What is the meaning of Points?

Points is an upfront cash payment required by the lender as part of the charge for the loan, expressed as a percent of the loan amount; e. G., "3 points" means a charge equal to 3% of the loan balance. It is common today for lenders to offer a wide range of rate/point combinations, especially on fixed rate mortgages (FRMs), including combinations with negative points. On a negative point loan the lender contributes cash toward meeting closing costs. Positive and negative points are sometimes termed "discounts" and "premiums" respectively.