Joe and Helen's neighbors couldn't say enough good things about refinancing their mortgage. They mentioned how they had eliminated credit card bills, and lowered their overall interest rate. They had even been able to get some cash back to help with their daughter's college tuition. It sounded great, and Joe and Helen decided they should probably refinance too. But, is refinancing for everyone? Should you consider refinancing? Here are a few questions to ask to determine whether it might be a good idea for YOU to consider refinancing:

1. How high is my current interest rate? If the going interest rate is 6% and your loan is at 8.5%, you definitely should consider refinancing. In fact, the current "rule" is if your interest rate is 2 percentage points or more above the market rate, refinancing may be for you.

2. How long do you plan to stay in your current house? Are you planning to move this year or in the near future? Or are you in your house for the long haul? You need to be sure that the savings in interest money is enough to offset the costs of refinancing (closing costs, etc). However, even if you are planning to move within the next year or two, check with your current mortgage company. A little-known secret is that often they will refinance for you with no closing costs to keep your business.

3. Do you want to switch to a shorter term mortgage? Switching from a 30 year mortgage to a 15 year mortgage can significantly reduce your interest payments, and help you build equity much faster. There are a lot of calculators online to help you figure out the savings. Check out www.mortgage-refinancing-online-guide.com for useful articles, advice, and tools to help you in your decision.

These are only a few of the questions to consider when you think about refinancing your mortgage. Do a lot of reading, figure out your savings, and talk to a professional to find out if refinancing is right for you.