New Web tools let consumers play mortgage broker

Sites empower shoppers with knowledge

If lenders once had the upper hand over borrowers shopping for a mortgage over the Internet -- thanks in part because of Web sites that sell an applicant's personal information as leads -- the balance of power may be shifting to consumers.

A new generation of Web-based mortgage shopping tools aims to put consumers in the driver's seat by letting them query the databases of hundreds of lenders, comparing loan guidelines, rates and fees for a specific transaction without giving up their personal information.

In this three-part series, Inman News reporter Matt Carter details several online sites that offer more choice and transparency in the mortgage selection process.

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