Women get worse loan rates than men, study reveals

Women aren’t getting the best mortgage rate when getting a loan compared to men, but it’s not because of gender discrimination. It’s because women aren’t doing enough shopping when it comes to mortgage rates, a new study published in the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics finds.

Women tend to rely on recommendations from their friends when it comes to mortgage rates, while men are more likely to shop around and talk to several lenders in finding the best rate, the researchers note.

Researchers suggest that “gender disparity in mortgage rates may be addressed by policies aimed at improving women’s financial literacy and search skills.”