A mortgage is a loan, usually from a bank, finance company or building society to help you buy your home. A mortgage is a loan, from a bank or building society that is secured against your house or flat. You have to pay back everything you borrow from your lender within an agreed length of time (the mortgage term). You also have to pay interest on what you have borrowed. A mortgage...

Refinancing Your Home Mortgage Loan - Refinance Your Adjustable Rate Mortgage

Carrie Reeder

Refinancing an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is a common practice for borrowers. However, it may not always be the best option. Depending on how high interest rates climb, there are cases when you could end up spending more on converting your mortgage than you would save with a locked in interest rate.

Adding Up Costs

Before you jump on a refinancing offer, consider the upfront costs. To refinance a $100,000 loan, you can expect loan fees to range from $1000 to $3000. That is not including points for lower rates.

In order to recoup these origination costs, you need to be planning to spend several years in your home. Also, if you only have a couple of years left on your mortgage, you may be better off with your original mortgage.

Benefits Of Refinancing

Locking in a low rate is the most common benefit to refinancing an ARM. By converting to a fixed rate mortgage, you are guaranteed a low interest without worrying about yearly interest rate fluxes.

You can also build up your equity sooner by converting to a biweekly mortgage or short term loan. With larger monthly payments, you can potentially save thousands on interest payments.

When Not To Refinance

With an ARM there is always some risk involved, but there are cases when keeping your ARM makes financial sense. For instance, unless interest rates will rise more than a couple of percentage points over the course of your loan, you will probably pay more in loan fees than you will save. You should also keep your ARM if current rates are only 1% or lower than your ARM's rate.

You may also want to keep your ARM if you are planning to move soon. With homeowners moving within seven years of buying a home, it doesn't make sense to refinance when you won't recoup the costs.

Picking A Lender

Just like with any mortgage, you want to be sure that you have researched several lenders before choosing one. Request quotes on both rates and fees. You will need to add up total costs to find the best financing package. You can also use the internet to find online mortgage lenders. Many times these lenders will offer lower interest rates or low closing costs to remain competitive.

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:

Yahoo! News Search Results for mortgage

Mortgage rates hit decades-low of 4.32 percent
Mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in decades for the tenth time in 11 weeks, as investors worried about the economy.
Mortgage rates hit record low: Freddie Mac
U.S. mortgage rates fell in the past week to the latest in a series of record lows as yields on government debt dropped, according to a survey released on Thursday by Freddie Mac, the second-largest U.S. mortgage finance company.
Mortgage rates at record lows
WASHINGTON (AP) - Mortgage rates have fallen to the lowest level in decades for the tenth time in 11 weeks.
Mortgage rates still heading south
Mortgage interest rates have fallen for the 10th time in the last 11 weeks, according to Freddie Mac's report on what lenders are offering to borrowers with solid credit and 20% down payments or home equity. Freddie Mac's weekly survey...
Mortgage Bankers group spent $745K lobbying in 2Q
The Mortgage Bankers Association spent $745,000 in the second quarter to lobby the federal government on issues including banking regulations, housing issues and reforms to the financial system.
Yahoo! News Search Results for refinance

Home mortgage refinance rates are low
Home mortgage refinance rates are low right now. How can you capture the best rate?
Owners decide to keep EQT Plaza, refinance debt
The 32-story EQT Plaza, Downtown, has been pulled off the market as its owner, Blackstone Group of New York, has decided to refinance its debt and retain ownership.
Dana Blair of Love Funding Closes $6.56 Million Refinance Loan for Multifamil...
Dallas - Love Funding today announced that its Dallas office closed a $6,560,000 non-recourse loan for the refinance of Aspen Chase, a 288-unit multifamily housing complex located in Dallas.
More homeowners rush to refinance
Low rates means more homeowners are looking to refinance but a shaky housing market puts the damper on new mortgages.
Should you stretch out a refinance?
It might make more sense to increase the length of your mortgage to free up some cash.