Q: Should I take advantage of dropping interest rates by refinancing my mortgage?
A: Refinancing a mortgage is essentially paying off the remaining balance on an existing home loan and then taking out a new mortgage on the same home, often at a lower interest rate. It may sound like a no-brainer, but there are many factors to consider.
SCCU Mortgages | How to Apply | Current Rates
Two reasons a refinance might be right for you
1. Your credit is strong and you’d like to lower your monthly payments
As mentioned, the current mortgage rates make this an excellent time to refinance with a lower interest rate. If your credit is strong, a refinance could save you hundreds of dollars on your monthly payments.
2. You’d like to shorten the life of your loan
If you have a mortgage with a high interest rate, but you can easily meet these payments, consider refinancing to a shorter-term loan. You may be able to pay off your loan in less time without changing your monthly payment much.
Think a refinance might be a good fit? Get in touch with one our loan officers.
When refinancing your mortgage might be a bad idea
1. If you’re in debt.
Most people who refinance to have extra cash for pulling themselves out of debt end up spending all the money they save, and then some. Without a change in spending habits, there will be little change in debt. If you are working to pay down debt, talk to one of our financial experts at GreenPath.
2. If a refinance will greatly lengthen the loan’s terms.
If you’ve only got 10 years left on your mortgage and you want to refinance to stretch out those payments over 30 years, you won’t come out ahead. Any money you save will be lost in the cost of the refinance and the extra years of interest on your loan.
2. You don’t plan on living in your home much longer.
If you plan on moving within the next few years, the money you save might not come close to the cost of a refinance.
Talk to a loan officer to see if a refinance might be right for you.
How much will it cost?
Remember those fees and closing costs you paid when you first bought your house? Prepare to pay most of them again. Fees will vary, but a typical refinance will cost anywhere between 3-6% of the loan’s principal. Before proceeding with your refinance, make sure you’ll actually be saving money. SCCU's calculators can help you crunch the numbers.
If you’re ready to talk to a home loan expert about refinancing, call us at (423) 875-6955 or stop by Scenic Community Credit Union today to ask about getting started on your refinance.
All loan rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Loan rates and terms will vary depending on the strength of the member's credit, and term selected. Actual rates could vary. Ask the credit union for the rate for which you qualify.