10/11/2022
What is refinancing and when should I do it?
As a homeowner with a mortgage, chances are you’ve heard of the term 'refinancing'.
Refinancing involves reviewing your current mortgage, and potentially swapping your loan to another lender, who can better meet your current needs, wants, and circumstances.
Refinancing can be a strategy to secure a lower interest rate, or switch to a different type of loan, and can also allow you to consolidate your debts or pay down your mortgage more quickly.
Another common reason borrowers look to refinance is to access equity – the amount you'd get from selling your home after settling any associated loans and any other costs associated with the property.
However, refinancing isn’t suitable for everyone.
There are many different factors you’ll need to consider when thinking about refinancing a loan.
So how will you know that refinancing is the right option for you?
The first step is to speak to a professional like me, about your needs, objectives, current financial situation, and whether you can afford a different loan structure, particularly if you have more than one property.
Are you looking to pay less interest?
If your purpose of refinancing is to aim for a lower interest rate, this could potentially save you a lot of money in the long term.
While saving money is often one of the biggest benefits of refinancing, it may not be as straightforward as that, and careful consideration is required.
Sometimes refinancing may only save you a small amount per year, particularly when you take into consideration any exit costs, application fees, and taxes involved. Refinancing may also not offer benefits if the loan will attract Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) or features like an offset account aren’t offered with the new loan.
However, if it’s going to save upwards of $1,000 a year, refinancing might be a sensible approach.
At this point, I will need to find out about your existing loan, repayments, and current loan structure.