Refi from 30 to 15 but already 8 years in

Refi from 30 to 15 but already 8 years in

Rental Property Investor · Doylestown, PA · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

Any suggestions on how to calculate whether I should refi my primary? All my calculations on my investment properties, in terms of financing are pretty straight forward. I either buy, rehab and refi into the longest term loan available for that property or I buy and hold long term right out of the gate. All of my projections are based on cashflow, ROI, COC.

With rates as low as they are on Fannie loans, I'm debating whether to refi my primary.  I'm 8 years into a 30 year at 3.875%.  I make extra payments (a few hundred $ extra per month).  If I look on a 30 year amortization schedule my extra payments have placed me, currently, at the 10 year mark in terms of balance.  Looks like if I continue at this rate it will turn my mortgage into a 24 year mortgage which would mean I have 16 years left?  I'm debating refinancing into a 15 year.  At what rate would it make sense?  For some reason I'm having a difficult time calculating because currently, since I'm technically 10 years in, more of my normal payment is paying down principal and then the extra payment is going 100% to principal.  If I do a 15, even though it's shorter I'm starting over.  The 30 also gives me the flexibility of paying the exact amount (no extra payment) which I'm guessing would probably be lower than the 15.  What are actual recent rates anyone has gotten? (I don't mean advertised rates online).  Anyone have a simple way to do this calculation?

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Andrew PostellPro Member
Lender · Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 6k+ votes
6y

@Salvatore Lentini I would ask your lender to provide you with an amortization schedule to show you the impact of the new 15 year loan.  Also, something to think about - you are going to make your payment higher.  Meaning, your MANDATORY payment higher.  And you are doing it in a time where the economy might be shrinking.  So when another lender reviews your qualifications you will carry a higher debt loan.  So make sure that your lender re-assures that you will be able to continue to qualify for more loans with your higher payment.  If your job is at risk at all, or your income of declining, make sure to ask your lender the same question with less income to see how it affects you qualifying with the new, 15 year payment.  Hope all of that makes sense.

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  • Rental Property Investor · Greenwich, CT · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    General rule of thumb is if you can lower your rate by 75 bps or more, it's worth considering a refi, @Salvatore Lentini. Personally, I thing the flexibility of a 30-year outweighs the marginally lower rate of a 15. The calculation is pretty straight forward. Use an online calculator to make comparisons. For example, let's say you have a home worth $400k and you want to refi at 75% LTV ($300k loan).

    • 30-year @ 3.25%: $1306/month, total interest $170,023
    • 15-year @ 2.75%: $2036/month, total interest $66,456
    • 30-year @ 3.25% paid like 15-year: $2108/month, total interest $79,441

    Sure, you save a little by going with a 15-year, but that peace of mind is worth something too.

  • Andrew PostellPro Member
    Lender · Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    6y

    @Salvatore Lentini I would ask your lender to provide you with an amortization schedule to show you the impact of the new 15 year loan.  Also, something to think about - you are going to make your payment higher.  Meaning, your MANDATORY payment higher.  And you are doing it in a time where the economy might be shrinking.  So when another lender reviews your qualifications you will carry a higher debt loan.  So make sure that your lender re-assures that you will be able to continue to qualify for more loans with your higher payment.  If your job is at risk at all, or your income of declining, make sure to ask your lender the same question with less income to see how it affects you qualifying with the new, 15 year payment.  Hope all of that makes sense.

  • Whitney HuttenPro Member
    Investor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y

    @Salvatore Lentini My husband and I have been split on our opinions on owning a house period.  He wants one, I'd love to rent, be mobile, and just have our rentals.  As a compromise, I'm contemplating a refi as well, but instead to use the lower rate to pull $ out of my primary to invest. I did the calculations, and if I was able to invest in 20 years I could not only pay off my home in one lump sum, but also have 5x my principal.  I'm a firm believer that homes house people, not money, and you want to be responsible to not over-inflate our expenses such to put yourself underwater or not be able to afford the bill.

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