If you have a mortgage, you should keep an eye on rates-especially if you have an adjustable rate mortgage. Getting locked in at a lower, fixed rate can save you hundreds, possibly even thousands, of dollars over the life of your loan.
Calculate the financial benefit of refinancing in one, two, or three years. Does the benefit compare with your plans for staying in your home?
If your property value reduces and you refinance up to 80% of the reappraised value, your original mortgage amount may be higher than this amount. Thus, the new loan will not be sufficient enough to help you pay down the existing one.
Carefully review the estimated closing costs. If you decide to lock in the rate, the lender will send you a "good faith estimate" of your closing costs within three days. Go over the numbers carefully, and compare them to the ones that appear on the final settlement statement (the HUD-1) from your previous mortgage.
There are literally thousands of mortgage companies all over the country. It is important that you choose a reputable one. Most reputable companies will be part of the Better Business Bureau or other community watchdog group. Good companies will also have websites that rank well on search engines such as Yahoo and Google.
