When borrowing from a mortgage lender, prospective home buyers are often anxious and eager to secure the loan itself, and sometimes therefore overlook key issues in the process.

Jeffrey Kaufman, partner at Kaufman Englett & Lynd Attorneys, PLLC, said his firm currently represents thousands of people facing foreclosure and bankruptcy who could’ve avoided the situation if they had better investigated the fine print before getting in over their heads with lenders.

“It’s painful right now,” Kaufman said. “They trusted everything, and were led astray.”

Here are three questions every borrower should ask before signing with a mortgage broker:

No. 1: What are my closing costs? While many lenders will tell buyers there are ‘no closing costs,’ fees are often added onto the backend, including government charges and application fees, according to Kaufman.

“You need to know your total costs before you get to the table,” Kaufman said. “Sometimes there is an additional $4,000 or $5,000 and lenders say you have to ‘sign now, or you will lose the mortgage.’“ In that case, he said, borrowers have to be willing to walk away if the lender was dishonest about costs.

No. 2: What kind of mortgage do I have? If you have a fixed mortgage rate, the interest cannot go up, but adjustable rates can see costs add up over the course of the loan.

“They can change your interest rates with an adjustable loan, meaning you will pay a lot more over its life,” Kaufman said. “It picks up really quick.”

No. 3: How long will my guaranteed rate last? If a broker gives you a guaranteed rate on your loan, timing is key.

“If it only lasts a week, then by the time you get your house it may not count anymore,” Kaufman said. “You have to lock in a time frame.”