Is buying points on a mortgage a good idea?

How does buying points on a mortgage work?

A borrower can buy mortgage points at the time of closing to get a lower interest rate. If you buy one point, it usually costs 1% of the loan amount — so you would pay $2,000 to buy one point on a $200,000 mortgage. One point typically lowers your rate by 0.25%, so a 3% rate would fall to 2.75%.

But those are estimates. There’s no set price tag on points, and no hard-and-fast rules for how much they lower your rate. That’s why it’s important to "ask your lender about your spread of options," Rueth says.

Get multiple rate quotes and ask each lender how its points system works.

If you see a spectacular mortgage rate advertised somewhere, look closely. The fine print might tell you that the rate comes with points. For example, the loans in the popular Freddie Mac mortgage rates survey often come with an average 0.7 point.

So, to get a drool-worthy rate, you may need to shell out an extra fee.

Any points should be listed on your loan estimate, an official document which the lender is supposed to provide at least three days before you close on the home loan. You pay points at closing, along with the other closing costs.

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How to determine if buying points is worth it

The answer comes down to whether you keep the mortgage past your "break-even point." That’s when the money you save via your monthly mortgage payments reaches the amount you paid to buy points. After this time, you start saving money for real.

If you think you’ll refinance your mortgage or move before you break even, then you'll lose money on the discount points you paid.

Figure out your break-even point

To figure out your break-even point, open the calculator app on your phone or computer.

Let’s say you get a quote for a 30-year, $200,000 mortgage at a fixed 3%, and your monthly payment with no points is $975. You want to buy one mortgage point for 1% of the loan amount, or $2,000. It will allow your interest rate to drop to 2.75% and your monthly payment to fall to $954 — saving you $21 a month.

Divide what you paid for your point ($2,000) by the amount of your monthly savings ($21). The result is 95.24, which means it'll take you 95 and a quarter months or just under eight years to hit the break-even point.

More: How much house can you afford?

When buying points make sense

If you plan to hang onto the mortgage longer than eight years, you'll save money in the long run.

Discount points can be worthwhile in certain situations.

• You plan to stay in the home after your break-even point. Recouping the money you paid for discount points may take several years. But if you snagged an amazing interest rate and you don’t have plans to move, then you'll come out ahead.

• You need help qualifying for the mortgage. When you apply for a mortgage, the lender will calculate your "debt-to-income ratio," or DTI. This metric shows how much of your monthly income will be going toward debt payments, including your mortgage. A DTI that’s too high may disqualify you from the loan. But buying down your mortgage rate can help you lower your monthly payment and fit within the lender's DTI requirements.

• You don’t expect rates to drop much more. Paying money to lower your rate doesn’t make sense if mortgage rates will keep dropping to new historic lows. “People who bought their rate down three months ago regret it today" because rates fell soon after, Rueth says. But if you believe rates will start increasing soon, then you might decide it's wise to buy down your rate.