Home equity loans explored
But when you put it simply, the process is easy to understand. When you refinance your home, you are essentially replacing your current mortgage with a new mortgage. In doing so, you use proceeds (or some of them) from the new loan to pay off the balance of the existing mortgage. If the interest rate is lower than when you initially purchased your home, you may be able to lower your monthly payment. Plus, in some cases, mortgage refinancing also lets you "cash out" some of the equity you have built up in your home.