Does It Ever Make Sense To Refinance Your Car Loan Before Applying For A Mortgage
It depends on your financial situation. If you can qualify for a mortgage with your current debt and income, we suggest waiting until after buying a home to refinance your car, said Schandelson.
The one circumstance where car refinancing might actually be beneficial before a home purchase is if you have a high credit score and a high DTI, according to Schandelson. Thats because refinancing for someone who has strong credit could lower the DTI without causing too much of a credit hit.
Is It Easier To Refinance With My Current Lender
Can I refinance my car with the same lender? Can I refinance with a new lender? These kinds of questions are common among auto owners who are considering refinancing.
When you buy a car, you either shop around with different lenders for a loan or ask the auto dealer that you buy from to set up a loan for you. When you refinance, it is smart to engage in the same process of shopping around for the best possible option for you.
You are not locked into using the same lender that currently holds your loan. Your priority should be finding the most favorable loan terms possible, which typically means finding a lender that will offer you the lowest interest rate. In some cases, that may be your existing lenderin other cases, it will be a new lender. Rate shopping will give you a broader sense of the market and what constitutes a genuine deal.
While it may seem easier to stay with the same lender, any lender willing to give you a refinancing loan will work with you to make the process as seamless as possible. Theres no reason to be worried that switching to a new lender will make your journey with a loan more complex.
You May Already Have The Best Rate
If you purchased your car new, you likely got an attractive new car rate, especially if you took advantage of a special interest offer that can feature rates as low as 0% APR. The refinancing rates for some lenders, among them Bank of America, are higher than even their used-car rates. Also, interest rates have been at record lows due to COVID-19 experts predict rates will begin to rise in late 2022 to 2023.
Also Check: Usaa Auto Loan Approval
On The Lookout For Auto Finance Resources
Here at Auto Credit Express, we want to assist bad credit borrowers in everything auto finance. If youre in need of refinancing connections, visit our resource center.
If refinancing isnt an option for you right now, then it may be time to explore other auto loan options. Over the last 20 years, weve created a nationwide network of special finance dealerships that assist borrowers with credit challenges. Complete our free auto loan request form and well look for a dealer in your local area at no cost and no obligation.
Is It Better To Pay Off The Car Or Put Money Into Savings
Unless your car loan interest rate is very low, you generally save more in interest than you would earn with the same money in savings. This makes paying off the car an attractive option. However, if you wait to pay off all your debts before beginning to save, you may never get started. Consider a balanced approach of working on both goals at once, based on your overall finances.
Recommended Reading: Can I Use Va Loan For Investment Property
Bad Credit Car Dealerships
Dealerships that are signed up with bad credit auto lenders are called special finance dealers. Called subprime lenders, they examine more than your credit rating for financing eligibility. These lenders specialize in assisting borrowers with challenged credit.
If you have the ability, stability, and willingness to make a down payment, then you may qualify for a subprime car loan! To get connected to a dealership with these resources, fill out our free auto loan request form. Auto Credit Express has amassed a nationwide network of dealers, and well match you to one in your local area. The process is fast, and there’s never any obligation, so get started now!
When I Refinance Do I Get Money Back
If your car is worth substantially more than you owe on it, some lenders allow what is known as cash-out auto refinancing. You borrow more than you owe on your current loan, pay off that lender and take the remainder in cash. Interest rates may be lower than those on a credit card or personal loan because the loan is secured by your car. But over borrowing against your car may mean you owe more than it is worth for a longer period of time.
To recap our selections…
You May Like: Prosper Loan Approval Time
Youve Had The Loan For At Least 90 Days
How soon can you refinance a car you just purchased?
Most lenders require that youve had the loan for a few months before you can apply to refinance. When you apply through LendingClub, the minimum required is 90 days. This is usually to confirm that youre making on-time payments, so stay on top of those payments if youre hoping to refinance in the near future.
Refinancing Your Car: Good Idea Or Bad Idea
Its not uncommon for homeowners to refinance their home loans, but have you ever considered refinancing the loan on your car? Its surprisingly common and far easier than the sometimes painful process of trying to refinance your mortgage. But before you get too excited, weve listed some helpful hints for drivers trying to decide whether it would be a good or a bad idea to refinance a car loan.
When Its a Good Idea to Refinance
There are several situations in which it may be beneficial to refinance your car loan. One is if youre trying to take advantage of lower interest rates. For example, if you purchased your car several years ago back when rates were higher, you may want to consider refinancing in order to get a better rate. Doing so will lower your payment, but most importantly, it will decrease the amount of interest you have to pay on the loan.
Its also a good idea to consider if your credit situation has improved substantially compared to when you bought the car. If youve improved your credit enough, your interest rate is likely to go down, and that means youll make a lower monthly payment and youll pay out less money in interest.
When Its a Bad Idea to Refinance
Should You Do It?
Related Car Financing Articles:
Recommended Reading: Do Underwriters Verify Bank Statements
Can You Refinance A Car Loan
If you aren’t happy with your current car loan, you can refinance into a loan with a different interest rate and new terms. Refinancing a car loan means taking out a new loan that replaces your existing loan. It’s a brand-new loan that you often get from a different lender. Depending on the new lender’s requirements, you might be able to keep the length of the loan the same, shorten it, or extend it.
When you refinance, your new loan amount will generally be the balance you have left on your current loan. However, some lenders allow for a cash-out refinance. Just keep in mind that taking out cash on a car with limited equity could cause you to owe more on the vehicle than it’s worth.
Your Current Car Title Loan Is Taking Too Long To Pay Off
When you first accepted your current car title loan, you may have been more than happy to agree to pay it off over the course of three years. But now that youre actually doing it, three years might seem like an eternity.
Rather than spending the next three years of your life paying off your current car title loan, look for one with a much shorter repayment period. Refinancing your loan could help you pay it off quicker so that you can move on with your life.
Also Check: Usaa Refinance Auto Loan Calculator
Rule Of Thumb Of When To Refinance A Car Loan
The bottom line is that, while there is nothing to stop you from trying to refinance at any time, it is generally better to wait at least a short period of time.
At IFS, we use the following rules of thumb to guide customers on when to refinance their auto loans:
- Wait at least 60-90 days from getting your original loan to refinance. It typically takes this long for the title on your vehicle to transfer properly, a process that will need to be completed before any lender will consider your application. Refinancing this early typically only works out for those with great credit.
- Consider refinancing after six months. If you have fair to great credit, you will begin to have refinancing options after this length of time.
- If you are a first-time car loan borrower, wait at least a year to refinance your loan. A first-time borrower typically needs to build up a good car loan payment history before refinancing.
Before you jump in, it might be a good idea to think about what you hope to get out of refinancing. We did a full write-up detailing three reasons you might want to refinance. Additionally, read our guide covering what refinancing might do for you.
What Does Refinancing A Car Loan Mean
Refinancing your car loan means you replace your existing car loan with a new one in order to lower your monthly payments or decrease how much interest you pay throughout the life of the loan.
These are some basic reasons why people may refinance a car loan:
- To lower their monthly loan payment
- To lower their interest rate
- To shorten their loan term
- To extend their loan term
Refinancing is an easy way to improve your car loan situation, but it’s not right for everyone. It depends on your financial situation, your current loan terms, and more. Before we talk about how to actually get started, let’s start by determining whether it’s even worth it for you.
Read Also: Loan Officer License California
Will My Credit Score Increase After Chapter 13 Discharge
Average Credit Score After Chapter 13 Discharge Your credit score after a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy discharge will vary. Your new score will depend on how good or bad your credit score was prior to the filing of the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. For most individuals, you can expect to see quite a dip in your overall credit score.
Compare Auto Refinance Loans
Before applying for an auto refinance loan, you should be sure to compare quotes from multiple different providers. Some factors to take into consideration include:
- Loan amounts: Most lenders have minimum and maximum loan amount requirements, usually somewhere between $7,000 and $100,000. Make sure that the loan you want to refinance is in between these limits.
- Rates: One of the main goals of refinancing an auto loan is to lock in lower rates. Make sure to compare rates from multiple different providers to ensure youre getting the best possible deal.
- Repayment terms: Whether you want to pay off your loan faster, or need a longer-term length with smaller monthly premiums, look for an auto refinance loan with repayment terms that meet your needs.
- Some lenders have minimum credit score requirements for borrowers. If your credit score isnt where you want it to be, consider holding off on applying until you raise your score.
- Car requirements: Not all lenders will issue auto refinance loans for all cars. Make sure that your car meets the requirements of any lenders that youre interested in.
Recommended Reading: Car Loan Calculator Usaa
What Happens If I Extend My Loan Term
Extending the length of your loan when you refinance will lower your monthly payments. However, you likely wont save money because youll pay more in interest over the life of your loan.
Extending your term could also put you at risk of becoming upside-down on your loan, meaning you owe more than your car is worth. This is a risky situation to be in. If you get in an accident, and your car is totaled, your insurance might not cover what you owe. Also, if you have to sell your car, youd still owe money on the loan.
Should I Refinance My Car Loan
Refinancing your car loan makes sense if rates have dropped, you are having trouble making payments, or your credit has improved. Overall, refinancing your car loan could be a great way to get a lower interest rate that saves you money monthly and over the life of your loanoften without extending your term length.
Interest rates drop due to a variety of reasons. Either the economy has changed or there is increased competition in the marketplace. If rates are lower now, refinancing your car loan could help you pay off your loan sooner or save you money on interest.
Another reason to refinance your car loan is if you cannot keep up with your payments or payments are too high for you. By refinancing, you can extend the duration of the loan, which will lower your payments. If you extend the term of the loan, you will pay more in interest over time. However, its better to pay some interest rather than missing car payments or hurting your credit history.
Lastly, you should refinance if your credit has improved. When you initially purchased your car, perhaps your credit wasnt the best it could be. With time, you have paid your loans consistently and on time. As you have improved your old patterns, your credit has improved. If so, you should consider refinancing at a lower interest rate.
Read Also: Notary Loan Signing Agent Databases
Your Guide To Auto Loan Refinancing
No doubt you’ve heard about the benefits of refinancing a home loan. Frankly, it’s pretty hard to avoid those mid-afternoon and late night television ads championing the benefits of home equity loans, and promoting the financial advantages of refinancing an existing mortgage. But did you know that you can also refinance an existing auto loan?
Auto loan refinancing offers many of the same benefits as home loan refinancing , and under the right circumstances can be a real boon to anyone diligently working away at a high interest car loan. Refinancing allows you to secure a lower interest rate on your loan, reduce your monthly payments, and even free up some much needed ready cash. However, refinancing a car loan does have a downside, and it is important to understand both the advantages and disadvantages before you put pen to paper.
Refinancing An Auto Loan More Than Once
It certainly is possible to refinance your car loan more than once, since theres no rule that says otherwise. However, whether or not its a good idea to refinance multiple times depends on how you do it. And, you may not qualify for refinancing again once youve already done it.
Most of the time, borrowers refinance their car loans to get a lower monthly payment. This is done by either lowering your interest rate or lengthening your loan term . Qualifying for a lower interest rate is a great way to save money on your loan, but simply extending your loan term generally isnt a good idea without qualifying for a lower interest rate.
This is especially true if you refinance to a longer loan term more than once. Extending your auto loan multiple times draws out how long you have a car payment, which increases your interest charges. Auto loans are typically simple interest loans, so your interest charges add up based on your auto loan balance.
If you always extend your loan, you’re always going to rack up more interest charges the higher your interest rate, the more you pay. This can lead to years of paying off the same vehicle and possibly paying more for it than its worth. If youve already refinanced your car and extended your loan term, then doing it again means paying more for the same vehicle.
You May Like: Bayview Loan Servicing Class Action Lawsuit
Look Into Multiple Types Of Financing
When you first borrowed money to buy a car, it may have been through dealer-arranged financing. However, many banks, credit unions and online lenders offer direct financing to car buyers and owners.
In general, its best to start with the financial institutions you already work with. In some cases, you may qualify for a loyalty discount based on your existing relationship with the bank or credit union.
Dont stop there, though, even if the terms are excellent. Take some time to compare that quote with rate offers from other banks and lenders. This process can take some time, but the more options you compare, the higher your chances will be of getting the best auto loan terms available to you.
What You Need To Refinance
To refinance an existing loan, you need the following :
Also Check: Loan Originator License California
The Hard Credit Inquiry Could Hurt Your Score
The process of applying for car loan refinancing usually includes a credit check, and it will likely count as a hard inquiry against your credit profile, which can dock your score a few points.
After a credit hit, You might not qualify for a rate you thought you did before, said Benjamin Schandelson, a loan originator with MJS Financial LLC in Boca Raton.
The degree to which a hard credit inquiry will hurt your score varies. According to FICO, a hard credit check might reduce your FICO score by as little as five points since the new credit factor of your score only has a 10% weight in the calculation.
That said, the hit could be greater for certain people: A hard inquiry might be more impactful if you have few accounts on your credit report and a short credit history.
