Should I Refinance or NotBuying a home is one of the biggest and most important financial decisions you will make in your life and it involves a mortgage which is a wonderful tool to help you reach your future home goals.Since many people go through the question should I refinance?
Let us understand if it is the right choice.Here’s a guide with the pros and cons, the requirements, eligibility, etc to help you decide for yourself.Why should I refinance my mortgage?By refinancing you can change the terms of your mortgage and secure a lower monthly payment, you can also switch your loan terms, consolidate debt, or even take some cash from your home’s equity to put toward your pending bills or get a renovation done.Let’s dive deeper into the question ‘should I refinance?’ and find the reasons you may want to refinance.1.
When you want to change your loan termThere are various reasons why you as a homeowner might want to change your loan term.
You may be switching to a longer or shorter term.Longer mortgage termIf you having trouble making your monthly mortgage payments, or are not satisfied with your current payment amount then a refinance can allow you to lower your monthly payments by lengthening the term of your mortgage.For instance, you can make a lower payment each month just by lengthening your existing 15-year mortgage to a 30-year refinance loan term.You may get a higher interest rate when you lengthen your mortgage term, because inflation is taken into account by the lender, and the possibility of you paying more in interest over a period of time because of a longer mortgage term.If your current payment schedule is not working with your household income then with a refinance you can free up more cash to invest or, build an emergency fund or spend it on other necessities.Shorter mortgage termSimilarly, you can also refinance your mortgage from a longer-term to a shorter term.You will enjoy lower interest rates and own your home sooner when you switch from a longer-term mortgage to a shorter term.Sometimes switching to a shorter-term means that your monthly payments have increased, so be to have enough stable income to cover your new payments before you sign on for a shorter term.2.
You need cash to pay off debtsYou might have equity in your home because you’ve made payments on your mortgage.Equity can be gained by either paying off your loan principal or when the value of your home rises.Just by making your regularly scheduled monthly payments, you would have built a bit of equity in your investment when your loan is more than 5 years old.Cash-out refinance for debtBy replacing your current loan with a higher-value loan and by taking out a portion of the equity you have, a cash-out refinance helps you to tap into the equity of your home.For instance, if you have a mortgage of $200,000 and equity worth $50,000 it means that you still owe $150,000 on the loan.You can accept a new loan for $170,000, and in a few days after closing your lender would give you the cash difference of $20,000.Because you need money to pay off other debts you might seek a cash-out refinance.If your debts are spread over multiple accounts, then a cash-out refinance can be used to consolidate the debts to a lower interest rate, pay off each account, and transition to one monthly payment.With consolidation, you can keep a better record of what you owe and avoid instances of missed payments, late fees, and overdraft charges.3.
When you want to improve your home or renovate itFor repair or for replacing some fixtures, you might need to invest in your home.It is better to use the equity in your home rather than taking out a personal loan or putting charges on a credit card because they would work out to be more expensive and cash-out refinances would have comparatively lower interest rates.Cash-out refinance for renovationsThe average 30-year mortgage rate is currently is less than 3.5% while the average credit card rate is more than 12%.So by choosing a variable rate credit card or a store credit card, you’ll be paying more in interest.But if you have enough equity in your home for a cash-out refinance, you can complete your renovations or repairs without huge interest charges.Remember even though it is a refinance it is still a loan so do thoughtful spending.So before you close on your refinance get estimates from contractors or repair professionals.So that you don’t take out too much or too little money and have another bill sitting after the job is finished.4.