Home Equity Loans – second mortgage

Veritas et Aequitas () asked:


Okay I asked this question before, however I wasn’t clear on some things.

My mother passed away recently and there is a home that I have been making payments on using her money from a joint account. That money has run out. I will be named executor in a few days, however a mortgage payment is due at the same time.

I do not want to put any money into the home not having any security. She has massive medical bills (even with insurance) and some other unsecured debt.

I want to keep the home and it has supposed equity however it wouldn’t sell for more than what is owed on the home so there is no actual equity, more so because last in 2005 she took out a second mortgage for home improvements.

I want to keep the home and I will pay off the home in full, however not at the expense of being held liable for her debts. It would break my heart to not have time to grieve and go through her belongings.

I will be talking to counsel soon however I am losing my mind in the moment, it’s too much.
They can take everything if they want, because my mother’s soul doesn’t reside in her belongings. I just know in the end they won’t get anything because of obligations before them such as tax and court fees, etc. There is no money to pay them.

DAVIS

melinamenny asked:


 

Getting a Home Equity Loan



Making the decision to take out any kind of loan is worth thinking about, and knowing your options may help make it final. When you take out a home equity loan, you are really taking out a loan on the equity you have invested in your house. If your house is worth $150,000, and you have a mortgage balance of $70,000, then you have built up $80,000 worth of equity. Potentially you may be able to take out a loan on any amount under $80,000. Some lenders will only give a loan on a percentage of the value of the house, usually about 75 percent.

 

Finding a lender may be easy, but it is wise to shop around before you decide what lender to accept a loan from. You will want to make sure you know what the interest rate is, and any other terms the loan will have. Will the home equity loan be a revolving line of credit, or a lump sum? Do you want all you can get, or just a portion of what may be available to you? What will you use the loan for? Is it considered a risky investment? Will the loan be worth putting your house up as collateral?

 

Answering these and any other questions you may have before you actually take out a loan is important, and may help you decide how much of a loan you need, and what terms you want to try to find from a lender.

 

There are Many Uses For a Home Equity Loan



Looking at the possibilities of how you can use a home equity loan may make the reality of your needs, and desires, more attainable. Home equity loans can be used for a variety of things.

 

Many people have a hard time paying down high interest debt they have acquired. Using a home equity loan to consolidate credit card debt, car loans, and any other loans you may be paying on, can save you money that would have been paid on interest rates. It will also help you be more organized by making it easier to keep track of one loan payment rather than many payments each month.

 

Using a home equity loan to pay off medical bills is another possibility. If you have a lot of medical bills you owe or have been putting off treatment for a medical condition because of a lack of money, taking out a home equity loan can be a great help to get the bills paid, and get the treatment you need.

 

Another thing a home equity loan can be used for is to pay off student loans. Student loans are federal loans, and they usually carry a high interest rate. Using a home equity loan to pay them off may end up saving you quite a bit of money, and help keep your credit rating up.

 

You could use a home equity loan to make your home more energy efficient. Putting in new windows or a high efficiency furnace will help lower your utility bills. Needing to spend less on heating your home will give you more money to spend on other things. Making your home more energy efficient also raises the value of your home, so you may be able to sell at a higher price.

 

Another way to raise the value of your home with a home equity loan is to use it to update your home. Insulating it, putting on a new roof, improving the kitchen or bathroom, is an investment in your financial future. Updates increase not only the value of your house, but they also raise the amount of equity you have placed in your home.

 

Putting on an addition, paving your driveway, or installing a pool are some other ways you can use a home equity loan. These things add to the value of your home, and also make it more desirable to buyers when it’s time to sell your house.

 

You could even use your home equity loan to take a long awaited vacation. Using it for recreational purposes may not increase the value of your house, but it would give you some rest and relaxation. This would help remove some of the stress of working and dealing with life on a daily basis. Taking a vacation is an investment in yourself, and can refresh you to the point of helping you think clearly and reduce your stress.

 

Things you may not want to use a home equity loan for



Since taking out a home equity loan requires using your house as collateral, you will want to make sure you are using it for improving the quality of your life, and not taking a high risk with it. Most lenders have standards they follow, and are wary of lending money for things considered a high risk. This protects them from having the loan defaulted on, and it protects you, the borrower, from losing your home.

 

Investing in stocks, new companies, and many other types of investments, is considered high risk. Beginning a new business may be considered a high risk. Taking risks that may cost you your house should be considered at great length. If you want to begin a business, there are other types of loans that may be more beneficial for you. Using a home equity loan for such a venture may end up costing you more than you bargained for.

 

Looking for the best possible deal, and not taking the first loan offered to you, could make a big difference in your finances. Finding an interest rate that will be fair, and terms of the loan that will meet your needs, and help you do what you want and need to do with it, will make it easier to pay it back.

 

Remember, a home equity loan is like a second mortgage, and will mean making a second mortgage payment each month. One good thing about this type of loan is that usually the interest paid is tax deductible, unlike other types of loans you may be eligible for. If you want to read more about the various uses of a home equity loan, visit the FHA website.



COURTNEY

Daryl Stewart asked:


A home equity loan closing cost appeal usually carry a lower initial interest rate than a home equity loan, but its rate fluctuates according to the prime rate, so there is always more of an interest rate risk. Unlike a HEL, where your monthly payment is a set amount, a HELOC enables you to borrow funds as needed and repay as little as interest only each month.

 

When deciding between a Home Equity Loan against a Home Equity Line of Credit, first we need to determine what the money is being used for and how much money are we going to need. Generally, a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) is a better choice for ongoing cash needs, such as college tuition payments or medical bills.

 

Home equity loan allows you to draw money whenever you need money, capped at a fixed limit. There is generally a minimum payment due each month, with the option to pay off as much of the line as you want. The two most popular types of home equity loans are called “open” and “closed.” The “open” loan or a line of credit sometimes called a HELOC.

 

In this loan usually the interest rate is variable tied to the prime rate and the term of the loan can range from five to thirty years. Because the rate is variable the payment amount is as well which might be problematic. Lenders often offer a special starting rate as an added enticement. The other type of loan is a “closed” loan where the amount is a fixed amount for a fixed period at a fixed rate with set payments so at the end of the term the loan is paid off much like a regular installment loan.

 

The rates and term of the loan are usually fixed but because the extra money is unsecured the rates are generally higher than a regular first or second mortgage rate but still lower than credit card rates. With a home equity loan, there are also closing costs that you need to take into account. This refers to the money paid at closing to the lender. It may include one or more of the following fees: a loan origination fee, points, appraisal fee, title search and insurance, survey, taxes, credit report charge and other costs assessed at conclusion.

 

One of the variations which have broad appeal is the 125 home equity loan so selected because the borrowers can get up to 125 % of the current combined loan to value (CLTV). This type of loan is mainly appealing to first time home buyers who may need to spend extra money on furniture, home improvements, landscaping, etc.

 

The extra money can be used for debt consolidation, medical expenses, or college tuition as well .There is such a wide variety of loans you can get using the equity in your home as collateral that it can be confusing. But if you do a little research you can find one that is just right for you and your needs.



SPENCER

Joseph Kenny asked:


Home equity loans are taken where the borrower uses the home as collateral. These loans may be useful for home repair, medical bills or even for education. Most home equity loans require good to excellent credit history. These come in two forms, closed end and open end.

Both of the above types are considered as second mortgages as they are secured against the value of the property just like any mortgages of traditional type. Home equity loans are usually (but not essentially) for a shorter term than first mortgages. In United States, Home equity loans interest can be deducted on one’s personal income taxes.

Closed end loans

The borrower will receive a lump sum on sanction but cannot borrow further. The amount of money that can be borrowed are normally depends upon certain variables like appraisal value of the collateral, credit history of the borrower, income source of the borrower among others.

Normally, the borrower can take up to 100% of the appraised value of the home less any liens, although there are lenders that may go above 100% when doing over-equity loans. However, state law governs in this matter. Closed end loans have fixed rates normally and generally amortized for periods up to 15 years.

Some offer reduced amortization and at the end of the term a balloon payment becomes due. These larger payments may be avoided by paying minimum payment or by refinancing the loan.

Open end home equity loan

Revolving credit loan of this nature is also referred to as a home equity credit loan where the borrower has the option to choose when and how often to borrow against the equity in the property and the lender setting a initial limit to the credit line on the basis of some criteria as mentioned above for closed end home equity loans.

Similar to closed end equity loans, it is possible to borrow up to 100% of the value of the home less any lien. These line of credit are normally available up to 30 years at a variable interest rate. The minimum monthly payment may be as low as only the due interest rate and the interest rate is based on the prime rate plus a margin.

Fees

Following are the list of possible fees that may apply to home equity loan: Appraisal fees, originator fees, stamp duty, title fees, arrangement fees, closing fees, early pay-off, and other costs are added in loans. Surveyor and valuation fees may also apply to loans, but some may get waved. The survey and valuation costs can also be reduced provided the borrower provides his own licensed surveyor to inspect the property under consideration.

Title charges in secondary mortgages or equity loans are fees for renewing the title information. The borrower should read and ask questions about the fees being charged to make himself sure about the fees since all these loans have some sort of fees tagged



THERON

Johns Tiel asked:


The home equity loans are good for one time large monetary plans. The borrower in these loans can use the equity of their home as collateral for getting the required money. Not only the good credit holders, a special type of loan has been made for the bad credit holders too and these are known as the bad credit home equity loans.

Large monetary requirements like buying a car, repairing your house, paying large debts off or paying huge medical bills can be handled with these loans. It offers an amount ranging from £5,000 to £125,000 with a repayment term of 5 to 15 years. For getting this loan amount you must place the equity of your home as collateral. The value of the collateral decides the loan amount in it. So, you may find some lenders that are willing to offer 100 percent of the home’s value.

This equity is decided by finding out the difference between the market value of a home and the value to be repaid. This can be explained with an example- suppose; you have bought a home for £ 100,000 two years ago and have repaid £25,000 to the lender till now. If the market price of that house has now risen to £150,000 then the home equity will be the difference between the money left to pay the lender and the present market price, i.e., £75,000. This home equity, you have to keep as collateral for getting these loans.

These are also said to be the second mortgage as the collateral offered here is the equity of a property. The repayment term too is shorter than the first loan.

Home equity lines of credit are certain kind of loan that holds the greatest advantage of lower interest rates. Tax benefit is another reason for which people mostly prefers to go for these. Thus, the bad credit home equity loans are of good help and use to the borrowers with bad history. CCJs, arrears, late payment, defaults and bankruptcy are allowed here.



JOHNNIE

Veritas et Aequitas () asked:


Okay I asked this question before, however I wasn’t clear on some things.

My mother passed away recently and there is a home that I have been making payments on using her money from a joint account. That money has run out. I will be named executor in a few days, however a mortgage payment is due at the same time.

I do not want to put any money into the home not having any security. She has massive medical bills (even with insurance) and some other unsecured debt.

I want to keep the home and it has supposed equity however it wouldn’t sell for more than what is owed on the home so there is no actual equity, more so because last in 2005 she took out a second mortgage for home improvements.

I want to keep the home and I will pay off the home in full, however not at the expense of being held liable for her debts. It would break my heart to not have time to grieve and go through her belongings.

I will be talking to counsel soon however I am losing my mind in the moment, it’s too much.

RUDOLPH

Susan Jan asked:


There comes a time in many people’s life when we crave for more financial stability and wealth, but a limited fund prevents us from securing what we so earnestly desire. But if you are lucky enough to own a home already, this asset can provide you the means for furthering your dreams through the home equity loan.

You might have heard of people taking out home equity loans for various reasons such as for making home improvements or paying for medical bills or children’s college fees. These types of loans are also widely used for the purposes of debt consolidation.

Your home is the most valuable asset out of all that you possess. You can borrow money against your home on the basis of the value or equity of your house. But what does the term Home Equity actually refer to? In the United States, residential properties are most commonly bought through a mortgage. The mortgage amount can be paid over quite a long stretch of time. After you clear the entire mortgage amount, the property belongs to you. In the meantime, your property builds up a value of ownership; this value is the “equity” of the homeowner. This equity is worked out on the basis of the current market value of your property. The value of equity is calculated by subtracting the outstanding mortgage balance from the current market value of the home. You are eligible to get a home equity loan against this equity value of your home. One thing to remember though is that while your the equity of your home cannot be sold, the financial institutions do not mind lending you money against it.

You have to opt from two main types of loans, namely the traditional home equity loan, popularly known as second mortgage, and the home equity line of credit.

The traditional home equity loan will enable you to borrow a lump sum of money that is to be repaid over a fixed period. On the other hand, the home equity line of credit provides the borrower with a checkbook or a credit card which can be used to borrow cash against the equity of the home.

It is important to make an informed decision before you choose a financial institution from which to take out this loan. It is often not the case that the institution that granted you the first mortgage will offer you the best deal the second time around. So shop around on the internet and choose a bank only after making a thorough comparison.



CALVIN

Melissa asked:


Hi, I’m getting ready to file Chapter 7. I am Reaffirming my vehicle and home. My home has a second mortgage, Home Equity Line of Credit. My payments are all going to the interest and not principal. I have to keep this loan to keep my house. I owe around $15,000.00. My question is after I file, will I be able to get a personal loan through my credit union to pay this 2nd mortgage off so I can pay mostly on principal?
(My Bankruptcy is for all my medical bills, my recent surgery to have cancerous cysts removed from my abdomen cost a fortune that my sucky insurance wouldn’t pick up all of and other medical bills)

ARIEL