Home Equity Loans – second mortgage

Carrie Reeder asked:




A home equity loan makes it possible for homeowners to gain access to their home’s equity without selling the property. Traditionally, homeowners would have to sell their primary residence in order to access the equity. The money could be used as down payment on a new residence, or used to payoff debts. Fortunately, moving is no longer the only option for tapping into one’s equity.

How is Home Equity Gained?

A home’s equity is the difference between the mortgage amount owed and the market value of a property. Homes and properties gain equity in one of two ways. For starters, as homeowners submit mortgage payments, the overall balance on their mortgage loan is reduced. Secondly, homes acquire equity as a result of rising home values. Within the past two to three years, many housing markets across the nation have witnessed phenomenal housing increases. For this matter, many homeowners have acquired unbelievable equity amounts in a short period.

Purpose of Home Equity Loans

Each homeowner’s reason for acquiring a home equity loan will vary. Common reasons include using the money to eliminate high interest debts. Many people set a goal of becoming debt free. However, due to high finance fees on credit cards, reducing the balance is extremely difficult. In most cases, a lump sum of money is required. Home equity loans provide the required cash.

Additionally, home equity loans are perfect for upgrading or making improvements to a real estate property. Other reasons may include building a cash reserve, starting a business, or paying for a child’s education expense.

Interest Rates on a Home Equity Loan

The most appealing feature of home equity loans are the low rates. Granted, the rate paid on an equity loan will be slightly higher than a first mortgage. Nevertheless, the interest rate is dramatically less than those for credit cards and other loans. Furthermore, home equity loans have short, fixed terms. If using the loan to consolidate debts, homeowners receive an estimated payoff time for their debts. On average, home equity loans can be repaid in as little as three to seven years. Here is a list of recommended Home Equity Lender online. It’s important to use a reputable lender online to make sure your personal information is secure.

Elizabeth

Mark P Knowles asked:




The home equity loan market has shrunk along with many Americans’ home equity, meaning that arranging a loan secured by the house value has become increasingly difficult and expensive. Here, I will explore the reasons behind this situation.

Falling home values

Home equity is the term used to describe the portion of the home that is actually owned by the homeowner. So, as an example, if some one owns a $200,000 home and has borrowed no money against it, they would have $200,000 of equity in the home. As another example, some one who owns a $200,000 home, yet has an outstanding mortgage on the property of $100,000 would have $100,000 in equity. Simple mathematics.

Now to a more realistic example – Some one has purchased a $200,000 house, using a $180,000 mortgage, and the home has since fallen in value by 25% to $150,000. They would now be considered to have “negative equity,” in that they owe more money on the house than it is worth. They have no equity in the house and will not be getting a “home equity loan.”

Home values in the USA have fallen to around 2003 levels, meaning any buyer who purchased a home using a mortgage in the last six years is almost certain to have no equity. In fact – at the time of writing this (August 2009), only 5% of American homeowners with a mortgage have positive equity in their home. The other 95% are underwater, and almost 14% have more than -25% equity. None of these people are going to be able to arrange a loan, because they hold no equity.

Increased lending criteria

As the banks have continued to suffer heavy losses, and the amount of foreclosures continues to increase, they are being forced to return to rational lending practices. The 100% home equity loan is a thing of the past, along with the so-called “liar loans,” and 125% Jumbo loans.

This they have increased their lending criteria to the point where they will only consider a home loan of 80% of the value of the home. Once the fact that home values have fallen drastically is taken into consideration, this means the home equity loan is a rare beast.

In summary, the home equity loan market is unlikely to pick up in the near future, for the simple fact that very few have any home equity to borrow against. This does not mean that it is impossible to arrange a home equity loan, but it is important to know the value of the home and actually have some equity. This is another issue currently being faced – with falling sales volumes, it is becoming increasingly difficult to accurately value any real estate, and therefore more difficult to accurately assess the level of equity. One thing is for certain; the banks will err on the side of caution when doing so. Homeowner loans are currently only available to borrowers with a “good” credit score and equity to borrow against.

Ruth

Carrie Reeder asked:




Home equity loans are beneficial for numerous reasons. If you own a
home, and need extra cash, obtaining a home equity loan will put cash in
your pocket. The money received can be used for any purpose. Because
home equity loans are dispersed as a lump sum, homeowners usually apply
for these loans to pay for a huge expense.

No-Equity Home Equity Loan Basics

For the most part, the amount received for a home equity loan is
according to your home’s equity. Lenders are reluctant to approve homeowner
for loans that exceed the equity value. However, you may find a lender
willing to offer a no-equity home loan. Also referred to as 125% home
equity loans, these loans are both secured and unsecured. Lenders that
offer these loans will grant you a home equity loan up to 25% more than
your home’s value.

Why Get a No-Equity Home Loan?

125% home equity loans were extremely popular in the 1990′s. In more
recent years, the amount of people applying for these loans has dwindled.
Those who apply for these sorts of loans generally require a large sum
of money, and do not have sufficient equity in their homes. However,
because of rising home values, few people are taking advantage of
no-equity home equity loans.

Dangers of No-Equity Home Equity Loans

While obtaining more than your home’s value may appear to be a solution
to extreme money woes, no equity home loans are very dangerous. Today,
the housing market is strong. Most cities throughout the country show a
22% increase in home values annually.

However, if the housing market was to slow down, and home values began
to fall, those who obtain a 125% home equity loan would likely be
unable to sell their homes. For example, if your first and 125% second
mortgage amounts to $200,000, and you can only sell your home for $150,000,
you are responsible for paying the lender the addition $50,000.

Furthermore, some homeowners are unable to afford the extra monthly
payment of a high second mortgage. If you default on a home equity loan
for three consecutive months, the lender may foreclose. While these loans
are ideal for paying off bills and debt consolidation, some homeowners
fail to close paid off accounts, which results in acquiring more credit
card debt after the accounts are paid.

Dennis

thebuffettour asked:


When we went to refinance in order to take out more money (job loss) we told the mortgage company (biggest one in MI) that we had two mortgages. One was our main and the second was a Home Equity Line of Credit (that this same mortgage company brokered).
The concern was since home values had dropped if there would be any equity left in the home. The banker then came back and said that whenever the Line of Credit was sold from the original company to the second company it became a standard LOC, so we were able to refinance and get money.
The thing is we get interest paid forms for taxes so did the mortgage company make a mistake? How do we find out if the LOC is a Home Equity and if this company actually has a right to money if the house is sold?

JAMIE

The House Team Of Mortgage Intellingence asked:


Your best-performing asset probably isn’t that star mutual fund in your portfolio. Most likely, it’s the roof over your head.

Residential real estate has been on a prolonged and spectacular rise in almost every part of the country. Odds are that – wherever you are in your mortgage – you’ve seen a great increase in your home equity.

Rising home values have made real estate a great investment for Canadians. So good, in fact, that a record number of average Canadian homeowners have a plan to multiply that advantage: by purchasing investment property.

In most cases, these people don’t have wads of cash on hand to plunk down for a second property. What they have is equity in their principal residence. That translates to assets that they can leverage to maximize their real estate investment potential.

Leveraging is a powerful financial strategy. The idea is this: you can access funds for a downpayment on an investment property by tapping into the home equity that’s building in your principal residence. The investment property is managed to provide income to cover the mortgage payments and property expenses. Remember, too, that the interest on the mortgage is tax-deductible for an investment property: another important advantage in building your investment. Many investors keep the leverage strategy going: as one investment property begins to build equity in a rising real estate market, it can be leveraged to purchase another property.

There are many motivations for this kind of investing. In some cases, the investments provide some available income almost immediately. Others see the investment property as a kind of retirement plan: the rent will provide important income at a later date, or the property can be sold to provide a retirement nest egg without the burden of landlord responsibilities.

In university towns, you will often find investment properties that have been purchased by parents. At a time of rising housing costs for students, this has become a sensible strategy: the child has accommodation during their school years, and takes on the responsibility of landlord to other students who rent the extra space to cover the ontairo mortgage.

Investors who are skilled at home improvement will sometimes leverage their equity to purchase an investment property, improve it, and then sell for a profit – progressively building their net worth by capitalizing on both their skills and rising home values.

But the most common reason for purchasing an investment property is simply to capitalize on the wealth-building power of residential real estate. Rising home values continue to give you a steady increase in net worth – whether or not you are pocketing profitable rents. You’ll only want to ensure that the property will cash-flow to cover the mortgage and maintenance costs.

Independent mortgage brokers now have access to a range of mortgage options for investment properties, and can help you assess your situation. One of the most innovative lenders, GMAC, has a mortgage called iinvest, which makes it easier than ever for average Canadian homeowners to purchase investment properties. In most cases, you should anticipate tapping into your home equity for a 25% downpayment on an investment property. (GMAC’s iInvest actually offers approvals up to 85% on mortgages up to $500,000 or $700,000).

How much of your home equity can you access? Let’s say you have $80,000 remaining on your mortgage and your home is valued at $280,000. If a bank will loan 90% of the value, then you have access to $252,000. You still need the $80,000 for your existing mortgage, but that leaves you with a potential $172,000 in available funds. You will, of course, want to make only a minimum downpayment, as it makes good tax sense to hold your larger mortgage on your investment property.

Many wealthy Canadians have achieved their financial success by leveraging small assets to create progressively larger ones. It’s a great way to fatten an investment portfolio, build net worth, or save for an earlier retirement. Best of all, it’s a strategy that’s within the grasp of most Canadian homeowners.



MATTHEW

Dean Shainin asked:


Asking yourself, “Is a home equity loan right for me?” is the first and most important step to take.

Home equity loans have become so popular today because of increasing home values. A home owner can access money for consolidating debt, home improvements, a new car, education or starting a new business.

Emotions can take the place of logic when considering a home equity loan.

It’s a good idea to sit down and take your time before signing up. Educating yourself will benefit you in the long run.

A home equity loan is like having a second mortgage on your home. Suppose your home is worth $200,000, and you have a mortgage against it at $150,000, you will have $50,000 of equity available. Home equity loans allow you to borrow up to 80%, and sometimes more in certain situations, of your homes value. In this situation you could borrow $80,000 as a home equity loan and still have only borrowed 80%.

This is why it is so important to take a good look at your situation before making a decision. You can see how easy it could be to get carried away with a home equity loan.

The second step should be to get an idea of what your home is worth in today’s real estate market. You can look at what others in your area have sold their home for. A realtor can help you with getting an idea of your homes fair market value. Be sure to get a few quotes because some realtors may be interested in inflating your home value in hopes of earning your business.

When you have an approximate figure, you can get an idea of how much equity you have in your home. At this point you should have an estimate of how much money you need to borrow. It’s best if you can avoid borrowing up to the full 80% of your homes value.

This is where some home owners get carried away with their emotions and logic goes out the window. It can be so easy to say, I have $60,000 available and I really only need $40,000 for remodeling my kitchen and bathrooms. Why not borrow $50,000 so I can go on my dream vacation. It’s important to remember that the more you borrow, the higher your payments will be. This is simple logic. But, emotions can take over and you can end up having a tough time paying back the home equity loan, with the risk of losing your home.

The third step is to figure out what type of home equity loan you want. In today’s market, there are two popular types of home equity loans. A line of credit and a closed end loan.

With a line of credit, it is just like having a credit card with a large credit limit. Depending upon the bank, you may be required to make minimum monthly payments. Others may only have you make payments if you’re at your credit limit. If you have had problems with high credit limits in the past, this may not be a good idea. It’s best to have discipline with a line of credit and big credit limits.

Having a closed end loan is just like your standard home mortgage loan. You borrow the money for a set period of time and make monthly payments until the loan has been paid off.

The fourth step is to figure out how long you want to borrow the money. This is where mortgage calculators can help you. It’s easy to find them online and helps you to avoid having to talk to a loan broker before you are ready. Try different time frames to see what you can and can not afford. Be sure to decide if you’re going to take a line of credit or a closed end loan before you put in your figures. This is an important step to see how much you can afford repaying on a home equity loan. It’s best again to use logic, not emotion in regards to how much you can afford to repay.

The fifth step after choosing the home equity loan you want, is to find a good bank or lender. Shopping online can save you valuable time. Banks and lenders are very competitive for your business online. You can use this to your advantage and save money on fees. Be sure to look over the fine print of your home equity loan contract before signing anything. Read everything, and if you have a questions be sure to have them answered first. Be very clear on everything and take your time.

A home equity loan is a great way to help you take care of things you would like done or feel you need. If done properly , a home equity loan can be a valuable resource. Educate yourself to find out what is best for your situation. Try not to compare your situation to someone else. Only you know what is best for you. Home equity loans can be a big windfall or a big headache. It really depends upon you taking the time to research your options and choosing the right loan.



WENDELL