Upside Down? You Can Refinance Up to 125% of Your Home's Value

You can refinance up to 125% of your home's value. Even if you owe up to 125% more on your mortgage than your home is worth, you may be able to refinance. For example, if your home is worth $200,000 but you owe more than that, qualifying homeowners can now refinance up to $250,000.

The Making Home Affordable program was initially structured to accommodate homeowners with a new loan to 105% of their home's value. However, that amount has been increased to 125%. There are requirements to qualify including whether your loan is currently owned by either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. You can find out if your loan is held by either agency by visiting http://makinghomeaffordable.gov/loan_lookup.html.