This may be one of the best times to refinance if there ever was one. The FOMC has just lowered the key target lending rate to less than 1% for the first time in over 50 years. Here are 5 tips to certainly go over before you commit to refinancing:

1) Do your homework!

Know ahead of time what payment amount you are comfortable paying. Use mortgage calculators ( available online) to determine what your payments will be. There are three major variables to compute your mortgage payment and they are your mortgage amount, interest rate, and term (number of months).

2) Shop around!

Shop at least three different and reputable lenders. Know that you’re comparing the same exact programs with the same terms. Don’t shop three different lenders with three different programs because there is no way of knowing if you are getting a good deal. The objective here is to analyze three deals of the exact same program (i.e. 30 year fixed rate).

3) Get Good Faith estimates upfront and in writing.

I cannot emphasize enough how important this step is. There are a lot of fast talking salesman out there who are much smarter on the subject than the average consumer. This will help ensure you know what you are getting and help avoid any misunderstandings or misrepresentations down the road. Compare everything but pay special attention to the APR (annualized percentage rate) as this is the “true interest rate” because it takes into account your closing costs.

4) Avoid paying any monies upfront.

The only fee you should ever be asked to pay upfront before you close on your mortgage is an appraisal fee. However this should only be done after you already decided on your lender and specifically ask you to. Typically this fee is in the $300 range for an average home although it could go up to $5oo-600 for a larger one.

5) Beware of early redemption charges and variable rate loans.

As mentioned earlier, this is an opportunistic time to refinance. Conventional and FHA mortgage rates are currently in the 4-5% range. Now is a great time for a fixed rate and conversely, a poor time for an adjustable rate mortgage. Avoid all loans that charge early redemption fees or prepayment penalties for paying off ahead of time.

Author: Paul Mcparland

Paul McParland has been involved in finance and real estate for more than twenty years. For more information on ways to save money visit his website at http://www.consolidation-guide.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Mcparland

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Technorati Tags: explain refinancing a mortgage, home loan refi, home mortgage refi, questions to ask when refinancing a mortgage, refinance mortgage tip

Second mortgage refinancing helps you reduce your monthly bill considerably. Sometimes, consolidation of two mortgages into one payment may also lower rates. Consolidation combines your first and second mortgages and it often results in a higher rate of interest.

A second mortgage refinancing will benefit you when you have a large amount of equity. Since the amount is large, you mortgage falls under a low rate category. It goes without saying that the right time for refinancing is when the mortgage rates are low. The mortgage rate at which you first acquired the house should be higher than the current mortgage rate.

Second mortgage refinance starts a new loan account by paying off the first mortgage. In other words, second mortgage refinancing is in effect the same as taking out a new mortgage. Normal procedures such as submitting application and by paying a fee for processing the application and checking your credit reports should be followed. The second mortgage refinance fee includes settlement costs, discount points etc. If your credit points have been coming down in recent years, lenders may not approve the refinance. Interest rates and number of credit points determine the total expense for a second mortgage refinancing.

It is not necessary that you refinance all your mortgages. More than one mortgage payment monthly may cause some difficulty for you. Second mortgage refinancing not only gives convenience, but also saves you money. A thorough study of the advantages and disadvantages should be made before you decide to refinance your mortgage. Sometimes, second mortgage refinancing fetches you better rates. In some cases, it is advisable that you refinance your mortgages separately to save money.

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Author: Kristy Annely

2nd Mortgage provides detailed information on 2nd Mortgage, Refinance 2nd Mortgage, Bad Credit 2nd Mortgage, 2nd Mortgage Loans and more. 2nd Mortgage is affiliated with 1st Mortgage Rate.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely

Affiliate Disclosure: It is advisable to assume that any mention of a product or service on this website is made because there exist, unless otherwise stated, a material connection between the product or service owners and this website and should you make a purchase of a product or service described here the owner of this website may be compensated.  To learn more, please click here.

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Technorati Tags: home loan refi, home mortgage refi, how t, questions to ask when refinancing a mortgage, what is involved in refinancing a 2nd mortgage, when should i refinance my mortgage, when to refinance mortgage