Tag: <span>refinance</span>

Should I Refinance My Mortgage and Do I Qualify

With interest rates on 30 year fixed-rate mortgage loans below 4%, the lowest level since the 1950s, many borrowers are keen to refinance their home loans and other mortgages. By any long-term measure, current rates are a great deal and could result in tens of thousands of dollars in savings…

Quick and Practical Ways to Improve your Finances – Automatic Saving, Education, Refinancing to Tax Planning

NOW is always a good time to reassess your financial situation and try and determine how you can improve your personal finances. Based on my experiences and observations, here are five simple and relatively cheap strategies to improve your finances. All it requires is a little discipline and overcoming normal procrastination…

2016 HARP Program Extension and Other Government Housing Refinance Programs

[Updated for 2016] - The Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) has been extended to the end of 2016. Under this program home owners may be able to reduce their mortgage payments by as much as $3,500 each year. The program benefits those with little to no equity in their home homes (LTV>80%) and are struggling…

Obama Jobs Act – 2012 Payroll Tax cuts, Unemployment Extension, Infrastructure Spending and Small Business Incentives

[Update Sep 2011] - President Obama has revealed details on his new $447 billion Americans Jobs Act and it is pretty much in line with what I had referenced in my earlier update (see below) before his speech. Here are the main things he is proposing that now go to…

Saving $95,000 by Refinancing into a Lower Rate and Shorter Duration Mortgage

Many homeowners with good credit are ditching their old 30-year fixed rate mortgages for the 15-year or 20-year versions. This is primarily to leverage historically low rates for these shorter duration loans and benefit from the significant interest savings over the life of the loan. In fact, a friend of…

15 Year Versus 30 Year Fixed Rate Mortgages – How to Determine Which is the Better Option

As mortgage rates continue to hover at 30 year lows, many people are wondering whether a 15-year or a 30-year mortgage term is a better option. After all, even though payments on the 15-year option would be higher, the lower interest rates on the shorter term loan are keeping payments,…

Looking Beyond the Monthly Payment Saving and Calculating the True Cost of Your Mortgage Refinance

Mortgage lenders often attract homeowners seeking to lower their mortgage interest rate with some simple math, usually presented in one of two ways: 1) Comparing the nominal closing costs to the total savings from 30 years of a lower monthly payment, or 2) How few months it will take before…

5 Steps to Take Now in Preparation for Higher Inflation in The Coming Year

There is an important debate brewing around inflation in terms of its rise and sustainability. Many believe we are headed to significantly higher inflation in the coming months as Trump cuts taxes and imposes tariffs. Ultimately, whether we see inflation as a significant or permanent risk is a decision we…

Tag: refinance