Mortgage & Refinancing Information

Why Refinance Back into a 30-Year Loan?


One of the biggest reasons homeowners refinance their mortgage is to obtain a lower interest rate and lower monthly payments. By refinancing, the borrower pays off their existing mortgage and replaces it with a new one. This can often be accomplished with a no-points no-fees loan program, which essentially means at "no cost" to the borrower.

In the no-points no-fees scenario, the mortgage consultant uses rebate monies paid by the lender to pay off non-recurring closing costs for the borrower. These are "one time" fees such as escrow or attorney fees, title insurance, document preparation, tax service, flood certification, processing and underwriting fees, etc. The borrower is still responsible for recurring fees such as interim insurance, property taxes or insurance policy payments.

Refinancing typically occurs when mortgage interest rates drop significantly, but borrowers with recently improved credit scores (from paying off credit card debt, making mortgage payments on time, etc.) are often candidates for better interest rates as well. If you haven't checked your credit score in a while, it's a good time to call a mortgage consultant.

The question most asked is, "But why should I go back into a 30-year loan?" There are two schools of thought on this subject, and the mortgage consultant should work hand-in-hand with the borrower's financial planner to determine what works best for their mutual client. One option is to take the route of the "same payment" refinance, and actually pay off the loan faster and save money on interest fees in the long-run. If refinancing results in a lower monthly payment, the borrower can still continue making the same payment they made in the original loan, and the extra money will be applied to the principal balance.

For example: Let's say you have 25 years remaining in your current loan, and you refinance back to a 30-year loan with a slightly lower interest rate, resulting in a payment reduction of $200 per month. (Note: This is just an example. The actual amount could vary.) You could then take that extra $200 per month and apply it toward the principal on the new loan. At this rate, the loan will be paid off in 22 years and 4 months, which is 2 years and 8 months less than the original loan.

On the other hand, if the borrower's financial planner is a proponent of best-selling author and investment guru Douglas Andrew's philosophies (see Missed Fortune), he or she may suggest investing the extra money in a side-fund that could earn a better rate of return and grow to the amount of the mortgage (and beyond) in even less time. This method provides excellent liquidity, but having more direct access to this money may be too tempting for some homeowners.

Regardless of the reason for the refinance, the mortgage consultant will need to know what the existing loan scenario entails, review the homeowner's long-term goals, and provide a comprehensive spreadsheet that compares and contrasts the various loan programs available. Bear in mind, refinancing to obtain a lower interest payment could also result in a lower deduction at tax time. The homeowner's mortgage consultant and financial planner should work hand-in-hand with their mutual client's best interest in mind.

Jansen Drake is affiliated with 1st Metropolitan Mortgage, a Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee 15506. For free consultation and a copy of The Certified Guide to Credit Scoring, call Jansen at 678-388-1755 or go to http://www.catquickloans.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Wall Street Journal

Mortgage rescue plan would be costly, and may fall short
Detroit Free Press, United States - Oct 9, 2008
John McCain's surprising and decidedly nonconservative proposal to refinance troubled mortgages directly through the government has some appeal. ...
Video: Obama: 'Taxpayers Shouldn't Pick Up Tab' AssociatedPress
Taxpayers, Not Lenders, Would Bear Costs of McCain’s Mortgage Proposal New York Times
Principal is key to housing solution Winston-Salem Journal
RTT News
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Anxious investors hanging on despite heavy stock market losses
Los Angeles Times, CA - 37 minutes ago
The officer and his wife, who works in mortgage refinance, have about half a million dollars in the market, including retirement savings, individual stocks, ...


Bad Credit – Home Mortgage - Refinance and Debt Consolidation Loan
ScienceBlog.com, CA - Sep 16, 2008
Based on interest rates, Mortgage Refinance California can be divided into two types namely fixed rate and adjustable rate loan. In the case of a fixed rate ...


Economic Downturn Puts Brakes On Many Major Region Projects
TheDay, CT - 21 hours ago
The project's $8.6 million construction loan originally came from Dime Bank and appears about to be transferred to New Haven Mortgage Refinance LLC, ...


New London OKs Expansion Of Condo Project
TheDay, CT - Oct 10, 2008
But in the past month, contractors released the liens; at least one settlement check was written by New Haven Mortgage Refinance LLC, a company attached to ...


Help for homeowners
Shreveport Times, LA - Oct 12, 2008
Nine states have created mortgage refinance funds to help borrowers avoid foreclosure. Twenty states have partnered with the Homeownership Preservation ...


Mortgage refinance boom short-lived
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - Sep 17, 2008
A worker paves a sidewalk during construction of a new home in Palo Alto, Calif., on Wednesday. Construction of new homes and apartments fell last month to ...


Is this the right time to refinance?
Chicago Tribune, United States - Sep 25, 2008
Mortgage rates are down and you're not going to bother trying to sell your home anytime soon. Should you spend the money to refinance and lower your ...


Fed: Bailout will help borrowers
Newsday, NY - Sep 18, 2008
The government's takeover of mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should provide an opportunity to modify more home loans for troubled ...


Killer Startups

FreeHomeRefi.com - Mortgage Refinancing Resources
Killer Startups, FL - Oct 10, 2008
... mortgage refinancing done in a simple way. “Free Home Refi is committed to providing consumers with a home mortgage refinance with no closing costs. ...

Mortgage-Refinance - Google News

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