American Express Plan Lets Members Charge Mortgage Payments
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ever wish you could use plastic to pay your monthly mortgage bill? Imagine the rewards points you could rack up. For some American Express cardholders, that day has come.
The company behind the well-known "don't leave home without it" slogan announced on Wednesday a plan that let's members put mortgage payments on their credit card, earning them rewards points in the process.
In light of the unraveling subprime mortgage mess, it's worth noting the company did say the program isn't available to everyone. It is open only to American Express (AXP) consumer cardmembers and applies to new mortgages for a home purchase or refinance of a qualifying prime loan offered by American Home Mortgage (AHM).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The card holders will have to pay a one-time fee of $395 to the lender for enrollment in the program at the time of closing, the credit card and travel services company said in a statement. In order to qualify for this feature, cardholders will have to finance their mortgage with American Home Mortgage Corp. Those who currently own a home can have their loans refinanced with this lender to participate in the program.
Reuters contributed to this report.