A Few Advantages of Home Equity Loans and Lines of Credit

July 21st, 2008

Tip! Don’t just settle for low home equity loan interest rates when comparing home equity lenders. Lenders that offer low interest rates tend to have stiffer terms.

There are several reasons why your home is a good source of funding. These are outlined below. However, we must caution that home equity loans and lines of credit are secured by your home. If you default, you are at risk of losing your home to foreclosure and reposession. So, it is vital that you be able to make the required payments, on time. If you are living on a fixed income and have no other liquid assets, this form of borrowing can be risky. If you fail to make timely mortgage payments, you can lose your home ant there may be better options available to you.

Here are some of the primary advantages of home equity funding.

1) Conventional home equity financing is readily available from most mortgage lenders: That is, most banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, and other mortgage lenders offer home equity financing. It’s easy to shop for.

2) With a line of credit, you have convenient access to loan funds:

Most home equity lines of credit are accessed with checks or a credit card. This makes access to the funds easy and convenient. You present the check or card in the same manner that you would present any other check or card. The lender extends the funds and adds the amount to your principal balance. (Note: Home equity loans do not have this feature. When you obtain a home equity loan, the lender transfers the entire loan amount to you at the loan closing. When you obtain a reverse mortgage, you typically receive monthly disbursements in a fixed amount.)

3) Generally, interest payments on loans secured by your home are tax deductible, but there are some limitations. Talk to your tax assistant or a CPA.

Tip! Having home improvements is the most recommended reasons to get a home equity loan because it does not only increases the value of your home, it also makes you feel a lot better about your home and it will also make your home look great. When you use a home equity loan you can reinvest it back to your home by increasing the value of your home.

4) Lenders typically offer better interest rates for this type of financing than they do for other, unsecured types of personal loans. In most cases, you’ll be able to borrow an amount equal to 80 percent of the value of your equity considering that many credit cards and personal loans have interest rates in excess of 12%, and home equity loans are often below 9%, you can save thousands of dollars in interest alone over the life of the loan. Do the math, and make sure you are being offered what you deserve and clearly understand the payment terms before you sign the dotted line.

5) This is an excellent source of money in retirement. If you are retired or simply need extra money, and own a home, you may be able to get the cash you need by accessing the equity in your home.

Tip! Some lenders of home equity loans offer low introductory rates that might look like a great deal but these deals usually revert automatically to higher home equity loan interest rates.

Direct Lending Solutions is a credit resource designed to help consumers learn about a variety of financing options available to them. For more information about home equity loans, we also recommend the website to the United States Federal Reserve at http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/equity/equity_english.htm.


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Entry Filed under: Cheap Home Equity Loans


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