With mortgage rates reaching all-time lows in the past year, you’ve probably wondered whether or not now is a good time to refinance your mortgage. Generally speaking, any time you’re able to save money on your loan—whether it’s a home loan, car loan, or even a student loan—it’s a good idea. However, there are some different situations where it might make more sense to refinance than at other times in your life or the life of the loan. Keep in mind that personal finance is personal, and so there’s no one size fits all solution or golden rule to follow when it comes to making these sorts of decisions. That being said, here are just a few situations where it might make sense to refinance your home loan.
Refinance your home loan if it will save you money.
This may seem obvious, but if refinancing your home loan will save you money, it’s generally worth the time, energy, and effort to fill out the paperwork and find another lender. Thankfully, the internet makes it easier than ever to find and compare lenders if you’re looking to refinance and take advantage of a lower interest rate. Simply head to your favorite search engine, such as Google or Bing, and type in “refinance home loan” to see what sorts of options appear. From there, you can explore different mortgage products to see whether or not you qualify for a refinance that makes sense for you and your mortgage.
While interest rates have begun to rise this year, they are still much lower than they have been in years past, so just because you aren’t getting quoted a rate below 3% doesn’t mean that you won’t still save money by refinancing. Keep in mind, too, that in order to refinance and get a competitive interest rate, you’ll need to have a solid credit score. If you have poor credit or a low score, spend the next few months doing what you can to raise your credit score in order to qualify for a better refinance rate on your new loan as a borrower.
Refinance your home loan if you’re interested in investing the difference back into your home.
Refinancing can also be a smart move as a homeowner if by getting a better interest rate and lowering your monthly payment you’re able to put that money you save back into your house. Sometimes, this sort of strategy can take the form of a new loan or a home equity loan; however, if you’re patient and diligent at saving, you can wait a few months after refinancing to begin your home improvement project. Home renovations are a great way to use the money you “earn,” so to speak, from a refinance, since it will ultimately increase the value of your home.
One thing to keep in mind when renovating your home is to think about what might give others peace of mind when they think about buying in your area. For example, if you’re living in Florida, it makes sense to think about home renovation tips for Florida homeowners. A pool is going to be much more impressive to many potential buyers in Florida than architectural shingles.
That being said, if you want to increase your home value in Colorado, focusing on your roof isn’t a bad idea. Especially because of how expensive it can be to hire contractors to repair or replace a roof, new roofing can be a major perk on any home in the market. Particularly in Colorado, where the weather can be brutal in terms of snow and hail, having your roofing in tip-top shape before you list your home could be a major boon. It’s important to find residential roofing contractors near you to handle this kind of job, so you know that you won’t be getting poor workmanship and need to make an insurance claim later down the line.
