As of May 2023, the average rate for a cash-out refinance ranges between 5% and 7%, but you may be able to score a better deal by comparing options from several different lenders.
If you purchased your home or refinanced at that time, you probably have nothing to gain from refinancing in 2023. But if you purchased a home back in 2008 and haven't refinanced since, it's possible you could find a more affordable rate by refinancing now.
If you have a lot of high-interest debt, getting a cash out refinance at a higher interest rate than your current mortgage rate might make sense. With a cash out refinance, you replace your current mortgage with a new mortgage for a higher amount and get the difference in cash at closing.
Changes to Interest Rate Projections
In the December report, CBO estimates that the federal funds rate will average 5.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 before falling to 3.7 percent by the end of 2025.
Average 30-Year Fixed Rate
After hitting record-low territory in 2020 and 2021, mortgage rates climbed to a 23-year high in 2023. Many experts and industry authorities believe they will follow a downward trajectory into 2024.
Cash-out refinance cons
You owe more: Because you're taking out a larger loan amount, your overall debt load increases. No matter how close you were to paying off your original mortgage, the cash out raises your debt level.
Pros of cash-out refinance
Your cost to borrow could be lower: Cash-out refinances often have lower rates than home equity loans, personal loans and credit cards. You can improve your credit: If you use your equity to consolidate debt, your credit utilization could drop. This can be a boon for your credit score.
Cash-Out Refinance. You don't need to change your rate or term when you refinance – you can also take money out of your home equity with a cash-out refinance. You accept a higher principal loan balance and take the difference out in cash when you take a cash-out refinance.
If your goal is to get a lower interest rate, right now isn't the best time to refinance. You're likely to end up with a higher rate, plus you'll need to pay closing costs on your new mortgage. If you can hold off, mortgage rates are expected to slowly trend down over the next couple of years.
A basis point is one one-hundredth of a percentage point. Even so, most housing market experts expect rates to decline over 2024, especially once the Federal Reserve begins cutting the federal funds rate—the overnight borrowing rate for commercial banks and credit unions that indirectly influences mortgage rates.
Experts still predict mortgage rates will drop to the low-6% range by the end of 2024.
It's true: cash-out refinance rates are typically higher than their rate-and-term refinance counterparts'. This disparity is because mortgage lenders consider a cash-out refinance relatively higher-risk, since it leaves you with a larger loan balance than you had previously and a smaller equity cushion.
Expect a cash-out refinance to take 45 to 60 days, but with a little help, you may speed up the processing time. The faster you provide documentation and secure the appraisal, the faster your lender can underwrite and process your loan. It's a team effort to get the cash in hand that you want from your home equity.
Keeping the maximum 80% LTV ratio requirement in mind, you may borrow up to an additional $60,000 with a cash-out refinance. To calculate this, multiply your home's value by 80% ($450,000 x 0.80 = $360,000) and subtract your outstanding loan balance from that amount ($360,000 – $100,000 = $60,000).
Yes, you can sell your home after refinancing, but you may end up losing money on the refinance if you sell before you reach the breakeven point or you're subject to a prepayment penalty. You may have to wait if your mortgage contains an owner-occupancy requirement.
HELOCs are generally the cheapest type of loan because you pay interest only on what you actually borrow. There are also no closing costs. You just have to be sure that you can repay the entire balance by the time that the repayment period expires.
Most lenders require you to have a credit score of at least 580 to qualify for a refinance and 620 to take cash out. If your score is low, you may want to focus on improving it before you apply or explore ways to refinance with bad credit.
The more quickly you are able to pay off your loan, the more quickly you build up your home's equity. Therefore, a straight refinance could help you increase your home's equity in the long run. By contrast, a cash-out refinance mortgage is a lot riskier and could dramatically diminish your home equity.
Cash-out refinances can have two adverse impacts on your credit score. One is the replacement of old debt with a new loan. Another is that the assumption of a larger loan balance could increase your credit utilization ratio.
Amount of debt owed
“In that scenario, you have a greater possibility that it can hurt your FICO score,” says Battany. However, if you're doing a cash-out refi to pay down revolving, unsecured debt, like a credit card balance, that'd ultimately have a positive effect on your score, he notes.
The National Association of Realtors expects mortgage rates will average 6.8% in the first quarter of 2024, dropping to 6.6% in the second quarter, according to its latest Quarterly U.S. Economic Forecast. The trade association predicts that rates will continue to fall to 6.1% by the end of the year.
A mortgage broker can offer a wider array of options and streamline the mortgage process, but working directly with a bank gives you more control and costs less. Kate Wood joined NerdWallet in 2019 as a writer on the homes and mortgages team.