Thought women were shoppers? Not so with mortgages

In a recent research paper in the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, three researchers examined why women usually pay more for mortgages than men.

The authors found that women pay higher rates because they are more likely to choose lenders by recommendation while men tend to search for the lowest rate.

Research analysis confirms that shopping is rewarded by better rates and fees in the mortgage marketplace. The research also suggests that gender disparity in mortgage rates may be addressed by policies aimed at improving women’s financial literacy and search skills.