A home refinance option will be needed if the homeowner feels the need to get a new loan to pay off an existing loan. There could be many reasons why people opt for home refinance – lower interest rates, change in income levels etc. Before you decide on opting for home refinance, check the difference between the refinancing fees and the amount that can be saved due to lower interest rates. If the balance is favorable then opt for the refinance option. Otherwise don’t go in for it for there can be risks involved too.

Some of these calculations can be made using a mortgage calculator that is meant specifically to calculate interest rates, loan and repayment amounts with reference to home loans. The main benefit of home refinancing is that you get extra cash that can pay off some existing loan, thereby lowering your monthly payment commitments. Home refinance allows you to ‘optimize’ your biggest asset – your home. Using this to get a new loan at lower interest rates means you are taking advantage of your home and earning some extra cash.

Understand the steps involved in home refinance so that the entire process can be done smoothly and simply.
– Be clear about your reasons
– Fill the application
– Decide what kind of mortgage you would prefer
– Get the house appraised
– Get approval for your home refinance
– Get all documents in place
– Get proper authorization
– Complete the process

What are your reasons for applying for a home refinance? Is it to reduce your loan term, make some extended improvements on your home or payoff existing debts – once you are clear on these points, you will know if you really need to refinance your home or not. If you decide to go ahead, you can get an application form and start filling it up. By going through the application, you will know all the criteria needed to be eligible for home refinance and if you fit the bill. Any points that are unclear can be clarified with the help of home loan experts available at all financial institutions.

Seek professional help to determine what kind of mortgage to take. It could be a fixed or adjustable rate mortgage. Using a mortgage calculator, you will be able to determine your monthly payments and if you can afford it. Appraising your home is very important. Get a certified appraiser to do the job, so that you will know the exact market value of your home. Using this appraisal figure, the lender will arrive at the interest rate and amount of loan you are eligible for and you can get approval for your home refinance.

Find out all the documents you will need to present along with your application – e.g., asset list, home deed, current mortgage, homeowner’s insurance policy etc. If all your documents are in place, you will be required to sign your home refinance documents in the presence of a notary who is authorized to witness the signing. Once all these procedures have been followed, you will receive your refinance loan and can use it as you see fit.

Those who are new to applying for home mortgage or home refinance, will do well to use an online mortgage calculator that will give you an accurate estimate as to your loan liabilities. This automated online tool will help users calculate the EMI using rate of interest, loan amount and the repayment period in years. While these tools are used in banks and other financial institutions to quickly calculate the loan amounts for their clients, even homeowners can use these free tools to estimate their loan amounts, and determine whether to go ahead and ask for a loan.

Like any regular calculator, changing one figure – like payment period will spew out new results. Hence, this versatile tool can be used to calculate the best figure that homeowners will be comfortable paying each month without overstretching their budget. Some of the columns that will be included in a standard mortgage calculator are – home loan amount, rate of interest, loan period and EMI starting month. The information will be displayed in easy to understand text format. Use them and save time by calculating your own home loan amount. For first time homeowners, this is a valuable tool to decide on the type and size of home they can afford to purchase.

Author Bio: Article by John Hoots of ChicagoMortgageSpecialist.com, a website with the best Chicago mortgages and Chicago mortgage loans information on the web.

Category: Finances
Keywords: home mortgage, mortgage calculator