Is it a good time to refinance my home 2023?
If you got your mortgage before 2023, your current rate might still be lower than if you locked in a new rate by refinancing now. If you bought your home when rates peaked, now could be a good time to refinance — but you may want to wait until rates are even lower.
If you purchased your home or refinanced at that time, you probably have nothing to gain from refinancing in 2023. But if you purchased a home back in 2008 and haven't refinanced since, it's possible you could find a more affordable rate by refinancing now.
Mortgage rates took homebuyers on a roller-coaster ride in 2023. In 2024, the journey should prove less jarring — and mostly downhill. Greg McBride, Bankrate's chief financial analyst, expects rates to fall gradually throughout the year, reaching 5.75 percent by the end of 2024.
If your goal is to get a lower interest rate, right now isn't the best time to refinance. You're likely to end up with a higher rate, plus you'll need to pay closing costs on your new mortgage. If you can hold off, mortgage rates are expected to slowly trend down over the next couple of years.
The winter holiday season is a traditionally slow time in the real estate market; homeowners want to relax and avoid having prospective buyers visit their homes. Therefore, the demand for mortgage money is less, so lenders lower the spread in order to attract new business. This can be a great time to refinance.
Generally speaking, now isn't an ideal time for most borrowers to refinance, because rates are generally still higher than what most borrowers are paying. But rates have dropped a bit recently, and they should go down further in 2024.
Even so, most housing market experts expect rates to decline over 2024, especially once the Federal Reserve begins cutting the federal funds rate—the overnight borrowing rate for commercial banks and credit unions that indirectly influences mortgage rates.
At the start of 2023, economists predicted that mortgage rates would gradually decline throughout the year, but that forecast didn't come true. In fact, rates trended higher, reaching a new peak of 7.79% in late October, according to Freddie Mac.
Mortgage rates are likely to trend down in 2024. Depending on which forecast you look at for housing market predictions in 2024, 30-year mortgage rates could end up somewhere between 5.8% and 6.1% by the end of the year.
Refinance closing costs commonly run between 2% and 6% of the loan principal. For example, if you're refinancing a $225,000 mortgage balance, you can expect to pay between $4,500 and $13,500. Like purchase loans, mortgage refinancing carries standard fees, such as origination fees and multiple third-party charges.
At what point is it not worth it to refinance?
Move into a longer-term loan: If you're already at least halfway through the loan term, refinancing generally isn't a good idea.
Refinancing allows you to lengthen your loan term if you're having trouble making your payments. The downsides are that you'll be paying off your mortgage longer and you'll pay more in interest over time. However, a longer loan term can make your monthly payments more affordable and free up extra cash.
One of the primary reasons to refinance is to pay less each month by paying a lower interest rate than you had previously secured. So if you have a rate higher than what's currently available, you may be able to start saving by refinancing to the lower prevailing rate.
How does a refinance affect the equity you have in your home? Usually, it doesn't. If your home appraises for $300,000 and you owe $150,000 on your mortgage, refinancing that mortgage does not change the fact that your home is worth $300,000.
A recession may be a good time to lock in a lower fixed rate on a mortgage refinance, if you qualify. However, be cautious about taking on new debt until you see signs that the economy is recovering.
Key takeaways. Cash-out refinancing allows you to turn equity into cash through refinancing your mortgage. While you can't cash out all of your home's equity, the process gives you access to a larger sum of money without needing to sell your home.
Product | Interest Rate | APR |
---|---|---|
10-Year Fixed Rate | 6.45% | 6.48% |
5-1 ARM | 6.06% | 7.15% |
10-1 ARM | 7.21% | 7.73% |
30-Year Fixed Rate FHA | 6.43% | 7.14% |
Refinancing will hurt your credit score a bit initially, but might actually help in the long run. Refinancing can significantly lower your debt amount and/or your monthly payment, and lenders like to see both of those. Your score will typically dip a few points, but it can bounce back within a few months.
When you refinance, you are required to pay closing costs like those you paid when you initially purchased your home. The average closing costs on a refinance are approximately $5,000, but the size of your loan and the state and county where you live will play big roles in how much you pay.
Legally, there isn't a limit on how many times you can refinance your home loan. However, mortgage lenders do have a few mortgage refinance requirements you'll need to meet each time you apply for a loan, and some special considerations are important to note if you want a cash-out refinance.
How low will mortgage rates drop in 2024?
Source | Projected 30-year mortgage rate (by end of 2024) |
---|---|
Mortgage Bankers Association | 6.1% |
Fannie Mae | 5.8% |
Realtor.com | 6.5% |
Redfin | 6.6% |
How Much Does It Cost To Buy Down An Interest Rate? The cost for each discount point depends entirely on the amount you, as the borrower, take out on the loan. Each point that a borrower pays is equivalent to 1% of the loan amount.
The latest yield curve from the BoE forecasts a cut in interest rates in quarter 2 of this year. But it's clear this higher for longer interest rate environment is here to stay. Data shows interest rates will remain above 3% well into 2027.
Refinance rates are different from mortgage rates and tend to be slightly higher.
New Purchase Loan Type | 2023 Low Average | 2023 High Average |
---|---|---|
30-year fixed | 6.11% | 8.45% |
FHA 30-year fixed | 6.03% | 8.30% |
15-year fixed | 5.40% | 7.52% |
Jumbo 30-year fixed | 5.23% | 7.59% |
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