Thinking about refinancing your BDO home loan in 2026? Whether you want to lower your monthly payment, reduce your interest rate, or switch to a different bank entirely, this page answers the most common questions Filipino homeowners ask about the BDO home loan refinance process — from eligibility and documents to fees, timelines, and what rates to expect.
BDO is a Nook partner bank, offering a 1-year fixed refinance rate of 6.00% p.a. — and if you apply through Nook, the brokering service is completely free. If you're currently paying 7% or more on your existing home loan, refinancing could save you tens of thousands of pesos a year. Read on to find out exactly how it works and whether it makes sense for your situation.
BDO home loan refinancing means replacing your existing home loan — whether it's currently with BDO or another bank — with a new loan from BDO Unibank, ideally at a lower interest rate or better terms. The new BDO loan pays off your old loan in full, and you then make monthly payments to BDO going forward.
There are two main scenarios. First, if your home loan is already with BDO, you can apply for a rate repricing or a full refinance to lock in a lower rate when your fixed period expires. Second, if your home loan is with another bank — such as BPI, Metrobank, Security Bank, or Pag-IBIG — you can refinance by switching your loan to BDO entirely. Either way, the goal is to reduce your interest rate, lower your monthly amortization, or both.
BDO is a Nook partner bank, which means eligible borrowers can apply through Nook's free digital service and have the process managed end-to-end without paying any broker fees.
BDO's current 1-year fixed refinance rate is 6.00% per annum. This is the rate available to qualified borrowers through Nook's partner bank program. After the fixed period, the rate will reprice based on prevailing market rates at the time.
To put this in perspective: many Filipino homeowners are currently paying between 7% and 10% on older home loans. At a 6.00% rate, the difference in monthly payments can be significant — especially on loan amounts of 3,000,000 or more. For example, on a 5,000,000 loan over 20 years, dropping from 8% to 6.00% reduces your monthly amortization by roughly 6,000 pesos — or about 72,000 pesos in savings every year.
Please note: Interest rates are subject to change. Always verify the current rate directly with BDO or through Nook before making any financial decisions.
BDO accepts applications from a wide range of borrower profiles, making it one of the more accessible refinance options for Filipino homeowners. General eligibility requirements include:
- Minimum monthly income: 50,000 pesos (gross, combined household income may be considered)
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio (DTI): 40% — meaning your total monthly debt obligations, including the new loan, should not exceed 40% of your gross monthly income
- Employment types accepted: Private sector employees, government employees, BPO workers, OFWs and seafarers, self-employed individuals, and licensed professionals
- Property must be titled in your name or a co-borrower's name, with a clean title (no adverse claims or encumbrances that cannot be resolved)
- Your existing loan must be in good standing — no significant arrears or restructuring history that would flag the application
OFWs and self-employed borrowers are welcome, though additional documentation may be required to verify income. If you're unsure whether you qualify, Nook can do a free eligibility check before you formally apply.
The standard document checklist for a BDO home loan refinance includes the following categories:
Personal and identity documents:
- Valid government-issued ID (two copies, front and back)
- Signed application form
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
Income documents:
- For employed applicants: latest 1 month payslip, Certificate of Employment with compensation, ITR (BIR Form 2316) for the last 2 years
- For self-employed applicants: ITR for the last 2 years, audited financial statements, DTI or SEC registration, and latest 6 months bank statements
- For OFWs: employment contract, POEA validation, proof of remittance, and payslips if available
Property documents:
- Photocopy of the Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) or Condominium Certificate of Title (CCT)
- Latest tax declaration (land and improvement)
- Real property tax receipts (amilyar) for the current year
Loan-specific documents:
- Statement of account from your current lender showing outstanding balance
- Latest 12 months' statement of loan payments
Nook can help you organize and review your documents before submission to minimize back-and-forth with the bank and avoid delays.
BDO's typical approval timeline for home loan refinancing is around 30 days from the date of complete document submission. However, the total end-to-end process — from application to loan release — can take longer depending on the complexity of your file and how quickly third-party steps (like property appraisal and title transfer) are completed.
Here's a general breakdown of the refinance timeline:
- Days 1–5: Document preparation and submission
- Days 5–15: BDO credit evaluation and property appraisal
- Days 15–30: Loan approval and issuance of commitment letter
- Days 30–45+: Loan release, payoff of existing loan, annotation of mortgage, and title transfer (if switching banks)
If you're switching from another bank to BDO, the process may take slightly longer because your existing lender needs to release your title and the original mortgage must be cancelled before BDO can register the new one. Nook's team actively follows up with both banks on your behalf to keep the process moving.
Refinancing is not free — there are legitimate transaction costs involved that borrowers should factor into their savings calculation before deciding to proceed. Common fees for a BDO home loan refinance include:
- Appraisal fee: Typically 3,500 to 5,000 pesos depending on property location and size
- Mortgage registration fee: Based on a sliding scale from the Registry of Deeds, usually 0.25% to 0.50% of the loan amount
- Notarial fee: Usually 1,000 to 2,000 pesos
- Documentary stamp tax (DST): 1.5 pesos per 200 pesos of the loan amount (approximately 0.75% of loan value)
- Cancellation of old mortgage: Fees to discharge the previous bank's lien from the title
- Prepayment penalty from existing lender: If you're still within a fixed-rate period, your current bank may charge a prepayment penalty — typically 1% to 3% of the outstanding balance. Check your current loan terms first.
Nook's brokering service itself is completely free to you as a borrower — Nook is compensated by the bank, not the applicant. This means you get professional guidance and end-to-end support at no cost.
As a rule of thumb, if your total refinancing costs are covered within 12 to 18 months of interest savings, refinancing is likely worth it. Nook can help you run this calculation specific to your loan.
Your savings depend on your current interest rate, outstanding loan balance, and remaining loan term. Here are three realistic examples to illustrate the potential:
Example 1 — Loan of 3,000,000, 20-year term
At 8.00%: monthly payment ≈ 25,093
At 6.00%: monthly payment ≈ 21,494
Monthly saving: ≈ 3,599 | Annual saving: ≈ 43,188
Example 2 — Loan of 5,000,000, 20-year term
At 8.50%: monthly payment ≈ 43,391
At 6.00%: monthly payment ≈ 35,823
Monthly saving: ≈ 7,568 | Annual saving: ≈ 90,816
Example 3 — Loan of 2,000,000, 15-year term
At 7.50%: monthly payment ≈ 18,522
At 6.00%: monthly payment ≈ 16,891
Monthly saving: ≈ 1,631 | Annual saving: ≈ 19,572
These figures are illustrative estimates. Your actual savings will vary. For a personalised calculation based on your exact balance and current rate, speak with Nook — the assessment is free and there's no obligation to proceed.
Yes — BDO accepts refinancing applications from borrowers who currently have home loans with other banks or lending institutions. This is sometimes called a bank switch or balance transfer refinance. Commonly refinanced sources include:
- BPI, Metrobank, Security Bank, RCBC, UnionBank
- Chinabank, PSBank, Robinsons Bank, EastWest Bank, PNB
- Pag-IBIG (HDMF) — one of the most common switches, especially for borrowers whose Pag-IBIG rate has repriced higher
- In-house developer financing from property developers
The process for switching from another bank to BDO involves BDO paying off your existing loan balance and taking over the mortgage on your property. Your old bank will cancel its lien, and BDO will register a new mortgage in its favour.
If you're considering switching from your current bank to BDO, this guide on how to switch to BDO and cut your monthly payments walks through the full process step by step.
This is one of the most important questions to answer before refinancing, and the honest answer depends on your specific loan details. Here's how to think through it:
Reasons to stay with BDO and reprice:
- Lower transaction costs — no need to cancel and re-register a mortgage with a new lender
- Faster process — repricing within BDO can sometimes be done in under 2 weeks
- Existing relationship and familiar processes
- BDO's 6.00% rate is already competitive versus many alternatives
Reasons to switch to a different bank:
- Another bank is offering a materially lower rate (e.g., 5.99% through Nook's best available rate)
- Your current BDO fixed period hasn't expired yet and repricing isn't available
- You want a longer fixed period or different loan features not offered by BDO
- You've had service issues and prefer a fresh start with a new lender
Nook compares rates across multiple partner banks simultaneously, so you can see all your options side by side — including BDO — before making a decision. The comparison is free and the choice is entirely yours. You can also read more about how to compare banks and lower your rate in 2026 to understand the full landscape.
Nook is the Philippines' first digital mortgage broker, and applying through Nook is completely free for borrowers. Here's how the process works:
- Submit your details online: Share basic information about your existing loan, property, and income at nook.com.ph — no commitment required at this stage.
- Free eligibility assessment: Nook reviews your profile and tells you which partner banks you're likely to qualify with, including BDO, and what rate you can expect.
- Document preparation: Nook's team guides you through the exact documents you need and reviews them before submission to avoid errors or delays.
- Application submission: Nook submits your application to BDO (and any other banks you want to compare) on your behalf.
- Follow-up and coordination: Nook follows up with the bank, arranges the property appraisal, and keeps you updated at every stage.
- Loan release: Once approved, Nook helps coordinate the final signing, payoff of your existing loan, and mortgage transfer.
You pay nothing for this service. Nook earns a referral fee from the bank upon successful loan release — this does not affect your rate or terms. The rate you get through Nook is the same as applying directly, with the added benefit of expert guidance and multi-bank comparison.