Refinancing: 30 Year Loan Vs. 15 Year Loan

You're probably have seen the headlines about record low mortgage rates and refinance rates. You might also be looking into refinancing. The loan of choice for most homeowners is 30 year loans but you should also consider a 15 year loan.

Right now 30 year refinance rates are around 4.00% while 15 year rates are 75 basis points less at 3.25%. You can even find lenders who will give you a 15 year rate as low as 2.75% when you're willing to pay points. Mortgage points allow you to "buy down" the rate on a loan. 1 point is equal to 1% of a loan and you pay it upfront. Points can also be rolled into a loan.

The only drawback to a 15 year loan is you'll have higher monthly mortgage payments. If you can afford the payments on a 15 year loan you should go ahead and take the plunge.

Loan Type

Purchase Refinance with Cash out Refinance

State

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

FICO Score

Superior (780-850) Exceptional (760-779) Excellent (740-759) Very Good (720-739) Good (700-719) Above Average (680-699) Average (660-679) Fair (640-659) Need Improvement (620-639) Poor (350-620)

Loan Amount

$

Points

Up to 0 points Up to 0.5 points Up to 1 points Up to 1.5 points Up to 2 points Up to 2.5 points Up to 3 points

LTV

%

Loan Term

 15-Year Fixed  20-Year Fixed  30-Year Fixed  5-Year ARM  7-Year ARM  10-Year ARM

Show Advertiser Disclosure

The lenders whose rates and other terms appear on this chart are ICB's advertising partners. They provide their rate information to our data partner RateUpdate.com. Unless adjusted by the consumer, advertisers are sorted by APR from lowest to highest. For any advertising partners that do not provide their rate they are listed in advertisement display units at the bottom of the chart. Advertising partners may not pay to improve the frequency priority or prominence of their display. The interest rates, annual percentage rates and other terms advertised here are estimates provided by those advertising partners based on the information you entered above and do not bind. Any lender Monthly payment amounts stated do not include amounts for taxes and insurance premiums. The actual payment obligation will be greater if taxes and insurance are included. Although our data partner RateUpdate.com collects the information from the financial institutions themselves, the accuracy of the data cannot be guaranteed. Rates may change without notice and can change intraday. Some of the information contained in the rate tables including but not limited to special marketing notes is provided directly by the lenders. Please verify the rates and offers before applying for a loan with the financial institution themselves. No rate is binding until locked by a lender.

Lender

APR / Rate

Fees / Points

Payment

NMLS #1835285

4.846%

15-Year Fixed

4.625%

$5,912

Includes 0.978 points for $3,912

Lender Fees: $2,000

$3,086 /mo

Next >

NMLS #1513908

5.201%

15-Year Fixed

4.990%

$5,822

Includes 0.879 points for $3,516

Lender Fees: $2,306

$3,162 /mo

Next >

NMLS #1689962

License: 02053435

5.391%

15-Year Fixed

5.250%

$3,708

Includes 0.927 points for $3,708

Lender Fees: $0

$3,216 /mo

Next >

NMLS #2578474

5.393%

15-Year Fixed

5.250%

$3,750

Includes 0.675 points for $2,700

Lender Fees: $1,050

$3,216 /mo

Next >

NMLS #401822

5.409%

15-Year Fixed

5.125%

$7,500

Includes 0.875 points for $3,500

Lender Fees: $4,000

$3,190 /mo

Next >

NMLS #2326098

License: 60DBO-181478

5.436%

15-Year Fixed

5.250%

$5,077

Includes 0.781 points for $3,124

Lender Fees: $1,953

$3,216 /mo

Next >

NMLS #2006915

License: 60DBO-149268

5.457%

15-Year Fixed

5.250%

$5,445

Includes 0.875 points for $3,500

Lender Fees: $1,945

$3,216 /mo

Next >

NMLS #1025894

5.632%

15-Year Fixed

5.490%

$3,712

Includes 0.753 points for $3,012

Lender Fees: $700

$3,267 /mo

Next >

NMLS #1835285

5.864%

30-Year Fixed

5.750%

$5,000

Includes 0.750 points for $3,000

Lender Fees: $2,000

$2,335 /mo

Next >

NMLS #1835285

6.007%

5-Year ARM

5.875%

$5,696

Includes 0.924 points for $3,696

Lender Fees: $2,000

$2,367 /mo

Next >

NMLS #1513908

6.105%

30-Year Fixed

5.990%

$5,186

Includes 0.720 points for $2,880

Lender Fees: $2,306

$2,396 /mo

Next >

NMLS #2578474

6.236%

30-Year Fixed

6.125%

$4,750

Includes 0.925 points for $3,700

Lender Fees: $1,050

$2,431 /mo

Next >

NMLS #2326098

License: 60DBO-181478

6.249%

30-Year Fixed

6.125%

$5,469

Includes 0.879 points for $3,516

Lender Fees: $1,953

$2,431 /mo

Next >

NMLS #401822

6.265%

30-Year Fixed

6.125%

$5,995

Includes 1.000 points for $4,000

Lender Fees: $1,995

$2,431 /mo

Next >

NMLS #1689962

License: 02053435

6.319%

30-Year Fixed

6.250%

$2,908

Includes 0.727 points for $2,908

Lender Fees: $0

$2,463 /mo

Next >

6.326%

30-Year Fixed

6.250%

$3,228

Includes 0.625 points for $2,500

Lender Fees: $728

$2,463 /mo

Next >

NMLS #2006915

License: 60DBO-149268

6.355%

30-Year Fixed

6.250%

$4,445

Includes 0.625 points for $2,500

Lender Fees: $1,945

$2,463 /mo

Next >

NMLS #3030

6.368%

15-Year Fixed

6.250%

$3,000

Includes 0.750 points for $3,000

Lender Fees: $0

$3,430 /mo

Next >

NMLS #1025894

6.461%

30-Year Fixed

6.375%

$3,608

Includes 0.727 points for $2,908

Lender Fees: $700

$2,496 /mo

Next >

NMLS #2326098

License: 60DBO-181478

6.881%

5-Year ARM

6.750%

$5,581

Includes 0.907 points for $3,628

Lender Fees: $1,953

$2,595 /mo

Next >

NMLS #3030

6.973%

30-Year Fixed

6.875%

$4,000

Includes 1.000 points for $4,000

Lender Fees: $0

$2,628 /mo

Next >

Rate data provided by RateUpdate.com. Displayed by ICB, a division of Mortgage Research Center, NMLS #1907, Equal Housing Opportunity. Payments do not include taxes and insurance premiums. Actual payments will be greater with taxes and insurance included. Rate and product details.

I recently refinanced a $300,000 loan from a 30 rate of 4.875% to a 15 year loan at 3.25%. Using a mortgage calculator I realized I'm going to save $136,167 in mortgage interest with a 15 year loan, plus I'll own my home in half the time! Again, the only negative is my monthly mortgage payments are higher but I can afford higher payments.

I figured I'm also better off paying down my loan instead of saving the money in an account since the best CD rates (12 months) and savings rates are around 1.00%.

When I refinanced I had an option of a 30 year loan at 4.00% or a 15 year loan at 3.25%. Here are the numbers on a $300,000 loan: