Refinancing your home has never been easier (or faster)! And now may be the perfect time to save money. We can help you avoid common refinancing pitfalls that many homeowners experience.
Here's the top reasons why refinancing may work for you and your budget:
Remove Mortgage Insurance
If your original down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying Private Mortgage Insurance. Your home could now have enough equity to refinance and remove it.
Change Your Loan Term
You may want to adjust your term (i.e. 30-year to a 15-year loan) to save money on interest and build wealth. This is a great option if you want to own your home free and clear.
Switch Your Loan Type
If you currently have an FHA loan or an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, it may be worth looking at conventional, fixed-rate mortgage options to help you save money long-term.
Lower Your Monthly Payment
A lower monthly payment is typically achieved by refinancing into a lower interest rate or a longer loan term. This can affect the amount of interest you pay, so it’s important to know the total cost of your mortgage when refinancing.
Make Updates to Your Home
If your current mortgage has a low rate, staying put may be a wise financial decision. You don't have to compromise on the quality or future value of your home. With a few upgrades, you can enjoy your current home more and maintain its future marketability.
It is important to see if you can benefit from any of these refinancing reasons so you can align your mortgage with your financial goals.
The most important part of understanding the mortgage process is finding a lender who understands you and your home loan goals (like saving time and money). Here is a quick and easy view of the refinancing process:
Complete Your Application
First, you submit your mortgage application. This lays the groundwork for your Home Loan Specialist to be able to give you accurate interest rate quotes and down payment options.
Time for Processing
After your application is completed, you’ll start getting your home inspection and appraisal under wraps. This is when you’ll be asked for any additional documentation to close your loan, if you haven’t already provided it.
Underwriting Takes Over
Your new home loan will go through underwriting. This just verifies all conditions on your loan are approved and then you will be issued a “clear to close.”
Closing on Your New Home (again)
The underwriter will issue your final approval, process your closing paperwork, and schedule your closing date. On your official closing day, you will have a lot of documents to sign. Your old loan will be paid off, and your new mortgage will be funded. If your refinance involved taping into your home's equity, you will also get access to funds.
FAQs About Refinancing
Looking for answers to your questions about refinancing? We have you covered. Learn more about loan terms, loan applications, documentation needed, and much more.
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Refinancing is when you pay off an existing home loan and replace it with a new one.
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Most people refinance their mortgage to save money. That may look different depending on your situation, but most people want to remove Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), reduce their loan term, or switch their loan type. For more information about the benefits for refinancing, click here.
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PMI stands for Private Mortgage Insurance. Most lenders require PMI on a Conventional loan when a home buyer makes a down payment of less than 20% of the home’s purchase price. PMI does not safeguard your mortgage payment. If you cannot put 20% down when buying a home, you can still reduce the amount of PMI you pay each month by putting some money down (the more the better in this situation). If you have an FHA loan, you will be required to pay monthly mortgage insurance (MMI) regardless of your down payment amount.
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It is true that closing costs are a part of refinancing. Closing costs for a refinance usually include but are not limited to credit fees, appraisal fees, any escrow and title fees required, homeowners’ insurance, taxes, and discount points. But do not let that scare you away. You have the option of rolling your closing costs into your loan. This eliminates the need for upfront fees paid on closing day. We can help you decide if this choice makes sense for you and your goals.
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Documents for your refinance typically include: driver’s license, pay stubs covering the last 30 consecutive days, W-2 forms for the last 2 years, bank statements, recent mortgage statement for your current home loan, homeowner’s insurance information, current title insurance policy, and a copy of your closing disclosures from your current home loan. For a refinancing document checklist, click here.
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Yes, you can! This is part of our Churchill Checkup. Click here for more information on how to get your free report and schedule a quick call with one of our expert Home Loan Specialists to discuss your refinancing goals.
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You can download our free Refinancing Starter Kit here. This guide will give you 5 simple steps to refinance your home and paying off your home loan.
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Interest is the percentage of your loan that is charged for borrowing money. APR (Annual Percentage Rate) is how the interest rate will affect your payments over the course of an entire year and includes any additional fees and potential mortgage insurance associated with the loan. Knowing the APR gives you a straightforward way to compare the cost of one loan to another. This is really the only way you will know the true cost of your loan. For information about how interest rates are calculated, click here.
