Should I refinance my ARM to a fixed rate

There are benefits and negatives to both a fixed rate and an ARM mortgage, but the for the borrower who is thinking about refinancing there ARM into a fixed rate there are many things to consider. By Refinancing your ARM to a fixed-rate mortgage you will avoid the payment increase when your ARM interest rate begins to adjust. You will also lock into a more stable payment for the term of your mortgage.

If you are in a situation in which you MUST refinance, pay close attention to what is going on in the market. Make sure you are dealing with a savy and honest loan officer or Mortgage Broker. Sometimes the yield curve becomes inverted, and you can actually refinance into a 30 year fixed mortgage, at a lower or equal rate than a 3 or 5 year ARM!

You need to find what your break even point is for your current loan. Have you already broken even? If not how much more will it cost you to continue in your current loan? Have an honest discussion with a broker to decide what is the best course of action.

In an economic climate where short term rates and long term rates are about the same, it may be better to refinance adjustable rate mortgages into fixed rate loans. Home buyers are willing to share the risks of an adjustable rate mortgage when the adjustable rate is significantly lower than fixed rate mortgages. If such advantage no longer exists, fixed rate mortgage is often a preferred choice.

When deciding to refinance your adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) into a fixed rate mortgage, you first need to decide how long you think you will be in your home. If you are in the second year of a 5 year ARM, and only see yourself in the house for another 2-3 years, then you may want to wait until it is absolutely necessary to make the change. Your mortgage broker can advise you as to what the market may do, but they will not know what is in store for years to come. Concurrently they will also not know the number of years you will be in the home, along with any changes in your life that mey require you to move.