Most of my blogs have been directed to new buyers, etc; today I am focusing on the current or soon to be homeowner. One of our biggest allies has turned into somewhat of a foe by advertising the so called “No Cost Refinance”. You have probably seen the ad from this company (withholding the name to spare the guilty) and thought to yourself this is too good to be true. And you are somewhat correct….
The no cost refi program truly has no closing costs; all the closing costs and third party fees are paid by the lender. Let’s discuss the true pros and cons of the no cost refinance program. Typically, a no cost refinance will come with a higher interest rate. Face it; there really is no free ride no matter how cleverly disguised!
One of the main factors in determining whether a no cost refi is the "right" way to go is to look into your financial situation and see what your future goals are. A no cost refi is a good idea if you are considering moving in a few years or you know that you will need to refinance in a few years. The reason being is that by obtaining a no cost refi you are going to pay a higher interest rate than you would have by just simply paying for the closing costs or rolling them into your loan. Most of the time the closing costs could have been paid for within a couple of years with a lower rate loan and therefore if you keep the no cost loan more than a couple of years you will be stuck with that higher interest rate for the life of the loan or long after you would have paid for those closing costs. This will cause you to pay much more in interest over the life of the loan. After discussing your goals and needs with your mortgage professional he or she should be able to provide you with their opinion on which type of refinance will be best for you, "no cost" or "with cost".
Whether a no-cost refi is the way to go depends on a couple of factors. ... If you're planning on moving fairly soon, the no-cost refi might very well make sense.
One way to find out which method is best for you is to find your breakeven point. The breakeven point is the number of months it would take to recoup your closing costs based on your savings in monthly payment. For example if you incur 5,000 in closing costs which result in a $250/month savings, it would take 20 months to break even of the closing costs.
Again the large corporate lender that advertises the "NO Cost Refi" puts it in a way that appears to save the borrower money. Again name withheld to spare the guilty! But I know you have seen or heard the commercial. The fact is that over the life of the mortgage the higher interest rate of a No Cost Refi will cost you substantially more money. You are better off paying closing costs out of pocket or rolling them into the loan in return for a lower mortgage interest rate.
When you hear the term "NO Cost Refi", ask yourself how are they going to make their money. (Remember there are no free rides!)The answer is in the form of a higher interest rate. You may save a few thousand dollars upfront but you will be paying tens of thousands of dollars in the long run. These loans are great for borrowers without the ability to pay the upfront fees but borrowers who can afford them should be very leery about using them.
While a no cost refi may sound like a dream come true, talk to a local and accountable mortgage professional about the detailed costs of originating a new loan or refinance. There is no such thing as a free ride, and sadly, there is no such thing as a free refinance either. How you choose to pay may dramatically impact how much you spend on your mortgage over the long run.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Overcoming Your Fear!
Fear stands for False Evidence Appearing Real! I don’t think we realize how much this can truly impact our personal and business life. I believe fear is the reason so may borrowers have called my office or met with me personally been pre-approved for excellent mortgage programs , viewed several properties with their Realtors but have yet to move forward on actually signing a contract. And basically giving up on their dreams of homeownership!
The external noise of the media and sometimes friends and family members can actually paralyze us from moving forward with our goals and dreams. In most cases, you will have to step out on faith. This simply means that you believe in yourself and that you will be able to make it work. Definitely you must not make foolish decisions but prepared and informed decisions that will help you deal with the unknown. This weekend I was listening to a song that had an appropriate hook “How will you make it if you never even try?”
Of course, I am basing this article on mortgages and purchasing a home, but the information is true for any endeavor we are looking to accomplish. In many cases, we often let ourselves or other people talk us out of doing something rather than into it. Distance yourself from the well-intentioned naysayers who think they are protecting you. But many times stealing away your dreams is exactly what they do.
It is okay to be afraid when doing or starting something new. As a matter of fact it is perfectly normal. As stated by a spiritual leader with the utmost integrity,” Do it with the fear!” How many people would have let golden opportunities pass them by, if they let their FEAR stop them from moving forward? I admit it can be frightening to think about all the different aspects of the transaction with realtor, lender, and title company, etc. Then there is the mound of paperwork that needs to be signed in advance such as the real contracts, inspections, and loan applications. As one buyer put it, you feel like you are signing your life away. Which is relatively true in a reverse way if you don’t sign you could be giving away certain aspects of your financial life such as the opportunity to build home equity that could fund your child’s college education, receive the large tax savings that you definitely deserve, or the opportunity to become debt-free through smart mortgage planning.
I encourage you to use fear as a tool to make sure you are informed and prepared versus paralyzed in your tracks. Meet with your local and accountable real estate professionals, ask plenty of questions, and use their expertise as your safety net. This will only be true when working with lenders and Realtors that you trust. Any Realtor or lender can place an advertisement in the paper or on the Internet. Only work with individuals that come highly recommended and will add value to your Real Estate transaction.
Since way back in the nineties, this is one of the most excellent times to purchase. The difference in this era is mortgage rates, although they have crept up in the last few years, still remain at overall thirty year lows. So if you have the opportunity to buy a home go ahead and seize it today before the window closes. Contact your local and accountable mortgage professional, to start the process or update your existing mortgage pre-approval. Get back out there on the market and purchase your new home today. False Evidence Appearing Real can never win unless you let it stop you instead of stepping out on faith!
The external noise of the media and sometimes friends and family members can actually paralyze us from moving forward with our goals and dreams. In most cases, you will have to step out on faith. This simply means that you believe in yourself and that you will be able to make it work. Definitely you must not make foolish decisions but prepared and informed decisions that will help you deal with the unknown. This weekend I was listening to a song that had an appropriate hook “How will you make it if you never even try?”
Of course, I am basing this article on mortgages and purchasing a home, but the information is true for any endeavor we are looking to accomplish. In many cases, we often let ourselves or other people talk us out of doing something rather than into it. Distance yourself from the well-intentioned naysayers who think they are protecting you. But many times stealing away your dreams is exactly what they do.
It is okay to be afraid when doing or starting something new. As a matter of fact it is perfectly normal. As stated by a spiritual leader with the utmost integrity,” Do it with the fear!” How many people would have let golden opportunities pass them by, if they let their FEAR stop them from moving forward? I admit it can be frightening to think about all the different aspects of the transaction with realtor, lender, and title company, etc. Then there is the mound of paperwork that needs to be signed in advance such as the real contracts, inspections, and loan applications. As one buyer put it, you feel like you are signing your life away. Which is relatively true in a reverse way if you don’t sign you could be giving away certain aspects of your financial life such as the opportunity to build home equity that could fund your child’s college education, receive the large tax savings that you definitely deserve, or the opportunity to become debt-free through smart mortgage planning.
I encourage you to use fear as a tool to make sure you are informed and prepared versus paralyzed in your tracks. Meet with your local and accountable real estate professionals, ask plenty of questions, and use their expertise as your safety net. This will only be true when working with lenders and Realtors that you trust. Any Realtor or lender can place an advertisement in the paper or on the Internet. Only work with individuals that come highly recommended and will add value to your Real Estate transaction.
Since way back in the nineties, this is one of the most excellent times to purchase. The difference in this era is mortgage rates, although they have crept up in the last few years, still remain at overall thirty year lows. So if you have the opportunity to buy a home go ahead and seize it today before the window closes. Contact your local and accountable mortgage professional, to start the process or update your existing mortgage pre-approval. Get back out there on the market and purchase your new home today. False Evidence Appearing Real can never win unless you let it stop you instead of stepping out on faith!
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