Refinancing Advice - Nuts and Bolts

Cash Out Refi Declined  Ask Kate about cash out refi that was declined and relocking the mortgage rate: Hi Kate. Great site. I just had my loan application declined because ...

Why Is FHA Loan Refinancing So Difficult  Ask Kate why is FHA Loan Refinancing so difficult: Kate, I'm trying to refinance my house for the fourth time over a 23 year period. I realize that the ...

Expired Mortgage Rate Lock  Expired Mortgage Rate Lock: Hi Kate, My husband and I decided to take advantage of the low mortgage interest rates to refinance our home from a 30 year ...

Mortgage Refinance Problems After Closing  Mortgage Refinance Problems After Closing because of a toilet and sink: We closed on our cash-out refinance last week. On Monday, the bank came back ...

Home Affordable Mortgages For Self Employed  Ask Kate about Home Affordable Mortgages For Self Employed: Hi Kate, I have 1099 income and am being Punished for IT!! I am a Real Estate Broker in Oklahoma,...

HARP Refinance Rates  Ask Kate who determines HARP refinance rates: Hi Kate, We are considering a HARP refinance with our current lender. We were told that the finance rate ...

Reverse Mortgage Pitfalls For Heirs  Ask Kate about Reverse Mortgage Pitfalls For Heirs: Hi Kate, I am told to obtain a reverse mortgage, my home needs little to no equity. My concern is ...

Relief Refinance Mortgage  Ask Kate about Relief Refinance Mortgage Program: Hi Kate, I am trying to refinance my loan to see if I can enjoy the low rates now. I heard about relief ...

Open Access HARP  Ask Kate about Open Access and HARP: Hi Kate, We have a loan that is being refinanced through the HARP program. Does it have to be refinanced through ...

Strategic Default  Ask Kate about strategic default: Kate, I am upside down in a mortgage owing $99K with a market value $87,000. I am looking to refinance it to rent or ...

How To Calculate Debt To Income Ratio  Ask Kate: How To Calculate My Debt To Income Ratio - Kate, Can I get a better interest rate? We have owned our home seven years. We have a 30 yr fixed ...

Lender Paid Mortgage Insurance  Ask Kate: Lender Paid Mortgage Insurance (LPMI) - Did my lender disguise mortgage insurance by increasing my interest rate? Hi Kate, Back in 2003 I refinance ...

Home Affordable Modification  Hi, Kate Ford here with Home Affordable Modification news. In many cities across the United States, the real estate market has suffered for several years....

Harp Closing Costs and Interest Rate  Ask Kate: Who determines HARP closing costs and interest rate?
Hello Kate, We are getting ready to refinance and are waiting on the GFE (good faith ...

Mortgage Refinancing Questions  Regarding debt consolidation and mortgage refinancing questions: Dear Kate, I have a $217,000 mortgage balance at 4.89 percent until 2012. Years left ...

Home Affordable Refinance Program  Regarding HARP - Home Affordable Refinance Program : Looking to take advantage of HARP, with my current situation involving a 1st position 30 year interest ...

HARP Refinance Made Impossible  Regarding HARP refinance Made Impossible: Dear Kate, I contacted my lender (Major Lender #1) who holds my first mortgage on April 8th about refinancing....

Alternative Mortgage Financing  Ask Kate: Alternative Mortgage Financing I have an alternative mortgage financing question. My wife's family are interested in having me borrow from ...

Refinancing And Mortgage Interest Rate Lock Deposit  Ask Kate: Refinancing and mortgage interest rate lock deposit
I'm in the process of refinancing my mortgage. I paid $3800 deposit to lock in the interest ...

Refinancing Problems After Closing  I'm not usually asked about refinancing problems after closing . But in the case of Bob and his wife, that was when their refinancing issues began. After ...

Mortgage Refinance And Rates  Ask Kate: Mortgage Refinance And Rates My husband and I need mortgage refinance for interest rates that are lower than the 7.75% conventional mortgage ...

7 Tips For Highest Property Appraisals  Ask Kate: 7 Tips For Highest Property Appraisals Kate, I am soon to apply for a reverse mortgage and of course want my home to get the highest appraisal ...

Cautionary Cash Out Mortgage Refinancing Tip  Ask Kate: Cautionary Cash-Out Mortgage Refinancing Tip! Hi Kate, it is nice to know that there is someone out there that has taken the time to answer ...

Refinancing a Home Mortgage to Save Money I Think  Ask Kate about refinancing a home mortgage to save money... I think? Hello Kate, For two months now we (my wife and I) have been dealing ...

How to Refi Underwater Mortgage with PMI  Ask Kate how to refi your underwater mortgage with PMI: Hi Kate, What an awesome website you have created, loaded with useful information for lost homeowners ...

Ask Kate About Hidden Cost of PMI  Ask Kate about the hidden cost of PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance): Hi Kate, I am refinancing my home that I bought in 2010. I do not have any money ...

Cash Out Refi with Nationwide Mortgage Lender  Ask Kate about cash-out refi with nationwide mortgage lender: Hi Kate, We had to pay off our house in cash. Now we want a cash-out refinance to help ...

Refinancing with 10 Year Mortgage Rates  Ask Kate about refinancing with 10 year mortgage rates: Kate, I've learned more from you in minutes than I have in years about mortgage loans. I have ...

Caught In A Balloon Payment Mortgage  Ask Kate - Caught In A Balloon Payment Mortgage: Dear Kate, Over the last few years we skipped mortgage payments, paying when we could, and ended up ...

Upside Down Mortgage  Ask Kate about your upside down mortgage: Hi Kate, We are in danger of losing our home. I've seen so much different information on the web but don't ...

Problems With No Cost Refinancing  Ask Kate about problems with No Cost Refinancing: Kate, Can you explain how my lender began with a no cost mortgage refinance and surprised me by asking ...

Dreaded IRS Form 4506 and Mortgage Refi  Ask Kate about the dreaded IRS Form 4506 and mortgage refi: Kate, The lender offered us a no appraisal, no proof of income refi on our mortgage. They ...

Negotiating a Short Sale after Loan Modification  Ask Kate about Negotiating a Short Sale after Loan Modification: Kate, will modifying our home loan through HAMP hinder our attempts at a real estate ...

Disputing Low House Appraisals  Ask Kate about disputing low house appraisals: Do I have any chance to sue this bank? I purchased my home in 2007 for $440K and refinanced in 2009. Now ...

Good Faith Estimate Form  Ask Kate about Good Faith Estimate Form vs HUD 1 Settlement Statement: I am refinancing my mortgage and down to the final stretch. On my good faith estimate ...

Cash Out Mortgage Refinance  Ask Kate about Cash Out Mortgage Refinance Rate Lock Problems: Hi Kate, I closed on my refinance last Tuesday and was advised by the lawyer (I live in ...

VA Loan Refinancing  Ask Kate about VA loan refinancing with old unpaid collections: I qualify for a VA cash out refi for construction -- disabled veteran with no funding ...

Lock Or Float A Mortgage Interest Rate  Lock Or Float A Mortgage Interest Rate? My refinance rate is 5.25 percent for a 30 year mortgage. My broker is recommending to float my interest rate....

FHA Streamline Refinancing  Ask Kate about FHA Streamline Refinancing: We had to move out of our property because of a work relocation. We want to use FHA streamline refinancing ...

Pros And Cons Of Refinancing  Ask Kate about the pros and cons of refinancing my mortgage: Hi Kate, My home loan is with a major bank. I owe $126,000 at 6%. But my house is only worth ...

Refinancing Investment Property  Ask Kate about refinancing an investment property: Hi Kate, I have a rental home in Florida and need options for refinancing investment properties because ...

Monthly House Payments Making Home Affordable Refinance  Why have my monthly house payments increased 500 dollars after my Making Home Affordable Refinance? Hi Kate, Can my mortgage company raise my monthly ...

Refinancing Questions  Ask Kate refinancing questions about adding a spouse: My husband and I are newly married. He has a mortgage on his townhome. We are now trying to get ...

Mortgage Refinancing South Carolina  Ask Kate about mortgage refinancing in South Carolina: Hello! My husband and I have filed Chapter 13 this past June and was advised by our lawyer that ...

Mortgage Rate Lock Cancellation Fees  Ask Kate about Mortgage Rate Lock Cancellation Fees: Hi Kate, In short, can a mortgage broker have verbal recorded Mortgage Rate Lock Cancellation Fees?...

Refinancing Guidelines  Ask Kate about Refinancing Guidelines & Occupancy Certification: Great site Super Kate! I'm working on a refinance to take cash out of a 2nd home ...

Making Home Affordable Help  Ask Kate for Making Home Affordable Help: Hi Kate, Due to the decline of home values and increase in foreclosures in my area, I now owe more than my ...

Should I Refinance My Mortgage  Ask Kate: Should I Refinance My Mortgage - Dear Kate, Thank you so much for all the great information you have in your website. As many Americans now,...

Making Home Affordable Refi  Ask Kate about Making Home Affordable Refi and Subprime Mortgage Loans: Dear Kate, I thought Making Home Affordable Refi programs (HARP and HAMP) were ...

Refinance Fees  Ask Kate! Refinance fees! Too high? Hi Kate, I am having a problem understanding these refinance fees. Compensation From Rebate $4839 and Credit for ...

Monthly Payments On Mortgage  Ask Kate about making monthly payments on a mortgage: Hi Kate, We are extremely low on cash. I would like to skip the August 1st payment which will be ...

Mortgage Down Payment  Ask Kate about mortgage down payment: Hi Kate, If I refinance with another mortgage company do I have to pay another deposit? We paid $147k for our ...

The Certificate Of Occupancy  Ask Kate how to locate the Certificate of Occupancy: Hi Kate, I am scheduled to close on my house on Friday and need to locate the certificate of occupancy....

How Does Refinancing Work  Ask Kate: How does refinancing work with PMI? Hi Kate, We are hoping to refinance but the private mortgage insurance (PMI) will sky rocket offsetting ...

Interest Rate Locked  Ask Kate about changes in an interest rate that's locked: Hi Kate, I have a signed interest rate disclosure document showing a 4.5 percent interest rate ...

Pay Off Mortgage Early  Ask Kate how to pay off a mortgage early: Hi Kate, Thank you for this wonderful website. We are trying to get out of debt before we retire. Should we ...

Mortgage Refinance Help  Ask Kate for Mortgage Refinance Help: I recently refinanced my mortgage, and the closing took place in my home. At closing, the person sent by the closing ...

IRS And Refinance Trouble  Ask Kate About IRS And Refinance Trouble: Hi Kate, I'm going nuts. My husband and I are refinancing our 30 year fixed mortgage. We're at 6.5 percent ...

HARP Mortgage Refinance  Hi Kate, Regarding the HARP mortgage refinance (Home Affordable Refinance Program) how do the mortgage interest rates differ from conventional loan rates?...

Cash Out Mortgage Refinancing  Regarding cash out mortgage refinancing -- Kate, I recently applied for a mortgage and provided all requested financial information. My loan to value ...

Refinancing Interest Only Mortgage  Ask Kate About Refinancing Interest Only Mortgage: Hi Kate, My husband and I are interested in refinancing an interest only mortgage. We currently own ...

Best Mortgage Deals  Ask Kate: Best Mortgage Deals - How do you know if $7600 yield spread premium is too much to pay? Hi Kate, I'm about to close a refinance on my home....

Cash Out Mortgage Refinancing  Cash Out Mortgage Refinancing - How soon can a homeowner refinance after buying a house? Hi Kate, I purchased a home (paid cash) two months ago that ...

Home Affordable Modification Program  Ask Kate: Home Affordable Modification Program - Can I combine my first and second mortgage using the Making Home Affordable Program? I have a Fannie ...

Reverse Mortgage Specialist  Kate , I enjoyed your page on Reverse Mortgages: Let's face it. You've waited longer to retire than your parents. Isn't it time to fulfill your dreams ...

Making Home Affordable Program  Ask Kate: Making Home Affordable Program - Can I choose my own lender and get a competitive rate for my refinance? Dear Kate, Is is true I can do a HARP ...

HARP Refi  Ask Kate: HARP Refi - Does HARP not allow adding a new spouse to a title during the refinance process? Kate, My husband and I are refinancing under the ...

What Is Home Equity  Ask Kate: What Is Home Equity? Can I use it to consolidate debts? Dear Kate, Can you tell me how to calculate the value of my property? I want to know ...

Mortgage Coborrowers  Ask Kate: Can mortgage coborrowers force homeowners to refinance or sell a house? I bought my house with a co-signer who now wants off the mortgage. But ...

Mortgage Refinancing  Ask Kate: Problems with HARP and Mortgage Refinancing Hello Kate, I am trying to refinance and really have no clue to what I am doing. I went through ...

Refinance Confusion  Ask Kate: Refinance Confusion - I had no intention to increase my mortgage balance by $11,000! Hi Kate, I currently have a $158,500 mortgage balance ...

Refinancing My Mortgage  Ask Kate: Refinancing My Mortgage Hi Kate, I came across your website while googling on refinance. Your website is very informative. Wonder if you could ...

Making Home Affordable  Ask Kate: Making Home Affordable Refinance Program Hi Kate, Can I refinance my second home using HARP? I am trying to refinance through the lender that ...

Mortgage Co-Borrower  Ask Kate: Mortgage Co-Borrower - How do I add my wife to my mortgage? Hi Kate, I bought my house when I was single. I am now married with a son and ...

Mortgage Refinancing Questions  Ask Kate: Mortgage Refinancing Questions Hi Kate, The bank won't give us back our money. My husband and I refinanced in April of 2009 with a regional ...

No Cost Mortgage Refinancing  Ask Kate: No Cost Mortgage Refinancing My mortgage lender has offered me a significantly lower interest rate on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. They say ...

Refinancing Or A Second Mortgage  Ask Kate: Refinancing or a second mortgage We would like to pull equity out of our home to consolidate our high interest credit cards. Should we refinance ...

Cost of Refinancing  Ask Kate: Cost of Refinancing I am looking to refinance a home loan - currently I owe $96,500 on a house valued at $140,000 to $150,000 in Asheville,...

FHA Streamline Loan  Regarding FHA Streamline Loan and Owner Occupancy Question Kate, Firstly, I love your page, thanks so much. Secondly, I own an FHA mortgage with my ...

Truth in Lending Act  Ask Kate: Truth in Lending Act and Mortgage Rate Lock Fee Hello Kate, Do you know if there is a right of rescission under the Truth in Lending Act for ...

Mortgage Refinancing Advice  Regarding Mortgage Refinancing Advice: Dear Kate, My now ex-girlfriend and I purchased a property a year and a half ago. Since the break up 5 months ...

Refinancing Process Dragging On  Ask Kate: My refinancing process is dragging on and on... Hi Kate, I originally held a 10 year interest-only loan with a nationwide mortgage ...

Lowering Mortgage Payment  Ask Kate: Lowering a Mortgage Payment Hi Kate, We bought our home in 2007 with an MHFA (Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency) first-time homebuyers loan,...

FHA Mortgage Insurance Refund  Regarding my FHA mortgage insurance refund : Hi Kate, I just refinanced my 2 year FHA home loan to an FHA stream line loan. Then I got a homeowner's fact ...

VA Mortgage Loan  Ask Kate: VA Mortgage Loan Hey Kate, I just refinanced my VA mortgage loan down from 6 percent to 5 percent and paid about $5,000 in closing costs. My ...

Private Mortgage Insurance Questions  Regarding Private Mortgage Insurance Questions : I'm looking to refinance and was wondering which option might prove more beneficial FHA or Obama's Home ...

Pay Off My Mortgage  Ask Kate: Title Did Not Pay Off My Mortgage: Hi Kate, Title didn't pay off my mortgage on time so why is the lender coming after me? I am hoping you ...

Refinancing Advice For Active Duty Marine  Refinancing advice for active duty Marine: Hi Kate, I am a Marine stationed in Camp Lejeune, NC with my wife Samantha. We bought our home while i was ...

How Can Appraised Value Get Rid Of PMI  Regarding How can appraised value get rid of PMI: Kate, I purchased a home in 2008 for $210,114. There was an appraisal done on it near closing for ...

How To Get Rid Of PMI  Ask Kate How To Get Rid Of PMI: I am a veteran and I just bought a foreclosed home using a FHA Streamline Loan instead of a VA Loan. The house I bought ...

Refinance And Choice of Closing Attorney  Regarding refinance and choice of closing attorney: I am currently going through a refinance in Virginia. We are setting up closing and now I am being ...

Locking In Mortgage Rates  Bobbie writes about locking in mortgage rates: Kate, We purchased our house last August and at that time it felt like the mortgage rates were all over ...

Get Mortgage Rate Lock In Writing  Ask Kate: Why you must get a mortgage rate lock in writing Kate, I applied for a mortgage refi on April 3rd. On April 11th, I was ok'd and given a rate ...

Rate Lock And Mortgage Refinance Problems  Ask Kate: Rate lock and mortgage refinance problems My wife and I recently locked in a interest rate over the phone, a 30 year fixed rate mortgage at ...

Home Refinancing Questions  My home refinancing questions: I refinanced my home over five years ago due to a divorce and took an interest only loan until I got my daughter through ...

Refinancing To Fixed Mortgage Rate  Regarding refinancing to a fixed rate mortgage : Kate, I have a adjustable loan at 4.5% on my house. Have been in the house for 5 years. Bought house ...

Paying Mortgage Prepayment Penalty To Refinance  Will paying a mortgage prepayment penalty to refinance be worthwhile? Hi Kate, I am 2 years into a locked in 5 year mortgage at 5.09%. Would it make ...

Home Refinancing Tips  I need home refinancing tips . I am 60 years old. My arm loan at 6.0% will end in October. I need to refinance. I have a second morgage of $20,000 to ...

Refinancing Rental Properties  Hi Kate, My husband and I need advice on refinancing rental properties . It all began when we purchased a home in 2001 with a subprime mortgage lender....

Locking Mortgage Rates  Regarding Locking Mortgage Rates: Kate, I am in the process of refinancing my condo. When I locked in the interest rate, I was not told that I would ...

Certificate Of Occupancy Permit  Question For Ask Kate: Certificate Of Occupancy Permit Hi Kate, I have a question about my house. Can I refinance without a certificate of occupancy ...

Refinancing My Mortgage  Ask Kate: Refinancing My Mortgage Hi Kate, I am planning on refinancing my mortgage. I purchased my home for $780,000 with a mortgage loan of $350,000....

PMI Calculation   Ask Kate: It's PMI Calculation Time Hi Kate, I'm looking at refinancing our mortgage. We paid $385,000 for the home we just bought. We owe $363,000 on ...

How To Compare Mortgages  Ask Kate: How To Compare Mortgages I need help knowing how to compare mortgages. We want to refinance to reduce the interest rate and take out cash. Our ...

FHA Streamline Refinance Questions  Hi Kate, I talked over my FHA streamline refinance questions with my current mortgage lender. I owe $158,000 on my 30 year fixed rate mortgage at 6....

Refinancing Advice For Married Couple  Ask Kate: Refinancing Advice For Married Couple I am in need of refinancing advice. My wife purchased a home and financed with an FHA mortgage loan about ...

PMI Refinancing Advice  Ask Kate: PMI Refinancing Advice Kate, I am looking for refinancing advice concerning my 30 year fixed rate mortgage at 6.125% originated in 2007. I ...

How Much Mortgage Can You Afford  Time out! How much mortgage can you afford? Keep in mind as you read the following letter from John, it is your mortgage and your home. Don't get ...

FHA Refinancing Advice Needed  Ask Kate: FHA refinancing advice As customers of our major mortgage lender for 15 years, we want to refinance possibly with FHA. Our goal is to access ...

Refinancing Mortgage Rate  Ask Kate: Refinancing Mortgage Rate I have a question about refinancing my mortgage rate. Should I refinance to go from 6.3% down to a 5% interest rate....

Reverse Home Mortgage  Regarding Reverse Home Mortgage: Hi Kate, My husband got a reverse home mortgage two and a half years ago. He was 62 and I was 50. He passed away in ...

Refinancing AdviceTo Pay Off House  Ask Kate: Refinancing Advice To Pay Off House Kate, I was talking to a friend who used a credit card at 3.9 percent to pay off his house. I owe $92,000....

3 Important Refinance Questions  Ask Kate: 3 Important Refinance Questions Kate, Despite the tough economy, there are plenty of opportunities available for those looking to refinance ...

Mortgage Rates And Refinancing  Ask Kate: Mortgage Rates And Refinancing Kate, I am in the process of refinancing my house. I only wish I had read your website prior to going to the ...

Refinancing Advice For Low Mortgage Payments  Ask Kate: Refinancing Advice For Low Mortgage Payments Hi Kate, Refinancing advice needed please. I have a high interest rate and I want to refinance ...

Three Refinancing Questions For Friends  Ask Kate: Three Refinancing Questions For Friends Hi Kate, I have three questions I would recommend my friend to ask when refinancing. The questions ...

Need Refinancing Advice  Ask Kate: Need Refinancing Advice Kate, can you offer refinancing advice to avoid mortgage foreclosure? My fiance got injured on his job. He has been ...

Refinancing Advice Documentary Stamp Tax  Ask Kate: Refinancing Advice - Documentary Stamp Tax Kate, I refinanced about 3 years ago in Florida. Now the state of Florida is asking me to pay some ...

Refinancing Advice Break Mortgage Rate Lock  Refinancing Advice - Do I Break My Mortgage Rate Lock Hi Kate, Two weeks ago we locked in a mortgage refinance rate of 5.25%. Normally rates don't change ...

Refinancing Advice For Ethics  Ask Kate: Refinancing Advice For Ethics Hi Kate, I am looking for refinancing advice. I applied for a refinance loan several days ago and locked the ...

Refinancing Advice Needed For Mortgage Rate Lock  Ask Kate: Refinancing Advice Needed For Mortgage Rate Lock Here is one reader's question regarding a mortgage rate lock. With mortgage rates dropping ...

Refinancing Advice For House Values  Ask Kate: Refinancing Advice For House Values Kate, I need refinancing advice regarding dropping house values. If mortgage interest rates go down, I'...

Family Trust And Mortgage Refinance  Ask Kate: Family Trust And Mortgage Refinance Kate, My property is in a family trust that my grandfather left me when he died in 2005. I back in 2005 ...

Refinance Decision Require Savings  Ask Kate: Refinance Decision Require Savings My parents were trying to refinance their home. The mortgage company that they were working with told them ...

Confused In Need of Refinancing Advice  Ask Kate: Confused In Need of Refinancing Advice I am a forty eight year old female who owns her own home. I have a Home Equity Line Of Credit with a ...

Seeking Refinancing Advice   Ask Kate: Seeking Refinancing Advice I need refinancing advice because I am trying to refinance my house to get out of credit card debt and my mortgage....

Homeowner Considers Refinancing  Regarding Homeowner Considers Refinancing: Kate, I refinanced my home two years ago to do much needed repair. At the time I did not have a car note....

Refinancing Advice Why Rates Change Before Closing  Regarding Refinancing Advice And Why Rates Change Before Closing , aka refinancing advice to avoid surprises... Kate, During a refinance of ...

Confused In Need of Refinancing Advice  Ask Kate: Confused In Need of Refinancing Advice I need advice. I always get confused with mortgage lenders who have been speaking in puzzles. I currently ...

Mortgage Refinance with Bad Credit  Regarding Mortgage Refinance with Bad Credit: My husband and I financed our home at 9.35% due to credit problems. But we worked very hard to get our ...

When Is It Smart To Refinance A Home Mortgage  Ask Kate: When is it smart to refinance a home mortgage My husband and I bought our house in December 2006 with a 6.25% 30 year fixed rate, $200,000 ...

Mortgage Refinancing Advice  Regarding Mortgage Refinancing Advice: Help! I need refinancing advice! Is there any way I can refinance my mortgage if my property is valued at less ...

How To Refinance and Break Even  Regarding How To Refinance and Break Even: I need refinancing advice. My refinance was just 6 months ago into a 30 year fixed rate mortgage at 6.75%. I'...

Refinance Frustrations  Ask Kate: Refinance Frustrations: Refinancing advice needed. I want to refinance and am annoyed by the bank's run-around. My wife and I are considering ...

Contact Kate To Know If Refinancing Is Worth the Cost  Contact Kate To Know If Refinancing Is Worth the Cost: Great mortgage question for refinancing advice! I am considering refinancing my home. Don't need ...