When to refinance?

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Answer 1 · 2014-11-18 18:07:25

Justin Thompson, Member

@jthompson • 11/18/14 This answer was first published on 11/18/14. For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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Refinancing can he a huge decision and you need to know a few things before you make that decision. I can help you out with a few queries you might have and provide insight on if it is a good idea to refinance or not.
First, you want to consider your current interest rate you are paying on your mortgage now and by a rule of thumb you want to at minimum reduce your interest rate by 3 points. This is a great rule and widely used in decisions about if it would be beneficial to refinance or not. Some say two even down to one point is worth it if you are going to be staying at the residence for more than three years. This is up to you but I would try to at least get three points to make sure the refinancing is really helping you out.
Second, you want to factor in if you can switch the type of loan you have. Most people have an adjustable rate mortgage which comes with a very low initial rate. You can see if you qualify to switch to a fixed rate which will be the same each time you pay. The advantage here is you get to have the fixed rate and also it extinguishes the rate increase at the adjustment period of your initial loan period.
Another thing to factor in is your credit score. This might not seem like a big deal but it can be! When you got your initial mortgage your credit score was factored into that. Now, let's say your credit score has improved over that time. This will help you get a better rate with your new refinanced home and could save you tons of money. On the other hand, if your credit score has been damaged you may want to reconsider refinancing as this could hurt you in the long run. Also, make sure to check when you refinance, if you decide to do so, as credit determination changes from time to time. So, a score that may have been average at the time of the initial mortgage could be considered above average now!
Using all these tips and doing research will help you make the decision if you would like to refinance or not. Remember, this is a big decision and should be thought through extensively before you make a decision. Hope this helps have a great day!

Answer 2 · 2013-02-21 00:31:04

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Jason T Hull, Financial Advisor

@JasonHull • 02/21/13 This answer was first published on 02/21/13. For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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One consideration you should include in the decision whether or not to refinance is the overall closing costs versus how long you plan on living in the property.

Let me explain.

Let's say that you're sitting on a 6% mortgage rate and can get down to a 5% mortgage rate. You have a $200,000 mortgage. The closing costs (origination fees, filing fees, etc.) will be $2,000. Your mortgage payment will decrease by $125.46 per month. Thus, it will take you 16 months to recoup the $2,000 that you spent up front to refinance. If you were planning on moving in a year, then you would not want to refinance the loan because you would not have enough time to recoup the costs.

Also, if you can do it and you have the financial capabilities to handle the terms without putting yourself at risk, consider shortening the term of the mortgage to 15 or 10 years. The sooner you can get out from under the yoke of a bank, the better!

Answer 3 · 2012-10-31 03:39:28

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Bethany Bockmann, Member

@BBock • 10/31/12 This answer was first published on 10/31/12. For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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It has been widely reported that mortgage rates are at historic lows so now may indeed be a good time to refinance. However, there are a few factors to consider before rushing into it.

Things to consider:

1)Upfront costs: Refinancing will require many of the same costs and fees you incurred when you got your initial mortgage. Make sure you are incorporating these costs in your consideration. Some potential costs involved: application fee, appraisal fee, credit check, title search, title insurance, survey, origination fee, discount points, lawyer fees, PMI, etc. Some lenders offer a low or no cost refinancing option in which you can negotiate to waive some or all of the refinance costs. However, this often results in a higher interest rate. Ask your lender if this is an option and consider if it is worth the higher interest rate.

2) Are you eligible for refinance?Your lender will look at your current financial situation and credit history as well as your income to debt ratio. If you have poor credit history or significant unmanaged debt, it may be difficult to do better than your current rate. Creditors will also take into account the current value of your property and the amount of equity you have in your home (equity is the difference between your property’s current value and the amount you still owe on your mortgage).Most lenders require borrowers to have at least 5% equity in their home before they are eligible to refinance.

3) Does your current mortgage have a prepayment penalty? Some mortgages may include this penalty which is usually a percentage of your outstanding principal balance. Be sure to consider the cost of this penalty in weighing your options.

What is your reason for refinancing?

1) To lower your interest rate and/or your monthly payment.Lower payments could justify the refinance costs, but only if you stay in your home long enough to recoup them. If this is your primary goal, you can use a simple calculation to determine if this makes sense: Divide your total costs of refinancing including any fees by the total monthly savings you would achieve by refinancing. This will give you the approximate number of months it would take to recoup your costs of refinancing. If this is longer than you plan to stay in your home, it probably does not make sense to refinance.

2) To build equity faster.You may want to refinance to decrease the term of your mortgage, thereby building equity faster since more of your monthly payment will go towards the principal. Remember that this will likely increase your monthly payment.

3) To convert from an adjustable rate mortgage to a fixed rate mortgage.Many adjustable rate mortgages have low introductory rates that increase after the initial 3-5 years. Do you have an introductory rate that will soon increase? Do you have an interest-only loan and your payment will soon increase to include principal? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, it may make sense to refinance to a fixed rate mortgage.

4) To borrow from equity to free up extra cash.People who have significant equity in their home may use this option to pay for large expenses or consolidate debt since mortgage rates are generally lower than credit card rates. Remember that this option will increase your monthly payments and may have fees or tax consequences associated. This option should be considered very carefully and should only be done if it makes financial sense in the long term.

Clearly, the decision to refinance can be rather complex. There are a variety of online refinance calculators you may find helpful once you determine all the costs associated. As long as you do your research and consider what you want to get out of refinancing, you will know if you are making the right financial decision.

When to refinance?

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