The concept of refinancing a loan:

A loan refinance means applying for a second loan to replace the existing or first loan. In case of a refinance the loan amount remains the same but some of the other loan conditions change. Because of the changes in the other loan conditions the borrowers get some additional benefits. And these benefits prompt a borrower to go for a loan refinance.

Benefits of a refinance to a borrower:

The new loan may be having a lower rate of interest and because of this a lower interest cost to the borrower.

The repayment period could be longer resulting in lower monthly installments. Borrowers opt for this when they want to spend their money elsewhere and are ready to pay the installments for a longer period of time.

If the borrower is currently having a loan in an adjustable rate system he/she may want to switch over to a fixed rate system to reduce the risk of an upward increase in the interest rates. liquidating home equity into cash (cash-out refinance),

Costs associated with refinance:

A homeowner loan refinance involves the following costs: homeowner application fees, homeowner loan origination fees, and appraisal fees. The borrowers should take into account these costs while deciding on a refinance. If the costs associated with these fees exceed the savings due to refinance it makes little sense for the borrower to go for the refinance.

The factor to be taken into account = (Savings on interest due to refinance)