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I'm certainly not an expert, but I just did a refinance about a month age. I went through my current company, Wells Fargo, and they did a stream-lined loan (not sure if that's what they called it) for about $700 less than the other two lenders I was comparison shopping them against.

I'm not sure where your loan is, but rates are pretty tempting right now. I ended up paying points to buy down another 1/2% from the going rate, dropped to 4.75 on the new loan from 6.5 previously. It'll take me about 19 months to recoup the cost. If I'd had waited, I'd be getting basically the same rate today without paying the points.

Lots of pressure from the loan officers to say those magic words: lock it today. If it's a bank or other major lender, you can always check their websites to get the current rate. They post the new rate at 10am K.C. time, and most of the major companies are going to be offering the same rate. It's the APR you have to look at. You'll notice that even though the companies are offering the same rate, the APRs will be different. Not a lot, maybe .15 or so. The closing agent explained it to me--I just can't remember what she said, something about how costs are financed.

Good shopping to you.