

- You’re right, I was taking numbers from years ago where .25% was a more significant fraction of an APR than now. But if you have a 7% mortgage right now, you can probably get one for 6% right now.
- Indeed, “money exchanging hands” isn’t the only way to get consideration
There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t discuss, like “points” which are not explained well by lenders (and sometimes I think they keep it purposefully obtuse).











If I understand correctly, you are asking if your lender will let you refinance. The answer is that it’s not up to them, you go to any other lender and try to get a better deal, and then they pay off your old loan and get you a new one. Your old lender (to my knowledge) cannot refuse the payoff.
There’s also something called a Mortgage Recast, in which you make a one-time payment and your existing lender adjusts your payment schedule at the same interest rate.