Kakaku.com mortgage comparison

Overview

Kakaku.com’s mortgage section aggregates advertised rates and links to lender applications, which is convenient for a first pass. Like other comparison services it is free to the borrower because it is paid by referral or lender marketing, so the ranking may favor participating products and exclude others. Treat it as a lead source, ask which lenders are not included, and verify any offer with a dated written quotation over your holding period.

Fees and conflicts to check

Its rankings may favor participating lenders; ask which are excluded and verify any offer with a dated quotation.

What to verify before you rely on it

In short: Aggregates advertised rates and application links; Free to the borrower; paid by referral or lender marketing; Rankings may favor participating products; Use as a lead source, then verify with a dated quotation.

Whatever the category, establish three things before you rely on a provider: what kind of business it actually is (a licensed broker, a portal, a referral or media business, a manager, or an independent professional), how it is paid (by you, by the seller or lender, or through referral), and whether its advice is therefore independent of the transaction it is recommending. Ask for fees in writing, verify any licence and disciplinary record through the official registries, and treat a free service as one paid by someone else — usually an advertiser, a lender, or the seller. An English-language website tells you nothing about representation, so confirm whose interests the provider serves in your specific deal.