Obama Got 'Good Deal' on Mortgage

Better-than-average rate on $1.32M loan raises eyebrows; bank says it's not unusual
By Jim O'Neill,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 2, 2008 11:32 AM CDT
Obama Got 'Good Deal' on Mortgage
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., center, and his wife arrive at a park to watch their daughter Malia's soccer game in Chicago on Tuesday, July 1, 2008.    (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Barack Obama is taking heat for accepting a better-than-average interest rate that saves him $300 a month on his $1.32 million mortgage, the Washington Post reports. The 30-year, fixed 5.625% rate on the Democrat's Chicago home was under the 6% being offered other buyers in June 2005 by Northern Trust, and included no origination fee or discount points.

An Obama spokesman said the bank lowered the rate to compete with other lenders; Northern Trust said it aims to " pursue successful individuals." Questions arise, however, if the loan to a public official could be classified as an illegal gift. "Do they do business like that for people who are not congressmen? If they don't, that's a problem," said one legal expert. (More Barack Obama stories.)

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