If you have bad credit, find a lender who is willing to work with you and offer you reasonable loan terms.
Refinacing your mortgage can allow you to take cash out of the equity which you have built in your home. You can pay off your higher interest debts and pay all of your debts at a lower interest rate. This will allow you to save money on a monthly basis and achieve your financial security.
Ask for more than just rates. Bad loan officers will tell you anything to keep you on the phone -- then change the details to suit them later. Instead, make them get real with you! Ask how long they've been in the industry. Probe them about their experience in the industry. Also, ask what their opinion is on the current market and where it's going.
Homeowners who want to refinance but can't because they owe more on their home than their home is worth (also known as "upside down") should focus their time and energy on making more money. Adding a part-time job or starting a side business will bring extra income into the household, income that can be used to make extra payments a mortgage.