We know debt is bad. We know it could take us forever to pay off interest. But we make quick purchases to keep up with the Joneses, anyway. We go on a shopping spree because something looked good on TV, or simply to reward ourselves for getting through the workweek. We buy cars, home stereo systems, and self-twirling spaghetti forks we certainly could live without. By the time we find ourselves staring at a hefty bill less than 30 days later, we rue our impulsive decision to buy, buy, buy.
Some things, however, are worth getting into debt for. If you’re a wage earner, nothing spells security just as much as land or a house does. You need never fear being homeless again, and secured home equity loans make it possible.
The Basics
A home equity loan gives you the opportunity to use your home’s equity as collateral, in order to borrow money. Collateral is property that guarantees you will pay back a debt. To get your home’s equity value, you subtract how much you still owe on your mortgage from your home’s value. A home equity loan qualifies as a secured loan, as it is secured against a major asset. In this case, the asset is a home, although it may also include other properties.
The Second Mortgage
A secured home equity loan is also referred to as a second mortgage. Like the first mortgage, your property secures a home equity loan. In a nutshell, this loan transforms equity into cash, which people use for a variety of purposes. Home improvements, a popular choice, add equity to your home. Other common reasons for taking out a secured home equity loan include paying for your children’s college education, medical expenses, family emergencies, and huge purchases; or consolidating your debt.
The Terms
Before you take out a secured home equity loan, you should be aware of the terms. You receive the loan in one lump sum at one time. Also, once you take out the loan, you cannot borrow again from the loan. In addition, it is possible to take out more than one loan on the mortgage of your home. But if you do that, make sure to notify your lenders.
The Payback
The benefit of taking out a secured home equity loan is that you can make investments that will last a lifetime. The drawback is that you have to pay the money back. The payments remain the same every month. While first mortgages must be repaid in about 30 years, second mortgages must typically be paid back in half that time. Nonetheless, that figure is not carved in stone, and the repayment period can range from five to 30 years.
The Risks
If you take out a secured home equity loan, you naturally have every intention of paying it back. After all, you know that if you default on payments, you could lose your land or your house. Thankfully, lenders of secured home equity loans often understand when borrowers have short-term problems with their payments. Conventional wisdom says that if you are willing to put your house on the line, then you are willing to give your heart and soul to make payments.
Though debt has become a dirty word in society, repayment need not be a nightmare. Secured home equity loan can help give you a fresh start in life.
By: Rony Walker
Posts Tagged ‘Education Medical’
Secured Home Equity Loan Gives Debt A Good Name
December 14th, 2009Home Equity Loan – Understanding the Basics and Advantages
October 2nd, 2009You may have heard the term home equity loan but are not really sure whether this type of loan will work for you. The first step is to understand the concept of home equity. Equity is the difference between the current appraised value of your home and the amount that is owed on the home. So, for example; if your home has recently appraised for $200,000 and you only owe $100,000 on it then you have $100,000 in equity in your home.
Many homeowners like the idea of taking out a home equity loan when they need to fund a home improvement or make some other type of purchase because they can often obtain the money they need at an interest rate that is lower than charging it to a credit card. In addition, there are also possible tax advantages as well.
When you take out a home equity loan you are taking out a second mortgage that gives you the ability to convert the equity in your home into cash. You can then spend that cash on any number of expenses including college education, medical expenses, debt consolidation, home improvements and much more.
You will generally need to decide whether you wish to take out a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit. These two terms are different. A home equity loan provides you with a one time lump sum of money that you will then pay off over a specified period of time at an interest rate that is fixed. It is much like your first mortgage.
A home equity line of credit, commonly referred to as HELOC, is more similar to a credit card. Instead of receiving the sum of money at one time, you will then have the ability to borrow up to a specified amount of money for the duration of the loan. That time period is set by the lender. As you pay off the principal amount of the loan, you can once again use the credit. In this regard, a HELOC is much like a credit card.
There are advantages to both a home equity loan as well as a HELOC. Many homeowners prefer the flexibility of a line of credit over a fixed rate equity loan. If they do not need all of the money up front, they are able to maintain control over how much money they draw down from the loan. The disadvantage to a line of credit is that it frequently features an interest rate that is variable. This means that the payment amounts will vary based on the prevailing interest rate.
In most cases, the draw period for a line of credit is between five and ten years while the repayment period ranges between ten and fifteen years. You will usually be able to access the funds of a line of credit with a credit card, check or electronic transfer that can be ordered by phone. Typically, an initial advance is required when the loan is set up.
By: Alan Lim
