Should I Refinance my Mortgage? Knowing When to Do it

If you’re looking to reduce monthly mortgage payments and get a lowered interest rate, you could also convert equity to cash or switch to a fixed-rate loan. These are all reasons to refinance, but while it may sound enticing at first, you will want to make sure that it is the right time for you to do it. Before you decide to refinance, it is key to understand the process and evaluate the pros and cons of your situation. Homeowners are sometimes surprised about the amount of documentation needed to get approved for a mortgage refinance. If you learn the basics, you will be able to decide if it is right time for you to do it as well as what will happen when you do.

There are plenty of reasons you would want to refinance, but there are a few that cut through the rest. First the main goal is usually to lower your payments. It shouldn’t be to just decrease the payment for the short-term, you should be pursuing better interest rates. This is really what will cost you in the long run. Using your home equity to better manage debt is another option, but you are advised to be careful when it comes using your positive financial situation to pay off a negative one. Refinancing will help you pay off your loan faster.

Refinance is replacing an existing mortgage with a new one. This typically has people refinancing their mortgage in order to reduce their monthly payments while decreasing their mortgage to a fixed-rate and lowering interest. Adjustable rates are typically more expensive, and when you refinance you can lower the cost.

Other people just need access to cash in order to fund a renovation project or pay off debt. This will leave leverage to use the equity from the home to obtain cash. It doesn’t matter what your goal, you should get to know the process of refinancing to get the most out of it. It works a lot like your first mortgage, but timing is even more key. Research your option, collect financial documents, and submit a refinancing application and you’ll be better equipped to benefit.

Lowering payments is by far the biggest reason that people refinance. The average homeowner may save up $160 or more per month with a refinance. With a lower monthly payment, you are free to put savings toward other debts and expenditures. You can also apply savings towards your monthly mortgage and pay off the loan sooner.

Another reason is to remove private mortgage insurance. If you have enough property appreciation or the principal paid off will not be required to pay mortgage insurance that will reduce your total monthly payment. Homeowners who took out a mortgage in the early stages of their career, it may have made senses financially. But things change. For those who want to pay off the mortgage sooner, reducing the term of the loan can be enticing. There are many more benefits, but none of them will matter if you don’t consider the timing.

There are many factors that go into refinancing. According to the site MoneyPug, which is used to make a mortgage comparison, first you should make sure have outstanding credit. If you try to refinance when you have poor credit, your interest rate will be sky high. You should also keep up on the market and learn when mortgage prices are at their best.

Furthermore, most banks and other lenders require borrowers to maintain their original mortgage for at least 12 months, but you don’t want to wait too long. Refinancing typically starts over the process, which means that the years you’ve spent paying off the home will not be accounted for. You shouldn’t wait too many years, but you should always make sure it is in fact the right time for you. The terms of each lender are different and you should make sure they are helpful to you.

It doesn’t matter whether you have a lot of money or little, a big house or a small one, paying attention to the time in which you refinance is key. You want your credit to be solid, your financial situation stable, and the years of payment to be right. Once you have thoroughly researched, you will know when to refinance and when to hold off.