1. Choosing a debt consolidation lender for the wrong reason (i.e., the lowest rate, your existing lender) People choose lenders who provide debt consolidation loans for all the wrong reasons. Getting a low rate is important, but it's not the only consideration when you want to take out a debt consolidation loan. Lenders may offer the lowest rate but charge extra fees (loan fees, origination fees, copy fees) so that in the end you'll pay more for the debt consolidation loan even though your rate may be lower. The only way to protect yourself is to wait for the Good-Faith Estimate (GFE) which should list all the closing costs. Compare the GFEs from a number of debt consolidation lenders. But comparing GFEs is not the only story when you want to take out a debt consolidation loan. If time is important, you want to choose a mortgage company that is capable of acting quickly. Ask each company to give you their average closing time for loans similar to yours. Remember to specifically ask about debt consolidation loans. Ask around among your trusted friends. Find out who took out a debt consolidation loan lately and ask them what they thought of the company. Don't assume that your existing lender is any better than a new lender. Since most loans are sold in the secondary market, everyone has to meet certain criteria, and your existing lender will probably require the same documentation as a new lender. However, once you have a commitment from a new lender, it doesn't hurt to ask your existing lender to beat it. Often times they will. We will get you the best rate available. 2. Not getting everything in writing when seeking a debt consolidation loan Get everything in writing. No matter what the Loan Officer tells you about your debt consolidation loan, ask him/her to confirm it in writing. Don't believe someone when they tell you that your debt consolidation rate is guaranteed. Get it in writing. 3. Not knowing the difference between a debt consolidation loan and a 2nd mortgage or a home equity line of credit A debt consolidation loan is a loan, like a 2nd mortgage or a home improvement loan. A home equity line of credit is a credit line - money that is made available to you to use when you need it. There's a big difference. Some credit lines have interest rates which are adjustable and which can go as high as 15% or more. Generally speaking, the purpose of a debt consolidation loan is to pay off your existing debts with a loan which has a lower monthly payment. Therefore, you probably don't want a line of credit (which has a higher rate.) 4. Not knowing the appraised value of your home Debt consolidation loans are based on the difference between what you owe on your house and what your house is worth. Many people go ahead and try to get a debt consolidation loan on their home without knowing the true value. There are many places you can get an estimate of the true value of your home. Many realtor sites have home value estimators on their site. For the price of listening to a mortgage company try to sell you a mortgage, you can get an approximate value for your home. Check the recent sales in your neighborhood and try to find a comparable house in a comparable location. Or you can ask the appraiser to do a drive by and give you a verbal estimate of the value of your home. If it's in the right ballpark, you can order a thorough appraisal. 5. Not doing the math on a debt consolidation loan In theory a debt consolidation loan will result in lower payments, but you have to figure in the costs of the loan. Generally speaking, when you take out a debt consolidation loan the costs of the loan are added in, so that the total amount you owe is actually decreased. In addition, the re-payment time is usually increased (from months to years) and while this lowers the monthly payment, it dramatically increases the amount of interest you eventually pay. | 
