Understanding
Mortgage Refinancing
If you are a homeowner who was lucky enough to buy when mortgage
rates
were low, you may have no interest in refinancing your present loan.
But
perhaps you bought your home when rates were higher. Or perhaps
you have
an adjustable-rate loan and would like to obtain different terms.
Should
you refinance? This brochure will answer some questions that may
help you decide. If you do refinance, the process will remind you
of
what you went through in obtaining the original mortgage. That's
because, in reality, refinancing a mortgage is simply taking out
a new
mortgage. You will encounter many of the same procedures-and the
same
types of costs-the second time around.
Would Refinancing Be Worth It?
Refinancing
can be worthwhile, but it does not make good financial sense
for everyone. A general role of thumb is that refinancing becomes
worth
your while if the current interest rate on your mortgage is at least
2
percentage points higher than the prevailing market rate. This figure
is
generally accepted as the safe margin when balancing the costs of
refinancing a mortgage against the savings.
There
are other considerations, too, such as how long you plan to stay
in the house. Most sources say that it takes at least three years
to
realize fully the savings from a lower interest rate, given the
costs of
the refinancing. (Depending on your loan amount and the particular
circumstances, however, you might choose to refinance a loan that
is
only 1.5 percentage points higher than the current rate. You may
even
find you could recoup the refinancing costs in a shorter time.)
Refinancing
can be a good idea for homeowners who:
* want
to get out of a high interest rate loan to take advantage of
lower rates. This is a good idea only if they intend to stay in
the
house long enough to make the additional fees worthwhile.
* have
an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) and want a fixed-rate loan
to have the certainty of knowing exactly what the mortgage payment
will be for the life of the loan.
* want
to convert to an ARM with a lower interest rate or more
protective features (such as a better rate and payment caps) than
the ARM they currently have.
* want
to build up equity more quickly by converting to a loan with a
shorter term.
* want
to draw on the equity built up in their house to get cash for
a major purchase or for their children's education.
If you
decide that refinancing is not worth the costs, ask your lender
whether you may be able to obtain all or some of the new terms you
want
by agreeing to a modification of your existing loan instead of a
refinancing.
Should You Refinance Your ARM?
In deciding whether to refinance an ARM you should consider these
questions:
* Is
the next interest rate adjustment on your existing loan likely
to increase your monthly payments substantially? Will the new
interest rate be two or three percentage points higher than the
prevailing rates being offered for either fixed-rate loans or other
ARMs?
* If
the current mortgage sets a cap on your monthly payments, are
those payments large enough to pay off your loan by the end of the
original term? Will refinancing to a new ARM or a fixed-rate loan
enable you to pay your loan in full by the end of the term?
What Are the Costs of Refinancing?
The fees described below are the charges that you are most likely
to
encounter in a refinancing.
*
Application Fee. This charge imposed by your lender covers the
initial costs of processing your loan request and checking your
credit report.
*
Title Search and Title Insurance. This charge will cover the
cost
of examining the public record to confirm ownership of the real
estate. It also covers the cost of a policy, usually issued by a
title insurance company, that insures the policy holder in a
specific amount for any loss caused by discrepancies in the title
to the property.
Be sure
to ask the company carrying the present policy if it can
re-issue your policy at a re-issue rate. You could save up to 70
percent of what it would cost you for a new policy.
Because costs may vary significantly from area to area and from
lender
to lender, the following are estimates only. Your actual closing
costs
may be higher or lower than the ranges indicated below.
Application
Fee $75 to $300
Appraisal
Fee $150 to $400
Survey
Costs $125 to $300
Homeowner's
Hazard Insurance $300 to $600
Lender's
Attorney's
Review Fees $75 to $200
Title
Search and
Title Insurance $450 to $600
Home
Inspection Fees $175 to $350
Loan
Origination Fees 1% of loan
Mortgage
Insurance 0.5% to 1.0%
Points
1% to 3%
* Lender's Attorney's Review Fees. The lender will usually
charge you
for fees paid to the lawyer or company that conducts the closing
for the lender. Settlements are conducted by lending institutions,
title insurance companies, escrow companies, real estate brokers,
and attorneys for the buyer and seller. In most situations, the
person conducting the settlement is providing a service to the
lender. You may also be required to pay for other legal services
relating to your loan which are provided to the lender. You may
want to retain your own attorney to represent you at all stages
of
the transaction including settlement.
*
Loan Origination Fees and Points. The origination fee is charged
for the lenders work in evaluating and preparing your mortgage
loan. Points are prepaid finance charges imposed by the lender at
closing to increase the lender's yield beyond the stated interest
rate on the mortgage note. One point equals one percent of the loan
amount. For example, one point on a $75,000 loan would be $750.
In
some cases, the points you pay can be financed by adding them to
the loan amount. The total number of points a lender charges will
depend on market conditions and the interest rate to be charged.
*
Appraisal Fee. This fee pays for an appraisal which is a
supportable and defensible estimate or opinion of the value of the
property.
*
Prepayment Penalty. A prepayment penalty on your present mortgage
could be the greatest deterrent to refinancing. The practice of
charging money for an early pay-off of the existing mortgage loan
varies by state, type of lender, and type of loan. Prepayment
penalties are forbidden on various loans including loans from
federally chartered credit unions, FHA and VA loans, and some other
home-purchase loans. The mortgage documents for your existing loan
will state if there is a penalty for prepayment. In some loans,
you
may be charged interest for the full month in which you prepay your
loan.
*
Miscellaneous. Depending on the type of loan you have and other
factors, another major expense you might face is the fee for a VA
loan guarantee, FHA mortgage insurance, or private mortgage
insurance. There are a few other closing costs in addition to
these.
In conclusion,
a homeowner should plan on paying an average of 3 to 6
percent of the outstanding principal in refinancing costs, plus
any
prepayment penalties and the costs of paying off any second mortgages
that may exist.
One way
of saving on some of these costs is to check first with the
lender who holds your current mortgage. The lender may be willing
to
waive some of them, especially if the work relating to the mortgage
closing is still current. This could include the fees for the title
search, surveys, inspections, and so on.
The information here is intended to help you ask the right questions
when considering a possible refinancing of your loan. It is not
a replacement for professional advice. Talk with mortgage lenders,
real estate agents, attorneys, and other advisors about lending
practices, mortgage instruments, and your own interests before you
commit to any specific loan.
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