How Often Can You Refinance Your Home? (2024)

Refinancing multiple times can be beneficial for several reasons. Below, we’ll look at some situations where another refinance could be to your advantage.

If You Want To Obtain A Lower Interest Rate

You may want to refinance your loan again to take advantage of a lower interest rate. You can almost always save money if you’re able to lower your interest rate without changing the term of your loan.

Just a small change in your interest rate can save you hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars. For example, perhapsyou currently have a 20-year mortgage loan with $150,000 left on your principal and you pay an interest rate of 4.5%.

You have the chance to refinance your loan with the same terms and an interest rate of 4%. If you don’t refinance, you pay $77,754 in interest by the time your loan matures. If you take the refinance, you pay $68,153 total in interest. Lowering your interest rate by just 0.5% means you’ll save $9,601 in interest over the life of the loan.

If You Want To Change Your Loan Term

Income changes can happen at a moment’s notice. If your income has increased, you may want to refinance into a shorter loan term – maybe from a 30-year to a 15-year term – so you can pay your mortgage off earlier. If your income has decreased, you may want to refinance into another 30-year term to lower your monthly mortgage payment.

However, remember that every time you refinance your loan to a longer term, you increase the amount you pay in interest.

If You Want To Eliminate PMI Or Your Mortgage Insurance Premium

Did you buy your home with a conventional loan and a down payment of less than 20%? If so, you’re probably counting the days until you can eliminate your private mortgage insurance (PMI) payment.

PMI is a special type of insurance that protects your lender if you default on your loan. PMI offers you no protection as the homeowner, but you must still pay the recurring premiums as a condition of your loan. When you reach the 20% home equity threshold on a conventional loan, you can ask your lender to cancel PMI if they haven’t done so automatically.

You may also want to refinance from an FHA loan to a conventional loan when you reach 20% equity. With a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan, you must pay a mortgage insurance premium throughout the duration of the loan if you have a down payment of less than 10%. However, if you refinance from an FHA loan to a conventional loan, you won't have to pay for your lender’s insurance as long as you have at least 20% equity in your home.

How Often Can You Refinance Your Home? (2024)

FAQs

How soon after refinancing can you do it again? ›

You can refinance your mortgage as many times as it makes financial sense to do so. The only caveat is that you might have to wait six months from your most recent closing (whether it was a purchase or previous refinance) to do it again. Also, remember that refinancing includes closing costs.

Is there a downside to refinancing multiple times? ›

You'll Need To Pay Closing Costs Again

Unless you opt for a no-closing-cost refinance, you'll need to pay closing costs every time you refinance. Common closing costs you'll see when you refinance more than once can include: Application fees: Your lender might charge you an application fee when you request a refinance.

Is it OK to refinance your house after 1 year? ›

Rules for refinancing conventional loans

In most cases, you may refinance a conventional loan as soon as you want. You might have to wait six months before you can refinance with the same lender. But that doesn't stop you from refinancing with a different lender.

Do you have to wait 2 years to refinance? ›

While mortgages can be refinanced immediately in certain cases, you typically must wait at least six months before seeking a cash-out refinance on your home, and refinancing some mortgages requires waiting as long as two years.

Does refinancing hurt your credit? ›

Refinancing will hurt your credit score a bit initially, but might actually help in the long run. Refinancing can significantly lower your debt amount and/or your monthly payment, and lenders like to see both of those. Your score will typically dip a few points, but it can bounce back within a few months.

How much equity do you need to refinance? ›

How much equity should I have? Refinance requirements can differ depending on the lender, type of loan you have and your personal circ*mstances but having 20% equity in your home is typically advised for conventional mortgages. Refinancing with at least 20% equity can help you avoid mortgage insurance payments.

What will mortgage rates be in 2024? ›

In Fannie Mae's May housing forecast, the government-sponsored enterprise said it expects 30-year fixed rates to end 2024 at 7% and 2025 at 6.6%. The Mortgage Bankers Association predicts the rate will drop to 6.5% by the end of the year and 5.9% by the end of 2025.

Does it cost money to refinance a house? ›

Refinance closing costs commonly run between 2% and 6% of the loan principal. For example, if you're refinancing a $225,000 mortgage balance, you can expect to pay between $4,500 and $13,500. Like purchase loans, mortgage refinancing carries standard fees, such as origination fees and multiple third-party charges.

Do you need a down payment to refinance a house? ›

You don't need a down payment to refinance, but you'll likely have to come up with cash for closing costs. Some lenders let you roll closing costs into the mortgage to avoid upfront expenses. You can also try negotiating with the lender to waive them.

What are interest rates today? ›

Current mortgage and refinance interest rates
ProductInterest RateAPR
20-Year Fixed Rate6.99%7.05%
15-Year Fixed Rate6.64%6.71%
10-Year Fixed Rate6.60%6.68%
5-1 ARM6.56%8.09%
5 more rows

Can you refinance with less than 20% equity? ›

Generally, you can take out up to 80% of your property value, less your mortgage balance. To put it differently, lenders usually require that you maintain at least a 20% equity stake after refinancing. However, some lenders may offer higher loan-to-value ratios for certain types of properties or borrowers.

How much should interest rates drop to refinance? ›

A rule of thumb says that you'll benefit from refinancing if the new rate is at least 1% lower than the rate you have.

Can I refinance a second time? ›

By refinancing any home loan (first or second), you have the ability to lower your loan's interest rate and save money in the long run. This is possible if market rates have shifted, your credit has improved since you took out the loan or you've established more equity in your home.

How often are you allowed to refinance? ›

Legally speaking, there's no limit to how many times you can refinance your mortgage, so you can refinance as often as it makes financial sense for you. Depending on your lender and the type of loan, though, you might encounter a waiting period — also called a seasoning requirement.

When can I back out of a refinance? ›

The right of rescission allows homeowners to back out of certain refinance, home equity loan and HELOC contracts and get all of their money back. You can only exercise this right for three business days after signing your mortgage contract.

Does refinancing start you over? ›

Refinancing swaps your current loan with a new one. You could get a lower interest rate and shorter or longer term than you currently have. But opting for a longer repayment period on a new loan could make you feel like you're starting from scratch. Most consumers refinance to save money.

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