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Why and when you should consider refinancing your loan
Regardless of loan type, refinancing makes sense when it is of benefit to your financial situation, lifestyle, or both.
In the past, people took out loans and continued with it until they had paid it off. Today people review their loans and tend to refinance more frequently, with the average Australian home loan spanning just 4-5 years.
To decide whether refinancing is right for you or not, get in touch with an adviser and work through your situation.
So why would you refinance your loan?
Lower rate
The most common reason for people to refinance their mortgage is to get a better deal. But be careful you don’t become interest rate-fixated. When you refinance your home loan, you need to consider fees and charges as well as the interest rate. You often have to pay charges for exiting your current home loan, plus charges for taking out the new mortgage. You need to be sure that in refinancing your home loan that you’ll be better off in the long run after taking into account all costs.
More flexibility
Many people only discover the full details about their mortgage when it’s too late. They try to do something and get told by their lender that either they can’t do it, or they will incur a hefty charge if they do. An example is a redraw facility – the ability to pay extra money into a mortgage and then redraw it later. This feature is not possible with a basic home loan, so many people refinance their mortgage to give themselves this sort of increased flexibility.
Renovation
If you carry out renovations, it often makes sense to refinance your mortgage and take out a construction loan so you only pay interest as building progresses. Once construction is over, it might make sense to refinance your home loan again so that you consolidate the total amount you owe into a loan that minimises your interest bill, while giving you a degree of liquidity.
Using your home equity
Over recent years in the property market houses have appreciated at a significant rate. e.g. a home you bought for $300,000 five years ago, might now be worth $500,000. Refinancing your mortgage with a home equity loan might let you tap into that extra $200,000 equity. Read more about this concept we call Debt Recycling.
Defaulting
Some people find they have borrowed more than they can comfortably repay, and they’re in danger of defaulting. There’s no shame in that. But don’t suffer in silence. If you’re having trouble making your mortgage repayments, talk to an adviser and lending specialist about refinancing your home loan to make it more manageable.
Do you think you’re ready to refinance?
Our Refinancing Guide contains information that will help you to think about why you should refinance, what you will need to consider if now is the right time and some challenges you may face. It also contains worksheets to help you gain an understanding of your current home loan, and a checklist should you decide refinancing is the right thing for you.
Working with our advisers and lending specialists will help you to decide if refinancing is the best option for you, and we can help you through every step of the process. Is your loan helping you to achieve your dreams? Get in touch.
What you need to know
This information is provided by Invest Blue Pty Ltd (ABN 91 100 874 744). The information contained in this article is of general nature only and does not take into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. Therefore, before making any decision, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice with regards to those matters and seek personal financial, tax and/or legal advice prior to acting on this information. Read our Financial Services Guide for information about our services, including the fees and other benefits that AMP companies and their representatives may receive in relations to products and services provided to you.
