|
Home / Business / Financing / Loans
A Home Equity Loan - What You Should Know?
By:Dean Shainin
Asking yourself, “Is a home equity loan right for me?” is the first and most important step to take.
Home equity loans have become so popular today because of increasing home values. A home owner can access money for consolidating debt, home improvements, a new car, education or starting a new business.
Emotions can take the place of logic when considering a home equity loan.
It’s a good idea to sit down and take your time before signing up. Educating yourself will benefit you in the long run.
A home equity loan is like having a second mortgage on your home. Suppose your home is worth $200,000, and you have a mortgage against it at $150,000, you will have $50,000 of equity available. Home equity loans allow you to borrow up to 80%, and sometimes more in certain situations, of your homes value. In this situation you could borrow $80,000 as a home equity loan and still have only borrowed 80%.
This is why it is so important to take a good look at your situation before making a decision. You can see how easy it could be to get carried away with a home equity loan.
The second step should be to get an idea of what your home is worth in today’s real estate market. You can look at what others in your area have sold their home for. A realtor can help you with getting an idea of your homes fair market value. Be sure to get a few quotes because some realtors may be interested in inflating your home value in hopes of earning your business.
When you have an approximate figure, you can get an idea of how much equity you have in your home. At this point you should have an estimate of how much money you need to borrow. It’s best if you can avoid borrowing up to the full 80% of your homes value.
This is where some home owners get carried away with their emotions and logic goes out the window. It can be so easy to say, I have $60,000 available and I really only need $40,000 for remodeling my kitchen and bathrooms. Why not borrow $50,000 so I can go on my dream vacation. It’s important to remember that the more you borrow, the higher your payments will be. This is simple logic. But, emotions can take over and you can end up having a tough time paying back the home equity loan, with the risk of losing your home.
The third step is to figure out what type of home equity loan you want. In today’s market, there are two popular types of home equity loans. A line of credit and a closed end loan.
With a line of credit, it is just like having a credit card with a large credit limit. Depending upon the bank, you may be required to make minimum monthly payments. Others may only have you make payments if you’re at your credit limit. If you have had problems with high credit limits in the past, this may not be a good idea. It’s best to have discipline with a line of credit and big credit limits.
Having a closed end loan is just like your standard home mortgage loan. You borrow the money for a set period of time and make monthly payments until the loan has been paid off.
The fourth step is to figure out how long you want to borrow the money. This is where mortgage calculators can help you. It’s easy to find them online and helps you to avoid having to talk to a loan broker before you are ready. Try different time frames to see what you can and can not afford. Be sure to decide if you’re going to take a line of credit or a closed end loan before you put in your figures. This is an important step to see how much you can afford repaying on a home equity loan. It’s best again to use logic, not emotion in regards to how much you can afford to repay.
The fifth step after choosing the home equity loan you want, is to find a good bank or lender. Shopping online can save you valuable time. Banks and lenders are very competitive for your business online. You can use this to your advantage and save money on fees. Be sure to look over the fine print of your home equity loan contract before signing anything. Read everything, and if you have a questions be sure to have them answered first. Be very clear on everything and take your time.
A home equity loan is a great way to help you take care of things you would like done or feel you need. If done properly , a home equity loan can be a valuable resource. Educate yourself to find out what is best for your situation. Try not to compare your situation to someone else. Only you know what is best for you. Home equity loans can be a big windfall or a big headache. It really depends upon you taking the time to research your options and choosing the right loan.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: home equity loan, home equity loans
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Dean Shainin is a consultant specializing in home equity loan strategies and home mortgage loan information. To see a list of recommended home equity loans, advice and information, visit this site: Home Equity Loans
|
|
| Top Loans Articles |
- 1). Personal Loans Fulfilling The Personal Desires By : James Taylor
Success is one thing that everyone craves for after all that is the only thing that every one wants but not all can get. Success has different meanings for different persons for most people it is the fulfillment of their desires. Because everyone has desires everyone wants to accomplish something in our lives we do not have enough resources to achieve what we want to achieve.
|
- 2). Loans Are Lenders Cheating On APR’s? By : Michael Challiner
A pound from one lender is as good as a pound from another. So when you're shopping for a loan, the key issue becomes the interest rate. Consequently, when you read press advertisements and visit web sites, the Annual Percentage Rate of interest (APR) highly influences which lenders or loan brokers you apply to. After all, the government introduced APR's as a standard calculation that every lender has to use, precisely to help the public make reliable comparisons.
|
- 3). Student Loans 101 By : Natalie Aranda
Student loans are a helpful accessory when you need to cover costs when deciding to further your education, including housing and tuition. Student loans are there to be financial lifesavers when grants or scholarships leave your school funding a little short. There are federal loans available as well as private student loans that will help with the financial overload.
|
- 4). College Financial Aid: Unraveling The Myths By : Leon Chaddock
Entering college is a big deal both emotionally and monetarily. Everyone should have the opportunity to get the education they deserve and to help in that process, you can look for college financial aid. This is money that is provided to you in one or another fashion so that you can get the loans that you need to pay for school. There are several set ups that can help you.
|
- 5). How To Stretch Your Student Loan By : Rachel Lane
If you’re considering going to university, there is a strong chance that you’re also contemplating taking out a student loan to fund your university expenses. Student loans don’t have to equate to student debt and if you plan your finances, it is possible to get by without student loans and possibly even profit from them. There are many sites on the internet which provide downloadable student finance guides and online advice on how best to manage your finances.
|
- 6). Regain Your Finances With Low Rate Unsecured Loans By : Loans UK
Life is unpredictable. Crisis can occur at anytime. You may then need money urgently. You have accessed all your resources but are still unable to get the desired amount. What would you do then? I witnessed a similar situation. Once when I faced a financial disaster, I decided to take a loan. The excessive rate of interest charged on the loan troubled me.
|
|
|
- 8). Finance Your Car With Poor Credit By :
Cars don't look at your credit before they decide to breakdown. Anyone, with poor credit or great credit, could find themselves in a situation where they need an auto loan. Fortunately, those with poor credit do have options available for financing their vehicles.
"Bad Credit Car Loans"
One of the most common methods of purchasing a car with poor credit is with a "bad credit car loan".
|
- 9). Quick Payday Loans - Why Get A Same Day Cash Advance By : L. Sampson
Everyone has experienced a time in their lives when they needed a little help to make it to payday. Emergencies arise all the time bringing with them unexpected expenses; the car breaks down, your dog needs to go to the vet, or a window gets broken during the coldest week of the year. When this sort of thing happens, there are often few options for getting cash quick.
|
- 10). Should We Be Aware Of Pay Day Loans? By : Dr. Drew Henry
Customers at the grocery store all recommend pay day loans as the easy solution for a lack of funds. Could pay day loans be the answer consumers with low bank accounts have been looking for? Is there any harm in using these services? Aren't they better than using credit cards?
Paying a bill with borrowed money is better than receiving bad credit marks because of not paying the bill.
|
|
|
