SO it's looking like a go on the refinance. Significantly better interest rate, 30-year fixed. My payments do go up-- expected when you're looking for a larger amount-- but I'm also not trying to cash in on all the equity. It's a compromise, trying to get enough to make the repairs and improvements that I need to make, buy out my remaining debt, and have enough left for sometrhing of a savings cushion since the last one got eaten by the tax fairy.

Monthly payments are $5.62 above what my "comfortable" bound was. That's a pretty fine job done by my HRB, Angie.

Whom I shall now shamelessly plug:

Angie's website; realtor/loan officer

Because aside from being hot, she's dead-on good at what she does, and is a stickler for integrity and disclosure.