Writer Dan Ackman notes in an article at http://www.forbes.com that a recent report by Goldman Sachs shows “in 2004, Americans withdrew $640 billion in equity from their homes–by selling them, taking home equity loans or by refinancing. This was twice the total of 2001, showing that cash-outs have been rising even faster than home prices, which is very fast indeed.” No doubt about it, Americans are using their equity!
The home equity process is streamlined these days as more and more consumers utilize their computers in acquiring loans. Information is limitless on the internet with websites such as http://www.about.com and search engines allowing consumers to answer their questions with a few keystrokes. Gone are the days of going from bank to bank to find the best rate and product. Loan applications now start online. There’s no time better than the present to take a closer look at how equity loans work and how to make your equity work for you.
What is a Home Equity Loan?
Equity loans are 2nd mortgages that are secured by the value of your home. Today you can get a 2nd mortgage without having to refinance your current mortgage. The amount of equity available to you is based on the loan to value ratio, which is the value of the loan against the fair market value of your home. So a loan of $65,000 on a $100,000 home has a loan to value ratio of 65 percent. The standard ratio is 80%, but some lenders have loans with a loan to value of 100% or even 125%.
There are two types of these second mortgages. You can either get a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or a home equity loan. An HELC works much like a credit card. It’s a revolving line of credit that can be paid off and used again. Equity lines of credit however, have a variable interest rate. Home equity loans on the other hand, involve getting all of your cash out at once and have a fixed interest rate. These work more like a standard loan.
Are Second Mortgages Right for you?
Home equity loans are considered as secure as a primary mortgage and usually the home equity rate is lower rate than credit cards and auto loans. This lower rate can make an equity loan a good choice for home improvement financing, loan consolidation and tuition expenses. The lower rate can mean monthly savings if you consolidate your debt. The interest can also be a tax deduction. Depending on your situation, this savings may make a home equity loan a good choice for you.
Home equity terms vary depending on the product. They will also depend on your credit score. Good credit will give you more options than bad credit. Home equity loans also have varying costs. There may be closing costs, appraisals, credit reports and points you will need to factor in to the cost of the loan. You should also be aware that if you refinance your existing first mortgage, the lender that holds the second mortgage must sign a subordination agreement, or the loan must be paid off with your new mortgage. The best loan for you will depend on your situation. If you know how your equity loan works, you can make sure that it works for you.
By: Rebecca Oconnor
Archive for January, 2010
How Do Home Equity Loans Work as Second Mortgages?
January 29th, 2010How to Obtain a Bad Credit Second Mortgage
January 29th, 2010
We all know banks are not loaning money as easily as they used to when a loan is applied for. The fact is they are now looking much closer at credit scores before they make a decision on who qualifies and who doesn’t qualify for a loan. It is possible to get loans with bad credit, but not easy. Here are some possible ways of getting a bad credit second mortgage loan.
If your credit is not excellent, and you would like to improve it, a second mortgage gives you the option to consolidate your credit card debts and other payments you might have into a single loan, with a single payment each month, and you won’t have to refinance your original mortgage. Be aware the amount a lender can give on a second mortgage will not usually exceed the amount of equity you might have in your home.
Contrary to home equity credit lines, the second mortgage is a loan you get only once, and it has a regulated payment amount you need to make monthly. You can use the same lender as the original mortgage to get the second, or opt to try a different one. How easy it is to get money and how much money can be loaned are dependent upon the amount of equity in the home the owner has and his her credit report.
Most bed credit mortgage lenders look at the most recent two to three years of one’s credit report to make a decision. Whether you have been making your payments on time, and your income to debt ratio is in line are two major factors that determine who will have a chance for a bad credit second mortgage.
Another serious factor that is considered is what you intend to do with the money if the loan is approved. If your intention is to pay off high interest debts and consolidate things to make payments easier to handle, rather than invest in other projects or plans, your chances for approval of a bad credit loan go up.
It’s imperative to have collected some information to give the loan officer prior to your consultation when applying for a bad credit second mortgage. A copy of your credit report and any discrepancies noted with how you are trying to alleviate these in writing is helpful. If there are no errors on the report, a statement of how you are making improvements to your credit score should be attached to the loan application.
The best thing to do is be totally upfront with your loan officer about any indebtedness and your current situation. It’s also necessary to include your total income in the figures in order to figure out your debt to income ratio. The bank does not want to loan money that will not be repaid, forcing them to foreclose. As a result, it’s necessary to explain why you require money, and how you intend on using it.
Bad credit second mortgages aren’t easy to come by, but they can be the best option you have to improve your credit score in these tough times. You can improve these scores legally and quickly by putting numerous high interest rates together into just one lower interest rate loan without refinancing your original mortgage.
By: Paul Van Rode
Homeowners Consider Second Mortgage Loan to Consolidate Credit Card Debt Prior to Filing BK Or CCC
January 27th, 2010
It is not uncommon these days to for a person or family to let credit card debt get out of control. We live in a credit driven society, and to survive the pitfalls of revolving credit and economic cycles you need to create an attainable budget and follow through with your fiscal plans. Don’t let the bills and debt begin to mount. Bankruptcy and consumer credit counseling are good solutions for certain situations, but you should take certain precautions to prevent being put in that predicament. Homeowners have more viable options than consumers who don’t own property, so if you are fortunate enough to own a home, take advantage of the financing available that can help you lower interest rates, and convert compounding interest into a simple interest home equity loan that can save you hundreds of dollars every month.
Many second mortgage companies have has partnered with a home equity lenders to create loan programs specifically designed for consolidating debt that lower your monthly payments, and help you refinance revolving credit cards. Sure talking with creditors can reduce or your interest rates and help you reduce your lower your credit card expenses, but you should never take it upon yourself to pay less than the minimum for monthly payments.
Paying creditors less than agreed will significantly harm your credit score, as creditors will report payments late if they do not cover the minimum payments. This is where consumer credit counseling can hurt you. In addition to causing late payments to be reported, entering a consumer credit counseling service cam permanently scare your credit, because the credit bureaus report that you are in consumer credit counseling programs. Many home equity lenders will consider Consumer Credit Counseling or CCC as a Bankruptcy. CCC may help people in many different situations, but you need to know ahead of time, of the repercussions that come with consumer credit counseling. CCC is not bankruptcy, but if you are given interest rates like you a bankruptcy, and it results in lower credit scores, you have to wonder if it is worth the efforts.
All we are saying is that you should consider all perspectives before you enter into consumer credit counseling. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, accurate information about your accounts can stay on your credit report for up to seven years. In addition, your creditors will continue to report information about accounts that are handled through a debt repayment plan. Quite often, credit companies will report that an account is in financial counseling, that payments may have been late or disregarded. Some creditors will grow impatient and simply charge-offs your account, and report it negatively to the credit bureaus.
For homeowners who have accumulated too much revolving debt, we suggest a debt consolidation loan that is secured to your home so you can deduct the interest for tax purposes, and save money with fixed rate simple interest loans. There is a commitment with these consolidation loans, because the must be paid back or you could loose your home. These debt consolidation loans are considered second mortgages, so if you don’t believe you can make the payments on time, then this option is not for you.
A successful debt consolidation loan requires you to make the monthly payments on time with consistency. Soon you will be in a position where your credit score have increased to the level that merits refinancing for a prime rate home equity loan that will lower your monthly payment even more.
If you do not qualify for a secured mortgage to consolidate your debt, consider debt settlement or bankruptcy.
By: Lynda Nelms