Choosing the best mortgage often makes sense, even if it is a matter of personal preference. There is no “one-size-fits-all” refinancing solution, but with some careful consideration, you may choose wisely. Refinancing your home has many benefits, but one of the biggest is that it lets homeowners get better loan terms and lower their monthly payments.
Refinancing can be the best choice if your mortgage has a high interest rate or your monthly payment exceeds 20% of your income. However, many individuals don’t realise all the fees involved in refinancing and regret their decision. We must first understand what it is and how it works before proceeding.
How Does Refinancing a Home Work?
There are a few things to think about when refinancing your mortgage.
- To guarantee that you may get a reduced interest rate, check your credit score first. You will feel more confident about refilling at a reduced interest rate if you have a good credit score.
- Second, shop around online to see what rates you are eligible for, then compare the costs of refinancing against the advantages of a reduced interest rate.
- Third, inquire if your current lender can match the prices you see online. This will help you comprehend the procedure and determine if refinancing is a smart choice for you.
- The last step is to apply for pre-approval, which may be done in person, over the phone, or online. You may determine how much a lender will lend you by getting pre-approval. Pre-qualification happens quickly, but pre-approval might take several days.
- But be sure to balance the benefits of a lower interest rate against the costs of refinancing. If the savings aren’t enough to cover the costs, the benefits of refinancing won’t be worth it.
- Consult a financial advisor if you’re unsure whether refinancing is smarter. They can help you decide which refinancing option is appropriate for your financial situation by explaining its advantages and disadvantages.
5 Reasons for Mortgage Refinancing
There are several reasons why you might want to refinance your mortgage. We’ll go over some of the more crucial ones.
- Your existing loan has a high interest rate
Refinancing is often done to reduce interest costs. You will save money on interest on your loan if you can lower your interest rate by even a quarter of a percentage point. Savings of tens of thousands of rupees or perhaps millions are feasible. Refinancing might lower your monthly payments if your current mortgage has a high-interest rate. This is especially true if interest rates are historically low.
A refinance could save you much money over your current loan; for example, if your current interest rate is 7.2% and your fixed-rate mortgage has a 9% interest rate. For instance, the interest on a Rs 80 lakh home loan with a 20-year term at 9% would be around Rs 90 lakh.
You might save almost INR 20 lakh if the interest rate falls to 7.2% over the next 10 to 15 years. Even a small change in interest rates could save a lot of money and provide much-needed financial comfort.
- Do you want to modify the loan’s term?
The opportunity to shorten the loan’s term is another reason to refinance. The shorter the loan term, the less interest you pay during the housing loan. It’s best to pay off your debt as soon as possible. Certain lenders could let you modify the terms of your mortgage when you refinance. A lender may be able to refinance a 30-year loan with a lower interest rate and a shorter term if you desire a lower monthly payment. As a result, your monthly payment will be less. However, you will have to make more payments over the loan’s term.
However, whether it makes sense to refinance depends on how long your current mortgage will remain outstanding. If you have a mortgage that is less than five years old, you might want to refinance to take advantage of the low interest rates and lower your monthly payments.
- Each month, you are paying more than you ought to
Examining the numbers is the easiest way to determine if you should refinance your mortgage. If your current interest rate is higher than current rates, refinancing can help you save money. But there are many reasons you may want to refinance your mortgage.
Your income, debt, and other factors play a role in determining your monthly payment. Perhaps you’ve received a raise or cleared some debt over the years. Refinancing can be possible if you feel you are now in a better position to make larger monthly payments. Depending on your financial situation, you might pay off your EMIs and change your loan’s term from 30 to 20 years.
- You want to switch your rates from variable to fixed, or vice versa
If you currently have a housing loan with a variable rate and think the current interest rates are perfect. Refinancing could be the best option for you to bring it down to the present fixed rate. Since your monthly payments will remain the same, you can develop a balanced financial budget.
There are always two alternatives available to borrowers: switching fixed-rate mortgages to floating-rate mortgages or staying with fixed-rate mortgages. This loan is meant to give people options if they don’t like how a fixed-rate mortgage limits them.
- Improve the value of your home
Your house is an asset you can rely on in times of need; the necessity to pay off your mortgage shouldn’t prevent you from maximising your asset. Mortgage refinancing could give you financial freedom by letting you set up a line of credit on your property.
You may borrow money based on the value of your house by opening a line of credit or using your equity. Your eligibility to borrow money is determined by the current worth of your home and the percentage of your mortgage that has been paid off.
Conclusion
Even refinancing is not free in this world. There are a few fees to think about when refinancing your mortgage.
Refinancing may include fees depending on your lender and the kind of loan you have. You’ll almost certainly have to pay hefty pre-penalty expenses if you refinance. A decent rule of thumb is to compare your projected expenses against any potential savings.
You will save fees via refinancing, just as you did with your first loan using Piramal Finance. When you sign a loan with a high interest rate, the fear of these fees might cause financial poison. Don’t be startled if you encounter these charges; there are several ways to handle them.