What Is a Cash-Out Refinance?

A cash-out refinance is a refinancing of an existing mortgage loan, where the new mortgage loan is for a larger amount than the existing mortgage loan, and you (the borrower) get the difference between the two loans in cash. Basically, homeowners do cash-out refinances so they can turn some of the equity they’ve built up in their home into cash.

Here’s an example to illustrate: Let’s say you own a $300,000 house and still owe $200,000 on the current mortgage. (This means you’ve built up $100,000 in equity – a fancy word for ownership). Now let’s say you want some extra cash to the tune of $30,000. You could do a cash-out refinance to get this money. If you did this, you’d get a new loan worth a total of $230,000 (the $200,000 you still owe on your home, plus the $30,000 you’re going to take out in cash).

Costs of a Cash-Out Refinance
A cash-out refinance is similar to a regular refinancing of your mortgage in that you’re going to have to pay closing costs. These can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Plus, you’re going to have to pay interest on the cash that you get out (in addition, of course, to the mortgage amount), which can add up to thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.