Should I Pay for Home Renovations by Refinancing?

Homeowners should always keep updated records of their personal finances. Keeping financial information up to date and having a financial plan mapped out enables homeowners to more easily adjust their budget in the event that expected or unexpected events take place. Should a homeowner experience events including, but not limited to, moving to a new home or making home repairs, changing their marital status, welcoming a new addition to their family, becoming responsible for caring for elderly or ill family members of friends, retiring, or getting a job promotion and increase in their salary, they would have to change the way they save and spend their money.

Personal life events are not the only events that can impact a homeowner’s finances. It would behoove homeowners to stay up to date and aware of economic changes occurring in their country. Adults in Australia can benefit from staying informed on the interest rate cuts that have been happening this year. In June, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cut interest rates to 1.25 percent. Reasons given for this change were to stimulate employment growth and achieve the inflation target of two to three percent. Currently, the interest rate is down to a record low of 0.75 percent, marking the first time in Australian history that the rate has been less than one percent.

The cuts in interest rates are cited as one reason why national housing values have made a 1.7 percent gain. The rate cuts can not only potentially stimulate a slowly growing economy, they can also increase homeowners’ savings. Homeowners with a fixed rate mortgage, however, are unable to benefit from low interest rates. For this reason, homeowners with fixed rate mortgages should consider refinancing their mortgages. Doing so can free up extra money that homeowners can save and/or use to make changes to the homes they have invested in.

Homeowners can keep a checklist of any minor or major house repairs that are needed, and seek home design inspiration, and determine if they will be able to afford making renovations before and after refinancing their mortgage. The surplus of money that results from refinancing a mortgage will enable homeowners to have more cost-effective but high-quality renovations made to their homes.

What is a Fixed Rate Mortgage?

A fixed rate mortgage refers to a home loan option with a stable, unchanging interest rate. Whether homeowners are scheduled to make repayments weekly or monthly, they pay the same amount each time. The unchanging rates are what makes fixed rate mortgages attractive to people who choose this option. Homeowners like knowing how much they are paying each repayment, and find that this option makes budgeting their finances and maintaining their lifestyle easier. Individuals with a fixed rate mortgage will not be impacted by increases in the interest rate, which is advantageous for homeowners’ budgets. By the same token, individuals with fixed rate mortgages will not be impacted by decreases in the interest rate, either, which means they will not see an increase in their savings the way individuals with other home loans might.

Continuous cuts to the interest rate might motivate homeowners to refinance their mortgage and switch to a home loan with a new lender. Homeowners should be aware of any discharge fees and additional repayments they may be required to make when they begin the refinancing process.

Benefits of Refinancing a Mortgage

Rate cuts may lead to lower monthly mortgage repayments. Refinancing a mortgage with a new lender cuts the cost of the loan, and also potentially rids homeowners of private mortgage insurance premiums (PMI), giving them more money to save. The lower mortgage rate homeowners will have after refinancing allows any needed home repairs, or wanted renovations, to be done at a lower cost.

Factors homeowners should consider when preparing to refinance their mortgage are: their current interest rate, the term length remaining on their loan, their mortgage balance, and their income. Homeowners should research the best refinance rates and home loan rates of other lenders and financial institutions and compare them to see which is the best and can fit their financial needs. The lengths of other home loan options can influence homeowners’ decisions about how and where they refinance their mortgages. They should then ensure that they will save money by moving from their lender to a new one.

Making Home Renovations and Repairs

Financially sound advice is for homeowners to ensure that any changes they make to their house are useful and cost-effective. Extra money gives homeowners more financial stability to support getting necessary repairs, such as fixing the roof or getting new pipes. Having surplus money also lets homeowners enjoy making fresh cosmetic changes they want done to the house. After the refinancing and renovation processes, homeowners can be comfortable living with new furniture, new lighting, newly repainted walls, and a new mortgage that costs less and saves more.