Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. While some people re in position to make a “cash deal,” most rely on a mortgage to get into the home of their dreams.

Choosing a mortgage lender is not something you should do on a whim. With so many options, it is enticing to seek out the lender with the lowest rate, complete an application, and hope for the best. After all, you are probably more excited about the home itself than how you are going to pay for it. But you don’t want to do this. You don’t want to make a decision until you have compared every option, paying close attention to any advantages and disadvantages.

To ensure that you make the right decision, you need to answer these five questions:

1. Which mortgage lenders have the best reputation throughout the industry and among other customers? The last thing you want to do is get tied up with a lender that has a bad reputation. There are plenty of high quality options out there, so as long as you are willing to compare each one you should never run into issues in this area.

2. How does one mortgage lender stack up to the rest? Once you have a general idea of which lender you want to use, you should compare them to the rest of the industry. Find out if you are getting the best rate. Learn more about their customer service. Dig deeper into their history. You may be surprised at what you find as you peel back the layers.

3. Which mortgage lenders are known for providing the best customer service? Like many, your mortgage payment is going to make up a large portion of your monthly debt. For this reason, you are going to have questions from time to time. You need to do business with a company that is willing to answer your questions, regardless of what they may be, without delay.

4. What are your payment options? In today’s day and age, most lenders give you the option to pay via check, online, or through direct debit. Of course, this is not the case across the board. If you have a preference, make sure the lender offers that particular payment method before you sign on the dotted line.

5. What are other people saying about the lender? The best way to answer this question is to spend a few hours online. You will come across thousands of reviews, especially if you are researching some of the more popular lenders.

Note: regardless of the lender, you will find both positive and negative reviews. Take what you read with a grain of salt.

When you answer these questions before choosing a mortgage lender, you will feel much more confident in your final decision.