Home Equity Loans – second mortgage

MIKE SELVON asked:


If you intend to rent a house or apartment your entire life, this audio program may not be of any use to you. But then again, you may find yourself owning a piece of property and wondering what your home equity is and how it affects your house. Each house owner has to deal with home equity from the moment they sign the mortgage papers.

Over the course of the ownership, your equity builds and you might wonder how to benefit from all of those payments. Equity can also help you when it comes time to sell your house and purchase another. For first time home owners equity can be confusing but with a little research and investigation, you can understand the value of your house and how you effect how you build up equity. Keep reading this article to understand how growth affects buying, selling and owning a house.

What is home equity?

Home equity is the amount of monetary difference between what is owed on the home and what the home is worth. It can vary according to what the condition of the home is and how much work you have put into the home. Some times home equity can go up without you doing anything at all.

If the neighborhood prices begin to soar, your equity can rise as well since your assessment and value will rise. Home equity is a great thing to have in case you have an emergency.

If I buy a home, how long should I wait before using my home equity?

You should wait as long as possible before using that equity. You do not want to use it unless you absolutely must because it means another payment you have to make. Yes, the equity is yours but you should only use it in case of emergencies or to pay off other bills that may be draining your finances. Many people will pay off credit card debts, college tuitions, or medical bills with a second mortgage.

How does home equity affect my mortgage?

Unless you refinance your mortgage, your home equity will not really be a factor in it. It will be a factor in whether or not you can take out a second mortgage. Most people, if they have a huge house payment and have built up a sizeable growth, will refinance their loan to a better interest rate and a lower payment. This helps keep their budget more manageable and may even allow them to pay the house off quicker because it allows them to make more payments to the principle.

Does it affect my interest rate?

Unless you refinance your mortgage to a better interest rate based on your available equity, it will not affect your current interest rate. If you have made all of your payments on time and your credit rating has increased, it may be a great idea to refinance your mortgage to receive a better interest rate.

But you need to pay attention to the mortgage company’s interest rate at that time. You definitely do not want to refinance only to find out that you are going to pay a higher interest rate. You also want to stay away from Adjustable Rate Mortgages that have interest rates that change. You could have a low payment one month and the next have one that is suddenly doubled.

What happens to my home when I die?

When you pass on and the proceeds from the home sale exceed the amount left owed the bank or mortgage your heir will receive the profits. If there are still amounts left to pay, your heir will need to refinance the amount and pay off the remaining debt or let the bank repossess the home.



LINWOOD

Dina Wilson asked:


If you are a homeowner and looking for larger loaned amount at cheaper rates then your home can play a vital role of collateral; as it acts as much resourceful for availing best features of home equity loans.

Home equity loans allow the borrower to consider their heavy weigh expenses in easy and smooth way. Home equity loans support whenever borrower is in need of money. The term home equity means that borrower uses equity in his home as collateral. Simplifying the meaning of equity, it can be said that it is the difference between the market value of borrower’s home after deduction of the debts which are taken on behalf of borrower’s home.

So, Home Equity Loans are secured loans which lower the risk for lender and in respect to that lender offers better terms. Homeowner who is availing home equity loan enjoys interest rate at lower rate and repayment terms with flexibility.

The loaned amount is depended upon the market value of equity; so homeowner must get his equity evaluated from various dealers. The interest rates charged on home equity loans are typically fixed, but borrower can to benefit from variable rate program that are available in the financial market. The term period for home equity loans can vary from 5 to 25 years.

Meeting wedding expenses, major home improvements, consolidating larger amount debts, funding higher education, buying of luxury car, long listed medical bills etc are the most important purchases that borrower can considered for home equity loans.

The home equity loans are secured in nature and lender feels less risky so, borrowers with bad credit history like CCJ’s and IVA, defaults, arrears and bankruptcy can also apply for home equity loans. Borrowers with bad credit too avails easy conditions with the difference in the interest rate i.e. they are offered at slightly higher interest rate.

Borrower can access home equity loans from conventional modes like banks, financial institutions or leading lenders besides that today online mode is ruling the financial market. If the borrower opts for online mode then he can avail ample choice as online mode is flooded away with the online lenders that are ready to offer home equity loans at competitive rates.



CARLO

Jesper Jensen asked:


What are the benefits of a home equity loan? The major benefits are that a home equity loan is a very useful loan when in need of financing significant home repairs, medical bills, etc. Furthermore, home equity loans, typically, have a lover interest rate; they are easier to qualify for when having a bad credit; and, finally, payments may be tax deductible.

A home equity loan, with the acronym HEL, allows homeowners to borrow money by using the equity in their home as collateral, i.e. the homeowner’s pledge of property to lender, to secure repayment of the loan. Thus, the home equity loan creates a lien, a security interest granted over the borrower’s house, and reduces actual home equity. It is common that home equity loans are second position liens, but it is possible that they can be held in first or third position.

Lenders tend to be more liberal in terms of home equity loans, because they consider that these loans are relatively safe. If you default on your loan, you cannot disappear with your property and, consequently, the lender can recollect the collateral. Besides, it is a common fact that homeowners are likely to prioritize payments, when their homes are at stake.

Generally, borrowers use the home equity loan when faced with some of life’s larger expenses due to the fact that houses have a significant value to borrow against; so, whether you want to consolidate high-interest debts, renovate or redecorate your home or finance your children’s education, then a home equity loan may result very attractive.

However, you should be aware of the risks that are associated with the home equity loans. Most importantly, you can lose your house if you fail to fulfill the payments required by the loan. It should also be stressed that you have to be aware of scammers; be sure you can trust your entity.

If you are interested in home equity loans, you should try to find the best loan at your disposal, because you will be able to save a significant amount of money. Try different banks, brokers; ask your personal network if they have any recommendations and be sure to compare the different offers that you receive.



ERNEST

Ken Charnly asked:


A home equity loan can be ideal if you need money for your education, paying your medical bills, or even for the renovation of your home. It is a loan in which the borrower makes use of the equity in his home as collateral against the money lent to him. There are two types of home equity home loans: the closed end home equity loans and the open end equity loans. 

The closed end home equity loan is more of a traditional loan. You can also call it a “second mortgage”. By virtue of the closed end home equity loan, the borrower receives the full loan amount at the time of the closing of the loan. The loan is then meant to be paid back by the borrower in monthly payments in fixed installments. The loan has to be paid back in full by a certain stipulated period of time, like 10 or 15 years.

The open end home equity loan is considered by people who desire flexibility in paying back the lender. In this type of home equity loan, the borrower gets a line of credit instead of the entire amount. The borrower can choose how much money he can borrow against the equity of his home. The borrower has the flexibility to choose the time in which he can borrow the money. These kinds of loans generally have a variable interest rate.

When you shop for a home equity loan, it is important to do enough research. Be wary of lenders who try to take advantage of you and give you a loan which you may not possibly be able to pay back.  It is better to pick a lender of repute or the one which a knowledgeable person recommends.



SAMUEL

Sachin A asked:


Home equity loans have become one of the most popular fund raising options for individuals.

Home equity loans are the loans taken using your home’s equity as the collateral. Thus they are a type of secured loan.

These loans are based on two facts – first, that you have repaid a certain portion of the home mortgage and thus should be able to reutilize that equity; and second that the value of your home has increased since you first purchased it.

The common reasons for taking an equity loan are home improvements, educational expenses, medical bills, debt consolidation etc. There are usually no restrictions on how the borrowed money is used.

The interest paid on such loans is usually tax deductible. Also the interest rates on them are lower than credit card other type of consumer loans. (They are higher than the first mortgage.)

Let’s understand what “home equity” is.

Home equity is defined as the difference between the market value of your home and how much you owe on the mortgage (or mortgages in case you have more than one.)

The market value of your home will be determined by bank’s appraiser or a licensed appraiser.

Suppose market value of your home is $ 100,000 and you have made a down payment of $ 10,000.

Then your equity

= market value – amount owed

= $ 100,000 – $ 90,000

= $ 10,000

After three years if you have paid back $15,000 more of the debt, you will still have $75,000 of the debt left. However after three years the market value of your home would have increased to $ 150,000.

Thus your equity after three years would be

Market value – amount owed

=$ 150,000 – $ 75,000

=$ 75,000

Besides home equity loans (fixed rate home equity loans), there is another type of home equity debt – home equity line of credit or HELOC.

Both of them are known as “Second Mortgages” as they are secured by your home just like the first mortgage.

“Second Mortgages” are repaid sooner than the first mortgages, which are usually repaid in thirty years. Home equity loans usually have a time frame of five to fifteen years.

Home equity loans are a one time lump sum loans, that are repaid over a time period decided beforehand.

On the other hand, home equity line of credit or HELOC allows you to borrow up to a certain limit for the period of the loan. The time limit of the loan is set by the lender. You can withdraw money any time during the time period and repay it any time. It works the same way like a secured credit card.

A HELOC has a variable interest rate that varies through out the period of the loan. The HELOC interest rate depends on the prime lending rate (prime lending rates are fixed by the federal reserve in the US.) The payments can vary depending on what is the amount that has been borrowed, the interest rates and whether the loan is in the draw period or the repayment period.

The credit rating of the borrower is also a factor in deciding the home equity loan interest rates.

The draw period of the line of credit is the period during which you can borrow any amount up to the limit specified by the lender. Also only the interest has to be paid during this period; however you may choose to repay the principal amount if you wish.

During the repayment period, no new debt can be taken and the existing debt must be paid back.

Usually draw periods are for ten years and repayment periods around fifteen years, but this varies depending on the lender’s policies.

Withdrawals for HELOC can be done by checks, credit cards or EFT. Lenders may have certain terms which make require you to take an initial advance when the HELOC is setup, borrow a minimum amount each time you use it and keep a minimum outstanding balance.

If you decide to sell off your home, you have to pay back full amount of the home equity loan.



LUIS

Meghna Arora asked:


Looking for a loan that will give maximized benefits on pledging your home as collateral? Home equity loans are the perfect opportunity that you may be looking for. With home equity loans, you can borrow an amount that is equal to the equity in your home. Equity is the market value of your home minus the pending mortgages on your home.

Home equity loans can be borrowed for any purpose like home improvement, car purchase, funding college education, clearing medical bills etc.

Since home equity loans involve keeping your home as collateral, these are secured loans borrowed for a longer term of repayment. On the basis of how the money is wished to be withdrawn, as a lump sum or in parts as and when the need arises, there are two categories of home equity loans.

The first category is closed end home equity loans which involve the borrowing of money as a lump sum. After this has been done, the borrower cannot borrow any further amount. The maximum amount of money that can be borrowed is determined by factors like credit history, income, and the appraised value of the collateral, among others.

The other category is open end home equity loans. This option is more of a line of credit and is thus called home equity line of credit or HELOC. It involves borrowing money in parts according to the need of the borrower. This borrowing of money extends to a certain amount and time period that has been initially fixed by the lender. This HELOC is more than just a one time loan and can be highly beneficial to the borrower.

Online search for home equity loans can reap more than usual benefits. A low rate of interest can be obtained by thorough research and comparison of quotes. Also the process of approval is speeded up due to online application.

Home equity loans can prove to the best way of borrowing money if you are opting for the secured loans option. A higher equity will fetch more money as a loan and a lower rate of interest to fulfill your needs.



AARON