Is it good or bad to refinance your house?
Whether refinancing your home is a good idea depends on many factors, including current interest rates, the length of time you plan to live there, and how long it will take to recoup your closing costs. In some cases, refinancing is a wise decision. In others, it may not be worth it.
Refinancing has a lot of advantages: It can allow you to lower your monthly payment, save money on interest over the life of your loan, pay your mortgage off sooner and draw from your home's equity if you need cash. Refinancing also comes with closing costs, which can affect your decision.
Refinancing will hurt your credit score a bit initially, but might actually help in the long run. Refinancing can significantly lower your debt amount and/or your monthly payment, and lenders like to see both of those. Your score will typically dip a few points, but it can bounce back within a few months.
Look into terms, interest rates, and refinancing costs—including points and whether you'll have to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI)—to determine whether moving forward on a loan will serve your needs. Be sure to calculate the breakeven point and how refinancing will affect your taxes.
The main benefits of refinancing your home are saving money on interest and having the opportunity to change loan terms. Drawbacks include the closing costs you'll pay and the potential for limited savings if you take out a larger loan or choose a longer term.
If interest rates have dropped since you first obtained your mortgage, a rate-and-term refinance can provide you with a lower rate. You might also qualify for a better interest rate if your credit score has improved since taking out your current loan.
One of the best reasons to refinance is to lower the interest rate on your existing loan. Historically, the rule of thumb is that refinancing is a good idea if you can reduce your interest rate by at least 2%. However, many lenders say 1% savings is enough of an incentive to refinance.
As a rule of thumb, experts often say that it's not usually worth it to refinance unless your interest rate drops by at least 0.5% to 1%. But that may not be true for everyone. Refinancing for a 0.25% lower rate could be worth it if: You are switching from an adjustable-rate mortgage to a fixed-rate mortgage.
Refinance closing costs commonly run between 2% and 6% of the loan principal. For example, if you're refinancing a $225,000 mortgage balance, you can expect to pay between $4,500 and $13,500. Like purchase loans, mortgage refinancing carries standard fees, such as origination fees and multiple third-party charges.
A rate-and-term refinance for a conventional mortgage loan typically requires at least a 620 credit score — that is, as long as your loan-to-value ratio is 75% or less, you have at least two months of cash reserves in the bank, and your debt-to-income ratio is under 36%.
What credit score do you need to refinance a mortgage?
Most lenders require a credit score of 620 to refinance to a conventional loan. FHA loans have a 500 minimum median qualifying credit score. However, most FHA-approved lenders set their own credit limits. Rocket Mortgage® requires a minimum 580 credit score to qualify.
There's no hard-and-fast rule about whether refinancing is good or bad; as we've said, it's all dependent on your situation. In fact, there are a lot of great reasons to refinance, from saving money to shortening your term to taking out cash. Whether it's a good idea or a bad idea just depends on what's right for you.
Refinancing your mortgage does not have to negatively impact your home equity. Just the opposite, in fact: The goal of a refi generally is to get a new loan with lower interest rates, making repayments easier and allowing you to build equity faster.
You don't need a down payment to refinance, but you'll likely have to come up with cash for closing costs. Some lenders let you roll closing costs into the mortgage to avoid upfront expenses. You can also try negotiating with the lender to waive them.
You can sell your house right after refinancing — unless you have an owner-occupancy clause in your new mortgage contract. An owner-occupancy clause can require you to live in your house for 6-12 months before you sell it or rent it out.
Product | Interest rate | APR |
---|---|---|
30-year fixed-rate | 6.553% | 6.634% |
20-year fixed-rate | 6.352% | 6.454% |
15-year fixed-rate | 5.761% | 5.898% |
10-year fixed-rate | 5.622% | 5.805% |
It is possible to sell your house immediately after refinancing – unless your new mortgage contract includes an owner-occupancy clause. It is common for owner-occupancy clauses to require you to stay in your house for six to twelve months before selling or renting it out.
In most scenarios, a refinance will affect your monthly mortgage payment. But whether the amount goes up or down depends on your personal financial goals and the type of refinance you choose.
If you're eager to refinance to get a better rate, you may want to wait. Mortgage rates are expected to continue dropping into 2024, according to Fannie Mae, hitting an average of 6.8% by the fourth quarter and even more in 2025.
You don't need to change your rate or term when you refinance – you can also take money out of your home equity with a cash-out refinance. You accept a higher principal loan balance and take the difference out in cash when you take a cash-out refinance.
Is there a way to avoid closing costs when refinancing?
You can choose between two different options with a no-closing-cost refinance: either an increased interest percentage or a higher loan balance. Not every lender offers both types of no-closing-cost refinances, so make sure your lender can offer you the option you want.
Set a goal first. For example: Lower your interest rate, tap home equity or pay off your loan faster. Just like shopping for a purchase loan, it pays to compare lenders to get the best refinance mortgage rate.
A refinance occurs when the terms of an existing loan, such as interest rates, payment schedules, or other terms, are revised. Borrowers tend to refinance when interest rates fall. Refinancing involves the re-evaluation of a person or business's credit and repayment status.
After its December 2023 meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) predicted making three quarter-point cuts by the end of 2024 to lower the federal funds rate to 4.6%. Inflation has started to recede, but the committee has signaled it wants to see more positive data before pulling the trigger.
You can't get a lower interest rate: If your goal is to reduce your interest costs, right now isn't the best time to refinance. You're likely to end up with a higher rate, plus you'll need to cover closing costs on your new mortgage.
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