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MORTGAGE REFINANCE
Decrease your monthly payments or shorten the length of your loan
Fixed loans are optimal if you are looking for a consistent payment over a long period of time with no surprises. The peace of mind of a fixed-rate loan will offset the slightly higher overall long-term payment. When rates are very low, you can refinance into a fixed-rate loan to lower your monthly payment or convert the fluctuations of an adjustable rate to a steady fixed-rate.
Great news! If you have a large Home Equity Loan or high interest credit cards that are not fixed, you have the option of refinancing them all into a fixed-rate loan which will save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.
Refinancing is an investment that does cost the borrower money out of pocket. Refinancing costs should range from 1-3% of the outstanding principal balance of the loan being refinanced. However, oftentimes these costs can be minimized by making minor adjustments to the interest rate or rolling them into the new loan to avoid out-of-pocket expenses.
If you want to buy or sell a home, it’s important to know if it’s a buyer’s market or a seller’s market. Here’s how.
A buyer’s market occurs when the supply (available properties for sale) exceeds demand (the number of buyers seeking to purchase properties). If you’re buying a new home, a buyer’s market is the ideal time to make your move. You might be able to buy a great home for a lower cost than you would in a seller’s market.
If you’re trying to sell your property in a buyer’s market, your home may remain on the market longer before you’re able to secure a buyer due to the large number of available properties. You may also have to lower your listing price or make other concessions in order to secure a buyer.
A seller’s market occurs when demand exceeds supply, or there are more buyers seeking to purchase properties than there are available homes on the market. This often leads to multiple buyers interested in a single property, resulting in bidding wars. A seller’s market is a fantastic time to sell your home as you could secure a sale price that’s higher than your listing price, or at least more than your bottom line (the lowest price you’d be willing to accept for your home).
If you’re buying a home in a seller’s market, be aware that the seller has the advantage. If other buyers are interested in the same property you’re making an offer on, trying to get a lower sale price probably won’t work to your advantage. In fact, you could lose the opportunity to purchase the property altogether if a competing buyer makes a higher offer. Seller’s markets are sometimes called “renter’s markets” for this reason; sometimes potential buyers need to keep renting until they can save up a higher down payment and compete with other buyers in the market.