5 Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Before You Decide to Refinance Your Credit

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By Jacob Maslow

Refinancing your credit is not always the best idea. However, it can be the best option for some people. Before you decide to refinance your credit, you need to take some time to think it through and decide if it is best for you.

Here is a list of five questions you need to ask yourself before you decide:

Question 1: What is my purpose for refinancing?

This may seem like an obvious question, but you need to know your reasoning for starting the process. One of the primary reasons for this is that it can be a time-consuming process, and it may not end the way you hope it will end.

Are you hoping to take advantage of lowering your overall interest rates? Do you need to take out equity so you can do some repairs? Or are you looking for some extra cash for your next trip around the world? These are some reasons why you might consider refinancing.

Make sure you are clear in your purpose before beginning the process. A clear purpose will help you to push forward to finish the process.

Question 2: Am I qualified for any refinancing options?

Not everyone qualifies for refinancing. There are three things that you need to look into before you start researching refinancing. First, you need to check your credit score. If your credit score is less than 760, you will likely not qualify for refinancing.

Second, you need to check your debt-to-income ratio. The debt-to-income balance helps potential lenders know how likely you are to miss payments by calculating how much of your income is going towards daily expenses and how much you can go to pay off debt.

If your debt-to-income ratio is higher than 36%, lenders will be hesitant to refinance your credit for you because you may be considered a high-risk investment.

Question 3: How will refinancing affect my monthly payment and overall interest?

When you decide to refinance, you will work with a lender to choose long-term or short-term refinancing plans. For plans that are classified as long-term, you will have to pay less monthly, but you will end up paying a higher amount of interest in the end.

On the other hand, you could choose to refinance with a short-term plan which would likely increase your monthly payments, but since you will pay it off faster, the overall interest will be lower. This means that you are more likely to pay less overall, even if you have to make larger monthly payments.

Question 4: What kind of closing costs should I expect, and can I afford them?

Before you decide to refinance your credit, you should be aware that you will have to pay a closing cost. You pay this closing cost to the lender you are refinancing through. Several factors go into calculating closing costs. Some factors include time, amount, and location.

Your closing cost may also differ depending on the company you choose to refinance with. This is one of the big reasons you need to shop around before deciding to refinance and with which company you will use to refinance.

Question 5: Have I found the best option for refinancing my credit?

If you have decided to go with the first and only refinancing option you looked at, you should strongly consider shopping around a bit more. There are many different options and refinancing companies, and they are not all created equally.

Check estimated closing costs, monthly interest rate, and long-term and short-term payoff totals before committing to one of your options. It is usually best to seek at least two or three different options, if not more.

Conclusion

In the short term, if you qualify for refinancing, you can get the cash you need once the process is finished. Though you may end up paying more for monthly payments, and you may end up paying more in the long term. Before you jump into the refinancing process, consider these questions to ensure refinancing is the best option for you.

 

https://www.kiplinger.com/real-estate/mortgages/602259/things-to-consider-before-you-refinance-your-mortgage

 

https://discover.rbcroyalbank.com/5-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-you-refinance-your-u-s-mortgage/

 

https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/questions-to-ask-when-refinancing

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