How Do You Deal With The Interest Rates That Come With A Refinancing Mortgage?

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

Your lender is trying to convince you that you need to apply for a refinancing mortgage so that you can transfer to a fixed interest mortgage rate. According to your lender, you have to take this action if you wish to be free from the capricious shifts of the market rates. But how is your mortgage affected by the economy?

Determinants of Interest Rates

As with everything in the market, your mortgage interest rates are determined by the interaction of supply and demand. When borrowing is up and the economy is strong, interest rates increase. When borrowing is down and the economy is soft, interest rates decrease.

But it?s not only the market forces that are setting the stage. There is also the Federal Reserve. Whatever the Feds do and wherever they set the fed funds play a crucial role.

The Federal Funds Rate

Now what is a federal funds rate? Also called the fed funds rate, this is the interest rate that is charged whenever banks lend funds to other banks. The rate?s maturity lasts for only two years or less, which makes it the short-term type. The behavior of the federal funds rate affects short-term interest mortgage rates.

As simple economic laws would have it, when short-term rates decrease, borrowing and spending are likely to increase. The result is inflation and the Federal Reserve tries to avoid this.

As for long-term interest rates, these are rates that last for ten years or more in terms of maturity. Short-term rates influence them indirectly. They typically rise when attempts to assuage inflation come into play. When inflation is increasing to undesirable heights, the Fed tries to remedy the situation by increasing short-term mortgage interest rates. People whose finances are gravely affected by market movements of interest rates are forced to consider alternatives.

Heed Your Lender?s Advice and Grab that Refinancing Mortgage

Your lender may be right after all. Maybe you do need that refinancing mortgage. All these talks about mortgage rates are Greek to you and the last thing you need is to have to watch over them if only to keep up with your refinancing mortgage payments. Maybe that adjustable mortgage rate you?re in right now is just not cut for you.

The Difference Between an Adjustable Interest Mortgage Rate and a Fixed Interest Mortgage Rate

By the way, do you already know what an adjustable interest rate is? How does it differ from a fixed interest mortgage rate? An adjustable rate is the type of interest rate that is subject to the changes in the market. This means that you may suddenly find yourself dealing with an unexpectedly high interest rate because of changes in the economy.

A fixed interest rate, on the other hand, is the type that is unchanged by the market trend. It remains the same no matter what shifts occur in the economy. It is more stable and more predictable.

Go on ahead and heed your lender?s advice. Grab that refinancing mortgage while the offer?s still up.