Rebecca Sparenberg asked:




Looking to refinance your mortgage? Well stop, don’t rush; there are a few things you should consider before refinancing. With mortgage rates at an all-time low, refinancing can save you thousands of dollars. However, if you rush into a new rate without negotiate for the best deal or you don’t understanding all the details of your new mortgage you could end up losing money.

Is Refinancing Right For You?

A general rule is that refinancing becomes while if the current interest rate on your mortgage is at least two percent higher than the prevailing market rate. However, depending on your loan amount, you might choose to refinance a loan that is only one-point-five percentage points higher then the current rate.

When choosing to refinance, consider is how long you plan to stay in your house? Given the costs of the refinancing, it usually takes at least three years to fully realize the savings from a lower interest rate. Refinancing is only good idea if you intend to stay in your house long enough to make the additional fees worthwhile.

Remember To Shop Around

The most common mistake homeowners make when refinancing their mortgage is they fail to shop around. Would you buy a new car without first checking out the competitions prices?

Call two or three lenders to compare their interest rates and closing cost, then compare then to the terms offered by your current lender. Comparing offers allows you to get a better idea of what rate you may be able to qualify for. It also puts you in a better negotiating position with the lenders.

Once you receive offers, pay close attention to the interest rate, points, and closing costs. Talk with the loan officers and see if you can negotiate a better interest rate. Most often, the initial rate offered is not the best a particular lender can offer.

Consider All The Cost

There is no such thing as getting your cake and eating it too. It is important to understand that refinancing your mortgage is not free. Consumers need to ask their mortgage originator to provide all costs that will be incurred in order to complete the refinancing process in writing.
There are “no cost” rates available where all of the closing costs are built into the rate, but they usually involve higher rates. This is one of the reasons shopping around is so important.

Many lenders require that you have at least ten percent equity in your home, but there is usually at least one lender willing to underwrite loans in which the borrower has only five percent equity. Nonetheless, beware low equity loans can involve relatively high mortgage insurance costs.
In most cases, a homeowner should plan on paying an average of three to six percent of the outstanding principal in refinancing costs. One way of saving on some of these costs is to first check with your current mortgage lender, they may we willing to wave some of these fees; including the fees for the title search, surveys, and inspections.

Check Your Credit Twice

If your credit history is less than sparkling, it might be worth while to invest sometime into cleaning up your credit before you applying for a home loan. Before you apply for your new mortgage, first check your credit report for any mistakes or outdated information. It’s estimated that 60 percent of credit reports contain some type of incorrect information. Federal law allows consumers to receive a free copy of their credit bureau report each year. Review your report and make any change requests directly with the credit reporting agency.

Depending on your credit score, the process of cleaning up your credit can be as easy as reporting errors on your credit report or as complex as hiring a professional credit counselor to get your finances in order. If your credit problems cannot be fixed quickly you will almost certainly have to pay more than borrowers who have a good credit history. Yet, don’t assume that the only way to get credit is to pay a high price. Ask how your past credit history affects the price of your loan and what you would need to do to get a better price.

Don’t assume that minor credit problems or difficulties stemming from unique circumstances will limit your loan choices to only high-cost lenders. No matter what your credit score, remember the key to finding the best deal or rate is to shop, compare, and negotiate.

Jesus

Joey T asked:


I’ve recently purchased my parents home in order to free up income for them so they can live a better lifestyle and have more “throw” away income later in their life.

My situation is this: I refi’d their home instead of getting a traditional mortgage with a rate of 6.35ish in Sept. I am set up on a 20yr bi-weekly payment which should pay off in 17 years without putting any additional monies onto each payment (thank you to one of my friends for giving me that information about the bi-weekly payments. Saving 3 years right off the bat was very awesome…).

With the rates going so low lately should I consider refinancing in order to lower payments and/or timeframe of the loan?

RAY

Emanuele Allenti asked:


Before, bad credit home loan refinancing was only suitable when the interest rates fell at least 2% lower than your current mortgage. Today, you could reduce your mortgage interest rates by a small amount and it could save you plenty of money with a bad credit home loan refinance.

There are many reasons to refinance your home loan. Refinancing options include lower- cost, no-cost mortgage refinances and traditional refinancing. Listed below are several reasons why you should consider refinancing your bad credit home loan.

* Decreases your monthly payment – This is perfect for those people who plan to live in their home for a number of years. In decreasing your monthly loan payment, which pays a point or two, you could save your money monthly. However, if you are planning to move out of your current home in the near future, you may not stay long enough to regain the refinancing costs. Make sure to calculate your breakeven point to see if it will benefit your situation before deciding to refinance a bad credit home loan.

There are three methods which a bad credit home loan refinance could decrease your monthly payment. First, you could refinance to a lower payment. Second, you could adjust the term of your mortgage. Lastly, you could switch from a traditional mortgage into a mortgage program that allows you to obtain interest-only payments.

Alternatives To A Bad Credit Home Loan Refinance

* Apply for a fixed rate – If you wish to decrease your initial monthly payments and risk increasing market adjustments, adjustable rate mortgages are suitable for you. Although adjustable rate mortgages could leap monthly to levels which you could no longer afford, this benefits those people who do not plan to own the property for a number of years. A 15 to 30-year home fixed-rate loan program could offer you with more stability. Although fixed interest rates could be higher, you are aware of the specific amount you will pay monthly.

* Private mortgage insurance removal – The low down-payment housing option provides the homebuyer to obtain the home with less than 20 percent down payment. On the other hand, these kinds of homes usually require you to obtain private mortgage insurance, a deal designed for lenders when homebuyers fail to pay. You are eligible to remove the private mortgage insurance when the home value increases and your home loan balance decreases.

* Due balloon programs for an alternative to a bad credit home loan refinance – Similar to the adjustable-rate mortgage program, this kind of program allows you to decrease the interest rates and the monthly payments. However, after five to seven years, when the fixed-rate term ends and you still own the property, the whole balance of your mortgage will be paid to the lender. In this scenario, it is advisable to adjust to a fixed rate or a rate-mortgage home loan.

* Home equity cash-out – Many people overlook the possibilities of earning through their home. However, if you have equity, your home is an excellent resource of extra cash. A cash-out mortgage-refinancing program, which is tax deductible, allows you to cash out and consolidate your high interest rates, finance your child’s education and even pay for home improvements. This is a great alternative to a bad credit home loan refinance.

There are many resources online that can help you to decide if you should do a bad credit home loan refinance. You could find many information sources and websites about refinancing your bad credit home loan with a few clicks of your computer mouse. The key to your success, however, is to analyze your situation and find out which kind of refinance would benefit you the most.



HUNG