Duane Buziak’s 7 Strategies for a Refinance Decision Checklist Homeowners Can Actually Use

Rural Housing Loans in Virginia: Your Complete Guide to USDA Financing in 2026

A homeowner should refinance when the savings or the goal served outweigh closing costs within the time the new loan will be kept. This refinance decision checklist homeowners can follow walks through seven ordered checks, from naming your goal and running a break-even calculation to comparing real offers with a soft-pull credit check and locking the rate. All rate and dollar examples are illustrative, not live quotes.

Duane Buziak Explains: Does Comparing Mortgage Rates Hurt Your Credit Score?

Duane Buziak Explains: Does Comparing Mortgage Rates Hurt Your Credit Score?

Does comparing mortgage rates hurt your credit score? Not if you use a soft-pull comparison, which has no effect on your score, and scoring models generally treat multiple mortgage inquiries made within a short window as a single inquiry. This guide separates soft pulls from hard pulls so you can shop lenders confidently instead of settling for the first quote.