THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE REFINANCING MORTGAGE
Before you jump head first into refinancing your mortgage, a leading refinancing mortgage broker has complied a list of things for you to consider.
Your Home, Your Loan
No two individuals are the same, right? Each person has their own style, preferences, and needs when it comes to their home. And guess what? The same goes for their home loan! Some people might have a fixed-rate mortgage, while others have a variable rate one. Some might have a big house with a backyard, while others prefer a cozy apartment in the city. But here's the thing: no matter how different we all are, there's one constant – we all need to be proactive in staying on top of our homes and home loans.
It's important to keep an eye on interest rates, payment schedules, and any changes that might affect our financial situation. By being proactive and staying informed, we can make sure we're making the most of our unique situations and staying in control.
So, let's embrace our individuality and take charge of our homes and our home loans!
Costs Involved In Refinancing
When you're thinking about refinancing, it's important to consider the costs involved. On average, you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1200, but this can vary depending on a few things.
One factor that affects the cost is your current lender's break costs. These are the fees associated with ending your existing mortgage before it's supposed to be over. The amount can vary quite a bit.
Where your property is located also plays a role in the expenses. Different regions have different legal and administrative fees that can impact the overall cost of refinancing.
If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, be prepared for potentially higher costs. There might be significant break costs involved in terminating the fixed agreement.
Understanding these factors can help you budget for the expense of refinancing. It's a good idea to consider all the costs involved and maybe even chat with a financial expert before making a decision.
Cost of Living
Let's talk about the rising cost of living and how it can really put a strain on your household budget.
The home loan tends to be the biggest expense for most people, and it can feel like a never-ending burden. But here's the good news: refinancing could be the answer you've been looking for. By refinancing your home loan, you have the potential to save some serious cash and improve your overall cash flow.
How? Well, securing a lower interest rate means your monthly mortgage payments could shrink, giving you some breathing room in your budget.
Imagine the relief of having more money in your pocket each month, It's like hitting the jackpot! So, why not consider exploring your refinancing options with a trusted mortgage broker? They can guide you through the process and help you determine if refinancing is the right move for you. Don't let the increasing cost of living stress you out. Take control of your finances and achieve greater stability. Refinancing could be the game-changer you need.
Consolidate Your Debts
Picture yourself as a duck gracefully gliding along the water. From afar, you may appear calm and composed, but underneath the surface, your feet are paddling frantically, striving to maintain balance and stay afloat. That's similar to the way many individuals manage their debts.
Finances can be overwhelming, with bills streaming in from multiple sources and various interest rates to keep track of. It feels like a constant struggle to stay on top of everything. Enter debt consolidation, the solution that could help ease the burden and simplify your financial life.
It involves combining all your debts into a single loan with a lower interest rate, which means lower monthly payments and potentially significant savings. No more juggling multiple due dates or living under the constant threat of high-interest rates. Debt consolidation allows you to make a single payment, helping to simplify your finances.
If this is something you are interested in considering, speak with your local mortgage broker and see if this could be a solution for you and your unique situation.
Competitive for New Customers
Banks are wild, competitive creatures when it comes to luring in new customers and getting their business. They'll throw out fancy offers, like cashbacks and exclusive lower interest rates just to make you jump ship from your current bank.
In a way, it's the opposite of loyalty tax. Instead of slapping higher prices on their loyal customers, banks are trying to attract new customers by offering sweet deals. They want you to feel like a VIP, showering you with perks and benefits. They'll wine and dine you, metaphorically speaking, of course, to win your favor.
Now, this can be both good and bad. The good part is that it pushes banks to constantly improve and offer better services to win you over. However, it can also be a bit tricky. These special offers often come with strings attached, like minimum requirements or time-limited benefits.
So, while banks are busy fishing for fresh customers, it's essential for us to stay alert and make informed decisions. We don't want to get caught up in the frenzy and end up regretting our choices.
Loyalty Tax
Loyalty tax is like a sneaky extra charge that some companies slap on their long-time customers. It's when they offer special deals and lower prices to new customers, but keep charging their loyal existing customers higher rates. And guess what? Banks are do different!
Imagine if you've been with a company for years, faithfully paying your bills on time, only to find out that new customers get better deals and lower prices. It feels like a punch in the gut. I hate Loyalty tax because it punishes people for doing the right thing and takes advantage of people who have stuck around. Companies should appreciate their loyal customers and reward them for their dedication, not squeeze them for extra money.
I think it is important to get our heads out of the sand and stand up against loyalty tax. Don't be afraid to shop around for better deals or even switch companies if you feel like you're being taken advantage of.
Remember, you deserve fair treatment and better options.
Frequently asked questions
Refinancing can extend your loan term but it doesn't have to
If you extend your loan term even with a lower interest rate you would need to consider if the monthly savings outweigh the increased interest paid over a longer period.
You can request a loan term that suits your current goals and time frames.
Refinancing may not always equate to significant savings. Consulting Fundi Finance, your specialist refinancing broker, can offer crucial insights beyond just comparing interest rates and will help determine in refinancing is something that could be beneficial for you
Here's what we can do:
Deep Dive Analysis: We'll delve deeper than just your existing loan and potential refinance options. We'll consider the costs of refinancing your home loan, loan terms, your financial goals, and potential market fluctuations.
Benefit vs. Cost Clarity: We'll go beyond just comparing interest rates and clearly explain the benefits you can expect compared to the associated costs involved in refinancing.
Material Gain Evaluation: Ultimately, we'll help you determine if the calculated net benefit of refinancing is material enough to justify the process and its impact on your finances.
Remember: Refinancing isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. We will let you know if there is no benefit for you to leave your existing loan.
This varies daily, with new deals and offers being released depending on which lender is being aggressive in acquiring new business.
Usually there is at least one bank offering a cashback offer.
Most lenders will offer competitive rates for you to switch.
For more information what deals are on the market today, please contact us
Banks will often incentivize new customers by offering them cashback offers.
These offers are usually somewhere between $1,000 and $5,000.
This is a one off payment that gets paid directly to the customer after the refinance has been completed.
These are designed to offset the costs of refinancing while also providing a sweetener for going to the new lender.
Debt Consolidation in simple terms is bringing all of your existing debts under one facility to make them easier to manage.
This works with home loans as a home loan usually provide lower interest rates than most other credit types.
If you have enough equity availble in your property this may be a way of helping you reduce your repayments.
You need to be mindful that you will be taking the other smaller debts over a home loan term (typically 30 years) so this can in some cases mean you will pay more to do this. The trade off is that it can leads to small repayments in the short term.
When you sign up to a fixed rate home loan, you are basically agreeing to your lender that you will remain in that loan for the term of that fixed period - typically 1-5 years.
So if you want to leave this loan prior to the finishing of that agreed period, the lender will want to receive the interest that they would receive over the agreed period.
There is cases when a lender will let you break from a fixed rate at no cost, this is usually when the interest rate that you are on is lower than what you would be going to.
This doesnt happen very often.
If you are considering trying to break out of a fixed rate loan, contact your local mortgage broker.