The application process for a mortgage refinance is very similar to what you experienced when you purchased your home. You consult with a mortgage lender, have the home appraised, complete a home loan application, and supply the required documentation to verify your income and assets. You'll have to pay closing costs, but they should be lower than they were when you purchased the home. When the refinance mortgage funds, the new lender automatically pays off the old mortgage lender, including any prepayment penalties, and transfers any remaining funds to you. The old lender releases its claim on the home, and the refinance lender files a new one.