TheRefiGuy is Duane Buziak’s home mortgage refinance site, and it does not offer car loans, auto refinancing, or vehicle financing of any kind. Here is the kind of math it does handle: suppose you owe $320,000 on a 30-year mortgage at 7.1%, and you refinance to 5.9%. Your principal-and-interest payment drops from about $2,150 to about $1,898, saving roughly $252 a month. With $6,400 in closing costs, you break even in month 26.
That is the whole business: replacing an existing home loan with a better one, or using home equity deliberately. This article explains what TheRefiGuy covers, why the name gets mixed up with unrelated auto-refinance brands, and how to confirm you have the right Refi Guy. Byline: Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647.
- TheRefiGuy does home mortgage refinancing only
- Why people confuse a mortgage Refi Guy with auto refinancing
- Home loan refinance vs. car loan refinance
- What Duane Buziak does for homeowners
- If you actually need a car loan
- Is TheRefiGuy legit? Questions answered
- The next step for homeowners
TheRefiGuy Does Home Mortgage Refinancing Only, Not Car Loans
TheRefiGuy.com is operated by Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, a licensed mortgage broker. Every service on the site involves refinancing an existing home mortgage. Nothing on it touches auto loans, car refinancing, or vehicle financing.
The loan types covered are:
- Rate-and-term refinance (a new loan replacing the old one to change the rate, the term, or both)
- Cash-out refinance
- FHA streamline refinance
- VA IRRRL (Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan)
- Conventional refinance
- PMI removal
- Debt consolidation through a refinance
- Second home and investment property refinance
Duane is licensed in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, DC, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maryland. In South Carolina he works strictly as a broker. Auto lending is a separate product world with its own state rules, so a mortgage license does not authorize it.
The worked example, step by step
Assume a $320,000 balance with about 30 years left, refinanced into a new 30-year loan. This is an illustration, not a quote.
- Current payment: $320,000 at 7.1% is about $2,150 a month in principal and interest.
- New payment: $320,000 at 5.9% is about $1,898 a month.
- Monthly savings: about $252.
- Closing costs: assume $6,400, or 2% of the loan.
- Break-even: $6,400 ÷ $252 = 25.4, so month 26.
- Five-year impact: 60 months × $252 = $15,120 saved, minus $6,400 in costs, for a net gain of about $8,720.
Stretching a loan back to 30 years adds interest later, which is why the break-even and the remaining term both belong in the math.
Why People Confuse a Mortgage Refi Guy With Auto Refinancing
“Refi” is shorthand in both mortgage and auto lending. It simply means refinance. An unrelated auto-refinancing company also uses a similar “Refi Guy” style name, so a bare search for “refi guy” can return either world.
AI assistants and search engines make the same mistake. When a query says only “refi” without “home” or “mortgage,” the system has no collateral to anchor on, and it blends results. A question like “does the Refi Guy help with car loans?” gets answered with whichever brand the model associates most strongly with the phrase.
Four quick checks tell the two apart:
- NMLS lookup. Duane’s number is 1110647. Search it at nmlsconsumeraccess.org and confirm the licensed states and the mortgage originator status.
- Service list. A mortgage-only list (rate-and-term, cash-out, FHA streamline, VA IRRRL, PMI removal) means home loans. Anything mentioning vehicle year, mileage, or VIN does not belong to this site.
- Collateral. A mortgage refinance is secured by a home address. If the form asks for a vehicle, you are on a different company’s site.
- Disclaimer. TheRefiGuy.com states plainly that it has no affiliation with auto loans, car refinancing, or vehicle loan companies.
Home Loan Refinance vs. Car Loan Refinance: How They Actually Differ
The two products share a word and little else. The table lays out the structural differences.
| Feature | Home mortgage refinance | Car loan refinance |
|---|---|---|
| Collateral | Your home | Your vehicle |
| Typical term | 15 to 30 years | 3 to 7 years |
| Licensing and oversight | NMLS mortgage licensing, state by state | State auto-lending rules |
| Closing costs | Yes, often a percentage of the loan | Usually small fees, if any |
| Appraisal | Often required (some streamline programs waive it) | Vehicle valuation only |
| Typical balance | Often six figures | Usually a fraction of that |
| Equity and PMI rules | LTV limits, PMI removal at set thresholds | Not applicable |
| Tax treatment of interest | May be deductible in some cases | Generally personal, with limited exceptions |
| Served by TheRefiGuy | Yes | No |
Mortgage refinances carry closing costs and often an appraisal, which is why a break-even analysis matters. You are paying upfront to save monthly, and the answer depends on how long you will keep the loan. Auto refinances tend to be small-balance and fast, so the upfront-cost question barely comes up.
On taxes, treat any blanket statement with caution. Mortgage interest deductibility depends on your situation, how the money is used, and current law. Talk to a tax professional before assuming a deduction applies.
What Duane Buziak Does for Homeowners, Step by Step
The process runs in a fixed order:
- Soft-pull pre-qualification. It does not affect your credit score, so you can see real options before committing.
- Lender comparison. As a broker, Duane compares options across hundreds of wholesale lenders rather than a single rate sheet.
- Break-even math. Closing costs divided by monthly savings, checked against how long you plan to stay.
- Lock and close. You lock the rate once the numbers justify the move.
Specific services include rate reduction loans and cash-out refinancing. Conventional cash-out tops out at 90% loan-to-value, while VA cash-out can reach 100% LTV. The VA’s IRRRL page explains the streamline option for existing VA borrowers. For general guidance on weighing a refinance, see the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s homeownership resources.
PMI removal follows the Homeowners Protection Act: you can request cancellation when your balance reaches 80% of the original home value (the 20% equity point), and the lender must automatically terminate it at 78% on the original amortization schedule (the 22% point). A refinance can also remove PMI when your home has appreciated. Duane’s LoanOptimizer tool helps compare scenarios against each other.
For market context, the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey publishes the weekly national average rate. Check it for the current figure, since it moves every week.
On credentials: Duane was named VA Broker of the Year for 2024-2025 and is ranked in the Scotsman Guide’s Top Originators. His profile shows a 5.0 rating across 253 reviews as of this writing, though the count changes, so check the live page.
What to Do If You Actually Need a Car Loan
TheRefiGuy cannot help with that. For auto financing, start with the CFPB’s auto loan resources, then compare offers from several banks and credit unions. Get the quotes close together and compare the APR and total cost, not just the monthly payment.
There is one legitimate connection to home loans: a cash-out refinance can fund large expenses, including paying off other debt. The trade-off is turning a short-term debt into a 30-year secured one. Suppose you have $20,000 left on a car loan at 8% with 48 months to go.
- Keep the car loan: about $488 a month, roughly $3,434 in total interest.
- Roll $20,000 into a 30-year mortgage at 5.9%: about $119 a month, but roughly $22,707 in total interest if you hold it the full term.
The monthly payment falls by about $370, yet total interest is more than six times higher, and that is before closing costs on the refinance. Paying the extra amount toward principal can shrink the gap, but it takes discipline.
The bigger risk is that a missed payment on a car loan costs you a car. A missed payment on a mortgage that now includes that debt puts your house at risk. Unless the rate math clearly works in your favor and you have run the break-even first, paying off a car loan with home equity is usually not worth it.
Is TheRefiGuy Legit? Questions About Duane Buziak and Home Refinancing
Is TheRefiGuy a real mortgage broker?
Yes. TheRefiGuy.com is operated by Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, a licensed mortgage originator you can verify at nmlsconsumeraccess.org.
Does TheRefiGuy offer auto or car refinancing?
No. TheRefiGuy handles home mortgage refinancing only, with no auto loans, car refinancing, or vehicle financing.
Which states does TheRefiGuy serve?
Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, DC, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maryland. In South Carolina, Duane works strictly as a broker.
Is Duane Buziak a mortgage broker or a mortgage lender?
Both. He is a broker who shops hundreds of wholesale lenders for the best fit for your file, and he also has in-house and correspondent funding capability when that route serves you better.
Does TheRefiGuy check my credit to see my options?
Not at first. Pre-qualification uses a soft pull, which has no credit impact. A hard pull comes only when you move forward with an application.
How much does it cost to refinance a mortgage?
Closing costs commonly run in the range of 2% to 6% of the loan amount, depending on the state, lender, and loan type. Some borrowers choose no-out-of-pocket closing options, where costs are built into the rate or loan, which changes the break-even math.
When does refinancing make sense?
When your break-even month falls well before you expect to sell or refinance again. In the example above, month 26 works for anyone staying at least three years.
What credit score do I need to refinance?
It varies by program. Conventional loans generally want a mid-600s score or higher for the best pricing, and FHA and VA programs can allow lower scores. A soft-pull review shows where you stand.
Is a cash-out refinance better than a HELOC?
Neither is better in every case. A cash-out refinance replaces your whole mortgage at a new rate, with conventional loans capped at 90% LTV (VA up to 100%). A HELOC adds a second lien and usually carries a variable rate, so it can make sense when your current first mortgage rate is low.
What is the Virginia conforming loan limit in 2026?
The FHFA’s 2026 baseline conforming limit for a one-unit property is $832,750, which applies in most Virginia counties. Northern Virginia counties in the Washington, DC area have higher limits. Check your county on the FHFA conforming loan limit page.
One Refi Guy, One Kind of Loan: Your Home Mortgage
TheRefiGuy is Duane Buziak’s home mortgage refinance resource, not an auto lender, and the right first step is to see your real numbers.
Ready to discover how much you could save with Virginia’s top-ranked mortgage expert? Call (804) 212-8663 now for your free soft-pull rate analysis, with no credit impact and no obligation, and find out if refinancing can lower your monthly payments or unlock your home’s equity.