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Comparison Shopping When refinancing

By: Mark Kreischer



Homeowners are often inclined to re-finance with the same lender who granted the original mortgage or with the same lender who handled prior re-finances. The theory behind this reasoning is along the same lines as, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” These homeowners figure their current mortgage is adequate and they are happy with the current lender so there is no need to investigate further options. However, this cavalier attitude can be quite costly for the homeowners.

Try All the Options; FHA Refinance or VA Refinance

Homeowners who are considering refinancing their home should contact a number of lenders and obtain rate quotes from each of them. When soliciting quotes the homeowners should consider all of their available options but should limit these options to established lender. While a newer lender may be offering fantastic rates and loan terms it is considered quite risky to go with this type of lender as opposed to a more established lender.

Homeowners who wish to further investigate smaller lenders who do not have an established history should proceed with caution. Unless the lender has trusted friends or family members who are willing to vouch for the lender, the homeowner should investigate these smaller lenders carefully. Visiting a website address is not the best way to ensure credibility. Designing a professional looking website is a fairly simple process. Most website designers could design and upload such a website in less than a day.

Friendly Competition

When comparison shopping for the most favorable rates, homeowners should make it well known that they are shopping around for rate quotes and are not making a decision immediately. Lenders who know they have some competition may be more likely to offer a lower interest rate than they would if they did not think the homeowner was considering other options. Although this may not seem quite fair to the lender, the business of refinancing is a competitive business. Just like a plumber might offer his most competitive rate if he knows the homeowner is seeking estimates from a number of different plumbers, lenders are apt to do the same. They make their money from homeowners and having a homeowner re-finance their mortgage does not help them out at all financially.

Some lenders may think the homeowner is bluffing and may not offer the best rate initially. However, if the homeowner rejects the offer and states they have a better offer with another lender, the first lender may be enticed to offer an even lower interest rate just to see if they can sway the homeowners. While cost is certainly important, it is not the only factor to consider. Some homeowners might re-finance with a lender who offers slightly higher rates if the homeowner feels as though this lender is more responsive to his needs.

Tips on when to refinance
It doesn't make sense refinancing when you shouldn't. So, check out the VA refinance mortgage tips as given below and get an idea on when to refinance your VA loan.

Check if current market rates for your VA refinance are low:

It's better to follow the 1% Rule which suggests that you can enjoy the benefits of a home VA refinance if you get an interest rate 1% lower than that on your current loan. The interest savings will help you recoup the costs you've paid for the new loan provided you stay in the property for a certain period of time (break-even period).
However, there are no-cost as well as low-cost VA refinance loans wherein the costs are included into the loan. But you can expect comparatively higher rates on such loans. Moreover, these loans are limited when the market is in a credit crunch.

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Fha Refinance; VA Refinance

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