Mortgage refinancing entails obtaining a new loan to pay off and replace an existing mortgage. There are several scenarios wherein mortgage refinancing is a good idea.
Most people apply for mortgage refinancing to pay lower interest rates, thus saving them money for the duration of the loan. In most cases however, you will have to pay lender fees and other charges that are tied in with the new loan. You will want to make sure therefore that you will actually be saving money from the new loan. It is also important to take into consideration the length of your stay in your home. Selling your home before you break even on the refinance will end up costing you more money than if you never refinanced your first mortgage.
Another common scenario is when the homeowner has an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) and the interest rate on that mortgage “re sets” to a higher rate. If you anticipate an increase in your mortgage rates in the future, shifting to a fixed rate mortgage will allow you to avoid the higher interest rates later on. If you think rates are likely to go down in the long term, it may be smarter to refinance into a new adjustable rate mortgage.
If you are having difficulty paying your monthly mortgage costs, mortgage refinancing will not only extend the duration of the loan, but will reduce your monthly payments as well. Although this can help you get through a difficult financial period, you will end up paying more in interest over the course of the loan. And again, if you are not able to get a lower interest rate on your new mortgage loan, the time it would take to cover the cost of the upfront closing costs could be longer than you plan on staying in the home.
When you make the decision to apply for mortgage refinancing it is important to understand how much you will save each month and what the costs of refinancing will be. To estimate whether or not its worth it to refinance, simply multiply your monthly savings by the number of months you plan to stay in you home. After that, deduct the total costs of the various fees that you will incur with the new loan. If you end up with a negative number, you will lose money on the refinancing. If you go for refinancing, you will be in a better position to either break even or save money if you live in your home for a longer period of time. Mortgage refinancing is still a far better option even if the rates on the new loan are only slightly lower than what you are paying now.