In a cash-out refinance, a new mortgage is taken out for more than your previous mortgage balance, and the difference is paid to you in cash. You usually pay a higher interest rate or more points on a cash-out refinance mortgage compared to a rate-and-term refinance, in which a mortgage amount stays the same.
You owe more: With a cash-out refinance, your overall debt load will increase. No matter how close you were to paying off your original mortgage, the extra cash you obtained to pay for renovations is now a bigger financial burden. This also reduces your proceeds if you were to sell.
One of the most obvious ways to use a cash-out refinance is to make repairs or improvements to your home. But since you can use the money however you want, you could also consider using a cash-out refinance to pay for other major expenses — like getting out of debt or paying for higher education.
Cash out refinance example
If your home is worth $300,000 and you owe $200,000, you have $100,000 in equity. With cash out refinancing, you could receive a portion of this equity in cash. If you wanted to take out $40,000 in cash, this amount would be added to the principal of your new home loan.
If you ask a loan officer, they'll most likely say anywhere from 30 to 45 days. While this is generally true, there are plenty of instances where it can take much longer. Read below to understand the factors that affect approval times for a cash-out refinance.
Cash-out refinance gives you a lump sum when you close your refinance loan. The loan proceeds are first used to pay off your existing mortgage(s), including closing costs and any prepaid items (for example real estate taxes or homeowners insurance); any remaining funds are paid to you.
Cash-out refinance requirements
These requirements include: Credit score: The majority of cash-out refinance lenders require a minimum score of 620. Debt-to-income (DTI) ratio: The DTI ratio compares your debt payments against your monthly gross income.
The 20 Percent Equity Rule
When it comes to refinancing, a general rule of thumb is that you should have at least a 20 percent equity in the property. However, if your equity is less than 20 percent, and if you have a good credit rating, you may be able to refinance anyway.
A cash-out refinance replaces your current mortgage with a new, larger loan. In return, you receive the cash difference between the new amount borrowed and your old mortgage balance.
There's no legal limit on the number of times you can refinance your home loan. However, mortgage lenders do have a few mortgage refinance requirements that need to be met each time you apply, and there are some special considerations to note if you want a cash-out refinance.
Unlike other refinancing options, cash-out refinancing is open to people with fair and poor credit. While home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and home equity loans require applicants to have minimum FICO® Scores☉ between 660 and 700, a cash-out refinance lender may be satisfied with less.
But remember, you have less equity in your home when you use a cash-out refinance, meaning your lender is taking more risk on you, resulting in interest rates, fees, and closing costs that are more costly than for a standard refinance.
Home Equity Loan Disadvantages
Higher Interest Rate Than a HELOC: Home equity loans tend to have a higher interest rate than home equity lines of credit, so you may pay more interest over the life of the loan. Your Home Will Be Used As Collateral: Failure to make on-time monthly payments will hurt your credit score.
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. The credit utilization ratio makes up 30% of your FICO credit score.
You could end up owing more than your home is worth. Taking a cash-out refinance loan reduces the equity in your home since your loan balance will now be larger relative to the house's value as a result of borrowing extra cash. This increases the chances your home's value will fall below what you owe on it.
Refinancing risk refers to the possibility that a borrower will not be able to replace an existing debt with new debt. Any company or individual can experience refinancing risk, either because their own credit quality has deteriorated or as a result of market conditions.
A cash-out refinance is a mortgage refinancing option that lets you convert home equity into cash. A new mortgage is taken out for more than your previous mortgage balance, and the difference is paid to you in cash.
Cash-out refinancing is when a homeowner refinances their mortgage to a new mortgage (typically at a lower interest), and in the process, borrows more money than what is needed to pay off the current mortgage. The first mortgage is paid off and the homeowner gets a lump-sum payout of the extra cash amount at closing.
Since a cash-out refinance replaces your existing mortgage loan, you'll start to make monthly payments when the loan is disbursed. HELOCs typically feature interest-only payments during your draw period, then switch to monthly payments when you reach the monthly repayment period.
An 80/20 loan was a type of piggyback loan, which is a home loan that's split into two parts. It's called an 80/20 loan because the first part is a mortgage that covers 80% of the home purchase price. The second part is either a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit that covers the remaining 20%.
Your home's equity remains intact when you refinance your mortgage with a new loan, but you should be wary of fluctuating home equity value. Several factors impact your home's equity, including unemployment levels, interest rates, crime rates and school rezoning in your area.
A refinance typically takes 30 to 45 days to complete. However, no one will be able to tell you exactly how long yours will take. Appraisals, inspections and other services performed by third parties can delay the process.
Be aware that normally you will not be able to take out 100% of your home's equity; instead, you will be limited to between 80-90%. So make sure you have enough equity that a Cash-Out Refi will cover what you need.
You'll need a minimum credit score of at least 620 if you want to take a cash-out refinance, in most scenarios.