Home Equity Loans – second mortgage

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

Carrie Reeder asked:


Refinancing your home equity loan is simple when using online lenders. By comparing loan quotes, you can find the lowest costing refi solution. In addition, you can save time and hassle by completing your application online. In less than two weeks, you can reduce your rates and payments by refinancing your home equity loan.

Refinancing Options For Home Equity Loans

You have a number of options for deciding how to refinance your home equity loan. The simplest method is to just refinance your current home equity loan as a second mortgage.

The other option is to refinance both your first and second mortgages to qualify for lower rates than if you just refinanced your second mortgage. You also save on closing costs by paying lawyer, appraisal, and other fees just once. In addition, the hassle of multiple applications is eliminated.

However, combining mortgages is not always the best financial choice. In some cases, refinancing separately will get you better rates. You may also save money by having different terms on your mortgages. For example, you may want your first mortgage for 30 years, but your second mortgage for five.

Start By Comparing Numbers

To see real savings on your interest and monthly mortgage payments, ask for loan cost estimates from lenders. For a quick search, look at the APR to find the lowest costing refi package.

But to get a real sense of your savings, calculate the interest cost on your current home equity loan and potential refi loan. Remember too that there is flexibility with your refinancing. You can shorten your loan to reduce interest or lengthen terms to reduce monthly payments.

Finishing The Refinancing Process

By looking online for your refinancing quotes, you have practically completed your loan application. When you receive a quote, most lenders provide an option to finish the application. This may mean submitting a request online or completing a form.

Once your refinancing has been approved and loan contract signed, your original loan will be paid off by your lender. You can start enjoying your lower monthly payments in less than two weeks.



MITCHELL

thechicagoloop asked:


I bought an older house in a poor neighborhood for about 75 K. Since then, the real estate market has ballooned (New Orleans area), and the neighborhood has improved a great deal.
I recently asked a lender to see how much I could get a home equity loan, and they said not much, as they appraised the house at about 80K.
Funny thing is, the house behind mine, which is a carbon copy of the house I live in, sold a year after mine for 150K!
Can I argue this point to the lender, or do I need to do another kind of appraisal?

FEDERICO

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

Amanda Hash asked:


Many advise to obtain a cash-out refinance loan when you are in need of cash and you want to obtain inexpensive funding. However, under certain circumstances it is smarter to resort to second mortgages as these loans can provide equally inexpensive funds without altering the conditions of the previous mortgages.

Second mortgages are home equity loans which use the remaining equity on your home to guarantee repayment. Thus, the previous mortgage loan remains unaltered as only the remaining equity is used and not the one used to guarantee the mortgage loan balance. This is particularly important under certain circumstances when the outstanding mortgage loan has very advantageous terms and it makes no sense to refinance it.

Second Mortgages and Home Loans

Second mortgages are loans based on equity that use only the exceeding equity that is not guaranteeing the outstanding mortgage loan as collateral. Thus, with a home equity loan you can obtain additional cash out of your property just like with cash-out refinance home loans but you do not need to touch your outstanding home loan.

Compared to home loans or first mortgages, second mortgages charge slightly higher interest rates and do not offer such advantageous terms. With a home equity loan or second mortgage you will not be able to obtain repayment schedules of up to 30 years like with home loans but you can get up to 15 years without difficulties.

When to Resort to Second Mortgages

Cash-out refinance loans are an excellent option. They provide all the funds you need while refinancing your outstanding mortgage balance. Besides, as home loans they provide very advantageous terms. And you end up with a single monthly payment instead of having two payments like you do with second mortgages.

However, this is true only if your new refinance home loan has better or similar terms as your previous mortgage. Otherwise, refinancing your home loan may not be to your advantage and the cash you obtain from a cash-out refinance home loan may turn out to be significantly expensive compared to getting additional funds with a home equity loan or second mortgage.

For example: If you obtained your current mortgage loan under good credit and market conditions and thus you have a fairly low interest rate, chances are that by refinancing your home loan and due to the fact that you want to obtain additional cash via a cash-out refinance home loan, you will end up paying a higher interest rate.

If the amount of money you still owe on your mortgage loan is significant, you may end up wasting thousands of dollars more towards interests and you need to ponder that when you analyze the costs of refinancing. Instead, with a second mortgage, you are just paying interests for the money you are actually requesting and not also for the amount of your outstanding mortgage that remains with the same interest rate and fees as always. Thus, when analyzing whether you should go for a second mortgage or a cash-out refinance home loan you need to take into account APRs, Outstanding balances and the costs of each financial transaction.



BERNIE

Daniel Roshard asked:


Your home can help you raise cash. How? Home equity loans have become a popular way of raising cash. The amount that you owe for your house subtracted from its current appraised worth is the equity on your house. Or simply put, it is the difference between the appraised value of the house and the amount you owe on the mortgage. As you pay off your mortgage or as the worth of your home increases, you build your home equity.

Your home’s equity can be used as a collateral to loan money. It can serve as a guarantee so that if you are unable to pay your debt, the lender can sell your collateral as a payment for your debt.

The home equity loan will serve as a second mortgage that will allow you to turn it into money which you can use to improve your home, for college education or whatever expenses that you are in need of.

There are two kinds, the home equity loan or the lines of credit. These types of debts are repaid in shorter time spans than first mortgages. If normally, a first mortgage may be repaid in 30 years, a second mortgage may be repaid in as short as 5 years to as long as another 30 years, averaging at 15 years.

Lines of credit is more flexible than the home equity loan because you can stay in debt with home equity loans. Interests are only being paid while the principal amount remains the same. The interest rate, therefore, varies as the principal varies.

These two types of debts have become common since the 1980s when values of properties increased tremendously and homeowners have taken advantage of this to pay off personal debts. Low interest rates and that fact that it could be deducted from your taxes are some of the reasons why they have become very attractive.

Though second mortgages have interest rates higher than first mortgages, it has lower rates than credit cards or other personal loans.

Homeowners usually opt for home equity loans when they are in need of a large amount of cash like debt consolidation or paying off hospital bills or even home improvement projects. Also, repayment terms are quite simple and consistent throughout the entire payment period, regardless of inflation rates.

Having discussed the plus points and pitfalls of home equity loaning and lines of credit, it is now possible for you to decide whether these types of cash conversion will work for you. You can now opt for the type of loan that would fit your very needs.



KEITH

Melissa Kellett asked:


If you have a mortgage loan and you have requested a home equity loan too, you can refinance both loans and get a single loan and a single monthly payment with the same or better terms than the average of both outstanding loans. This can be achieved by applying for a refinance mortgage loan.

Home equity loans, also known as second mortgages, are secured with the same asset as the primary mortgage loan, thus, when refinancing the home loan, you can include your home equity loan. This can provide you with many benefits like getting fewer monthly payments, saving thousands of dollars on interests, getting lower installments and reducing your overall debt exposure.

Refinancing: Concept

As you probably know already, refinancing consists on acquiring a mortgage loan in order to repay an outstanding mortgage. This can be done because the loan contract specifies that the money will be used to cancel the outstanding loan so the new loan will be the primary beneficiary of the security.

The home equity loan is, in this case, also replaced with the new loan and the new loan amount will be determined by adding up the previous mortgage loan amount and the home equity loan amount.

Saving Money? Getting Ease?

By refinancing you can save thousands of dollars on interests. Home equity loans generally come with higher interest rates than mortgage loans and thus, by obtaining a lower rate refinance home loan you will not only be saving money on your mortgage loan but you will also be saving even more money on your home equity loan.

Also, by refinancing you will unify both loans and get a longer repayment program and lower monthly payments. The resulting loan installments will be undoubtedly lower than the combination of mortgage loan payments and the home equity loan payments. Thus, even if you are indebted for a longer period of time you will get a lot of ease on your financial situation and income.

Refinancing Other Debt: Cash-Out Refinance Loans

A cash out refinance loan is a refinance loan with a higher amount than the outstanding mortgage loan and in this particular case than that of the mortgage loan and home equity loan combined. Once both loans are cancelled, the surplus can be used for any purpose you may think of, including reducing your overall debt.

If you have other debt like credit card balances, personal unsecured loans, pay day loans, student loans, car loans or any other loan, you can use this surplus to cancel your debt and thus, you will be saving money due to the lower interest rate that refinance mortgage loans feature.

This will improve your overall credit situation raising your credit rank and improving your credit history. Your debt to income ratio will also be improved just as your debt exposure. Using a cash-out refinance loan in this way is a smart thing and will do a lot to enhance your whole financial situation. Your ability to get finance will also increase since on your credit report, only a single outstanding and affordable loan will show.



RODRIGO

Susan Jan asked:


Your home is your biggest asset. It does not just provide you shelter; it also comes to your aid when you are in financial distress. The equity of your home, built over the years, can be used to obtain loans by acting as the collateral. You can find two types of home equity debt, namely in the form of home equity loans and also in the form of home equity lines of credit otherwise known as HELOCs. Both of them are described as second mortgages, because just like the primary mortgage, the equity loan is also secured by your property. But unlike the first mortgage, the equity debt is repaid over a shorter span of time. The first mortgage is usually repaid over a span of 30 years, whereas the equity loan is usually paid within fifteen years. However, there are exceptions and the repayment period may be as short as 5 years and as long as 30 years.

The growing popularity of these type of loans generally coincides with the recent surge in property value and relatively lower rate of interest. Thus more and more homeowners are turning to these loans for managing their personal debts. Other advantages of the home equity loan also include lower interest rate and tax deductions, making this mode of debt even more popular.

So far as the equity rate of interest is concerned, it is slightly higher than the first mortgage, but considerably lower than credit card loans or other consumer loan interests. Because your property is used as the collateral in equity loans, lenders consider them as secure as the first mortgage.

The tax deduction feature may be the biggest reason behind the huge popularity of home equity loans. Mortgage debt comes with attractive tax savings compared to lets say consumer loans, thus it is highly cost effective to consolidate your other debts with this loan and enjoy lower interest rate plus tax deduction benefits at the same time.

With these benefits, namely considerably low rates for equity debt and tax deduction on the interest payments, it is no wonder that a number of homeowners are utilizing the equity of their homes to meet further expenses and debts. True, it is a mortgage on your precious home, but if you are able to pay back the entire amount within a short span of time and you have stable income, home equity loan is a good option for much needed credit.



STEVIE

Lesley Lyon asked:


Home Equity Loan in terms of common man is, by using an individuals home he can borrow money. In this case the property is used as a collateral guarantee for the money received. It has been understood that the individual has to repay the debt within a time frame, and if he fails to do so the money lender can sell the collateral and take his money back. So, in this case the equity in the home is used as collateral. If the debt has not been paid the concerned party will be forced to lose his home. If the loan amount has been paid, in full then the property will be the buyers. Equity can be explained as the difference between the worth of the home and how much loan exists on the mortgage and the banks will lend money against the equity only. This type of loan is taken for the purpose of major home repairs or improvements, education expenses, wedding expenses, medical expenses etc.

Home Equity loan can be classified into two different types as, Traditional Home Equity Loan and Home Equity Line of Credit and these are also known as second mortgages, as they are safe by the security of property. These types of loans are returned in a short span of time than the first mortgage.

Traditional Home Equity Loan is also known as closed end home equity loan which means the money borrowed must be returned or repaid within a predetermined period. In this type, the interest will start to accumulate immediately after the money has been given. And at the time of closing a lump amount of money can be borrowed and will not be able to get further amount. The loan amount will be determined by analyzing the credit history, income and value of the collateral. For this type of loan they have a specific period say up to fifteen years.

Home Equity line of credit will offer the borrower a cheque book or a credit card which can be made used to borrow money against the home equity when and how often the concerned party requires the amount. Until a purchase is made against the equity the interest will not begin to accumulate. This type is also known as open end home equity loan. The period fixed generally to repay the loan is over thirty years at a varied interest rate.

Generally home equity loans have some specific fees and some of them are Evaluation fees, Inventor fees, Stamp Duties, Concluding fees, Arrangement fees, early pay-off, Surveyor or Conveyor or valuation. In some cases, some of them may be ignored. This can be increased or decreased if the concerned party has his personal surveyor to examine the property. The fees differ from loan to loan so that the parties concerned must have a clear picture in the beginning itself. This type of loan helps in tax savings because the interest paid against the home equity loan is tax-deductible.



LES

KimberlyJ asked:


I don’t buy the idea that we are in a financial crisis because people used their home equity to fund inappropriate spending. I think that people took out second mortgages to pay for their kids’ overpriced college education, to pay off credit card debt accumulated as a result of job losses or health problems, etc. Many of these people simply would have gone bankrupt if the run up in housing prices had not given them lots of paper equity.

In short, I think the middle class is being scapegoated. People I know aren’t trying to keep up with the Joneses, they’re just trying to survive in a poor jobs market brought on by globalization.

Please share your thoughts, not parroting what you hear in the media, but actually sharing stories from your own life or people you know. Thanks.

HARRY