Finance & Mortgages

Discount Points

Prepaid interest a borrower pays at closing to lower the loan's interest rate, where one point equals one percent of the loan amount.

Quick flashcard

What does Discount Points mean on the Texas real estate exam?

Answer: Prepaid interest a borrower pays at closing to lower the loan's interest rate, where one point equals one percent of the loan amount.

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Discount Points definition

Discount points are an upfront fee a borrower pays to buy down the interest rate on a loan. One point equals one percent of the loan amount. Paying points lowers the interest rate and the monthly payment over the life of the loan.

Discount points differ from origination points, which are a fee the lender charges to process the loan and do not lower the rate.

Source basis

Definition checked against the official sources below on .

On the exam

One point is one percent of the loan amount. Discount points lower the rate; origination points are a processing fee.

Worked example

Worked example

2 points on a 300,000 dollar loan is 2 percent, or 6,000 dollars.

Exam trap

Points are a percentage of the loan amount, not the purchase price, and discount points are not the same as origination points.

Tested in

Financing & Settlement (7 of 80 National)

From definition to recall

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This definition is Texas real estate exam-prep education, not legal, tax, or professional advice. Verify current rules against the official source before relying on them for a real transaction. Back to the full glossary.