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Credit Problems? With A Subprime Mortgage Lender, Poor Credit Is Not A Problem
Have you been turned down for a home loan recently because you have a bad credit history? You may want to consider applying for home financing with a subprime mortgage lender. A subprime mortgage lender is one who specializes in providing financing...
Finding a Mortgage Refinance Advisor
If you are looking to refinance your home for a lower rate, or you are interested in a refinance with cash out to do some home repairs, buy a new car, etc., you may want to consider finding a mortgage refinance advisor.
There are actually two...
Foster Home Uses Pay Option Mortgage Loan For California Refinance
“We recently received an application from Angela P. who needed to refinance her California home. While finding out her specific goals for the refinance I learned that she was a foster mom and cared for multiple "crack" babies that had been taken...
Honey, I Shrunk The Mortgage Interest Deduction - Plan 1
The political landscape this year has been nothing but ugly. It promises to come to full boil with the proposed tax reform eliminating or reducing the mortgage interest deduction.
Tax Reform or Raising Taxes
There is an old saying about the two...
Looking for a Mortgage? Know Your Options.
Buying a new home is an exciting time in everyone’s life, but it can also be one of the most stressful. Unless you have done it before, it is important to know your options when selecting a mortgage. There are multiple choices when choosing the...
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When is the right time to refinance your mortgage?
You've heard that interest rates are down and you think it could be time to refinance your existing mortgage, but the entire loan application process was so exhausting during the initial loan that you aren't sure it's worth the hassle. You could very well be right, but there are some things you can do to help decide whether it's time to refinance your mortgage.
The first thing you need to verify is the interest rate for your existing mortgage and the interest rates being offered across the board for new loans. If there's not at least a one and a half to two point difference, you're probably not going to be significantly better off to refinance your mortgage. Here's why.
Remember those closing costs on your initial mortgage? You probably paid for an appraisal, perhaps a home inspector's services and even a survey if you have rural property. Depending on how long it's been since your original loan, you may be faced with having all those processes repeated. Especially if you are going with another lender, have had the existing mortgage for at least two years, have made major modifications to your home or property, or have seen some significant variations in property values in your area, you're probably going to be required to have an appraisal at the very least. While
it's not a huge cost for an appraisal, comparing that with the amount you're going to save on a slight drop in interest rates could show that it will take months to recoup that expense. Don't forget that you'll likely have some additional closing costs from the lender on the new mortgage (you are, after all, taking out a new mortgage even though you have an existing loan) and you may even be facing penalties for paying off your existing loan early. Weigh those costs against what you expect to save before you take this step.
So does that mean that you should never refinance an existing mortgage? Actually, there are plenty of opportunities when refinancing your mortgage makes good financial sense. If you've significantly increased the value of your home or have been paying for several years, you may have enough equity to qualify for a better interest rate. You may also lower monthly payments or refinance to make improvements. In the end, it's up to you to weigh the costs of refinancing your mortgage and decide if the time is right for you to take this step.
About the Author
Mark Lambie is the founder of The Loan House a website that allows consumers to quickly and easily get free mortgage quotes and mortgage information.
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