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.
When it comes to lowering your rates you will need to weight the benefits of having a lower rate vs. paying points up front. You may end up paying a lot more depending on your choice and how long you plan on keeping your mortgage.
Many financial advisers caution against cash-out refinancing to pay down unsecured debt (such as credit cards) or short-term secured debt (such as car loans). You may want to talk with a trusted financial adviser before you choose cash-out refinancing as a debt-consolidation plan.
If there are only a few years left on your current loan, it's no use refinancing with a long term loan. You may need extra cash but with a long term loan, you'll end up paying more for the entire loan term.
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.
