Refinance Home Mortgage - Money Saving Advice
Posted September 2, 2009 – 6:34 am in: LoansIf you are considering the refinance home mortgage option, there are many things worth considering. Interest rates have taken a nosedive as the economy struggles to find its equilibrium. This can be very beneficial when it comes to mortgages. However, there are always trade-offs to any refinancing decision and each particular refinancing situation should be looked at carefully.
The question always exists, “what if the rates go lower?” When is the best time to refinance? The last thing you want to do is refinance your mortgage and then have the rates go even lower. Since the housing bubble burst many lenders like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae got left holding the bag, so to speak. As a result credit has tightened up considerably and new issues in refinancing have arisen. It may be difficult to find a lender something that wouldn’t have been a problem in the past. Lending agencies are really picky now as to whom they will give a new mortgage to.
First and foremost the borrower must establish how long they are planning to stay in the home. Lenders charge fees for writing loans and in some cases these fees can actually eat into your savings on interest rates to such an extent that they will pretty much wipe them out altogether. It will also play an important role in deciding which type of mortgage you are best suited for.
When considering the refinance home mortgage option, you will want to take a look at the different types of interest rate structures offered by lending institutions. The basic interest rate charged by lenders is set by the Federal Reserve Board and it is based on the Fed Funds Rate. This rate is what determined the rate of a fixed-rate mortgage, where the rate set is the rate you will have for the length of the mortgage. The ARM option, or adjustable rate mortgage, carries an interest rate that fluctuates as the Fed’s rate changes. There are outside limits, but nonetheless, it will have an impact on your monthly payment.
If you choose a fixed rate mortgage, your interest rate never changes. The most common types of mortgages are for either 15 years or 30 years. The length of your mortgage will determine two things. First, it will affect your monthly payment. Most people choose longer terms, to lower their monthly mortgage payments. The downside of a longer mortgage is the radical increase in the amount of interest you will pay over the life the loan.
Recently quite a few homeowners have found themselves in trouble as far as paying for their adjustable rate mortgages go. An ARM will have very low interest rates at the inception but when it resets or adjusts after a set period of years they can become very expensive. Many borrowers don’t realize this or are ill prepared for it when it happens.
A basic rule of thumb is if you are planning to stay in your home for at least 10 years then it would be wise to refinance a home mortgage and lock in lower rates. The reason we say at least 10 years is because the savings that you receive on the more favorable interest rates will be greater than the attorney and appraisal fees that you have to pay out at the inception of the loan.
The refinance home mortgage option is worth considering if you intend to stay in your home. There are some situations where it still can be beneficial even if you do not plan to stay put for 10 years. The best way to determine whether or not it is the option for you is to go on the internet and find a mortgage calculator. This tool can help you find the answer that is best for your particular situation.
Learn how to tap into some serious savings when you refinance home mortgage by visiting www.yourfinanceoptions.com.
