Home Equity Loans – second mortgage

Brian Jenkins asked:


Second mortgages and home loans are among the most popular ways for homeowners to get extra cash for important life events. Also known as home equity loans, second mortgages allow you to borrow money “against the equity in your home”. The concept sounds simple enough, but there are things that you should understand about second mortgages before you agree to take one out.

A second mortgage uses your home as collateral.

Ads for second mortgages don’t always make it clear that they are secured loans. That may sound good, but the security isn’t for you – it’s for the bank. When you take out a second mortgage, you are promising the lender that if you can’t make the payments; they can get their money back by selling your house. That is the single most important thing you need to understand about second mortgages. If you default on a second mortgage, you CAN lose your home.

There are good and bad reasons to take out a second mortgage.

Those same ads also often use tempting images to convince you that taking out a second mortgage for fun things is a good idea. Why wait for that cruise when you can put your house on the line to finance it? It’s best to use savings and earnings for fun things and luxuries. A second mortgage is a great way to fund things that will last and give you a return on your investment. Among the best reasons for a second mortgage are



paying for education and training

Education and training can make an enormous difference in your life or the lives of your children. Borrowing money to allow you to change your life for the better is a good investment.

making improvements or repairs to your home

Increasing the value of your home is another excellent reason for taking out a second mortgage on your property. This holds true whether you are making improvements and repairs in order to make your house more marketable, or simply to increase your own enjoyment of it. In either case, you’re using borrowed money to increase your own wealth, one of the best reasons for borrowing.

paying for once in a lifetime events

A wedding can set you back by tens of thousands of dollars. If you can find a second mortgage with payments that fit your monthly budget, taking out a loan against your home can allow you to pay for important lifetime events that you can’t pay for all at once. A better choice for this kind of purpose may be a home equity line of credit, though.



The amount that you can borrow is determined by the amount of equity you have.

The equity you have in your home is the difference between the amount that your home is worth and the amount that you still owe on your mortgage. Here’s a quick example to help you understand.

Suppose you bought a house for $200,000, and put down a down payment of $20,000. The day that your mortgage closes, your home equity is the same as your down payment – $200,000 (home value) – $180,000 (amount owed on mortgage) = $20,000 (equity). Now imagine that five years have passed, and you’ve made your payments faithfully. You’ve paid down $13,000 on your mortgage, and now owe $167,000 on it. Your home’s value has increased to $250,000. Your home equity is now $250,000 (home value) – $167,000 (amount owned on mortgage) = $83,000.

Depending on your credit and the housing market, you may find lenders who are willing to lend you up to 125% of your home equity, but it’s more common for them to lend 60-80% of home equity. Thus, with $83,000 in equity, you may be able to borrow from $49,800 to $103,750.

The interest rate that you’ll be offered is dependent on your credit rating.

As with any other loan, the interest rate on your second mortgage will depend on how good your credit rating is. The better your credit rating, the lower your interest rate will be. You can affect that interest rate by taking the time to clean up your credit before starting to look for a second mortgage.

Shopping around for second mortgage rates is always a good idea.

Don’t just take the first second mortgage that you’re offered, though. Every lender has different ways of factoring in credit ratings and other factors, so it’s definitely to your benefit to shop around and get several loan quotes before making a decision.

It can take several weeks to get a second mortgage approval, but there are ways you can speed up the process.

One of the best things you can do in the interests of speeding up the process of loan approval is to get your own home appraisal before applying for a second mortgage. It’s not foolproof, but many lenders will happily take your expert’s appraisal rather than pay for one of their own.



ELTON

Josh Spaulding asked:


A second mortgage, or a home equity loan, is a good option if you’ve got climbing debt and some equity built up in your home. Taking out a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit may be a viable solution for you, but only if you find the right second mortgage interest rate.

You can use the funds from your second mortgage or line or credit in order to pay off debt, do home renovations or consolidate your bills. However, if you’re using it to pay off debt and you don’t do anything to adjust the way that you have been spending money then you’ll end up overspent again in just a few years. Don’t think of a second mortgage as a band-aid to a bad spending habit. Take out the second mortgage but also start using a family budget and control frivolous spending.

That being said, getting a good second mortgage interest rate is definitely possible even in today’s market where interest rates are starting to climb. Even with the increases, they are still lower than they were ten to fifteen years ago. If you have an older home, it’s still a good time to take advantage of the equity built up in your home.

Getting a good second mortgage interest rate is easier than applying for your first mortgage. With second mortgages, there isn’t quite as much paperwork, or as much time to wait for approval. Since you have the collateral of your home you represent a lower risk to the lending institution.

There are two types of second mortgages to choose from: the second mortgage loan and the second mortgage line of credit. Your second mortgage loan acts a lot like your first mortgage. You receive a lump sum of money. The second mortgage has lower closing costs than the first, but you are also paying a higher interest rate with the second mortgage.

The second mortgage line of credit acts like a credit card with a standard credit limit, but a line of credit has a variable rate. The interest will change depending on the month, which can be really great when interest rates are low like they have been lately, but difficult if they are high. You can use your line of credit as long as you have funds, but there is a cap to how much you can spend. At a certain period of time, 5, 10 or 20 years in the future, you won’t be able to borrow on the line of credit any longer and you’ll have to start making standard monthly payments. Up until that point, you can pay off as much or as little as you’d like to each month.

Just like with your first mortgage, you’ll want to shop around to get the best second mortgage interest rate. Determine whether a loan or line of credit would be best for you, and then take steps to improve your overall financial picture by using the equity in your home.



ELTON

Joseph Kenny asked:


There are some alternatives available to the homeowner who needs financial help but does not want to refinance their present mortgage. There are however, at least two main options if some sort of equity loan is desired. You can obtain an equity credit line or a second mortgage loan and there are specific advantages and disadvantages with each one. Money can be saved over time if you take time to choose the loan that best fits your needs. Whatever you decide you will need to know the exact reason you want to borrow and the amount you need to make the loan for.

One of these loan options could be just the right thing to help solve your financial problem. You need to take a close look at both types of loan in order to see which one will give you the best type of service.

The most common form of equity credit is the Home Equity Line of Credit and this option gives the borrower the greatest amount of flexibility. If you want to do much needed repairs or renovations to your home, the best way to make this happen is to use the equity available in a loan that contains an equity line of credit. An equity credit line often comes with a debit card option that allows you to access more money when it is needed. Home improvements can often be estimated to be less expensive than they end up being, so the ability to draw on funds from the equity on your home is a very convenient option of a home equity credit line.

There are some disadvantages of the Home Equity Line of Credit. There could be a higher variable interest rate than with a second mortgage. The lender could make an adjustment in the credit rate at any time because the rates are variable and the changed interest rates could result in higher monthly payments. The interest is not tax deductible, so there are no tax advantages to HELOCs.

There are some definite advantages to a second mortgage. You may choose this option over the Equity line of credit. The interest rates on second mortgage loans are usually fixed rates and this is the main difference between the second mortgage and the equity line of credit. The second mortgage will allow you to borrow a fixed amount instead of having an open account from which to access funds and possibly put yourself into debt. The second mortgage loan can be used as a way to get out of debt. It can be used to consolidate outstanding debts and bring it all under one low monthly payment. You can also use the interest on a second mortgage as a tax deduction.

The biggest risk you encounter with a home equity loan is the fact that you are using your home as collateral for the loan. This is to protect the lender in the event that you fail to meet your loan payment requirements. The decision could be made to foreclose and you could end up loosing your home. Be sure you know just what is at risk when you take out a home equity loan of any type.



COURTNEY

justin narin asked:


Learn the difference between a home equity loan and a home equity line of credit. This introduction also explains the best uses for these loans and your legal rights if you change your mind.

Description

The term “second mortgage loan” is not frequently used by lenders anymore. The traditional second mortgage is now more commonly called a home equity loan. A home equity line of credit is also referred to as a second mortgage. Both loans are backed by the equity in your home, but there are differences between them.

Home Equity Loan

The home equity loan is similar to the traditional second mortgage your parents may have had. Equity is the difference between the current market value and the principal balance of the mortgage loan. A home equity loan uses that difference as collateral for a second loan against your home. It doesn’t replace a first mortgage. Because it will be the second debt paid if you default on your loans, it has a higher interest rate than a comparable first mortgage. Most home equity loans have a fixed rate, although some are offered as adjustable rate mortgages. With a home equity loan second mortgage, you receive a lump-sum payment in cash and then repay the loan over a fixed period of time.

Home Equity Line of Credit

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) also uses the equity in your home as collateral. Rather than a fixed sum of money, your lender issues you a credit line with a fixed limit. You access the money by writing checks or using a debit card linked to it. HELOCs have a variable interest rate that is based on the current prime rate plus a percentage. You may borrow funds any time between the issuance of the credit limit and its expiration date, which can be anywhere from three to ten years. Your repayment terms and amounts vary depending on the amount borrowed and current interest rate. Most HELOCs require you to remove an initial sum and not repay it until the line of credit expires. Most also require a minimum withdrawal each time you access the funds.

How to Use a Second Mortgage

Regardless of which type of second mortgage loan you choose, second mortgages should only used to:

Make home repairs

Remodel your home

Pay education expenses for you or your child

Reduce other debts

In other words, a second mortgage should be used to improve your child’s or your financial future. It should not be used for non-real estate investments or purchases of consumer goods like televisions, cars, boats, or other big-ticket items.

Second Mortgage Right of Rescission

You have three business days, not including Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, from the date you sign your home equity loan documents to cancel the loan without cost to you. The loan must be against your primary residence. If you used the same lender as your original loan, then you only qualify for rescission if you increased the amount of your original loan with a cash-out refinance or took out a home equity loan. You can rescind any mortgage refinance or home equity loan within the three day period if you used a different lender.

For more articles and suggestions, visit http://www.Bills.com



GRAHAM

Arash Svd asked:


A second mortgage is a loan you get in addition to the first mortgage that you have already registered for your home.

Second mortgage rates are generally higher because second mortgages are relatively riskier for the lenders. In order for you to understand why it is so, and decide whether or not a certain second mortgage rate is reasonable, let’s have an example of a second mortgage.  

Imagine the value of your home in Canada is $350,000 and you have already got a $200,000 mortgage for your home through a mortgage company In Canada. The remaining will be $150,000 ($350,000 minus $200,000). This is your home equity. In other words, this is the part of your home value that you have not received a mortgage for. Therefore, you don’t owe this much of your home value to a mortgage company.

Now imagine that you need $100,000 for a reason. Because your home equity is $150,000, you can then ask for a $100,000 loan, which is less than $150,000. This new amount that you get as a loan is called a 2nd mortgage. Sometimes second mortgage might be also called home equity line of credit or home equity loan, but they are second mortgages if they are taken in addition to your first mortgage.

In Canada, in order to get a better interest rate, your second mortgage must be insured and the mortgage default insurance premium will be then added on top of your basic loan amount. Although it may first seem that the amount of your second mortgage has been increased, you will usually have lower rates for you mortgage with lower monthly payments when you insure your second mortgage.

In a fixed rate mortgage, as the name suggests, the interest rate for your mortgage is fixed for an appointed period of time which in Canada is usually between 6 months to 25 years. The good thing about a second mortgage with a fixed rate is that you know how much you are paying for a set period of time which is technically called ‘term’.

In contrast, you may want to go for a second mortgage with a variable rate. This means that the fluctuation in the interest rate will determine how much your monthly payment will be appointed for the principle of your mortgage and what portion to be appointed for the interest. If interest rates go down, more of your payment will help reduce the principal of your second mortgage; if rates go up, a larger portion of your monthly payment will be appointed to cover the interest rather than the principle. Although interest rates may fluctuate from month to month depending on market conditions in Canada, the payments of your second mortgage are fixed for a period of one to two years.

Because second mortgage rates, and generally mortgage rates, change quite frequently, you many want to choose a longer-term mortgage if you don’t want to involve yourself with the rate changes. But if you want to choose a more flexible option, a shorter-term mortgage then allows you to potentially take advantage of lower rates.



MARLON

Jim Wilson asked:


With the many loan options around today, you most likely want to hear how second mortgage loans compare. This report presents a number of great tips and constructive hints as it relates to why using a second mortgage is the perfect way to get your hands on some much needed cash.

Each time you set up a second loan, your house is used for collateral to give security to the lender. Second mortgage equity loans are arranged to provide lump sums of cash to the homebuyer, which you repay on a set arrangement. The cash could then be used for most any function; though, it is recommended to pay off debts, instead of spending like mad. The loans might be utilized to pay off school fees, which is a wonderful idea, given that the loans for college tuition could lead to problems. Otherwise, if you establish a second mortgage equity loan, you may want to renovate your home or beautify your house for increased equity.

Loans are alternatives for everybody, but if you have credit issues, then the second mortgage equity loan may be in your best interest. House equity loans are designed to offer higher rates, because it is a second loan; although, the rates are factored by the secured interest rates on credit cards and other loans. Stated in other words, you are getting a loan to pay out the higher interest rates on credit cards, car loans, or other secured loans and paying new interest on the current loan.

If you have debts, a second loan can be useful. Many lenders will offer wonderful repayment rates on secondary loans. Lets say, if you established a loan contract for $10,000 in credit card debt at 14%, then a secondary loan repayment would be $278.

Compare with using a 2nd mortgage. If a customer takes out a secondary loan of 16% on a home equity loan over a fifteen-year term then the repayments would be around $135. Thus, you can see second mortgage equity may well be of value.

If you want to hear more with regards to how equity loans can help you for your circumstances, a little internet browsing research will definitely help. You can visit our site below. There are tons of companies that present second mortgages, so you’ll have a colossal selection to choose from when you’re equipped to make your final decision.



ISSAC

justin narin asked:


What is Home Equity?

 

Purchasing a home is a huge life event. It’s an investment that, over time, could yield a significant increase in value. As the years progress, the value of your home could increase. If and when the time comes to sell, hopefully you’ll find that you can get more money for your home than what you originally paid for it; yielding you a profit.

 

But the resale value, or even the appraised value before a sale, of your home is not the only value your home contains. When you purchase a home and make payments on your home mortgage, you start building what is called home equity. Home equity is the difference between the current value of a home and the amount still owed on the mortgage. As the principal of the mortgage amount decreases as a result of monthly mortgage payments, the home equity increases – even if the home doesn’t increase in value. So, you can build home equity from an increase in the potential sale price of a home and from paying down the mortgage debt that you owe on your home.

 

What is the Value of Home Equity?

 

Home equity is money in the bank. Homeowners can borrow against their home’s equity to pay for home repairs and renovations, school tuition, costly medical expenses, and even pay off debt. Your home provides you with financial opportunities not many lenders can provide. Home equity is a significant advantage to purchasing a home and a great financial resource to have. You never know what life will throw at you. It’s always good to have a “nest egg” of readily available built up capital to turn to if you’re faced with a financial crisis.

 

How do I use My Home Equity?

 

If you want to use your home’s equity for home repairs, college tuition, etc. , you first need to get a home equity loan. A home equity loan is a loan based on your home equity. There are two types of home equity loans:

 

1) A second mortgage (a.k.a. traditional home equity loan); and

 

2) A home equity line of credit loan.

 

A second mortgage is a loan where the lender lends you a lump sum, based on your home’s equity, and interest starts accumulating once the loan is issued. A home equity line of credit loan, however, is a loan where the lender presents you with a credit card or checkbook that you can use to make purchases. Just like a second mortgage, the amount you can spend is based on your home’s equity. But unlike a second mortgage, interest on a home equity line of credit loan doesn’t start accumulating until you make your first purchase with the card/checkbook.

 

Both home equity loan types are feasible means to utilizing your home’s equity.

 

Which type of loan you choose is up to you and your specific financial needs. Both loan types are primarily low interest loans and, for most home equity loans, the interest you pay is tax deductible.

 

However, it is important to know that when you take out a home equity loan, it means the lender can reposes your home if you default on your payments. In other words, if you don’t pay your home equity loan in full or default on too many payments, the bank or lender can take away your home and use its current value to pay for what’s owed. So it’s crucial that you maintain your loan payments. A home equity loan is a great financial resource, but if you don’t pay it back, it could end up costing you your home.

 

Purchasing a home is a venture worth taking. The appreciation of your home’s value and the equity you can build make your home a profitable investment that can’t easily be matched.

For more articles and suggestions, visit http://www.bills.com/home-equity-basics-article/

 



HUNTER

michael sterios asked:


A second mortgage is a loan secured against the equity in a property that is not a first mortgage. The second mortgage will come from a different lender than the first mortgage.

A first mortgage on a residential property is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and covered by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. A secured loan, however, is not covered by the Act.

Instead, an individual who obtains a second mortgage is entitled to several different forms of protection depending on the value of the loan.

Knowing the facts about a second mortgage and the remedies available to the borrower upon default is important considering the second mortgage will be secured against the borrower’s home.

A second mortgage with an initial value of less than £25,000 will be regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

Borrowers should be made aware that the Consumer Credit Act provides for a seven day cooling off period. During this time they can assess the terms and conditions of the second mortgage and redeem it if they feel the product is not right for their needs.

A second mortgage with an initial balance exceeding £25,000, however, will not be regulated by the Consumer Credit Act.

Because of this, borrowers should take out an insurance policy that will offer them protection if they cannot make the payments on the second mortgage due to accident, sickness, unemployment, or death.

There are many different policies available from various insurers to cover the payments on a second mortgage and terms and conditions vary considerably. Borrowers should research the market thoroughly before signing up to a policy.

If a borrower does fall into financial difficulty and cannot keep up the repayments on their second mortgage, they should contact the lender immediately to discuss possible solutions.

This is because a second mortgage is secured against the borrower’s home and if the borrower defaults on their repayments the lender has the right to repossess the property and sell it in order to recover the funds.

Because of the risks involved with borrowing money through a second mortgage, potential applicants should consider the downside carefully. Applicants should also consult with an independent mortgage broker to receive impartial and expert advice before securing a second mortgage against their home.



LAVERN

Andrew Bicknell asked:


A second mortgage can also be referred to as a home equity loan. It is in essence a secured loan that is second, or subordinate, to the first mortgage against the property. The key issue for anyone getting this type of loan is the amount of equity they have in their home. This will ultimately determine the amount of money that can be secured for the home owners use.

Equity is the amount of money that is paid down on the home, or it can be the value of the home minus any loans owed on the home. The main reason for taking out a second mortgage is to take equity from your home and turn it into cash in pocket. What this means is that if you have enough equity in your home you can borrow money using your home as collateral. There are three basic types of loans to choose from: the traditional second mortgage, a home equity loan, or a home equity line of credit.

A second mortgage should not be confused with a mortgage refinance or re-mortgage. When you refinance your first mortgage you are replacing your old loan with a new loan, usually at a better interest rate. A second mortgage, or home equity loan, is another loan in addition to the primary loan, which will result in two monthly payments. It is important to distinguish the two to make sure that two payments will not seriously affect your monthly budget.

The interest paid on a second mortgage, up to the first $100,000 borrowed, is tax deductible provided that the loan is on your primary residence. It should be noted that interest rates on home equity loans are generally higher than a first mortgage, usually in the 2-4% higher range. But the interest rate on a this type of secured loan will be lower then on an unsecured loan, such as a car loan, and much, much lower then you will find on a credit card.

The common reasons to get a home equity loan are to pay off high interest credit cards or other higher interest rate debts, refurbishing the home, urgent family matters such as education, medical, etc. This is called debt consolidation and refinancing and is a good way to tap the asset value of your home to meet your investment and budget needs, and helps you avoid incurring high interest unsecured debt like credit cards. If you have extensive credit card debt, and are not making progress in paying it off on a monthly schedule, a second mortgage may be a good move.

There are a couple of things that anyone getting a home equity second mortgage should be aware of. A second mortgage puts a second charge on your home, meaning that the second mortgage provider can take a share of any proceeds if your home has to be sold.  What is worse, if you pay the first mortgage but fail to pay the second, that mortgage provider can seize your home, even if the sum involved is relatively small.

Getting a second mortgage home equity loan can be a good way to use the equity in your home to do any number of things. Like all financial decisions using a second home loan should be carefully considered in all aspects. If it makes sense and fits within the monthly budget then it is something to be strongly considered.



BRADY

MLS Reverse Mortgage asked:


Foreclosure filings were reported on 2.3 million U.S. properties in 2008, an increase of 81 percent from 2007 and up 225 percent from 2006, according to the RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report released January 15, 2009. The soaring number of forclosures have sent ripples through the housing and banking industry with the affects being felt by millions.

According to RealtyTrac, California, Florida, Arizona posted the highest 2008 foreclosure totals. A total of 523,624 California properties received a foreclosure filing in 2008, the nation’s highest state total. Foreclosure activity in the state increased nearly 110 percent from 2007 and nearly 498 percent from 2006. With 385,309 properties receiving a foreclosure filing in 2008, Florida documented the second highest state total. Florida foreclosure activity increased 133 percent from 2007 and nearly 412 percent from 2006. Arizona’s 2008 total of 116,911 properties receiving a foreclosure filing was third highest among the states. Foreclosure activity in Arizona increased 203 percent from 2007 and 655 percent from 2006. Other states with Top 10 totals for 2008 were Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Nevada and New Jersey.

With mounting job losses and a weakening economy, forclosures and mortgage delinquencies are expected to continue to rise. The nation’s unemployment rate shot up at the end of the year, reaching 7.2 percent in December — its highest level since early 1993, according to a Labor Department report release January 9, 2009. That puts U.S. job losses at 2.6 million for 2008.

However, with all this doom and gloom in the housing market, there is a glimmer of hope for senior homeowners 62 years of age and older. That hope comes in the form of a HUD Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) or Reverse Mortgage. Those who have obtained a reverse mortgage need not be concerned with the increasing forclosure rates and whether or not they can make their mortgage payments. With a HECM reverse mortgage, there are no monthly payments required. 

Borrowers remain in their homes for life and never have to worry about making a mortgage payment again. All they need to do is keep the property in good repair, pay their property taxes and keep their homeowners insurance current and paid. 

For seniors who currently do not have a reverse mortgage, now may be the time to explore the option. It does not matter if a senior is currently late on their mortgage. They may still qualify for a reverse mortgage. To qualify all borrowers on title must be 62 years or older, occupy the property as their primary residence and not currently be in a bankruptcy. That’s it! 

MLS Reverse Mortgage has helped save several seniors who were months away from losing their homes. 

So, in these tough economic times, there is still hope for seniors looking for mortgage payment relief or cash out to enjoy life’s pleasures.

Learn more online: http://www.mlsreversemortgage.com



JOESPH