Home Equity Loans – second mortgage

Tab Pierce asked:




You might ask yourself: if a mortgage is for buying a house, why would some borrowers need a 125% home equity loan? A house costs, per definition, 100% of its value, so why the additional 25%? As a matter of fact, many borrowers need it, and even if many lenders don’t offer mortgage that high, it is still possible to find such deals.

125% home equity loans are intended principally for people who bought a house and need to renovate it. Or for borrowers who already have a first mortgage and want to consolidate some debt. Or for borrowers who have some unpredictable problem, like a medical bill or a broken car and just need more funds.

Lenders of 125% home equity loans use your home as collateral for a part of the loan and check thoroughly your income, since it is the guarantee of the other part of the payment. As in other form of loans, a good credit score is also essential.

One drawback of a 125% home equity loan is perhaps that it is almost impossible to get a prime rate for it. Due to this fact, most borrowers won’t use it as a first mortgage. Most borrowers will take an 80% to 90% mortgage as their first mortgage and, if needed, apply for a loan that reaches 125% of the appraised value of their home.

The terms of a 125% mortgage can be as long as of any other mortgage, with prime interest rate or not. It runs from a couple of years up to 30 years and even more in certain cases.

If you decided that you want a 125% mortgage than you normally need to show some proof of income, proof of home ownership, documents of your first mortgage and how much equity you already have in your home (that is value of home minus value of the mortgage). An appraisal is sometimes not necessary, if the appraisal for your first mortgage is less than 12 months old. Sometimes lenders use an algorithm to estimate the value of your home and lend based on this calculation. It is important to shop around not only for better interest rates, but also for better conditions.

The appeal of this kind of loans is its interest rates, which is normally lower than the interest rates of credit cards and consumer loans since they are secured against a home. Additionally, the interest that you have to pay on a home equity mortgage, no matter if it is for 80% or 125% of the value of the property, is mostly tax deductible (consult your tax advisor to know exactly if this applies to you).

If you are considering expanding your loan to consider a 125% home equity loan than take time to study and learn about it, going into this with full understanding will help you.

Stephanie

rsc asked:


I have about $60,000 in my cash accounts (banking and savings). Some of this money is in a savings account that I would consider my emergency funds. I have a very generous retirement program of about 12% of my salary, which has been established for about the last 6 years. I am 33 years old, with a wife that has a job and a generous retirement plan and 1 baby.

I have some other small mutual funds that I started from savings which are 3-10 years old and have a current value of approximately 12,000 dollars.

I have a mortgage. We purchased it for $579,000, and we put down 10%. The first loan was a 7 year arm at a rate of 6.5%, and the second loan was a home equity line of credit for $ 57,900. The second loan is a variable rate, pegged to the prime rate. When I first started that loan, it was at 8.5 %, but it is now as low as 4.2 percent. This, of course, changes with the prime rate. The first loan I pay on principle, and the current debt service is $ 448,000. The second loan is interest only, and still has a principle balance of $57,900. The down turn in the housing market has left me with only about 2-4% equity in my home as the latest appraisal was only $520,000

My only other debt is a car loan which has a balance of 15,000 and a rate of 5.25%.

What should I do with this extra cash?

Do I:
1. Pay down that line of credit? (obviously this has a variable rate that can change, and is currently taking up 100% of my line of credit which impacts my credit score)
2. Buy a second property? There are some good deals out there for a second home (i.e. condo in Florida) or a rental property. This would be an investment property since we can get something very cheap, but the downside is managing the property.
3. Put it in an invest vehicle? A mutual fund, bonds, etc.
4. Leave it in my savings account?
5. Or something else?

How much of that cash should I keep in my account versus investing or paying of my debt?

SHELDON

Chris Navi asked:


Americans saw the value of their homes jump an average of 13 percent over the past year, according to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. This has made it easier than ever for many homeowners to qualify for a home equity loan or line of credit.

With their low interest rates, these secured forms of credit can be your most effective way to borrow money. Plus, loans of up to $100,000 often offer the added benefit of being tax deductible (check with your tax advisor). But it’s important to choose the right home equity loan for your needs and to use it wisely.

Smart Borrowing

Financing a renovation that will add value to your home, such as a new kitchen or a second bathroom, or helping with your child’s college tuition, are valid reasons to borrow on the strength of your home equity. This is especially true since the borrowing costs are generally much less expensive than debt that is not secured by collateral.

By the same token, shifting hefty balances you owe on credit cards to a home equity loan can be a good move. Your credit cards are likely charging annual interest of 13 percent or more, so consolidating that debt with a home equity loan can easily slash your borrowing costs in half.

Remember though, the idea is to eliminate your debt, not make room for more of it.

A home equity loan isn’t free money. At the end of the day, your home is what’s backing the loan. So if you miss payments, the lender could take possession of your home.

There are also important differences between a home equity line of credit and a home equity loan — differences that can help you determine which is a better choice for you.

Home Equity Line of Credit

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) allows you to use as much or as little of your pre-approved limit as you like. Plus, you are charged interest only on the portion of credit you are currently using, which keeps borrowing costs low. The rate of interest floats slightly above the prime rate.

This flexibility is helpful if you’re looking to do a series of small home renovations over a long period of time, or perhaps finance the start-up of a home-based business.

* The advantage: If the prime rate decreases, your cost of borrowing will become cheaper, and interest rates are still very low compared to previous decades.

* The disadvantage: If the prime rate increases, your borrowing costs will increase as well. If you find it difficult to squeeze in credit-line repayments now, you may risk missing some repayments altogether when interest rates go up.

Also, depending on the terms of your particular HELOC, you may be required to pay only the interest accrued each month. On the upside, this means your minimum payments will be low during the interest-only period. On the downside, you will not be rebuilding any of that valuable home equity you’ve just borrowed against.

When the interest-only period ends, you will be faced with one of two scenarios. You may be required to begin paying back the loan principal (the original amount you borrowed). That means your monthly payments will increase, and if you don’t have enough cash coming in to cover those larger payments, you could be in trouble. Or you may be facing what’s called a balloon payment, meaning you must pay the entire outstanding balance of your HELOC in full.

Always try to pay more than the minimum each month, so you are constantly chipping away at your loan principal.

Home Equity Loan

A home equity loan has a fixed interest rate. You receive the full amount of the loan in a lump sum, which makes it a good choice for large, one-shot expenses, such as a home renovation or debt consolidation. And because you must pay it back in regular increments over a specified period of time — often 10 to 15 years — a home equity loan offers a measure of built-in discipline for those who may be tempted to use the “interest-only” payment option offered by some HELOCs.

At the end of the repayment schedule, a home equity loan will be repaid in full.

Loan-to-value ratio The general rule is you can borrow 75 to 80 percent of your home’s current appraised value, minus what you owe on your first mortgage. This is called the loan-to-value ratio (LTV). For example, if your home is worth $200,000 and you owe $100,000 on your current mortgage, you could borrow an additional $60,000 and still be within an LTV of 80 percent. Staying within the sensible 75 to 80 percent range will help you avoid repayment problems down the road. However, some lenders have begun to offer a “high-LTV” option in which you can borrow up to 125 percent of your home’s equity. Beware: If you decide to move because of a job transfer or other reasons, the sale of your home may not provide you with enough money to pay off both your mortgage and the outstanding home equity loan.

Borrowing conservatively is always wise.



MICHEL

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:


Getting a home equity line of credit is a great way to get access to the equity in your home. In fact, it may be the best way to use that equity – unless you know you have need of all of the money that is available. Here are some of the advantages that you can have with a home equity line of credit mortgage.

First Advantage – Get The Money As You Need It

With any other kind of loan, you will get a lump sum. Your interest rates and payments are set. There are no options. With a HELOC, however, you are given a line of credit and a credit card or checking account that gives you access to the funds. You do not have to use all of it, if you don’t want to. This is especially good if you know that you need some money, but really are not sure just how much.

This kind of flexibility is great, because you are given a draw period in which you can get more money when you need it. This draw period can be up to 11 years. The truth is, who knows what kind of funds you may need in the next 11 years, or so? This gives you access to sufficient money as you need it and for projects – as they come up.

Second Advantage – Pay Interest Only On Money Used

A home equity line of credit only charges you interest on the money that is drawn out of the account. You are not being charged for money that is sitting idle – as it might with other types of loans. With those loans, you are paying interest on the full amount – whether you are using the money or not.

Third Advantage – Lower Interest Rate

The interest on a home equity loan is usually lower than other types of second mortgages. Usually it is just about two percent above the prime rate.

Fourth Advantage – Possibly No Closing Costs

Most HELOC’s have no closing costs! This certainly makes it the loan of choice, and it can save you a lot of money by not having these charges added to the loan. Some lenders will charge you closing costs, so this should be a good incentive to find one that does not. It will result in considerable savings at closing time.

Fifth Advantage – Tax Deductible

The interest that you are charged each year in a HELOC is tax deductible. Ultimately, this brings the actual interest rate down lower and means an even greater savings.

Some lenders may even use a home equity line of credit on top of an 80% first mortgage in order to eliminate the Private Mortgage Insurance. The way it is done is to get the first mortgage, pay your downpayment, and then get the HELOC for the balance. Make sure you also have enough for the closing costs at settlement, too.

A home equity line of credit can come with a number of other fees and charges. Some will charge a monthly fee or an annual one (or both), and others may charge you if you let the money sit too long without using it. These charges can be avoided if you shop around for the best deal. A HELOC is an adjustable rate loan with few caps (if any) in place. Some of these will come with guarantees of convertibility to a fixed rate loan if the interest rates get too high. Also, be sure to look for any penalties that you may incur if you pay the loan off early.



ALTON