Do you need to refinance? Maybe you’re not sure when to do it. Nothing wrong with that; you’re not the first and not the last.
However, we have a solution. In this article, we will go over when exactly is the best time to refinance.
Keep reading to find out what a mortgage refinance is, how long it takes, and when to do it.
The Mortgage Refinance
There are plenty of ways to refinance your current mortgage. Finding the best loan is going to depend on your personal ambitions.
For example, you might want to switch out from an adjustable-rate mortgage to a fixed-rate loan, which can be paid off via a stable monthly payment.
Maybe you want to shorten the term of the loan from 30 to 15 years, saving a lot of interest in the process.
A mortgage refinance is also a method for you to rid yourself of private insurance after you have achieved the 20% equity within the home. The larger portion of homeowners will continue to opt-in for a rate-and-term refinance, which lowers the interest rate and provides a manageable repayment plan.
Some people want to have lower payments to help pay off other credits, whereas those who go with a cash-out refinance can use the cash to eliminate debt, pay for renovations, or any other major expense.
Eliminating debt balances with a low-interest loan is a great idea, but if you continue to compound your balances you will find yourself with a significant bump in risk. The mortgage is a debt, which is secured by the home itself.
If you miss payments, you can lose your home to foreclosure. Therefore, it’s best to communicate with a specialist who will help you establish your current financial needs, and provide you with a solution to either cash-out refinance or look elsewhere.
How Long Does It Take to Recover the Costs?
When considering a mortgage refinance, the interest rate is not the only thing you should consider. For example, there are other costs, such as closing costs of 3 to 5 percent of the principal amount.
If you borrow $200000, and the closing cost if 3% you would be left owing $6000 during closing. Instead of requiring all of the money upfront, a lender will let you add the closing cost into the principal amount, financing it as part of the loan.
In order to decide if a refinance is right for you, review how long it should take for the cost of the refinance to pay for itself. If you are planning on selling the home before your break-even a refinance is probably not worth it.
To determine the point of break-even, divide the entire closing cost by the amount that you will save with each new payment of the refinance.
When Should You Refinance?
If you think you will be able to take off a single percentage point from your mortgage rate, then you should think about it.
Interest rates will be determined by market factors, including yields on treasury bonds. So the best terms/rates will come with the best credit. The question of refinancing is not in the interest rate, but in your ability to qualify for the appropriate mortgage refinance loan.
Your ambitions, your length of residence, your home equity, and your financial condition should all be considered when you plan on refinancing your mortgage.
The bottom line is:
- A mortgage with a lower interest rate is a great reason for refinancing.
- If interest rates drop, refinance to shorten the term of the mortgage and pay less in interest.
- Switching to a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage is variable on how long you will reside in the home and your current rates.
- If you are consolidating debt or achieving equity refinancing is a good option, but it can make the situation worse if you aren’t careful.
By knowing the information above, you can determine for yourself when you should refinance. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons in detail.
Refinance for Lower Interest Rate
Lowering your interest rate is one of the primary reasons to refinance. The rule is if you can reduce the interest rate by at least 2%, you are golden. In some cases, even 1% is worthwhile.
Not only do you save money, but you increase the rate at which you acquire equity in the home, and it will decrease your monthly installments.
Refinance to Shorten the Term
During times of interest rate decrease, a homeowner will have the opportunity to refinance the loan for another, which will have a significantly shorter term with the same monthly payment.
For a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage on $200000 home, reducing the rate from 9% to 5% can reduce the term by 15 years with minimal change to the monthly payment. However, if you are already at 5% a 3.5% mortgage with a 15-year term would increase your monthly payment.
Knowing your numbers is the name of the game.
Is the Refinance Right For You?
Now you know what a refinance is, how it works, and in which scenarios it is best implemented. You are well on your way to deciding for yourself if it’s worthwhile.
As mentioned, there are plenty of benefits to a refinance at the right time. However, if it is executed at the wrong time or for the wrong reasons you can find yourself in a worse situation than before.
If you’re interested in getting a quote for your refinance, get in touch now.