If you purchased your home a few years ago, when interest rates were higher, refinancing your home with the current lower interest rates could save you a lot of money over the long run. When you are going to all the work to refinance your home, use these three tips to make sure you maximize your savings.

Compare and negotiate

Lenders are eager to get your business, so do your homework and see who will give you the best interest rate and the lowest fees. Once you have shopped around, talk to the company that gave you your original loan. Rather than lose your business, they may be willing to lower your interest rates.

Ask your lender to finance or forgo the points

There can be a lot of upfront costs when you refinance a home loan. It is very possible that you will have to pay a penalty for paying off your old loan, and that can eat into the money you are trying to save. If you are looking to save money initially, financing the points is a good option. Remember that this option will increase your monthly payments, so consider what monthly payment you can afford before you decide to do this. It also never hurts to ask your lender if they offer a zero points loan.

Consider taking out a shorter fixed rate loan

Taking out a 15 year fixed rate mortgage will mean larger monthly payments, but you will pay of your loan much quicker and pay a lot less interest over the life of your loan. You will also build equity in your home that much faster.

There are a lot of factors to think about when you consider refinancing your home loan. The amount you will save depends on several things, including the total refinancing costs, the effects of refinancing on your taxes, and how long you plan to stay in your home.