Home Equity Loans – second mortgage

Eddie Lamb asked:




A loan based on the equity of your home is an idea that has had much more interest in recent years. In an economy that was increasing with housing market values rising, the homeowner could assume that a second mortgage would be easy to obtain. A home equity loan comparison between possible types of mortgages and rates in those days would have produced a lengthy list. Today, market prices on housing have reached a plateau, or are falling in some locations. Obtaining home equity loans at present may be more difficult than they were previously.

Defining Equity

Home equity loans are funds loaned against the equity of your home. In an ideal world, home equity comes from three sources. First, the underlying mortgage over time will be reduced because it is being paid off. At the start of the mortgage period, most of the monthly payments are applied to interest and very little against the principal. In a standard mortgage, the monthly amount applied to the principal will increase more rapidly as time goes by.

The second way that equity in a home grows is due to an increase in the market valuation of the home. If the house is worth more and the amount owed remains the same, it is an automatic increase in the home’s value. If the house was sold at the higher market price and the proceeds applied against the mortgage, the homeowner would receive more cash because of the increased equity.

Finally, the home’s equity can be increased by making improvements to the property. Improvements are expected to increase the potential market price of the home by more than the expense of the improvements. Home improvement projects are one of the major reasons for obtaining equity loans.

Why a Loan is Obtained

A loan on the value of the equity, sometimes called a second mortgage, is usually taken out when the homeowner needs significant cash with a relatively low interest rate. A homeowner may discover that home equity loans have lower interest rates than all but a few credit cards and other installment debt. Cash from a second mortgage may be used to zero out high rate credit cards or other charge cards.

Sometimes money obtained from the loan is used to pay for schooling for the homeowner or family member. If major medical expenses have accumulated, a home value loan may be used to eliminate these debts. Any large outlay of cash that is not available through other means can be covered through a loan against the equity of your home.

Factors to Consider

Some of the components that enter into the picture during the application for a second mortgage are the loan amount, the interest rate, the term of the loan and creditworthiness of the borrower. The lender will undoubtedly call for an appraisal to determine if the increased market value provides equity that is more than the value of the second mortgage principal amount.

On the borrower’s side, a home equity loan comparison means looking at the entire personal financial picture, both in the present and in future projections. The homeowner must consider the ability to repay, whether or not the costs and fees applied to the loan will outweigh the immediate benefits, and the terms of the loan itself. As with any legal document, make certain you understand the true cost of the loan and all the terms that go along with it.

Pauline

Eddie Lamb asked:




The home equity loan interest rate that is available when you are thinking about applying for a loan should be a serious consideration in whether or not you choose to get the loan. If however you have financial needs that force you to take out a loan, take the time to review the important factors that impact the rate before choosing a particular lender. A small change in percentage points on the loan can make a significant dollar difference.

Defining the Terms

The amount of home equity is the amount of cash you would receive if you sold the home at market value and paid off the existing mortgage. In practice, this is not usually what happens. Instead the home owner increases the amount of loan against the home based on the increased value of the home. Equity in the home can increase if the market value increases and if the principal portion of the mortgage has been reduced by regular payments.

Where are the Best Loans Found?

Home equity loans are more popular now than in the past, in part because home owners may be looking for a way to pull cash value out of the home to meet obligations. However, the downturn in the housing market may make the home market value lower which means that there is not as much equity or collateral in the home. This makes less money available as collateral for a second mortgage.

How is the Interest Rate Calculated?

The interest rate for your second mortgage is affected by several different factors. If your credit score is high, the interest rate is likely to be somewhat lower than if you have a poor credit score. The amount of the loan you are seeking will affect the interest rate. Your rate may be higher if your loan-to-value ratio is high.

Types of Interest Rates

Interest rates on a home equity loan are usually either fixed or variable. Variable rates tend to be somewhat lower than fixed rates at the beginning, because they offer more protection to the lender. If interest rates in general increase, the rate charged on the individual loan can be adjusted upward. If interest rates in the economy are low, a fixed rate is advantageous for the borrower, since the cost of the monthly payment won’t increase over the repayment period.

Why Do Borrowers Choose a Home equity loan?

The primary reason to get a home equity loan is to take care of large financial obligations such as home improvement, schooling costs or medical bills. Since the loan is secured by collateral in the home, interest rates are usually much lower than increasing your credit card debt. It is for this reason a home equity loan is sometimes used to pay off high-interest credit cards.

Repayment Period of the Loan

In general, borrowers try to spread loan repayment out over a long period, so the monthly payment costs will be less. This practice results in a much larger cost for the interest portion of the loan, since the interest will be calculated on the longer period. Sometimes a lender will reduce the interest rate if the loan is taken for a shorter term.

No one wants to have an unbearable burden of debt, especially in shaky economic times, but sometimes an equity loan is the best option to manage large financial obligations. Before signing on the bottom line make certain that you have the best home equity loan interest rate available.

Claude

Bruce Owens asked:


Second mortgages are allowing Canadians to realize their home renovation aspirations. Canadian homeowners have accumulated significant equity in their homes as housing prices have increased year after year in what has been, until recently, the hottest housing market this country has witnessed since the end of the Second World War. Now that the housing market has cooled, however, Canadians are using some of the equity they have built up to finance significant upgrades to their homes through renovations.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation tracks home renovation trends across Canada. Recently released statistics from the CMHC show that Canadians spent close to $19.7 billion last year in the 10 major urban centers that were surveyed. Overall, 37% of the households surveyed reported that they had completed some form of home renovation in 2007. Canadians reported that the main reasons they undertook renovations were “to update, add value, or to prepare to sell their home.”

Most Canadians- about three quarters – paid for home renovations from their savings; however, 20 per cent of home renovators paid for their renovation project with a credit card or line of credit. Not surprisingly, the average amount spent on renovations paid for with credit was higher than the amount spent from savings – $13,500 versus $11,200.

Indications are that these trends will continue in 2008, as two out of five respondents in Canada’s five largest regional centers – Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax – indicated that they were planning on undertaking home renovations in 2008. With a cooling housing market, and house prices forecast to grow only marginally in 2008 and 2009, home renovations represent one way in which homeowners can act to build in value to their homes.

Home renovations make sense either to enhance the enjoyment of one’s home or to increase its curb appeal in an emerging buyers’ market, but homeowners using savings or, worse yet, credit cards to finance major home renovations risk depleting their assets. Far better, to arrange a second mortgage or line of credit secured against your home’s existing equity when undertaking a major home renovation project.

While savings or credit card debt can readily finance a minor renovation project such as remodeling a bathroom or painting and wall papering – two of the most popular projects according to the CMHC -when undertaking a major renovation, like building an addition or finishing a basement, it makes sense to use a second mortgage secured against existing home equity as second mortgages carry a much lower interest rate than most credit cards. Moreover, second mortgages can be structured as construction loans, where money is borrowed in “draws”or stages as each phase of a major renovation is completed, cutting down the interest you pay during the renovation process.

Second mortgages are available from commercial banks and trust companies, as well as from a wide pool of other financial institutions and private lenders. Generally, they will carry a marginally higher interest rate than a first mortgage, but their carrying costs need not be prohibitive. If you are contemplating major home renovations and plan to finance renovations through a second mortgage, working with an experienced and well-resourced Canadian mortgage broker can help you access favourable terms and interest rates that may not be commercially available from your bank, credit union or trust company.



ELMER

stephanie5 asked:


We have a home that its rent is about half of the mortgage. My husband wants to get a loan with 3 year pre-pay penalty and take out some money as well. This way he wants to lower our monthly payments but at the same time, get the equity as cash. In 3 to 5 years if the housing market is still bad, he wants to let go of the loan and foreclose, and if the market is good, then he wants to sell. We are a little squeezed for money now and I think he is not thinking rashionally. Is this a good thing?? We have a great rate of 6% fixed now on the house, but we got a second mortgage on it that is making our payments a little high. What are the consequences of getting such a loan and should we just try and pay the high mortgage. Who knows what’s going to happen with home prices? This is a house worth 1.2 mil and we owe about 950 thous on it. Help me.

MILES

rollsrock18 asked:


I’m trying to make a financially sound move, deciding whether or not I should take a second mortgage or home equity loan against the equity in my house. Here’s the scenario: 670 median credit score, debt to income is about 40%. House appraised for about 100K, still owe 60K. I have credit card debt and I want to also do home improvement. I have three credit cards, two of which are maxed out because I’ve been doing home improvements with the availability on them. I want to use about 20K in equity to pay off the cards, and use about 5K of it for home improvement so I can sell the house when the housing market improves in a few years.

Should I go for it?

CARROLL