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Talk About Tulsa => Other Tulsa Discussion => Topic started by: midtownnewbie on January 23, 2008, 01:24:16 PM

Title: Refi Time?
Post by: midtownnewbie on January 23, 2008, 01:24:16 PM
Anybody refinance their mortgage this week?  We're close to locking in at 5.375% on a 30 year fixed.  My only hesitation is that it may keep going down!  Opinions?
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: FOTD on January 23, 2008, 01:25:35 PM
It will keep going down for several months.....just a hunch.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: restored2x on January 23, 2008, 01:45:41 PM
quote:
Originally posted by FOTD

It will keep going down for several months.....just a hunch.



How far down do you think it will go? I've been considering this, too.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: FOTD on January 23, 2008, 02:28:32 PM
Never thought I'd consider this strategy of refi and putting the proceeds into the S+P Index fund.....

I'd figure another 50 basis points at least...
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: Renaissance on January 23, 2008, 02:39:50 PM
Yeah, I think you're more or less guaranteed another 50 points, and if you're patient you can wait and see what happens during at least the next quarter.  It won't go back up for a year.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: midtownnewbie on January 23, 2008, 02:49:26 PM
Are you guys in the banking industry or is this just "gut" feel?
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: inteller on January 23, 2008, 02:55:45 PM
is there a calculator some place on the web that shows how low you'd need to re fi at to make it worth your while?  If it is just a half point off from where I'm at I dunno if I'd make back the closing costs before I sell again.  I would think .75 and above I'd be looking at a good reason to re-fi.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: sgrizzle on January 23, 2008, 02:58:49 PM
quote:
Originally posted by inteller

is there a calculator some place on the web that shows how low you'd need to re fi at to make it worth your while?  If it is just a half point off from where I'm at I dunno if I'd make back the closing costs before I sell again.  I would think .75 and above I'd be looking at a good reason to re-fi.



Some people won't do it for less than a whole point.

5.375% is higher than what I have already.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: Renaissance on January 23, 2008, 03:02:56 PM
quote:
Originally posted by midtownnewbie

Are you guys in the banking industry or is this just "gut" feel?



I'm no banker; I just read the Wall Street Journal.  The Fed was widely expected to lower the Funds rate at their upcoming meeting, but with the foreign markets crashing, yesterday they made an emergency rate change of 75 basis points.  The consensus among financial punditry seems to be that we can still expect a cut of 50 basis points at the next meeting, and that won't necessarily be the end of it.  Turns out that the new Fed Chair, Ben Bernanke, is a student of interest rates and their effect on money movement.  This is his bread and butter.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: FOTD on January 23, 2008, 03:06:56 PM
http://www.fundadvice.com/tools/calculators/

http://www.dinkytown.net/mortgage.html


Not a banker..... gut feel is emotional.....I veer from entanglements.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: guido911 on January 23, 2008, 10:16:41 PM
quote:
Originally posted by midtownnewbie

Are you guys in the banking industry or is this just "gut" feel?



I am getting phone calls about refi from mortgage companies. The rates are better...
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: Breadburner on January 23, 2008, 10:35:08 PM
Needs to be at least 2 points below what your current rate is to make it worth it....Then you need to decide if you want the extra dollars in your pocket or go for the 15 year note...Another bit of savings comes in play if you can get rid of your P.M.I.....Which you can if your L.T.V is 80% or better....
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: TUalum0982 on January 24, 2008, 05:50:51 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Breadburner

Needs to be at least 2 points below what your current rate is to make it worth it....Then you need to decide if you want the extra dollars in your pocket or go for the 15 year note...Another bit of savings comes in play if you can get rid of your P.M.I.....Which you can if your L.T.V is 80% or better....



I am buying out our PMI and by trading for a little bit higher interest rate.  We are first time home buyers (both of us are 25) and of course we dont have 20% to put down (over 40,000).  We are getting a no PMI loan for 6.25% with closing costs paid by the builder.  That saves us around 200 dollars a month.  Then in 3-4 years when we have equity in our house and the rates go down, we will refinance once again.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: inteller on January 24, 2008, 06:55:37 AM
sounds like more house than you can afford....but then building will do that to you.  and 6.25 is horrible these days unless you have awful credit.  Did you shop around at all?  have you already started building?  really, you need to shop around.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: inteller on January 24, 2008, 06:59:58 AM
quote:
Originally posted by FOTD

http://www.fundadvice.com/tools/calculators/

http://www.dinkytown.net/mortgage.html


Not a banker..... gut feel is emotional.....I veer from entanglements.




thanks for the calculators.  Now if the bastards just didnt require Java.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: TUalum0982 on January 24, 2008, 07:38:34 AM
quote:
Originally posted by inteller

sounds like more house than you can afford....but then building will do that to you.  and 6.25 is horrible these days unless you have awful credit.  Did you shop around at all?  have you already started building?  really, you need to shop around.



both our credit scores are in the 720-750 range. We are both 25, own a 2007 BMW 335I.  I dont know many 25 year olds who have 40,000+ plus to put down as a down payment.  6.25% with no PMI is a great rate.  Plus our closing costs are around 8K and our builder is paying those.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: brunoflipper on January 24, 2008, 07:42:20 AM
own?
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: inteller on January 24, 2008, 07:46:13 AM
quote:
Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:
Originally posted by inteller

sounds like more house than you can afford....but then building will do that to you.  and 6.25 is horrible these days unless you have awful credit.  Did you shop around at all?  have you already started building?  really, you need to shop around.



both our credit scores are in the 720-750 range. We are both 25, own a 2007 BMW 335I.  I dont know many 25 year olds who have 40,000+ plus to put down as a down payment.  6.25% with no PMI is a great rate.  Plus our closing costs are around 8K and our builder is paying those.



6.25% with no PMI was a great rate in 2006.  Seriously, the rates are better these days.  Even with a FICA of 750.  I can go out and get a 5.625 without even really trying.  But it sounds like you are too far into the process.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: TUalum0982 on January 24, 2008, 08:42:17 AM
quote:
Originally posted by inteller

quote:
Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:
Originally posted by inteller

sounds like more house than you can afford....but then building will do that to you.  and 6.25 is horrible these days unless you have awful credit.  Did you shop around at all?  have you already started building?  really, you need to shop around.



both our credit scores are in the 720-750 range. We are both 25, own a 2007 BMW 335I.  I dont know many 25 year olds who have 40,000+ plus to put down as a down payment.  6.25% with no PMI is a great rate.  Plus our closing costs are around 8K and our builder is paying those.



6.25% with no PMI was a great rate in 2006.  Seriously, the rates are better these days.  Even with a FICA of 750.  I can go out and get a 5.625 without even really trying.  But it sounds like you are too far into the process.



YOUR FICA SCORE IS 750[;)]  I find your great rates hard to believe but I have shopped around and being a first time home buyer making around 85-90K a year between the two of us, we couldnt get any better then 6.15 but they wouldn't pay our closing costs.  So I will take the 6.25% and then refi in a 3-4 years.  The house was appraised at $214,000 and we paid 201,710.  So we already have over 10K in equity.  Not to mention a few thousand we put down originally.

We owe 22,000 on a 48,000 dollar car.  If you want to be technical, we dont OWN it since we still have a loan on it. Our payment is 460 dollars a month.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: tulsa1603 on January 24, 2008, 08:51:54 AM
I've been wondering this myself.  I'm at 6.875% on a mortgage I got 6 years ago, and I also have a 7.5% second i took out to remodel the kitchen a year and a half ago...  If I roll them together, I'd still owe less than 80%.  I guess the question is how long do I want to stay in this house....Obviously, rate wise this would be a big win for me.

It's been so long... what are typical closing costs?  Is it a percentage of financed amount?
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: brunoflipper on January 24, 2008, 09:23:25 AM
quote:
Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:
Originally posted by inteller

quote:
Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:
Originally posted by inteller

sounds like more house than you can afford....but then building will do that to you.  and 6.25 is horrible these days unless you have awful credit.  Did you shop around at all?  have you already started building?  really, you need to shop around.



both our credit scores are in the 720-750 range. We are both 25, own a 2007 BMW 335I.  I dont know many 25 year olds who have 40,000+ plus to put down as a down payment.  6.25% with no PMI is a great rate.  Plus our closing costs are around 8K and our builder is paying those.



6.25% with no PMI was a great rate in 2006.  Seriously, the rates are better these days.  Even with a FICA of 750.  I can go out and get a 5.625 without even really trying.  But it sounds like you are too far into the process.



YOUR FICA SCORE IS 750[;)]  I find your great rates hard to believe but I have shopped around and being a first time home buyer making around 85-90K a year between the two of us, we couldnt get any better then 6.15 but they wouldn't pay our closing costs.  So I will take the 6.25% and then refi in a 3-4 years.  The house was appraised at $214,000 and we paid 201,710.  So we already have over 10K in equity.  Not to mention a few thousand we put down originally.

We owe 22,000 on a 48,000 dollar car.  If you want to be technical, we dont OWN it since we still have a loan on it. Our payment is 460 dollars a month.

i was just busting your balls... it's a pet peeve of mine, you really only "own" it if you paid in full...
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: Breadburner on January 24, 2008, 10:31:04 AM
quote:
Originally posted by tulsa1603

I've been wondering this myself.  I'm at 6.875% on a mortgage I got 6 years ago, and I also have a 7.5% second i took out to remodel the kitchen a year and a half ago...  If I roll them together, I'd still owe less than 80%.  I guess the question is how long do I want to stay in this house....Obviously, rate wise this would be a big win for me.

It's been so long... what are typical closing costs?  Is it a percentage of financed amount?



Closing cost will vary from lender to lender.....
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: TUalum0982 on January 24, 2008, 11:04:40 AM
quote:
Originally posted by brunoflipper

quote:
Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:
Originally posted by inteller

quote:
Originally posted by TUalum0982

quote:
Originally posted by inteller

sounds like more house than you can afford....but then building will do that to you.  and 6.25 is horrible these days unless you have awful credit.  Did you shop around at all?  have you already started building?  really, you need to shop around.



both our credit scores are in the 720-750 range. We are both 25, own a 2007 BMW 335I.  I dont know many 25 year olds who have 40,000+ plus to put down as a down payment.  6.25% with no PMI is a great rate.  Plus our closing costs are around 8K and our builder is paying those.



6.25% with no PMI was a great rate in 2006.  Seriously, the rates are better these days.  Even with a FICA of 750.  I can go out and get a 5.625 without even really trying.  But it sounds like you are too far into the process.



YOUR FICA SCORE IS 750[;)]  I find your great rates hard to believe but I have shopped around and being a first time home buyer making around 85-90K a year between the two of us, we couldnt get any better then 6.15 but they wouldn't pay our closing costs.  So I will take the 6.25% and then refi in a 3-4 years.  The house was appraised at $214,000 and we paid 201,710.  So we already have over 10K in equity.  Not to mention a few thousand we put down originally.

We owe 22,000 on a 48,000 dollar car.  If you want to be technical, we dont OWN it since we still have a loan on it. Our payment is 460 dollars a month.

i was just busting your balls... it's a pet peeve of mine, you really only "own" it if you paid in full...



after reading the last sentence of my post it may have come off a little rude. I apologize for that.  But thanks for keeping me on my toes.  As for closing costs they do vary from lender to lender, what will be the same are your title fees, insurance, etc.  OK is one of the last states to require a full abstract so its more expensive then say texas or kansas.  Typically closing costs shouldnt cost more then 3-5% (from what I have read from different websites and from what I have heard from individuals).
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: inteller on January 24, 2008, 11:29:43 AM
quote:
Originally posted by tulsa1603

I've been wondering this myself.  I'm at 6.875% on a mortgage I got 6 years ago, and I also have a 7.5% second i took out to remodel the kitchen a year and a half ago...  If I roll them together, I'd still owe less than 80%.  I guess the question is how long do I want to stay in this house....Obviously, rate wise this would be a big win for me.

It's been so long... what are typical closing costs?  Is it a percentage of financed amount?



mine were pretty small.  Maybe it was because I bought a house and not built.  I've only heard horror stories here lately of building....definitely not going that route.  It seems fun at first to make the house the way you want it, but it seems like nothing but a headache to have to pick everything out.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: rwarn17588 on January 24, 2008, 11:33:49 AM
We got a mortgage three years ago for 6.6 percent, and our credit rating's in the 770 range.

We were told the interest rate could have been lower, but if you buy a small house and don't max out on the loan amount, they'll stick you with a slightly higher rate. In other words, there's a bit of a penalty for frugality.

A small price to pay, I suppose, when our payments are about 12 percent of our take-home income.
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: tulsa_fan on January 24, 2008, 04:51:13 PM
I know you guys are talking about shopping around, but have you ever used a mortgage broker?  (I'm NOT in this industry) but we used the same one for our lot loan, construction loan, and permanent loan.  I checked a few placed myself, but was busy too busy, the one we used beat everything I found each time.  Anyway, a thought, you can fill out one small questionairre and have them work it for you.  They only check your credit once, not everywhere you call, anyway, worked really well for me.   There was no fee to us, I'm sure she got her fee from the financing company, and on our home equity loan, we paid about 2800 in closing costs, probably shouln't be too much more for a refi, they have some much of the documentation already prepared (we used the same company as our mortgage).

Now if our builder hadn't screwed us and is making us take him to trial for HIS mistake, I'd be excited about these rates, I wish we were moving.  Don't buy a home from Concept Builders!
Title: Refi Time?
Post by: BriefRighter on January 24, 2008, 04:55:10 PM
A buddy of mine who is a mortgage broker just locked in a couple a 4.875% in Texas.  He is thrilled and so are the homebuyers.