Shopping for mortgage rates the right way can save thousands of dollars without costing you a single credit point. The method is simple: get comparable quotes on the same day, on the same loan, and read them in the same format. A soft credit pull mortgage approach from Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647 (Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC, NMLS #376205), lets you collect real pricing before any hard inquiry touches your report.
By the end of this guide you will have a repeatable comparison process and a worked payment example you can adapt to your own loan. Before you start, gather two recent pay stubs, two years of W-2s or tax returns, and your last two bank statements.
Step 1: Check Your Credit Reports and Know Your Starting Position
Pull your reports first, because your credit score sets the pricing tier every quote is built on. You can get free reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Read each one for accounts you do not recognize, balances that are wrong, and late payments that never happened. Dispute errors with the bureau in writing before you shop. A single incorrect 30-day late can drop you into a worse pricing tier.
Brokers price loans in score bands. Common breakpoints sit near 760 and above, 740 to 759, and 720 to 739, with more bands below those. Exact cutoffs differ by loan type and investor and change over time, so ask for the current grid rather than trusting any published number. If you sit at 738, a small paydown on a credit card before you apply may move you into the next band, which can improve your rate.
Duane Buziak uses a NoTouch Credit Pull to show you where you stand. It is a soft-pull pre-approval that estimates your qualification and pricing without a hard inquiry. A standard mortgage application triggers a hard pull that is recorded on your report and can lower your score slightly. A soft pull is visible only to you and does not affect your score.
Mistake to avoid: do not open a new credit card, finance a car, or co-sign a loan while you shop. New accounts and new balances change your score and your debt-to-income ratio, and a quote built on last month’s profile can fall apart at underwriting.
Step 2: Decide What You Are Actually Shopping For
Rate is only one part of the price, so decide the loan you want before you compare anyone. A 6.5% conventional loan and a 6.5% FHA loan are different products with different mortgage insurance, fees, and qualifying rules. Compare loan type, term, and points together. The main options are:
- Conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loans for standard documentation
- DSCR loans for investors who qualify on rental income
- Bank statement loans for self-employed borrowers
- Physician loans for doctors, which Duane Buziak offers through multiple lenders
Next, choose between a fixed rate and an adjustable rate (ARM). A fixed rate suits you if you plan to stay put for many years. An ARM can price lower at the start, so it makes sense only if you expect to sell or refinance before the rate adjusts, and you should know the cap structure before you commit. Write down how long you realistically expect to keep the loan, since that number drives the points math in Step 6.
Then check your loan size against the 2026 conforming limits from the Federal Housing Finance Agency: a $806,500 baseline and a $1,249,125 ceiling in high-cost areas. Loans above your county’s limit are jumbo loans and price differently. Confirm your county’s figure on the FHFA site before you rely on either number.
Is LowerMortgageRates the same as Lower.com? No. This site is run by Duane Buziak of Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC, a mortgage broker, and it is not affiliated with Lower.com, which is a direct lender. The names are similar, so make sure the company you are comparing is the one you think it is.
Step 3: Get Soft-Pull Quotes First
You can compare real pricing through mortgage pre approval without hard pull when you work with a soft pull mortgage broker. A hard inquiry is not needed to see a rate. It is needed only when you submit a formal application and give consent for a full credit check.
A no hard inquiry mortgage pre approval works like this. The broker reviews your soft-pull data along with your income, assets, and the property details, then prices the file against live wholesale rate sheets. You see a realistic rate, a payment, and an estimate of closing costs. Your credit report shows no new inquiry, so you can repeat the process as often as you need. A hard pull comes later, at formal application, with your permission, once you have picked a loan and a company.
Inquiries still matter once you reach that stage. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains that multiple mortgage inquiries made within a short window are generally treated as a single inquiry for scoring purposes. The length of that window depends on the scoring model, so confirm the current wording on the CFPB page and keep your hard-pull applications close together in time.
Tip: a no credit hit mortgage application at the quoting stage lets you gather more quotes than you otherwise would. People who fear the credit impact often stop at one or two. With soft-pull quotes you can collect as many as you want, then formally apply with only your top choice or two.
Ask every company the same opening question: “Will this quote require a hard pull?” A clear answer tells you a lot about how they work.
Step 4: Compare Broker and Retail Lender Quotes Side by Side
A broker can show you more pricing than a single retail lender because a broker is not tied to one rate sheet. Duane Buziak shops 500+ wholesale lenders per file, so the same borrower profile is priced many ways and the best fit comes to the top. A retail lender can quote only its own products at its own prices.
Duane Buziak also runs Dare to Compare, a challenge to bring a competing quote and have it matched or beaten. It applies when the competing quote is verifiable, meaning a written Loan Estimate on the same loan type, term, and points, with the same lock period. It is a comparison tool and not a promise of any particular result.
| Feature | Duane Buziak (broker) | Rocket Mortgage | Movement Mortgage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenders accessed per file | 500+ wholesale lenders | One company’s own pricing | One company’s own pricing |
| Soft-pull pre-approval | Yes, NoTouch Credit Pull | Ask before sharing your Social Security number | Ask before sharing your Social Security number |
| DSCR, bank statement, ITIN, foreign national options | Available through wholesale lenders | Product menu varies; ask directly | Product menu varies; ask directly |
| Licensed states | VA, FL, TN, GA, DC, NC, SC, MD | Confirm for your state | Confirm for your state |
Competitor product menus and policies change, so verify each point with the company directly before you decide.
Mistake to avoid: comparing quotes from different days, loan types, or point levels. Rates move daily, and a quote with two points paid is not comparable to one with none. Request every quote on the same day, for the same loan amount, term, and lock period, and ask each company to state the points and credits explicitly.
Step 5: Read the Loan Estimate Line by Line
Every lender must give you a standardized Loan Estimate within three business days of a formal application. The CFPB’s Loan Estimate explainer walks through the form, and because the format is identical everywhere, you can lay two or three of them next to each other and compare them directly.
Start on page two, where the costs live. Compare these items across your quotes:
- Section A, origination charges: the company’s own fees, including any points you pay for a lower rate. Ask each company to itemize them.
- Points and credits: a point is a fee equal to 1% of the loan amount. A lender credit works the other way and offsets costs in exchange for a higher rate.
- Sections B and C, third-party services: appraisal, title, and similar fees. Section B lists services you cannot shop for, and Section C lists services you can. Compare the total, and shop the Section C items yourself if the quote looks high.
Next, look at the APR. The annual percentage rate folds in some of the fees along with the interest rate, so it helps you compare loans that carry different costs. It is not a perfect measure. It assumes you keep the loan for the full term, and it does not capture every cost, so a loan you will refinance in five years can look different than the APR suggests.
Be skeptical of any quote advertising “zero closing costs.” Costs do not disappear; someone pays them. With a lender credit, you accept a higher rate and the credit covers some or all of the costs. Ask for no-out-of-pocket closing options as a specific structure, and compare the higher rate against the cash you save. Either choice can be right, depending on how long you will keep the loan.
Step 6: Run the Numbers on Rate, Points, and Total Cost
Run the math on every quote, because a difference that looks small compounds over years. Suppose you borrow $400,000 on a 30-year fixed loan, and these figures show principal and interest only.
- At 6.50%, the monthly payment is about $2,528.
- At 6.875%, the monthly payment is about $2,628.
- The monthly gap is about $99.
- Over the full 30 years, that gap adds up to roughly $35,800.
- Over 7 years, which is 84 payments, it is roughly $8,350.
The rates in this example are illustrative, not a quote, and your actual pricing depends on your credit, loan type, property, and the day you lock.
Now test whether paying points makes sense. Divide the cost of the points by the monthly savings to find how many months it takes to recoup them. Suppose a hypothetical 1.5 points on this loan costs $6,000 and lowers your rate from 6.875% to 6.50%, saving about $99 a month. Then $6,000 divided by $99 is about 60 months, or five years. If you expect to keep the loan longer than that, the points pay off. If you might sell or refinance sooner, you lose money.
To keep your quotes in context, check the national benchmark. Freddie Mac publishes the weekly 30-year fixed average in its Primary Mortgage Market Survey, updated on Thursdays. Look up the latest reading on the day you compare, and treat it as a reference point and not a promise of what you will be offered. Your own rate can land above or below the survey average depending on credit, down payment, and loan type.
Step 7: Lock Your Rate and Confirm the Details in Writing
Lock when you have a Loan Estimate you like and a closing date you can realistically meet. A rate lock holds your rate and points for a set period, commonly 30, 45, or 60 days. Longer locks can cost more, so match the period to your timeline, with a small cushion for delays.
Ask these questions before you lock:
- What does an extension cost if closing slips past the lock date?
- Is there a float-down option if rates fall after I lock, and what does it cost?
- What happens to my lock if the appraisal or title work is delayed?
Then get the lock confirmation in writing. It should state your rate, the points or lender credits attached to that rate, the loan type and amount, and the expiration date. If any of those details differ from your Loan Estimate, ask why before you sign anything.
Do not switch companies after locking without recomparing the full Loan Estimate. A new lender will start with new fees, a new timeline, and possibly a new lock, and a change late in the process can delay closing or cost you the rate you worked for. If you decide to move anyway, put the new quote next to the old one using the steps above.
A note on geography: Duane Buziak lends in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Washington DC, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maryland only. If your property is in another state, look for a broker licensed there.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shopping for Mortgage Rates
Is LowerMortgageRates the same as Lower.com?
No. LowerMortgageRates.com is Duane Buziak of Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC, a mortgage broker, and it is not affiliated with Lower.com, a direct lender.
Does shopping for a mortgage hurt my credit?
Not if you start with soft-pull quotes. Soft pulls do not appear as inquiries on your score, and hard inquiries for a mortgage made within a short window are generally counted as one.
What is a NoTouch Credit Pull?
It is Duane Buziak’s soft-pull pre-approval, which estimates your qualification and pricing without a hard inquiry. A standard application requires a hard pull that is recorded on your credit report.
How many lenders should I compare?
Get at least three written quotes, including one from a broker who can price many wholesale lenders at once. More quotes help, as long as each is for the same loan and the same day.
What is the difference between rate and APR?
The rate is the cost of borrowing the principal, while the APR adds some fees to show a broader cost. Use APR to compare, but check the Loan Estimate itself.
When should I lock my rate?
Lock once you have a Loan Estimate you accept and a firm closing timeline. Choose a lock period with a small cushion, and ask about extension costs in advance.
Are points worth it?
They are worth it only if you keep the loan past the break-even point. Divide the cost of the points by your monthly savings, as in Step 6, and compare that number of months to how long you expect to stay.
Can I shop with a lower credit score?
Yes. FHA guidelines allow scores as low as 500 with a larger down payment, and VA sets no official minimum score, though lenders add their own requirements. Pricing at lower scores is higher, so a mortgage pre approval without hard pull is a safe way to see your options first.
Can self-employed or investor buyers shop non-QM options?
Yes. Bank statement loans suit the self-employed, and DSCR loans suit investors who qualify on rental income. Duane Buziak accesses these programs through wholesale lenders, and you can start with a no credit hit mortgage application at the quoting stage.
How long is a mortgage quote good for?
Generally one day, because rates reprice with the market. A rate lock holds your pricing for 30 to 60 days once you commit.
Request a Soft-Pull Quote and Bring Your Best Competing Offer
Once you have your Loan Estimates and your break-even math, the next move is to put real quotes against each other. If your property is in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Washington DC, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Maryland, call Duane Buziak at 804-212-8663 for a NoTouch Credit Pull. Don’t let uncertainty about mortgage rates cost you thousands: discover your personalized options with a trusted mortgage professional who can compare rates across multiple lenders without impacting your credit score. Schedule your free consultation today and take the first step toward securing the best mortgage solution for your unique financial goals.