1. Business & Finance

Is It Time to Refinance Your Mortgage?

From Jeremy Vohwinkle, About.com GuideApril 21, 2009

Follow me on:

Mortgage rates have fallen quite a bit in recent months, so a common question is whether or not you should consider refinancing. The benefits are easy to understand. The lower the interest rate, the lower your monthly payment and total cost of buying a home. But before you rush into a refinance, there are some drawbacks to consider.

For starters, it costs money to refinance. In some cases, it can cost thousands of dollars. So, while you may be lowering your monthly payment, how long will it take to break even on the closing costs? Six months? A year? Three years or more? If you aren't sure whether you'll be in the house long enough to offset the cost, a refinance could end up costing you more.

Refinancing your mortgage can be a great way to save money, but make sure you consider all of the pros and cons before signing any papers. It is an important decision, and if you aren't careful, it could prove costly.

Comments
April 22, 2009 at 9:34 am
(1) Stefan :

I think it is the best time to Refinance your home. As we all know that USA market is on crash right now, it is the best time to get lower monthly rates

April 29, 2009 at 10:38 am
(2) americanist :

One of the most overlooked ways to use today’s low interest rates is to refinance a mortgage to a shorter term; thereby, saving many thousands of dollars of costly interest payments. The key benefit is owning your home sooner. 15-year fixed rate mortgages are available at about 4% today while interest rates of 4.5% are available for 20-year terms. Check it out … it may be the right solution for you.

Leave a Comment

Line and paragraph breaks are automatic. Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title="">, <b>, <i>, <strike>
Related Searches mortgage

©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.

A part of The New York Times Company.