What Does Refinance Wave Mean?A situation where a large amount of mortgage refinancing occurs as a result of a drop in interest rates. The larger the drop in rates, the larger the "wave". A refinance wave can be triggered by a drop in short-term interest rates, in which case borrowers might refinance out of long-term, fixed-rate mortgages into short-term, adjustable-rate mortgages. Alternatively, a refinance wave might be triggered by a rise in short-term interest rates, in which case the same borrowers who refinanced into adjustable-rate mortgages will refinance into fixed-rate mortgages to avoid further increases in the rate on their adjustable rate mortgages.