Is it a bad time to refinance?

Is it a bad time to refinance? Are interest rates high right now?

Some may say it is not a great time to refinance because the interest rates are slightly higher than they have been 6 months ago. Others say it is still a good time to refinance if your adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is going to adjust up. Unless you have a crystal ball, you never know if the interest rates are going to get worse than they are at this present time. What will you do when your ARM adjusts?

Every person has different reasons to refinance. If you need money for home improvement, college tuition or medical expense then refinancing is a probably a good option for you. If you have a 30 year fixed mortgage at 5% then refinancing now is not a good option for you.

If you have recently used a Home Equity Line of Equity(HELOC) and incurred a large balance on it, it may make sense to refinance that debt to a fixed rate. HELOC's are a great, convenient tool for many needs. However, they typically carry higher interest rates than current fixed mortgage rates.

Refinancing to consolidate debt is always a great option which provides many benefits such as lower monthly payments, lower interest rates on debt, additional tax deductions, etc... Therefore, refinancing to consolidate debt is always a good idea and it is always a good time to refinance for this reason no matter where rates are as long as you can see the benefit in doing so.

It depends on what your looking to accomplish. Your mortgage is probably the largest debt that you will incur in your lifetime. A restructuring your debt and home equity can help you increase your overall monthly cash flow, increase your tax benefits, lower your payment, and reduce your mortgage terms. Any of these can still happen in todays market.

Interest rates are low by historical standards so it is not a bad time to refinance. Any time you can safe money by refinancing it is a good time to refinance.

You might also be able to reduce your interest rate if you haven't refinanced recently and have been paying down the principal amount of your mortgage.

It always a good time to refinance if you can lower your monthly obligations or shorten your mortgage term. Think long term and call your mortgage broker.

» DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this article on 'Is it a bad time to refinance?' is a collection of contributions by licensed mortgage professionals and is not the opinion of Broker Outpost LLC. Always consult a licensed professional before applying for a mortgage.