Mortgage & Refinancing Information


Should You Choose to Refinance?


Refinancing has become a valid option for many individuals with high interest rates on their mortgage. Refinancing is essentially a replacement loan, with a different lender and (hopefully) a lower interest rate.

So why would you choose to refinance?

  • You may be able to take advantage of lower interest rates.

  • You may also be able to extend the repayment period of your mortgage. While you will end up paying more in interest charges for this, this will reduce your monthly outgoings.

  • You may be able to switch from a variable rate to a fixed rate mortgage, giving you greater security in the future from potential rate increases.

  • You may also be able to increase the amount of your mortgage, to pay off other, higher interest rate liabilities such as credit card debt, cell phone debt and personal loan debt. This will enable you to save money on interest rate charges

Why would you avoid refinance?

If you decide to borrow more than your existing mortgage, you need to be wary of your budget. If you default on your payments you run the risk of losing your house.

If you do not calculate the costs involved with refinancing correctly, you could end up paying more in interest charges.

Thoroughly review the contract of your existing loan, an early pay out could involve a penalty that would negate the benefits of refinancing.

What will it cost me?

Refinancing does carry some costs that you need to be made aware.

  • Valuation Fee - This is the fee for a professional appraisal of the value of your house.

  • Credit Report - An assessment of your credit health

  • Escrow - Fee for money transferred by a third party.

  • Lender Fees - Any other fees that are incurred by using a particular lender

Am I eligible?

Applying for mortgage refinance is just like applying for another loan. There is a set criteria for acceptance. Every missed mortgage payment will count against you in the application, either resulting in a greater interest rate or a refused application.

Should I choose refinancing?

You will need to assess your current mortgage and the changeover costs and savings to ascertain whether it will be of benefit to you. There are specific refinancing calculators that can help you determine the net gain. The best one that I have found is here http://www.calcbuilder.com/cgi-bin/calcs/HOM12.cgi/

As a rule of thumb many lenders advocate that a 1% gap between your current interest rate and a refinance rate makes refinance a worthwhile option. Always make sure to speak to a financial professional before deciding to refinance your mortgage.

About The Author

Brad Slade

More information on mortgage refinance available at http://members.optusnet.com.au/~mortgagearticles/


MORE RESOURCES:

ABC News

Pros and Cons of a Mortgage Refinance
FreeRateUpdate.com
Many homeowners are jumping on the opportunity to save money with a mortgage refinance at the current low mortgage rates. With mortgage rates at historically low levels, some homeowners have refinanced more than once in the past several years which is ...
Who Qualifies for the $26 Billion Foreclosure Settlement?TIME

all 3,447 news articles »


Lenders say mortgage refinance deal will bolster Manatee market
Bradenton Herald
By JOSH SALMAN - jsalman@bradenton.com MANATEE -- A new refinance program to help underwater homeowners will uplift the local economy by putting extra cash into the pockets of those who will spend it, area lenders predict. The deal struck with five of ...

and more »


Mortgage-refinance bill a dangerous deal
Arizona Republic
by Robert Robb, columnist - Feb. 10, 2012 12:00 AM State Sen. Michele Reagan wants to help out underwater homeowners in the worst way. And she has succeeded with SB 1451 -- it's hard to imagine a worse bill. Reagan proposes to establish a state agency ...

and more »


Housing Wire

Obama pressures Congress on mortgage refinance program
Fox News
WASHINGTON – President Obama is rallying support for his plan to expand government assistance to homeowners, pressuring Congress to help lower lending rates for millions of strapped homeowners. Obama, in his radio and Internet address Saturday, ...
President Obama's Mortgage Refinance Plan Just a Bid for VotesYahoo! Contributors Network
Obama Unveils Mortgage Refinance EndeavorsMortgageorb
New Obama mortgage refinance plan to near $10 billionHousing Wire
Go Banking Rates -MNI News -CBS Moneywatch
all 1,239 news articles »


MonitorBankRates.com

Mortgage Refinance Rates: 15 Year Refinance Mortgage Rates at 3.29%
MonitorBankRates.com
Mortgage refinance rates on 30 year conforming home loans are averaging 3.98%, unchanged from yesterday's average 30 year mortgage refinance rate. Mortgage refinance rates today on 15 year home mortgage loans are averaging 3.29%, down from yesterday's ...

and more »


Fox News

Obama Proposes Mortgage-Refinance Plan
Wall Street Journal
By NICK TIMIRAOS President Barack Obama called on Congress during Tuesday's State of the Union address to approve new legislation that would give all homeowners who are current on their mortgages the opportunity to refinance at record low mortgage ...
Will Obama's Mortgage Refinance Plan Be D.O.A.?U.S. News & World Report
Obama proposes mortgage refinance programPolitico (blog)
Obama proposes new mortgage refinance programHousing Wire
Daily Caller
all 314 news articles »


Bloomberg

HARP Refi May Delay PMI Cancellation
NASDAQ
The federal HARP mortgage refinance program can be a huge boon for underwater homeowners. But if you have PMI, there's a little hitch you should know about. While refinancing a mortgage through HARP can cut your interest rate and save you money, ...
New HARP Could Help Up to 6.7 MillionMortgageLoan.com

all 59 news articles »


International Business Times

FOX 11 News Discussion: State of the Union
MyFox Los Angeles
And he aimed a pitch at homeowners, announcing a new mortgage refinance program with "historically low interest rates" that "gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3000 a year on their mortgage." He added, "A small fee on the ...
Winning Words, But Not a WinnerU.S. News & World Report
Obama State of the Union 2012: Mortgage Refinance Changes Face ObstaclesInternational Business Times

all 12,250 news articles »


CBS Local

Six Questions on Obama's Mortgage Refinance Proposal
Wall Street Journal (blog)
By Nick Timiraos President Barack Obama said Tuesday night in his State of the Union address that he would send a plan to Congress to allow all homeowners who are current on their mortgages to refinance. Here's a quick look at the proposal: How is this ...
Obama plan could help refinance Bay Area mortgagesSan Francisco Chronicle

all 19 news articles »


Obama Projects $901 Billion Deficit Next Year With Tax Increases
BusinessWeek
He also would raise $61 billion over 10 years from the largest financial institutions to offset the cost of the Troubled Asset Relief Program and his mortgage refinance plan. The deficit forecast is based on the assumption Congress accepts previous ...

and more »

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