When to Refinance?

Generally, there are two good times when it's wise to refinance your mortgage. If you've got an adjustable rate mortgage, one of those times is during periods of rising interest rates. If you refinance to a fixed rate mortgage, particularly to a rate similar to your present low adjustable rate, you'll avoid the higher costs when the adjustable rates start going up.

The other time it's a good idea to refinance is when you'll save money by getting a lower interest rate. In this case, you'll want to make sure that your monthly savings will pay back your refinancing costs while you're still living on the property. If you sell your home before your refinancing has paid for itself, you won't be saving anything. If you are experiencing cash flow difficulties, you may be tempted to lower your monthly mortgage payments by refinancing to extend the term of the loan. From a savings perspective, this is not a good reason to refinance. Unless you get a lower interest rate on the new loan as part of the bargain, you're not really saving any money; in fact, the reverse will be true.

If you extend the term of your mortgage without changing anything else, you might loosen your tight cash flow situation, but you'll actually pay more total interest on the mortgage in the long run. Refinancing can be a way out to keep you from making higher payments but you can only get the maximum benefits when you're into the process at the right time. Here are a few conditions under which you may seek a refinance loan.

You have the home equity to help you borrow It is feasible to can go for a refinance when you have built up at least 10% equity in your home (For Fannie Mae owned mortgages, the value is 5%). It is also possible for you to choose the option if your equity is less than 5%, but you may have to pay a certain amount of cash in order to make up for the difference in the equity.

You find that current market rates are low It's better to follow the 2% Rule which suggests that you can enjoy the benefits of a refinance if you can secure an interest rate 2% below the rate on your current loan. The interest savings will help you to recoup the costs you've paid for the new loan provided you stay in the property for a certain period of time (break-even period). However, there are no-cost as well as low-cost refinance loans wherein the costs are included into the loan. You can expect a slightly higher rate on such a loan but if it's lower than your current rate, then it's still a suitable choice.

You haven't been late on the payments There is no such limit on the number of times you can go for a refinance. Most lenders prefer that you have no late payment for the past 12 months before you switch over to a new loan.