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How to land the cheapest 15-year mortgage rate for your refinance

How to land the cheapest 15-year mortgage rate for your refinance

Refinancing remains at the top of many homeowners’ to-do lists, and it has taken on more urgency as a new refi fee is expected to push mortgage rates higher this fall.

A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage might be your automatic first choice. But if you’ve been in your house a few years, refinancing into a 15-year mortgage can keep you from dragging out the debt and piling up massive interest costs.

at under 2%.” data-reactid=”25″>The monthly payments can be steeper, but the loans come with lower interest rates — currently averaging a record low 2.42%, according to mortgage company Freddie Mac. And this summer, some lenders have even been offering 15-year mortgages at under 2%.

Here are four tips on how to get the very best deal when refinancing into a 15-year mortgage.

1. Run the numbers on 30- and 15-year loans

Compare the current average rates between the two loan products, then zero in on a couple of lenders and look at the spreads.” data-reactid=”32″>Most mortgage lenders offer both 30- and 15-year terms. Compare the current average rates between the two loan products, then zero in on a couple of lenders and look at the spreads.

If 15-year mortgage rates don’t seem substantially lower, it may not seem worth it to accept the stiffer monthly payment that comes with the shorter-term loan.

Still, the long-haul savings can be considerable.

30-year fixed-rate mortgage, versus 2.42% for the 15-year option. Let’s say you’re trying to decide whether to refi a $200,000 mortgage balance for either 15 or 30 years, at the average rates.” data-reactid=”35″>Freddie Mac says rates are now averaging 2.93% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, versus 2.42% for the 15-year option. Let’s say you’re trying to decide whether to refi a $200,000 mortgage balance for either 15 or 30 years, at the average rates.

  • Your monthly payment would be $1,326 with a 15-year mortgage at 2.42%, yet only $835 with a 30-year loan at 2.93%.
  • But you’d pay total interest of about $38,700 on the shorter-term loan, versus roughly $101,000 — $62,300 more — over the course of the 30-year mortgage.

2. Make yourself look your best as a borrower

take a peek at your score for free.” data-reactid=”40″>Before you start applying for mortgages, check your credit score. Today, it’s very easy to take a peek at your score for free.

A lender wants to feel confident you’ll pay back the loan and not default — particularly at a time when so many people are in a financial squeeze from the pandemic. A very good (740 to 799) or excellent (800 or higher) credit score will help provide that assurance.

obtain copies of your credit reports from the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion and Experian) and make sure they’re accurate.” data-reactid=”42″>If your score could stand improvement, obtain copies of your credit reports from the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion and Experian) and make sure they’re accurate.

Bad information — such as debts that aren’t yours, or debts that are too old and should have fallen off — can weigh down your credit score.

Shore up your score by paying down debt (especially credit card balances), getting bill payments in on time, and not opening new credit accounts while you’re shopping for a home loan.

3. Shop around (quickly) for a great rate

check rates from multiple lenders in your area. Review them side by side to identify the best deal available to you.” data-reactid=”46″>Once you’ve settled on a 15-year mortgage for your refi and have determined your credit score looks solid, check rates from multiple lenders in your area. Review them side by side to identify the best deal available to you.

As you research rates online, you may want to look at the websites of major banks operating where you live. They often have similar pricing on their mortgages, but you might find one offering a cheaper rate or more favorable terms.

Small local banks and credit unions often have affordable rates, but the approval processes can be slower.

You’ll want to move quickly, because experts say mortgage rates are likely to rise this fall as lenders start to factor in a new 0.5% fee on refinance loans.

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae — two government-sponsored mortgage giants that buy or guarantee most U.S. mortgages — say they’re introducing the fee because they need to offset billions in losses from defaults and other issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.

4. Pay as much as you can upfront

an extremely low 15-year mortgage rate for your refi.” data-reactid=”52″>If you don’t have much equity in your home, making a larger down payment on your refinance loan can help you land an extremely low 15-year mortgage rate for your refi.

Like a decent credit score, a bigger down payment is a way of demonstrating to the lender that you’re a good risk and deserve a low rate.

If you’re heavily invested in your house, it’s less likely you’ll walk away from your mortgage.

private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums from being tacked onto your house payments.” data-reactid=”55″>Plus, making a down payment large enough to give you at least 20% equity in your home will keep troublesome private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums from being tacked onto your house payments.

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