Mortgage & Refinancing Information

Mortgage Refinance - Tips to Help You Cut Fees and Costs


Saving money through a mortgage refi is more than just finding the lowest interest rates. You can further cut fees and costs through the structure of your loan, avoiding PMI, and buying lower interest rates.

Close Credit Card Accounts

Close inactive credit card accounts to improve your credit score, making you eligible for lower interest rate loans. You will need to notify the credit card companies in writing that you wish the accounts closed on your request.

Next, check your credit report after 30 days to be sure closed accounts include the comment "Closed at Customer's Request." You want future lenders to know it was your request and not bad credit that closed your accounts. Also, take the time to check for any mistakes in your credit report that could negatively impact your credit score.

Avoid The Hidden Cost Of PMI

When refinancing a mortgage, as many as 30% of homeowner's cash out part or all of their home's equity. By investing in home improvements or paying off credit cards, this can be a smart. But, if you are borrowing more than 80% of your home's value, you will be hit with private mortgage insurance, costing you hundreds a year.

Pay Points Now

If you are planning to stay in your home for several years, then you can save money by paying points for lower interest rates. You pay up front fees to ensure you have lower interest payments over the course of your loan. Remember, this only works if you keep your mortgage for several months.

Choose A Short-Term Loan

Short-term mortgages offer lower interest rates than long-term mortgages. You save money by the lower interest rates and shorter payment period. The trade off is a larger monthly payment, but this option can save you thousands.

Ask About Fees

Fees are a hidden cost of many mortgage loans. By law, lenders must disclose fees within three days of a loan application. Fees can go by many names like - document prep fees, courier fees, administrative fees, and more.

When comparing refi options for your mortgage, request a list of fees from several lenders. Add these fees with the interest of a loan. With these figures, you may be surprised that the cheapest loan didn't have the lowest interest rate.

To view our recommended sources for refinance mortgage loans online, visit this page: Recommended Refi Mortgage Lenders Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner ABC Loan Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

  


MORE RESOURCES:

Washington Times

The Truth About Mortgage Refinancing Revealed By Connecticut ...
SBWire (press release), WI - 17 hours ago
Westport, Connecticut based Mortgage Broker Don Caiati reveals mortgage refinancing secrets at a new web site that is full of free reports, a home buying ...
Refinancing suddenly booms Honolulu Advertiser
Lenders Backlogged By Refinancing Rush Washington Post
Low Mortgage Rates Bring Refinancing Boom MSNBC
Forbes - Modesto Bee
all 23 news articles


Baltimore Sun

Average Mortgage Rate Hits 5%, Lowest in Decades
New York Times, United States - 9 hours ago
Of course, buying a home is a more lengthy process than simply calling up a mortgage broker to refinance, and activity typically slows during the holiday ...
Long-Term Mortgage Rate Falls Again Wall Street Journal
Banks' mortgage rates fall below 5% Boston Globe
Homeowners with good credit scores are poised to capitalize on ... Baltimore Sun
Scripps News - MediaSyndicate (press release)
all 59 news articles


Washington Times

US Banks Offer Mortgages Below 5% After Fed Action
Bloomberg - 19 hours ago
The Mortgage Bankers Association’s index of applications to purchase a home or refinance a loan dropped to 1143.8 for the week ending Jan. ...
Mortgage rates fall to record low again Forbes
Freddie Mac: Benchmark mortgage rate continues to new low MarketWatch
Bold government action can solve housing crisis North Texas e-News
American Banker - Connecticut Post
all 575 news articles


Cardoza proposal could aid housing crisis
Stockton Record, CA - 2 hours ago
Under the Cardoza plan, the payment on that mortgage refinanced to 4 percent fixed rate would drop to $1194 a month. Contact reporter Bruce Spence at (209) ...


REFILE-UPDATE 1-US mortgage demand dipped before Fed move-MBA
Reuters - Jan 7, 2009
The jump in applications during December may have been driven by homeowners already "on the fence" and prepared to refinance on a drop in mortgage rates, ...
Mortgage applications down in latest survey Forbes
Week-to-week mortgage applications down 8.2% MarketWatch
Fewer apply for home loans; credit line delinquencies increase Los Angeles Times
KVOA.com - Kansas City Star
all 63 news articles


Boston Globe

Fed’s Rosengren Calls for ‘Concerted’ Fiscal, Monetary Policies
Bloomberg - 5 hours ago
... to purchase or refinance homes,” Rosengren said. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped for a 10th week to 5.01 percent yesterday, ...
Rosengren sees path to recovery Boston Globe
Fed's Rosengren says recession more severe than thought Reuters
all 51 news articles


Boston Globe

Congressional Press Release on Mortgage Deal
Wall Street Journal - 9 hours ago
"Despite efforts by Congress to address this issue, not enough lenders have come to the table to help borrowers with bad mortgages refinance into new, ...
Citigroup reaches agreement with key senators on mortgage ... Minneapolis Star Tribune
Citigroup agrees to allow judges to help modify some mortgages IdahoStatesman.com
all 541 news articles


TopNews

Question & Answer on mortgage refinancing
Boston Herald, United States - Jan 1, 2009
If I refinance the mortgage on my current house, will I hurt my chances for getting a loan for a new place later on? A: No. Refinancing a loan shouldn’t ...
MORTGAGES: 30-year Mortgage Rate Falls For Ninth Straight Week To ... CNNMoney.com
Mortgage Rates Hit 37-Year Low Poynter.org
Home-Mortgage Rates' Next Stop: Below 5% Wall Street Journal
Ventura County Star - Wall Street Journal
all 457 news articles


Refinancing shoots through the roof
Plano Star Courier, TX - 15 hours ago
“Quite a few people have remortgaged,” said Craig Jarrell, loan officer with Pulaski Mortgage. “Most people who refinance are new homeowners as recent as ...


Mortgage refinancing skyrockets
Cincinnati.com, OH - Jan 3, 2009
... 2009 With US mortgage rates the lowest in 30 years, local lenders say they've seen a strong surge in loan applications as homeowners seek to refinance ...
Waco banks seeing a boom in mortgage refinance applications Waco Tribune Herald
Borrowers seeking to refinance may face challenges WTOP
As mortgage rates slide, refinancing applications take off Dallas Morning News
all 15 news articles

mortgage refinance - Google News

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