Thursday, January 22, 2009

Mortgage Refinance Tips

By Madeline Zidan

Mortgage Refinance on a commercial property can be tricky, but it is possible to prepare yourself by becoming very familiar with how the process works, what to beware of and some of the terminology, this will help you understand what to expect at the same time increasing your knowledge.

Without some familiarity pertaining to a Mortgage Refinance it could be difficult to understand where to start. Without some experience in financing, whether it's on an initial loan or a Residential Loan, these terms may seem like foreign language or somewhat silly for such a serious matter. A few examples would be: Arm, Balloon, Bridge Loans, Mezzanine Loans, Conduit or CMBS Loans etc.

The initial thought process you had used before will be slightly different from the one used to prepare for a Mortgage Refinance. You had to think about the time it will take to secure a loan this size. It is possible for the amount of time specified on the contract to purchase could expire before you get funded, protection from default on such a large loan, not to mention collateral, down payment, closing costs and so on, not too unlike a mortgage on a house. Although, some of these items are the same, it can become very complicated on a loan this size for a commercial property as you get further along.

If you think back to when you applied for your original Commercial Mortgage Finance, you will remember thinking with a slightly different approach than you would with Mortgage Refinance. You had to think about the price of the commercial property, the time it will take to secure a loan this size, it is possible for the amount of time specified on the contract to run out before you get funded, protection from default on such a large loan, not to mention collateral, closing costs and so on. Things can become very complicated on a loan this size for a commercial property.

It is very important to look at how closing costs will affect the equity you have been building over the years. Your situation is a little different and you will need to approach the Mortgage Refinance accordingly. You will now start looking at possible Prepayment Penalties, Cash Out Proceeds, and maybe you want to Inject the money you cash out into another property or update your current property, what is the Discounted Cash Flow, Current vs. Proposed Loan to Value Ratio.

Let's recap what terms you had to learn before, such as 1031 Tax Exchange, Environmental Reports, what type of commercial property qualifies for what type of loan, which is a lot for one to learn, the difference between Conduit and Mezzanine Loans, and so on. Most importantly, you had to find a great Broker that offers a variety of innovative loan programs for your specific need. So now, it is time to look at Mortgage Refinance.

The cost to complete a Mortgage Refinance for a commercial property can turn out to be quite high if you were under the impression it would be less than an original loan. An appraisal can run between $2,000 - $5,000, Title between $800 - $2,000, Phase One Environmental Report around $2,000 and lender processing fees around $1,000.

It is very important to look at may closing costs will affect the equity you have been building over the years. Two of the biggest reasons people look at Mortgage Refinance, are to get a better interest rate than they currently have, this means lower monthly mortgage payments (less monthly payment means extra cash in your pocket) and the second reason people refinance their mortgage is to "cash out" some of the equity they have built over time and invest it in a new project. Remember that knowledge is power, so stay knowledgeable by reading and researching your topic.

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