answers to mortgage and home equity loan questions
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  • home equity to get out of debt?

    Posted on October 5th, 2009 admin 4 comments
    laurie m asked:


    house worth $560,000 (value)
    mortgage loan balance $347,000.00/home equity balance 46,000 the line was 131,000 and we’ve spent 86,000 on home repairs. We have 20,000.00 in credit card debt from an adoption. We make too much to get a credit on any of it. would it make sense to use $20,000.00 of the 45,000.00 left on the equity line to pay off the credit cards???thanks!

    ISIDRO
  • Home equity loan help?! Anyone financial?

    Posted on September 23rd, 2009 admin 1 comment
    Kinsey asked:


    Okay I know that without specific numbers no one can really answer this question. But I just want to know how much more a monthly mortgage payment will be if a home equity loan is taken out for home repairs. Here is what I know so far: The house is appraised for 208,000. I dont know what the original down payment was or how much the original mortgage was for but I’m just going to guess 188,000. There have been 60 monthly payments of 1400 per month on I am assuming a 30 year loan. I don’t know what the interest rate was, but they want to take out a home equity loan of 18,000 to 28,000 for home improvements. If anyone can help me figure out approximately how much more the monthly mortgage payments would be that would be great. You can email me if you need any more info that can help.

    CARLTON
  • Benefits of Home Equity Loans

    Posted on April 30th, 2009 admin No comments
    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.



    JAMIE
  • Home Equity Loans-Lower Rates, Smaller Payments, A Better Option

    Posted on April 7th, 2009 admin No comments
    Albert Alexander asked:


    Home equity loans are sometimes used for consolidating consumer debt or covering a large expense such as a wedding, college expenses, or home repairs to your existing home. Home equity loans are great in that they use the collateral already invested in your home to secure the loan, allowing you to get a better rate out of the deal and make smaller payments than you would to a credit card or even on a personal loan. Home equity loans are desirable to borrowers because they oftentimes have a lower interest rate, they are easier to qualify for even if you have bad credit and your monthly payments on a home equity loan may be tax deductible.

    In the past, home equity loans were more often than not used for home upgrades that would raise the value of your home. Nevertheless, these loans have become a feasible option for large, non-home improvement related purchases or even for consolidating outstanding debts into one monthly payment at an affordable interest rate. Even as home equity loans are a great means to release extra cash which is tied up in your home, borrowers must be fully aware that they are using their home as collateral. If a situation arises and their loan requirements aren’t met, they could lose their house.

    Lenders consider several factors such as your credit history, ability to repay the loan, and your homes equity (noted above) when deciding how much money to lend. Although the chances of your approving for an equity loan may increase, you’re not going to get a complete pass on the “process”. Lenders will still have to review the credit history of potential borrowers to settle on their credit worthiness. Lenders will still have to review the credit history of potential borrowers to settle on their credit worthiness. Lenders will still have to review the credit history of potential borrowers to settle on their credit worthiness.

    So how much can you get? The amount of your loan is tied to the equity in your home with is simply determined by subtracting the amount owed on the home from the current market value. Equity loans enable homeowners to borrow money against their home’s calculated value. The “equity” merely refers to the cash value that has grown in your house because you have been making your monthly payments over time.

    Equity loans, secured by real estate, are normally deemed safer by lenders. Because of this your interest rates are likely lower than credit card rates or even consumer loans. Additionally, regardless of the rate, the interest on debt secured by the mortgage or lien on your personal residence is commonly tax-deductible. Please consult your accountant for more detailed information. Home equity loans are, essentially, fixed rate home loans that enable you to take advantage of the money you’ve already invested in your home to finance larger debts at a lower interest rate than most revolving credit options. Home equity lending, often referred to as a second mortgage or borrowing against your existing home, can open up a lot of avenues as a funding source for a current homeowner..

    When all is said and done, home equity loans are a great option if you are confident in your ability to pay them off. Because they normally have a lower interest rate, are less difficult to qualify for (even with poor credit) and the interest may be tax deductible, home equity loans are a great alternative for homeowners. Like anything else however, buyer beware. Less reputable lenders frequently target people in vulnerable circumstances with troubled credit by suggesting what appears to be an easy solution. Hidden fees and confusing rate calculations can make a bad situation get worse.



    LUCAS
  • I own a paid off home valued at 120k can I get a new mortgage for 75k?

    Posted on April 2nd, 2009 admin 2 comments
    hopes2graduate asked:


    I am wanting to get a new mortgage to invest in a business venture and for home repairs. Is this possible? I don’t want a home equity loan, I was approved for one of those for 10k. But I want more like 75. My home is valued at 120 easy (4 bedroom 2 bath w/1 bath 1 bed guest house on 2 acres in Mobile) I have a low credit score btw…. :(

    FEDERICO
  • What Exactly is a Home Equity Loan, Anyway?

    Posted on March 10th, 2009 admin No comments
    Ajeet Khurana asked:


    Did your neighbor just update his or her home and when you asked how they could afford it they stated that they did it all with a home equity loan? If so, you may be wondering exactly what a home equity loan is. Do not worry, many people are like you, they have heard the term and they think they have a general understanding but they just are not quite sure. A home equity loan is essentially a loan where the borrower uses the equity in their home as collateral.

    More About Home Equity Loans

    Home equity loans are not for everyone, but if you need cash for major home repairs, to update your home, to pay medical bills, or even pay for a college education this is a great option. A home equity loan will effectively create a lien again the home, which means that you cannot sell the home without paying off the loan first. When you have this type of loan again your home you are reducing the actual equity in the home because you have borrowed against it.

    Home equity loans are often referred to as HEL and they are quite common today. Many homeowners use them to pay unexpected bills or simply to make their home a more comfortable one to live in. If you have a home and you have a decent credit history chances are that you will receive a lot of offers to take one of these loans out. While this type of loan should never be used for play money it is a great option to have when you do need funds on short notice.

    To be approved for a home equity loan you will need to have a good to outstanding credit history. You will also be required by most lenders to home a reasonable income to debt ratio, which means that you can afford to pay your bills based on the amount of money that you make and the amount of debt that you are already paying on. When you do apply for a home equity loan you will find that there are two different varieties, which are closed end and open-end home equity loans.

    Both the open ended and closed end home equity loans are often referred to as second mortgages. The reason that they are called second mortgages is because the loans are secured with the property just like your typical mortgage is. While they are called second mortgages home equity loans do not usually have as long a term as the traditional mortgage, though there are exception.

    The nice thing about these loans is that you may be able to deduct the interest on the income tax, offsetting what you are spending on interest. Home equity loans really do come in useful in a lot of situations, though they need to be carefully considered because they are not without risk since they are secured against your home and if you do not pay than action can be taken against your home.



    JAYSON
  • Home Equity Loans The Things You Should Know

    Posted on December 24th, 2008 admin No comments
    Joel Gray asked:


    If you are planning on buying your dream home, a second or vacation home, or even planning to relocate with a new home purchase, there are definitely a variety of home loan options to check out.

    Many banks, financial institutions and private lenders offer home loans; home equity loans, private loans or equity line of credit loans. All good lending programs will consider this, as it helps you to borrow the money, just by using your home on collateral basis.

    What is equity?

    In financial jargon, it is said to be the difference between the cost of home and how much you owe on the mortgage or combined mortgages, in the case where you have a second mortgage out on the property. In other words the value of your home is the equity you have built into it.

    Home Equity Loan Rates

    You can find out what current home equity loan rates are, compare them with several different financial institutions and use handy online calculators at BankRate.com: http://bankrate.com . For example, as per the current statistics of the Bank of America, their home equity loan interest rates are as follows:

    1. 30 year with a fixed rate is 5.81 percent on the amount taken as loan.

    2. 15 year with a fixed rate is 5.51 percent on the amount taken as loan.

    3. 30 year with a fixed jumbo is 6.12 percent on the amount taken as loan.

    4. 15 year with a fixed jumbo is 5.78 percent on the amount taken as loan.

    The monthly payment of a loan is calculated to be around $400 to $1000.

    Home Improvement Loan

    If you want to fix up your home, then you will want to search for information on a home improvement loan. These types of loans are designed for the people who want to finance their home repairs, renovation of their homes, room additions to their old homes, etc. without going for equity loans.

    The benefits for this kind of loans are:

    No or limited requirement of collateral.

    Interest rates are competitive and are lower than line of credit loans.

    Approval of loans is faster

    Information of the loan and the transfer of the balance both are can be done through online banking.

    Transfer of funds for the payment of loans can be done through online banking access.

    Now that you have been shown the ins and outs of getting a home loan, what do you think that next thing you should do is?

    So get a loan and get ready to move into your dream home today!



    NOAH
  • Home Equity Loan Vs. Home Equity Line of Credit

    Posted on December 20th, 2008 admin No comments
    justin narin asked:


    The reasons to consider a second mortgage are as varied as the programs available to you once you make the decision to tap into your home equity. Some popular reasons include college tuition, bill consolidation, health expenses, and home repairs. When it comes to borrowing money, these types of loans are favored for a number of

    reasons, not the least of which is the tax deductibility of all the interest paid on an equity loan. Before you start shopping around, however, you should decide whether you want a closed-end second mortgage or a home equity line of credit (HELOC).

    A closed-end second, also known as a home equity loan, refers to a second mortgage that is structured in a very similar way to your first. To borrow using a home equity loan, or closed-end second, you make a one-time choice on the amount you would like to borrow, close on the loan, and receive a check for the amount you’ve chosen. You will have regular payments structured over a period of years, and upon completion of those payments, your home equity loan will be paid in full. If you decide later that you would like to draw additional funds, you will need to arrange for an additional loan with additional closing costs. However, the closed-end second carries a fixed rate that will never go up and offers a straightforward plan for paying the money back.

    A HELOC, on the other hand, is a line of credit from which you can withdraw money again and again. In many ways, a HELOC is just like a credit card, but the interest you pay is tax-deductible. You will close on a HELOC only one time, but if you decide after a few months that you need to withdraw additional money, you will be able to do so up to the value of the loan. That is to say, if you close on a HELOC for $60,000 and over a period of time pay back $13,000 toward the principal, that $13,000 is available to be drawn again at any time. You will continue to make payments toward what you owe just as you would on a closed-end second; however, the full amount of the loan is always available to be drawn on, as long as the amount you owe and the amount you borrow do not exceed the total amount of the original HELOC.

    Whether a closed-end second mortgage or a HELOC is right for you is something you, your loan officer, and / or your financial planner must decide. If you are relatively sure that you will need to borrow against your equity only one time in the next several years, a closed-end second offers the fixed rate and regular amortized payment schedule that ensures you know both how much your payment will be and how long it will take you to pay off the loan. This kind of assurance can be particularly useful if you don’t trust yourself to spend wisely, or if you tend to buy impulsively and don’t want the option of drawing out additional funds.

    A HELOC can be most useful if you are taking on a project, such as home repair, that has the potential of unforeseen expenses. A HELOC offers you the flexibility to borrow again and again. You may even be able to secure a HELOC that carries a low interest-only payment allowing you to borrow more and still have a manageable payment amount each month. Whichever you choose, drawing against the equity in your home is sure to save you money on the interest you’re paying for your purchase power, and as always, the interest you pay on any type of home mortgage is tax-deductible, offering an additional incentive.

    Consult your loan officer or financial planner to decide whether a closed-end second mortgage or a HELOC would best suit your needs. Once you’ve made this first decision, you’ll be well on your way to finding the right equity loan for you.

    For more articles on Home Equity Line of Credit, visit: http://www.bills.com/home-equity-line/



    ARMANDO