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How To Tell If You Need To Refinance Your Home Mortgage

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Homeowner Variable Rate Mortgages are mortgages that feature a level of risk tailored to the homeowner. If interest rates rise, your monthly payments could increase. The new payment may be more than the old payment, and if you anticipate that rates will stay relatively flat in the future, it may not be a good idea to get a mortgage with a floating interest rate. On the other hand, if you anticipate that interest rates will fall, an adjustable-rate mortgage makes sense.

A fixed-rate mortgage is simply one that features a set interest rate and a set repayment amount. When mortgage rates rise, your mortgage repayments can also increase. For instance, if you buy-to-rent variable-rate mortgages, your payment amount may exceed what you can afford to pay because you get financing at a lower interest rate.


Another feature found on homeowner fixed and flexible-rate mortgages is a "bump up" feature. Here, your mortgage's initial purchase rate locks in the base rate, plus a certain amount. While this may seem like a disadvantage for you, it allows you to lock in the rate at which you buy-to-rent fixed-rate mortgages. With some borrowers, especially those with good credit, the bump-up feature may result in a rate cut once the base rate rises. If you have excellent credit and you want to take advantage of the low initial rates, this could be a way to get your loan paid off sooner.


The third feature found with many homeowners' fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages is called a "teaser rate." A teaser rate is a lower rate initially offered and only made available when mortgage interest rates change from the current base rate. For a lender to provide you with this teaser rate, your loan must already be underwritten. Once this introductory rate is offered, it stays at this rate for as long as your mortgage is affected. The reason for this is to give you time to get used to the new interest rates.

If your home loan expires while you are trying to pay off your mortgage balance, some lenders will allow you to convert your interest rate temporarily. This conversion will take the new interest rate and add it to your mortgage balance to determine your monthly payment amount. This may help you lock in the lowest possible monthly payment amount. In some cases, this option may be allowed for up to six months. It will be at the lowest amount permitted under the new interest rates if your rates change before your loan expires.

You may also choose to pay off your mortgage early. However, it would be best if you always considered the possible consequences of doing so. By paying off your mortgage early, you will have less of a mortgage balance available to use toward your payment when you decide to refinance. If you choose to pay off your mortgage early, you will also increase your chances of landing the best-fixed rate mortgage available.


Another thing you want to be careful about when refinancing your home loan is choosing a bad credit line to refinance versus a fixed-rate mortgage. With a bad credit refinance, there is a greater risk that you will not be able to qualify for a fixed-rate mortgage when you apply for one. If your credit score is poor, you will be charged higher interest rates and fees than if you had good credit. A fixed-rate mortgage will allow you to lock in your interest rate, so you know exactly what your monthly payments will be. Your mortgage payment will not vary much from the rate on your existing fixed mortgage.


Choose a fixed-rate mortgage and avoid refinancing until you know the date shown on your current mortgage balance. Suppose you are uncertain about the date shown on your mortgage balance. In that case, you can use a mortgage calculator to determine your potential payment amount and interest rate.

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Once you know the possible payments and interest rates on your mortgage, you should consider refinancing. Refinancing should be done if you have enough time to repay the new mortgage and meet other obligations such as your insurance premiums. If you are planning to sell your home within a few years, do not refinance. You can use a different mortgage to pay off the old one and avoid losing your home. Unsure how refinancing will affect your Mortgage Protection? Contact a Plentii agent today!

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