What Is A Cash-Out Refi And What Are My Options?

By Justin Woodbury


The cash out refinance can be an effective financial tool when used properly. How it works is a new loan is taken out for a greater amount than the current loan. The money from the new loan is used to pay off the old loan and sometimes costs associated, and the extra money is used for basically anything the borrower wants to use it for.

This is different from a standard refinance in that with a standard refinance the loan is replaced with another similar loan but with a different term, interest rate or interest type. For example, a homeowner or borrower with an adjustable rate loan could refinance into a fixed rate mortgage they thought the interest rates could be moving upward in the near future. This would allow them to get into a predictable mortgage situation during a time of volatility.

Since the last financial crisis, interest rates have been brought down to record lows. Because of this, the opportunity cost of doing a cash out refinance or taking out a home equity mortgage loan is much lower. This is because the interest rate that you would qualify for at the time of this writing is likely to be much lower than it was in the pre-crisis period.

You are most likely going to get a much lower interest rate on a home loan than you would on an unsecured personal loan or credit card because the home loan is secured by real estate, this means that the lender takes on less risk and so market forces usually command a lower interest rate. It is also for this reason that so many people in the United State are looking toward home equity loans, cash out refinances and even second mortgages for consolidating their debt.

Some home owners have a bunch of untapped equity in their home. This equity can sometimes be put to work by using a cash out refinance to free up a significant amount of cash flow by consolidating debts. Sometimes it makes financial sense to trade high interest for low interest debt and possibly even pay the home off more quickly. If you are concerned about closing costs, most lenders are able to offer no cost options.

People also use cash out refinances, home equity loans and second mortgages because they need liquidity and or cash flow, or to make a home improvement such as adding a pool or solar panels. Rather than come out of pocket for what could be tens of thousands of dollars, they pull money from their equity instead. In any case, make sure you are taking your long term as well as short term goals into consideration before you commit to a loan program.




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