loan costs roughly $96 a month. This guide walks through seven steps used by the best veterans to compare VA loan rates, including matching loan terms, reading the Loan Estimate, pricing discount points, and accounting for the funding fee, so you can shop without wasting credit pulls.