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Conference nyoss1::market_investing

Title:Market Investing
Moderator:2155::michaud
Created:Thu Jan 23 1992
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1060
Total number of notes:10477

34.0. "Refinancing at less than 1% diff??!!" by KYOA::SARIAHMED () Sun Feb 02 1992 07:31

    I have a question on refinancing, I hope this is not redundant with some
    other note.
    
    I was playing around with a program I pulled off SUBWAY (LOAN) which
    Mr Sapienza provided (THANKS, It really is a very helpful tool!)
    
    I tried to figure out at what point does it makes sense to refinance,
    i.e., at what % rate is it worthwhile to refinance? The rule of thumb
    and 'experts' say 2% difference between what you got currently and the
    new rate.
    
    Well, using LOAN i found out that if I refinance a 10 3/8 mortgage to a 
    9.375, I can pay off my new loan (own my house free and clear) 4 years
    earlier that if I kept the current loan, and It would only cost me $300.
    
    Here is how:
    
    Original loan of 100k is into its fifth year (so I built some equity)
    I use that equity to finance the new 100k loan, now I am back where I
    started 5 year ago, with a mortgage that 5 years longer, right? Except
    that I keep paying the same amount or $70 more than the new mortgage
    would be, and I pay off my mortgage in 21 years instead of 30, or 26
    instead of 35 if you prefer, well may be 26 instead of 30, but I
    still win, don't I?
    
    What's wrong with the logic? or are the expert all wet?
    This thing says I am better off refinancing with LESS THAN 1% DIFF.
    
    Please straighten me out!
    
    Note: I would need to stay in the house at least till 1996, just to
    break even.
    
    
    Thanks for your 'expert' opinion, I need the help!!
    
    Morad.
    
    
    
    with my only cash cost is a 300 application fee, and I applied
    the 
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34.1SSBN1::YANKESMon Feb 03 1992 09:3716
    
    	What the "experts" are talking about when they suggest a 2% spread
    between the old rate and the new rate is based on the notion that the
    average homeowner owns the home for an average of only 7 years.  Therefore,
    this shorter average time that the new mortgage will be in force means
    that the homeowner has to save more per month to make up the average
    closing costs.
    
    	Note all the "averages" in that paragraph.  If all these averages
    are true for someone, then yes, the "experts" advice about 2% makes
    sense.  In your case, as long as you are planning on staying in the
    house long-term (ie. way above the average of 7 years) then yes, you can
    save money on the 1% spread.  This is a perfect example of the advice
    that everyone's situation is different and no one answer fits all.
    
    							-craig
34.2CSC32::J_OPPELTAs good as hitting the lottery.Mon Feb 03 1992 17:087
    	Did you look at what would happen if you did not refinance, but 
    	simply made a one-time $300 payment against the principal today?
    
    	How much does that shorten your mortgage?  (How much do you
    	currently pay to principal under the 10% loan?  Divide $300
    	by that amount and you will get a VERY ROUGH estimate of how
    	much you shorten the life of the loan.)
34.3Make sense!KYOA::SARIAHMEDTue Feb 04 1992 09:3821
    Re .-2
    
    Make sense, the last house I had, I lived there for 12 years, so I
    figure I have at least another 7 years to go. Also I was looking at
    a not to exceed threshold interest rate/point combination. Currently
    the bank I am dealing with is offering 8.5 and 1 1/4 point, although
    not quite 2 point spread is better that the 9.125 I based my
    calculation on.
    
    re .-1
    
    Interesting, never thought of that, I'd be curious to know too, right
    now my guess is that It wouldn't make much of a difference...
    
    
    Again thanks for the input/advice!
    
    Morad.
     
    
    
34.4Just a guess.CSC32::B_HIBBERTWhen in doubt, PANICTue Feb 04 1992 12:306
As a guess, I would say you are paying about $75 per month towards principal
after 5 years, this assumes you haven't been making any prepayments.  If you
make a 1 time payment of $300, it would cause you pay the loan off about 4 
months earlier.

Brian Hibbert
34.52 year rule assumes large closing costsSTOKES::NEVINFri Feb 07 1992 12:438
    I believe that the two year rule also assumes both points and
    significantly higher closing costs.  With a $300 closing cost, you will
    probably break even in less than 6 months.  One word of warning:
    with real estate prices dipping, you may get stuck having to pay
    private mortgage insurance, which is usually around $30-40/month. 
    Check on this possibility and the cost of it before you commit.
    
    Bob
34.6tool?TEEUP::MOOKWhere are you between two thoughts?Mon Feb 10 1992 13:054
Does anyone have a pointer to the LOAN program mentioned in .0?  I'd like to
know if it makes sense to go from my 10% 30yr to the current rates for a 15yr.

Bob
34.7mortgage programsTEEUP::MOOKWhere are you between two thoughts?Wed Feb 12 1992 11:556
Found it.  There's a bunch of mortgage programs in the INVESTING conference
under note 170 some of which are not there any more but some sources are there
to extract.  LOAN is still available to run however.

Bob