A home equity loan can be a very good thing if you formulate a plan and stick to it. Home equity loans are becoming much more common and most banking companies have specific re-financing plans available for today’s consumer.

Read on and you will see that a home equity loan used for the proper purpose and managed correctly can indeed be a “good thing”.

A Home Equity Loan – Just what is it?Types Of Home Equity Loans HEL or HELOC?

There are two types of home equity loans. A regular home equity loan and the home equity line of credit or HELOC. A regular home equity loan is a fixed sum borrowed at a fixed rate over a period of time. A HELOC allows the client to borrow various sums up to a fixed amount over a period of time. A line of credit works in a similar way as a credit card; you use it when you need it. Different States set their own laws on limits you can borrow against your house.

The Financial Plan – Making your home equity work for you

For a home equity loan to work best for you, it’s a good idea to have a budget and a financial plan. Having a budget will help you decide how big a loan you need and a financial plan will be the map to accomplish your goals within that budget. Here are a few suggestions on ways to use a home equity loan.

1. Home Improvements

You may want to build up the equity in your house by making home improvements. The first and best place to visit is a home improvement warehouse store. These stores, especially the large ones have whole rooms set up and priced. Use caution however, husbands and wives have been known to have gone into these rooms for days and when they came out they were muttering “but I liked the blue room best.”

2. Debt Consolidation

Pay off all the nagging little balances that seem to have accumulated on various store and gas cards in your wallet.

3. A holiday in the sun or snow!

It’s a matter of interest, if you shop around; you may find a couple of percentage points on a home equity loan that can make a world of difference. Consider a holiday South of the border or North to Canada.

Mexican or Caribbean destinations are very attractive during the winter months but if skiing and winter activities is more to your liking then consider Vancouver, Canada. Whistler, British Columbia is one of the locations that will host the 2010 Winter Olympics. Shop around for the best rates and dream on.

4. A retirement Savings plan

It’s not an easy fact to accept but one day we will all need to retire. Planning for retirement requires good financial decision making. Many banking and financial companies offer free retirement planning advice. Some home equity loans are designed to be used for investment purposes. Talk to a trusted Financial Planner before signing the dotted line on this idea.

Loan Terms – Points To Ponder

Now you have a plan and are ready to talk with a lending company. You may want to do this on the Internet to save time and maybe a few dollars. If that is the case then it is a must to know these terms. Before you proceed to do some serious web surfing here are a few you will want to become familiar with before you consider a home equity loan. These points to ponder are:

Equity

Equity is the appraised value or Fair Market Value of your home less the outstanding mortgage balance.

Mortgage Broker

A mortgage broker is the “go between” whom you pay to negotiate the best deal. This person has access to current financial information and can be very important if financial savvy is not your strong suit.

HELOC

A HELOC is a Home Equity Line Of Credit. This term is discussed under types of home equity loans.

Debt Consolidation Loan

Over the years as you have paid off your home, you may have also acquired a few credit cards along the line. These credit cards include gas cards, store credit cards, and some bank credit cards. The interest rates on these cards vary and you may find that you are paying through the nose for the convenience of a store credit card. That is where a home equity loan can be very handy. You can borrow the amount you need to pay off each card and make one payment each month. With current financing plans, one payment at the end of the month is less than the minimum payment that was required on each card. Once you have done this, get out your scissors and cut up all of the cards except one bank credit card for emergencies. Remember the plan!

Balloon Loan

This type of loan can be difficult. The first few payments are low with low interest rates. The last payment however is exactly as the name describes; a balloon. It is a very large payment at the end of the repayment period. It is essential to stick to your financial plan because in this case you may need another loan to pay off the balloon amount.

Interest Rate

The periodic fee charged for a loan. This is expressed as a percentage point and some financial institutions are offering approximately 5.6% on a thirty year fixed $150,000.00 home equity loan. The lower the interest rate the better the deal, just make sure you aren’t negotiating a balloon loan though.

Transaction Fee

Unfortunately no matter how good the deal on the loan you get, there is no free ride. In the business of credit management someone has to make money in order for home equity loans to exist. There will be some type of transaction fee built into the loan application. Lenders have costs and these costs are passed along to the consumer as a transaction fee. Depending on the loan company you decide to use, a transaction fee can be lower or higher, so make sure you shop around.

FICO Score

A sliding scale based on a point score created by the Fair Isaac Corporation. This score is used to determine a borrower’s behavior and potential risk factor.

Credit Rating

Using the point system based on the FICO score, a credit rating can be anywhere from poor to excellent. With a good to excellent FICO score, a person’s credit rating can determine how much money can be borrowed and what interest rate will be charged.

Re-Financing – Finding A Gold Mine In Your Home

Many people consider their home to be their castle but few consider that they could be living on a potential gold mine. If you have lived in your house for 10 years and have been making payments, especially bi-monthly payments, you have built up a considerable amount of equity. Pair that with a good FICO score and there is indeed gold in that there house.

What’s Your Fico?

Mortgage Brokers use a FICO scale to determine the amount of money you can borrow against your home and at what interest rate you can borrow this money. This number is between 300 – 850 points and showcases a person’s credit history.
This scale was developed in California by the Fair Isaac Corporation, a global decision management company. A credit rating of 700 points is considered “good” and based on a $150,000.00 fixed thirty year mortgage, your rate of interest would be 5.7 percent VS 9.3% if your FICO score was below 600 points. Having a high FICO entitles you to borrow more money at a better rate.

Improving Your Fico

You’ve taken the test, (which is available at most lenders websites), and your score is not as stellar as you had hopped it would be. There are a couple of ways to improve this score:

1. Pay all your bills on time.

2. Keep a small balance on one credit card to keep it “active”.

The FICO website gives you all the “who, what, where, when and why” of the two above suggestions. You can read about the rationale in great detail at that site.

Buyers Beware

With today’s credit options and a good credit rating, you can borrow a lot of money against your home. This ability if not used responsibly and with a good solid financial plan can be ruinous. Some borrowers have gotten over their head and ultimately had to file for bankruptcy. So beware of potential risks.

Home Equity Loans – A Golden Opportunity

As you can see, a home equity loan is a great way to improve your living space, go on a holiday, plan for retirement or pay off some debts. With the right combination of a good FICO score and proper planning, there really is gold in that there house.

Home equity is a valuable asset which both lenders and borrowers can benefit from. Lenders are offering home equity credit lines in a variety of ways. It’s best to take some time to get an idea of what type of home equity loan is right for you.

As you probably know, most loans come with variable interest rates. Generally, home equity loan rates differ with each lender. Also, you may find that most home equity loans have large one-time upfront fees, others have closing costs, and some have continuing costs, such as annual fees.

There are also home equity loans with large balloon payments at the end of the loan and others with no balloons but with higher monthly payments.

Different homeowners have different loan needs. There are several aspects you need to keep in mind before choosing your home equity loan. You really need to ask the right questions before getting a home equity loan or home equity credit line.

Is A Home Equity Credit Line Right For You?

One of the best sources of credit is your home equity line. Initially, home equity credit lines may provide you with large amounts of cash at relatively low interest rates. This further means that if you default on your loan, your lender may foreclose on your home. With home equity loans, therefore, your home is at risk if you are late or cannot make your monthly payments.

How Do I Get The Best Home Equity Loan Rates?

Home equity loan rates are the most important factor to consider when applying for a loan. Here are important things to remember when considering home equity loan rates.

Here are 2 types of interest rates to consider with home equity loan rates.

1. Fixed Rate: Fixed interest rate means you will be charged with the same interest rate for the whole term of your loan. On long term loans the required payments are usually lower, and on shorter ones; higher.

2. Adjusted Interest Rate: This is not a fixed interest rate. An arrangement with a fixed interest rate may go well with home equity loans.

Which type of home equity loan is best for my financial situation?

An arrangement with a fixed interest rate may go well with home equity loans. There is the convenience of setting aside the same amount regularly for payments. However, choose a short term loan to save more money.

How do I get the best home equity loan rates?

Thanks to modern technology, canvassing for the best home equity loan rates is a little bit easier than before.

3 Effective Ways To Find The Best Home Equity Loans

1. Visit websites of known lenders to compare home equity loan rates.

2. Visit websites offering quote comparisons.

3. Visit banks, and other lending institutions to get the best home equity loan rates. Brokers also have a good grip on the best lenders and home equity loan rates in the market.

3 Aspects To Consider With Home Equity Loan Rates

1. Generally, loans asking for low interest rates are good offers. Since you will have your home as equity, interest rates must be lower than other types of loans

3. Consider the term of payment. Equity loans that stretch for very long periods result to higher interest rates compared with short term loans that have higher interest rates.

4. Consider other loan features. Flexible loans are more desirable than strictly drawn ones.

Finding the best home equity loan and rates can be tedious work. Make sure you have all the facts on hand before deciding on which loan and loan rate to apply for.

It is important to know your options. Fist determine what type of loan will best suit your needs. A home equity loan usually has a fixed rate and term, although some lenders offer variable rates. The longer the term, the lower your payments will be, but the higher the rate. These loans work well for someone who knows just how much they need and will be using the funds fairly quickly.

A home equity line of credit is more flexible. The rate will be lower than a traditional personal loan usually, but because it is a revolving credit line, the interest is figured differently so it may not be cheaper. These are usually the best online home equity loans for people who are not going to use all of the funds but want it available, or are not going to use the funds right away. With these loans, you only pay on the portion of the line that you use. There is usually an annual fee associated with home equity lines of credit.

A home equity loan or line of credit is generally the easiest type of loan to qualify for. Many lenders are willing to take more of a risk because they have collateral (your home that the mortgage is on) that only increases in value. That being said, beware of lenders who specialize in high risk loans because many of them will charge you high interest rates and outrageous fees. Try to keep your total loan to value as low as possible so that you can get the best online home equity loans possible.

It is also important to find a reputable lender who offers the best online home equity loans. If you choose a lender who is not honest, then you will end up paying for it in the long run. Ask for recommendations from friends and family, and look up the company you are considering on the Better Business Bureau’s website. Make certain that you read all of the fine print to be sure you are getting the best deal.

There is some debate on whether you can get a really good deal online, or whether going to a physical lender is better. There are advantages to both, however, online lenders have some unique benefits. When you choose an online lender, many times the fees are lower because they do not have to compensate for overhead costs. Online lenders will also often discount their fees to entice borrowers. You can also save a lot of time by using an online lender, since the only time you have to see anyone is when you sign the papers. Some, however, feel this is very impersonal and prefer to deal with a live person. This is a personal choice and there are benefits of each.

If you do your homework and know what you are looking for, finding the best online home equity loan can be simple. Find a reputable lender, ask questions about anything you are unclear about, watch out for hidden fees, and read all of the terms and conditions. If you are vigilant, you can find the best online home equity loans for you.