I have an ownership interest in a miles-for-mortgage program that is competitive to lendingtree, so I will tread carefully and not make any commercial statements here, but suffice to say, LendingTree's mileage rates are generally higher than rates or programs available without miles - also when using LendingTree, pay close and careful attention to the ratings of the proposed lenders before exchanging information with them...those ratings, although not always a guaranteed indication of the quality of service you will receive, are a good way to filter out lenders/brokers who can turn your transaction into a nightmare. I know a few folks who learned that lesson the hard way.

When running the numbers, always factor in the length of time you plan on keeping the loan. A shorter timeframe will minimize the total impact of a higher rate, which balances against the value of the incentive - a longer timeframe will cost you alot more in interest than the value of the incentive you are receiving.

Read the terms and conditions of LendingTree's program to understand how they make their money, and then you can figure out that the cost of the miles has to be padded in the rate or fees somehow. Remember, nothing is for free.