Making lower payments on your mortgage is a great way to save money and make your life easier. The most common way in which you can reduce your monthly mortgage payment is by refinancing. This can also be the most beneficial way, which can save you a significant amount of money. But going from saving money to losing money is really easy when it comes to refinancing.
Refinancing might seem like a great idea at first glance, but it is not for everyone. There are several factors that have an influence on whether refinancing is good or bad for your situation. When refinancing, many home owners often make mistakes that, even if they won’t create problems in the beginning, will end up costing them in the long run. Refinancing is more complicated than it was years ago- the requirements are stricter, more paperwork is needed- so it’s easy for a borrower to make a mistake.
Here are the most common mistakes that borrowers make when refinancing, to help you avoid making them when you decide to refinance.
Convincing Yourself That Your Home is Worth More Than It Is
Being unrealistic about the value of your home is a sure way of ruining a refinance. Many areas have seen a decline in home prices, so your home’s price has probably fallen too. Most refinances today are denied because the home is appraised too low, so the lender won’t give out loans that are larger than the appraised value.
Not Shopping Around
You might have a great relationship with your current lender, and he might give you a special deal on your refinance, but it never hurts to shop around for an even better rate. Lenders can also reduce or even waive certain closing costs, which will also influence how much you will be spending on refinancing. Even a small difference in interest rate can mean a lot of money over time, so it’s important to look around, see which lender can offer you the best deal.
Not Taking Closing Costs into Consideration
One of the biggest reasons many home owners choose not to refinance are the high closing costs. The closing costs are one of the main factors that should be taken into account when deciding whether to refinance or not. Interest rates offered by most lenders will probably look very attractive, but you can end up losing money if you don’t take closing fees into account.
Letting Your Credit Score Decrease
Even if you find a very attractive refinancing rate and a lender who is willing to waive some of the closing costs, refinancing with a low credit score will most likely result in a waste of time. Not having a good credit score will attract high interest rate, or even the lender’s refusal to give you a new loan.
Creating New Debt During the Refinance
New credit cards or loans can seriously hurt your chances of being able to refinance. Additionally, you’ll have to provide even more documentation to justify the new debt. It’s best to hold off acquiring new debt until the refinancing process is over and your new loan is granted. It’s always best to keep new debt low, even after refinancing, and talk to your lender about what the implications are.
Refinancing Multiple Times
Refinancing repeatedly in a short period of time will not save you money. Each time you refinance, not only do you have to pay some hefty closing costs, but you are also resetting your mortgage, meaning that over time you will pay significantly more in interest. You can also end up having to still make mortgage payments during your retirement years.
Your decision to refinance should not be affected only by the low interest rates. Always take into consideration the closing costs when trying to figure out if refinancing is the right step for you. Not paying attention to all of the details can become very expensive with refinancing. All mistakes can be avoided by doing a little research, making refinancing an easier process, which will truly save you some money.