1. Know your lender’s lock policy. With swift market changes, executing a good locking strategy can be vital.

2. If interest rates have dropped from when you first took out your mortgage refinance your loan.

3. If you are making payments larger than the minimum with hopes of paying off the mortgage sooner, make sure your payments are being applied to the principal of the loan.

4. Worry about your debts more than your savings. Savings will not earn as much as your debts will accumulate, with the exception of tax free accounts.

5. Have a bigger deposit, a 15% deposit will get you a better deal than a 5% deposit down.