No, it’s not always better to refinance with your current lender

Mortgage interest rates are at historic lows, and a record 19 million homeowners are in the money to refinance.

Even homeowners who bought a home or refinanced just a year or two ago could see big savings.

But homeowners should be wary of taking the first refinance rate they’re offered. This is especially true if you’re applying with your current lender.

Some mortgage lenders have systems in place to retain customers first and offer competitive rates second.

By only applying with your current lender, you might miss out on the lowest rates today’s market has to offer.

In this article (Skip to…)

• Mortgage rates from your current lender
• How to find the lowest refinance rate
• Look at fees as well as rates
• Consider the type of loan you need
• When is it best to use your current lender?
• Today’s refinance rates

Check your refinance rates (Nov 27th, 2020)

The only way to find the lowest refinance rate is to get quotes from a minimum of 3 lenders. (The more, the merrier.)

But make sure these quotes are based on your actual scenario — not just an advertised rate from a newspaper or website.

Advertised rates typically represent the best deals available. They’re usually based on the ideal borrower with excellent credit, low debts, and 20 percent down.

Your rate might be higher or lower unless your profile matches the lender’s example perfectly. How much it varies will depend on how friendly a lender is toward your situation. 

To give you an accurate quote, mortgage lenders need:

• The property location
• The property value
• Your down payment and loan amount
• Your credit score  

Lenders can typically give you a rate quote in a few minutes based on the information you provide.

These estimates should be fairly accurate, though your quoted rate is not guaranteed until the lender has verified all your information and you’ve locked in the rate.

To lock, the lender may need a full application, including enough personal data to pull a credit report, your employment and income verification, and so on.

Once you have several quotes in hand, you’ll know if your lender is offering you a good refi deal, or if you should go forward with a different mortgage company.

You need to compare the other items listed on your Loan Estimates too, including:

• Annual percentage rate (APR) — Your ‘effective’ interest rate when all loan costs (interest and fees) are combined
• Closing costs — Refinance loans have closing costs, just like home purchase loans. When you’re shopping around, pay special attention to origination fees (which are the lender’s profit) and discount points (the amount you have to pay upfront to get the quoted interest rate)
• Short-term and long-term savings — Don’t just look at the amount you’ll save on your monthly mortgage payment. Also look at your total interest over the loan term to see which lender is more expensive in the long run (this number is listed on your Loan Estimate)
• Loan terms — Make sure all your estimates are for the same type of loan so you’re comparing apples to apples. For example, if one quote is for a 30-year mortgage and one is for a 15-year mortgage, they’re going to have very different interest rates and payments. Or if you compare a cash-out refinance against a no-cash-out refi, the cash-out loan will have a higher rate

You can ignore lenders’ estimates for things like property taxes and homeowners insurance, since you’ll have to pay the same amount regardless of which lender you choose.  

For instance, homeowners who currently have a government-backed loan are often best off using an FHA, VA, or USDA Streamline Refinance. These low-doc, no-appraisal loans are one of the fastest ways to get a lower interest rate and monthly payment.

If your current lender does not offer a Streamline Refinance, that might be a good reason to look elsewhere.

If your current lender does not offer a Streamline Refinance for your FHA, VA, or USDA loan, that’s a good reason to look elsewhere

The same goes if you’re looking for an FHA cash-out refinance or a 100% VA cash-out refinance.

These types of loans can offer lenient guidelines for homeowners — but lenders are allowed to set their own requirements.

If you have lower credit or a higher loan-to-value ratio, you might find that you need to refinance with a lender who can offer looser requirements than your current one. 

You may be able to use a better offer from another lender to negotiate a lower rate with your current one.

You’re also free to negotiate refinancing costs.

For instance, you might opt for a no-closing-cost refinance, where the lender covers your out-of-pocket costs in exchange for a higher interest rate. This is known as a “lender credit.”

With today’s rates as low as they are, it’s possible for homeowners to get their closing costs covered, accept a slightly higher rate, and still walk away with substantial savings overall.

Alternatively, some lenders allow you to roll closing costs into your loan balance.

You might avoid the upfront costs of refinancing and still benefit from the lowest rates available to you.

Verify your new rate (Nov 27th, 2020)