A cheerful voice over the phone informs you of this great plan they have to refinance the mortgage on your house. Before you go ahead and say “Yes”, take a few minutes to read these important things you should consider before refinancing your home.
Analyze the current status. Is the loan an ARM (adjustable rate mortgage)? Do you have to make a major payment in the near future? If your current mortgage is an ARM then it is better that you refinance using a low interest rate fixed rate loan. That way you’ll end up paying an steady interest even when rates move north. If you are facing an imminent payment situation then again you should go in for a suitable refinance deal.
So if the current market rate is lower than the rate you are paying, it is plain simple common-sense to refinance your house at the lower rate. Mind you, there is a catch. What you save over the months and years with the lower interest will be offset to a lesser or greater degree by the penalty that you have to pay for terminating the mortgage earlier than planned. Factor this into your computations to see if the interest benefit in refinancing is worthwhile.
Planning to move in the near future? Take a three year time horizon for this question. If you are moving, then its best that you shelve the idea of refinancing the mortgage. You’ll have to bear the cost of foreclosing the loan not once, but twice!
If you want to pay up the mortgage earlier than agreed upon, you have to pay a penalty, often called a pre-payment penalty. The usual amount of the penalty varies from two years’ interest right up to five years’ interest. Factor these figures in when deciding about refinancing your loan. That very profitable proposition may actually turn out to be a losing proposition in the end!
If you are going to stay in that house for a long time, and if the fresh interest rate is less than the one you are currently paying, then refinancing is a good idea. The savings in interest will give you a nice nest egg when the mortgage is finally over!
What is the amount of the refinance? Most probably it’s going to be higher than your current loan. So your repayment bill will also go up. If the new loan has a significantly lower rate of interest, then the increased repayment bill may be partially or completely offset by the savings in interest. Check that your new repayment amount is within your means.
You can earn a hefty saving by refinancing your house provided you time it right, which is when the interest rates are low. Just make sure of two things: that you can handle the payments comfortably, and that the mortgager is trustworthy.