Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Austin Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Austin

Find out more on Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Austin Now!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Should You Go For A Mortgage Refinance?

By Ned Dagostino

A time comes when you begin to consider refinancing your mortgage. Maybe you want to take advantage of a downturn in the market rates, and save on the interest you are paying. Or you are faced with a number of small debts and the repayments are becoming unmanageable. It will be worth your while to consider some important points when you debate this issue.

If you are facing a difficult debt repayment situation with a number of repayments to manage every month, then it is definitely a good idea to put all your loans under a single 'roof' and deal with a single repayment issue. Just make sure you choose the repayment plan that suits your monthly cash flow. The question of saving per se does not arise here, since you are refinancing for a different purpose.

If you're keen on saving money by reducing the interest burden of your current mortgage, then getting a fresh financing scheme may help you save a sizable sum of money. This works if your current mortgage is linked with the variable market rate, the current interest rate is very high and the market trend shows no inclination of climbing down. You can save a lot of money by opting out of your current mortgage and getting it refinanced. The secret is to get a fixed-rate loan with a reasonable interest rate.

Don't get carried away with the idea that refinancing is advisable for all situations, or that it will benefit you at all. There are many situations when refinancing can cost you heavily.

The problem is that when you go to a refinancing agency they fail to mention the actual expenses you will have to incur to refinance your mortgage. Their excuse is that these are 'external' expenses and not their concern. Therefore you may be lulled into believing that the refinance scheme is going to save you a hefty sum over the mortgage period. Too late you find that you have to pay a number of incidental fees, charges and penalties, which can set you back quite a lot, and may nullify the savings you've counted on. There is no point in changing your financier if it is not going to save you any money.

Information is your greatest asset in making up your mind about going in for mortgage refinance. Gather all the data and information you can about the various mortgage refinance schemes on offer. Go online and get the latest market buzz about interest rates and mortgage refinance schemes. Tabulate your findings and make a comparison chart. This will help you in evaluating the best refinance schemes available.

Find out all the penalties and fees that refinancing companies may extract from you upfront. For example, there is an origination fee or points, which is taken before the refinance plan becomes operational. There might be a plan where the interest rate is slightly higher but you don't have to pay origination fee. This may turn out to be better for you.

Total up all the upfront costs that the refinancing company will take to initiate the refinance. Balance these against the savings you expect to make over the duration of the refinance plan. If the savings is negligible it will be advisable to shelve the refinancing for the present. Consider also the chances of your having to move within the next couple of years. If so, then the refinance will be a waste of money.

Refinancing your mortgage can be very helpful indeed. It can save you quite a bit. You should survey the refinance market very carefully and minutely. Find out all the options available to you. Find out all the fees and charges that will be taken upfront. Compute the savings you expect to make and then deduct the upfront fees to determine whether taking the refinance is a good idea. A wrong decision here, a single point overlooked, can mean ending up losing money with the refinance. Remember, refinancing is a very serious financial decision. The benefits differ from situation to situation, and sometimes even within the same situation.

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home