With today's economy tanking, the need for refinancing is increasing. The problem is that banks have been burned recently and their risk levels have dropped to almost zero because they are afraid to lend any money at all. Here are some mortgage refinance tips to make your refi go smoothly.
If refinancing is on your list of things to do, make certain you know the market value of your home. When the finance and housing market bubbles burst, home values dropped dramatically. For anyone who purchased their home within the past five years or so, this has had dire consequences. Homeowners are shocked to find there is no equity to borrow against. However, you can put equity back into your home by increasing its value.
Redoing a brand new kitchen is not going to help the problem. Adding new sod, painting the house, and adding crown molding, however, could bring your house back to where it should be in market value while you still realize a profitable return on investment for the cost of improvements.
If you are one of the many who is waiting for a 5 year ARM to come due, don't do anything hasty. You may not need to do a thing.
As luck would have it, interest rates now are similar to what they were five years ago. For many homeowners, they are rushing around trying to figure out how to go about refinancing and getting a good deal, before their rates reset and surprise them. Because the interest rates are so similar, you may be better off by not doing anything - just wait to see what happens. You'll be saving closing costs, and all sorts of additional expenses, by apply for a refinance loan when in fact you probably won't need one.
Keep in mind that if you do decide to try to refinance, your credit history will be once again taken into consideration. If anything has happened during the past five years to hurt your FICO score, you will most likely get penalized in the final settlement offer when you are charged a much higher APR.
Select a lender you believe you can do business with. Remember that each time a lender makes an inquiry on your credit history, it actually is a strike against you even if you get the loan. Don't waste your time or ruin your credit by applying with multiple banks.
If refinancing is on your list of things to do, make certain you know the market value of your home. When the finance and housing market bubbles burst, home values dropped dramatically. For anyone who purchased their home within the past five years or so, this has had dire consequences. Homeowners are shocked to find there is no equity to borrow against. However, you can put equity back into your home by increasing its value.
Redoing a brand new kitchen is not going to help the problem. Adding new sod, painting the house, and adding crown molding, however, could bring your house back to where it should be in market value while you still realize a profitable return on investment for the cost of improvements.
If you are one of the many who is waiting for a 5 year ARM to come due, don't do anything hasty. You may not need to do a thing.
As luck would have it, interest rates now are similar to what they were five years ago. For many homeowners, they are rushing around trying to figure out how to go about refinancing and getting a good deal, before their rates reset and surprise them. Because the interest rates are so similar, you may be better off by not doing anything - just wait to see what happens. You'll be saving closing costs, and all sorts of additional expenses, by apply for a refinance loan when in fact you probably won't need one.
Keep in mind that if you do decide to try to refinance, your credit history will be once again taken into consideration. If anything has happened during the past five years to hurt your FICO score, you will most likely get penalized in the final settlement offer when you are charged a much higher APR.
Select a lender you believe you can do business with. Remember that each time a lender makes an inquiry on your credit history, it actually is a strike against you even if you get the loan. Don't waste your time or ruin your credit by applying with multiple banks.
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This author enjoys writing about home improvement, education, and health topics. Check out his newest web site, he covers cheap portable air conditioner and windowless air conditioner.
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