Learn how refinancing may help lower a payment, change a term, or access equity. Compare costs and break-even with Phil Holguin at Empower Home Loans.
Refinance | Phil Holguin
Learn how refinancing may help lower a payment, change a term, or access equity. Compare costs and break-even with Phil Holguin at Empower Home Loans.
Refinance
What Refinancing May Help You Do
Rate-and-Term Refinancing
What it is designed to do
What it is not
Cash-Out Refinancing
Equity is only one factor
The new loan is larger
Compare before you tap equity
When Refinancing May Make Sense
Cost Versus Monthly Savings
Do not chase the rate alone
What belongs in the same conversation
You Don’t Always Have to Start Over at 30 Years.
A simple way to think about it
Terms are not one-size-fits-all
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to See if Refinancing Makes Sense?
LOAN PROGRAMS
Look past the rate. Compare the payment, the costs, and the break-even.
Refinancing replaces your current mortgage with a new one. Depending on your goals, it can potentially help you lower your interest rate or monthly payment, change your loan term, access equity through a cash-out refinance, remove or reduce mortgage insurance when eligible, or change from one loan type to another. It is not the right move for every homeowner — and savings, approval, and a particular rate are never promised.
A refinance is a new loan, not a guaranteed upgrade. Whether any of these outcomes is available depends on the borrower, property, equity, credit, lender, and current guidelines.
A rate-and-term refinance generally replaces your current loan without taking cash out beyond eligible costs. Homeowners typically use it to change the interest rate, the monthly payment, the remaining term — or some combination of those. The new loan still has to make sense once closing costs and the new term are included.
A lower advertised rate is not the same as a better loan. Phil compares the new payment, costs, break-even, remaining term, and long-term interest rather than treating a rate drop as an automatic yes.
Restructure the loan you already have — rate, term, or both — without pulling cash from equity beyond what may be needed to close.
A promise that your payment will go down, that you will recoup the costs quickly, or that refinancing is appropriate for every homeowner.
A cash-out refinance lets you replace your current mortgage with a larger loan and receive the difference in cash at closing — when equity, occupancy, credit, loan limits, and lender guidelines support it.
Borrowers sometimes consider cash-out for home improvements, debt consolidation, or other personal uses. Using equity this way increases the new loan amount and can change your payment, term, and long-term interest. Cash-out is not available in every scenario, and it is not automatically a lower-cost way to access funds.
Phil can help you weigh a cash-out refinance against keeping your current loan — including how the new payment, closing costs, and remaining term compare with your goals.
How much you may be able to take out — if anything — depends on the property, occupancy, credit, the lender, and current program guidelines. There is no universal cash-out amount.
Cash at closing is borrowed money. It can be useful when it fits your plan, but it also changes the payment and the interest you may pay over the life of the loan.
Phil looks at whether cash-out, a rate-and-term refinance, or staying with your current loan may be the clearer fit — not at how much cash can be advertised.
There is no single rule for when to refinance. Homeowners often start the conversation when their goals, equity, or loan type have changed — then compare costs against the benefit of a new loan. Refinancing is not appropriate for everyone.
Phil helps borrowers compare the new payment, closing costs, break-even period, remaining loan term, and long-term interest — not simply chase a lower rate. A refinance that looks cheaper on paper can still cost more over time.
A lower rate can still come with high closing costs, a longer remaining term, or a payment that does not improve once insurance and taxes are included. The question is whether the new loan earns its keep for how long you plan to keep it.
When you refinance, you are not always limited to starting a brand-new 30-year term. Depending on the loan program and lender, a custom or flexible term may sometimes be available that more closely matches the time remaining on your current mortgage.
Phil compares the monthly payment, rate, closing costs, remaining term, and estimated long-term interest so you can see the tradeoffs — not just the new payment on a 30-year reset.
A homeowner who is several years into a 30-year mortgage may want to compare a new 30-year loan with a shorter term that more closely matches the years remaining on the existing loan. That comparison can look very different once interest over time is included.
Flexible or custom terms are not available on every loan. Available terms depend on the lender and loan program. A shorter term is not guaranteed to save money — the rate, costs, and payment all have to be weighed together.
Straightforward answers about refinancing
Get pre-approved to start the conversation, or talk with Phil about your current loan, your goals, and whether a refinance — or staying put — may be the clearer path.
Eligibility, rates, costs, loan amounts, and available refinance programs depend on the borrower, property, equity, credit, lender, and current guidelines. This information is educational and does not guarantee savings, approval, a particular rate, cash-out, removal of mortgage insurance, or that refinancing is appropriate for everyone. A refinance is a new loan and may increase total interest paid or extend the time to pay off the mortgage.
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- window.open('https: What Refinancing May Help You Do A refinance is a new loan, not a guaranteed upgrade. Whether any of these outcomes is available depends on the borrower, property, equity, credit, lender, and current guidelines. Rate-and-Term Refinancing A rate-and-term refinance generally replaces your current loan without taking cash out beyond eligible costs. Homeowners typically use it to change the interest rate, the monthly payment, the remaining term — or some combination of those. The new loan still has to make sense once closing costs and the new term are included. A lower advertised rate is not the same as a better loan. Phil compares the new payment, costs, break-even, remaining term, and long-term interest rather than treating a rate drop as an automatic yes. What it is designed to do Restructure the loan you already have — rate, term, or both — without pulling cash from equity beyond what may be needed to close. What it is not A promise that your payment will go down, that you will recoup the costs quickly, or that refinancing is appropriate for every homeowner. Cash-Out Refinancing A cash-out refinance lets you replace your current mortgage with a larger loan and receive the difference in cash at closing — when equity, occupancy, credit, loan limits, and lender guidelines support it. Borrowers sometimes consider cash-out for home improvements, debt consolidation, or other personal uses. Using equity this way increases the new loan amount and can change your payment, term, and long-term interest. Cash-out is not available in every scenario, and it is not automatically a lower-cost way to access funds. Phil can help you weigh a cash-out refinance against keeping your current loan — including how the new payment, closing costs, and remaining term compare with your goals. Equity is only one factor How much you may be able to take out — if anything — depends on the property, occupancy, credit, the lender, and current program guidelines. There is no universal cash-out amount. The new loan is larger Cash at closing is borrowed money. It can be useful when it fits your plan, but it also changes the payment and the interest you may pay over the life of the loan. Compare before you tap equity Phil looks at whether cash-out, a rate-and-term refinance, or staying with your current loan may be the clearer fit — not at how much cash can be advertised. When Refinancing May Make Sense There is no single rule for when to refinance. Homeowners often start the conversation when their goals, equity, or loan type have changed — then compare costs against the benefit of a new loan. Refinancing is not appropriate for everyone. Cost Versus Monthly Savings Phil helps borrowers compare the new payment, closing costs, break-even period, remaining loan term, and long-term interest — not simply chase a lower rate. A refinance that looks cheaper on paper can still cost more over time. Do not chase the rate alone A lower rate can still come with high closing costs, a longer remaining term, or a payment that does not improve once insurance and taxes are included. The question is whether the new loan earns its keep for how long you plan to keep it. What belongs in the same conversation You Don’t Always Have to Start Over at 30 Years. When you refinance, you are not always limited to starting a brand-new 30-year term. Depending on the loan program and lender, a custom or flexible term may sometimes be available that more closely matches the time remaining on your current mortgage. Phil compares the monthly payment, rate, closing costs, remaining term, and estimated long-term interest so you can see the tradeoffs — not just the new payment on a 30-year reset. A simple way to think about it A homeowner who is several years into a 30-year mortgage may want to compare a new 30-year loan with a shorter term that more closely matches the years remaining on the existing loan. That comparison can look very different once interest over time is included. Terms are not one-size-fits-all Flexible or custom terms are not available on every loan. Available terms depend on the lender and loan program. A shorter term is not guaranteed to save money — the rate, costs, and payment all have to be weighed together. Frequently Asked Questions Straightforward answers about refinancing {faqs.map((faq, i) => (
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