Short RefiNew buzz word around town: "Short ReFi"

I had a mortgage broker email me the other day with what appeared to be a standard solicitation.

But before I hit the delete button, I gave the title a snoop and there was a term that caught my eye.

They were stating that they do "Short ReFi's"

At first I though about it and could sort of figure out what that meant.

So I started researching it and also asked one of the mortgage brokers that I work with what that was all about.

So I'm thinking to myself, what's the difference between a Short ReFi and a Loan Modification?

The principle is the same:  refinancing the existing loan(s) with a lower principal amount and/or lower interest rate, with the permission of the mortgage holder.

Well, I guess the only difference is that a Short Refi could come from a lender OTHER than the one who holds the mortgage as opposed to the existing one doing a Loan Modification.

There also may be instances where the homeowner is in a financial position to make up the deficit in cash themselves in order to refinance the home.

Hit your mortgage broker up for details on this!

 
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7 Comments on New buzz word around town: "Short ReFi"

JUL
24
2010
174,695 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Ralph - Interesting post, I have not heard the term before. I am a bit curious about a few things though: What current mortgage holder would work with a short and allow another bank to come in and charge fees to do the refinance (then make all the profit from the front loaded interest on a brand new mortgage)? Wouldn't the borrower be in a better situation to just do a loan modification with their current bank and not pay (or pass along through the short to their current bank) the closing costs for the refi? And finally why would the new bank want to refi someone who is short and take on the extra risk?
11:43am • #1
3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Short refis sort of flew under the radar last year. We're hearing now that they are being declined more frequently. Not sure why -- or maybe it's just banks putting out disinformation to keep the avalanche of applications at bay. Kind of like when they said they won't do a short sale unless you're behind on the mortgage.

 
11:45am • #2
227,288 Points 7 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

It will be interesting to see if this is something the current lenders are willing to agree to. It seems to me there still would be LTV limitations for the refi based on program so I don't see how the short lender would benefit from a refi over a short sale.
12:25pm • #3
797,803 Points 80 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Good information Ralph & need to check it out with my lenders.
1:01pm • #4
JUL
26
2010
725,720 Points 63 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hi Ralph... I am going to look into this, but somehow I just don't think we really need any more programs that begin with the word "short".
11:40pm • #5
JUL
27
2010
958,400 Points 53 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I have not heard of this either, so will ask around today --- thanks for bringing this to our attention!
9:52am • #6
JUL
30
2010
172,215 Points 11 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp

This sounds like it could be a cure for so many ills, but IMHO I don't think it is going to fly---or if so, will have such limited applicaton it will go the way of the loan modification. After all, it's another Lender taking huge risk on an underwater homeowner----how could they possibly make this work unless the rates were astronomical, and if so---we are back to square 1.
6:59pm • #7

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