This list was made by Ted Janusz, a former Mortgage Salesman interested in helping borrowers get a fair deal:

1. Not knowing which mortgage fees the borrower can and cannot negotiate.

2. Choosing and trusting the first loan officer the borrower interviews. Shop around.

3. Using an interest-only or “payment option” adjustable-rate loan primarily to qualify for a more expensive house.

4. Thinking the interest rate is always the main thing.

5. Not comparing the final fees listed on the closing documents to the up-front estimates and good faith estimate to avoid the lender “packing” the loan with added-on fees without the borrower’s knowledge.

6. Not knowing if the mortgage has a pre-payment penalty until it’s too late, like, when the borrower decides to refinance or otherwise pay the mortgage off early.

7. Thinking that renting is always “just throwing money away.” In the short run it can cost thousands less to rent.

8. The borrower does not know if he or she is paying a back-end yield spread or service release premium, fees paid to brokers and loan officers for making loans with higher interest rates.

9. Paying for mortgage life insurance, credit insurance or other expensive but unnecessary lender add-ons.

10. Paying hundreds of dollars to have a company set up a biweekly mortgage payment plan, something the borrower can generally do for herself or himself — at no cost.

This list was made by Ted Janusz, a former Mortgage Salesman interested in helping borrowers get a fair deal:

1. Not knowing which mortgage fees the borrower can and cannot negotiate.

2. Choosing and trusting the first loan officer the borrower interviews. Shop around.

3. Using an interest-only or “payment option” adjustable-rate loan primarily to qualify for a more expensive house.

4. Thinking the interest rate is always the main thing.

5. Not comparing the final fees listed on the closing documents to the up-front estimates and good faith estimate to avoid the lender “packing” the loan with added-on fees without the borrower’s knowledge.

6. Not knowing if the mortgage has a pre-payment penalty until it’s too late, like, when the borrower decides to refinance or otherwise pay the mortgage off early.

7. Thinking that renting is always “just throwing money away.” In the short run it can cost thousands less to rent.

8. The borrower does not know if he or she is paying a back-end yield spread or service release premium, fees paid to brokers and loan officers for making loans with higher interest rates.

9. Paying for mortgage life insurance, credit insurance or other expensive but unnecessary lender add-ons.

10. Paying hundreds of dollars to have a company set up a biweekly mortgage payment plan, something the borrower can generally do for herself or himself — at no cost.