Pre-Payment Penalties - Why Is This Not Often Discussed?

[Malcolm Gordon]

Hello BP,

I would like to touch on a subject which I have never come across in any of the books I've read nor often discussed in the BP forums; yet I believe its is a very real thing from my understanding and appears to often be overlooked when one considers to pay off a loan early, or refinance.  I am referring to pre-payment penalties and I am curious if this should be a valid consideration when obtaining a loan from a lender and also I am curious to hear the experiences of BP members in regards to this subject.  Why this is not a common topic of discussion when structuring a loan or re-financing? is it simply not understood by most people or is it insignificant? I am I missing something?

Thanks for you insight,

Malcolm G.