Home Mortgage Loan Refinance - Refinancing A Fixed Rate Mortgage
Carrie Reeder
Lower Interest Rates
In general when interest rates are at least 1% lower than your current mortgage rate, it pays to refinance. But you need to consider other factors, such as the length of your mortgage, loan costs, and how long you plan to stay in your home.
An adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) should also be considered if you plan to move soon. With rates lower than a fixed, you will see lower monthly payments. But you have the risk that your rates and payments will increase over time.
To help decide if refinancing makes sense for you, calculate the difference in interest payments over the course of your loan. Online mortgage calculators can help you find both total interest costs and monthly payments.
Better Loan Terms
Besides lower interest rates, you can save money by converting to a better loan term. A shorter loan, such as a 15 year term, can save you thousands on interest payments, even if you don't have a lower interest rate. However, your monthly payments will be 10% to 15% higher.
You can also reduce your monthly payments by refinancing for a longer term. You trade lower payments for higher interest costs.
Access Your Equity
Whether you want to pay off credit cards or pay for your child's education, you can pull out your equity by refinancing. One of the advantages of using your equity is that your interest is tax deductible.
However, if you just want to tap into your equity, a better option is a home equity loan. You can pull out your equity, write off your interest on your taxes, and avoid loan fees.
Online Lenders
Online financing companies allow you to research terms and fees from your home. You can receive quotes within minutes online, so you can compare finance packages. You can also apply online and qualify for discounts on closing cost with some lenders.
About the author:
See my recommended Home Mortgage Refinance Lenders for the lowest rates online. Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, which offers help finding low rate home mortgage loans.
The latest information and news on Mortgages:
Some tax issues to consider on mortgage write-downs (Washington Post)
With the Obama administration and private lenders actively considering mortgage principal-reduction programs to help financially distressed homeowners, the Internal Revenue Service has issued a new advisory to taxpayers who receive -- or seek to receive -- such assistance. The IRS gets involved in m...
Borrowers in foreclosure prevention plan losing mortgage aid (Washington Post)
About 90,000 distressed borrowers have lost their mortgage aid under the government's foreclosure prevention plan, and many more are at risk of losing the help, according to Treasury Department data released Friday.
Some tax issues to consider on mortgage write-downs (Washington Post)
With the Obama administration and private lenders actively considering mortgage principal-reduction programs to help financially distressed homeowners, the Internal Revenue Service has issued a new advisory to taxpayers who receive -- or seek to receive -- such assistance. The IRS gets involved in.....
Lender blames escrow shortage for $400 increase in monthly mortgage payment (...
Q: We have owned our house for many years, and the lender has always escrowed money to pay our real estate taxes and insurance. This year, we received a notice from the lender that our monthly mortgage payment will increase by over $400 because there is an escrow shortage. Can we cancel the escrow r...
Mortgage interest rates down for second week as home loan applications rise (...
Mortgage interest rates declined for a second consecutive week as the number of home loan applications rose.
Yahoo! News Search Results for refinance
Refinance may limit financial flexibility (Bankrate.com via Yahoo! Finance)
Reduced financial flexibility may be the price for a home refinance that lowers your mortgage rate.
Pernod Ricard Plans to Issue Bonds to Refinance Absolut Buyout (Bloomberg)
March 10 (Bloomberg) -- Pernod Ricard SA , the world?s second-biggest liquor maker, is planning to sell six-year bonds to help refinance loans used to buy the Absolut vodka brand in March 2008.
Tamaqua Area school district to save $137,000 by refinancing bond (The Pottsv...
TAMAQUA - Tamaqua Area school directors say they will save the district about $137,000 by refinancing a bond issue that originally paid for the Tamaqua Area Middle School. School directors unanimously voted to refinance about $3.1 million in outstanding
Euro finance ministers to agree on Greek aid: source (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Euro zone finance ministers are likely to agree on Monday on a mechanism for aiding Greece financially, if it is required, but will leave out any sums until Athens asks for them, an EU source said on Saturday.
LA council approves $2B sale of LAX bonds (Daily Breeze)
The Los Angeles City Council agreed Friday to sell another $2 billion worth of bonds to help pay for construction projects and refinance existing debt for Los Angeles International Airport.