Mortgage and financing advice

Refinancing

Refinancing your Florida mortgage gives you the opportunity to:

• Lower your monthly mortgage payments
• Pay less interest
• Change your mortgage terms.

This means that you get to replace your current mortgage by taking out a completely new one.

Sounds good, right? But then you might also ask, what’s the catch?

Well, you’ll be required to:

• Get a new home appraisal
• Submit a similar set of documents as the ones used to initially purchase the home

Before you refinance, however, you‘ll want to make sure that you’re committed to staying put for more than just a few years. The cost of refinancing is between 3 to 5 % of the principal, an amount that cancels out the savings on your lowered mortgage payments if you bail out too soon.

Here are a few popular Florida mortgage options you may want to consider:

• 30-year, fixed-rate Florida mortgage. This is the most popular and secure option available for Florida homebuyers and homeowners—especially for those looking for lower monthly payments
• 15-year, fixed-rate Florida mortgage. You may potentially save thousands in interest payments with this attractive option. You’ll own your home in half the time, compared to the 30-year option. And, your payment and interest rate will never change during the duration of the mortgage.
• FHA mortgage. FHA mortgages offer the most flexibility and rate security, and is said to be an easy way to get a new Florida home loan. Down payments can be as low as 3.5%.
• VA mortgage. With relaxed credit standards and low down payment options, the VA loan is geared specifically to help veterans and military personnel with buying their own home.
• Bad credit Florida mortgage. Scared your credit history isn’t up to par? That it might stop you from ever owning your own house? If private lenders won’t give you the time of day, check out the FHA and the VA. Theirs are among the easiest housing loan programs.