Homeowners who refinanced or bought when mortgage rates were unusually low have a real financial advantage. Giving up that rate can be painful, especially when the next mortgage payment is higher. But a low rate is a financing benefit, not a guarantee that the home still fits.
Start by valuing what you would actually be giving up
Compare the current principal-and-interest payment with the likely payment on the next home, but do not stop there. Include property taxes, insurance, HOA costs, utilities, maintenance and any major repairs your current home will need if you stay.
Then value what the move would solve
People move because the house is too small, too large, too far from family, poorly suited to aging, inconvenient for work or simply no longer aligned with the life they are living. Those problems have a cost too, even if they do not appear on a mortgage statement.
Equity can offset part of the payment shock
Longtime Denver-area owners may have substantial equity. A larger down payment, a less expensive replacement home or downsizing can reduce the amount that needs to be financed. In some cases, the current home's equity changes the move more than the old interest rate does.
The decision is personal, but the comparison can be objective
The useful question is not simply, 'Why would I ever give up this rate?' It is, 'What does staying cost me, what does moving cost me and which option fits the next several years better?' A side-by-side sale-and-purchase analysis can make that answer much clearer.
Related resources
Your First Denver Home May Be the Down Payment on Your Next One
Downsizing in Denver: What Your Home Equity Can Actually Make Possible