Give yourself plenty of time to close. With most refinancings, your file is turned over to a closing or title company, which dictates the closing details. Like the lenders themselves, these firms are swamped when interest rates are low. Moreover, appraisers get backed up and can be difficult to schedule. So don't expect the closing to happen as quickly as anyone promises.
When you do a cash-out refinance you are leveraging the equity in your home in order to receive a lump sum of cash at closing. Many individuals and families use this type of loan if they want to remodel their home, or they have kids that are attending college soon. Veterans and other military personnel can now take advantage of a 100% cashout refinance thanks to the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2008.
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.
Pull your credit report from the bureaus and review it for any negative items (late pays, collections etc) and inaccurate detail. Try to dispute negative items and remove them from the report. If required pay off any unpaid debt. Otherwise, you won't get a low rate and may not even qualify. Of course there are lenders in the subprime market who may offer you a bad credit refinance loan, but it's better to avoid them as they'll possible charge higher rates and fees.
Resist "no cost" refinancing. No cost doesn't mean free. On the contrary: The closing costs are usually bundled into the new mortgage, which means you pay interest on them. The fees associated with a 30-year mortgage could cost you more than double what they would have had you simply written a check for them at closing. Or, if the costs aren't bundled in, you'll be charged a slightly higher interest rate. Either way, the lender wins.
