Have you wondered what exactly is up with
great rates for home equity loans
Temptations And Drawbacks Of Home Equity Loans.
Once you have built up equity in your home, you have the privilege of applying for a home equity line of credit, which allows you to borrow the money you need.
Most financial insititutions ( banks, savings and loans ) have entered the home equity market, so you have plenty of options when you shop for the best loan.
In effect, a home equity loan is a second mortgage on your home. You usually get a line of credit up to 70 percent or 80 percent of the appraised value of your home, minus whatever you still owe on your first mortgage.
For example, if your home is worth $100,000 and you owe $20,000 on your mortgage, you might receive a home equity line of credit for $60,000 because your lender would subtract your $20,000 owed on the first mortgage from your $80,000 worth of equity.
You will qualify for a loan not only on the value of your home but also on your creditworthiness. For instance you must prove that you have a regular source of income to repay a home equity loan.
The difference between the two kind of credits is easy: the home equity loan has a fixed rate and the home equity line of credit has a rate that fluctuate and it's better indicate to consolidate other debts than the credit cards.
The home equity line of credit is an " on demand" source of funds that you can access and pay back as needed.
You only pay interest if you carry a balance because these line of credits are essentially a revolving line of credit, like a credit card but with a much lower rate because the line of credit is secured by your home.
Like other mortgages, the home equity loan requires you to go through an elaborate process to qualify for an open line of credit. You will usually need a home appraisal and must pay legal and application fees and closing costs.
Because a home equity loan is backed by your home as collateral, it is considered more secure by lenders than unsecured debt, such as credit card debt. Further, because the loans are less risky for banks, you benefit by paying a much lower interest rate than you would on credit cards or most other kinds of loans.
Home equity loans can therefore offer extremely attractive rates when the prime interest rate is low, but subject you to much higher interest costs if the prime shoots up.
You can tap the credit line simply by writing a check, and you can pay back the loan as quickly or as slowly as you like, as long as you meet the minimum payment each month.
About the Author :
Stefano Sandano is a home equity loan expert and you can get more information about home equity loans tips on http://www.homequity-loan.com
More Useful Resource and Updates on great rates for home equity loans
- Bernanke says need to do more to halt foreclosures (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday urged more aggressive action to halt home foreclosures, and said write-downs of principal may need to be part those efforts.
- Consumer Loan Rates (The Springfield News-Leader)
Springfield financial institutions quoted the following rates Friday for home equity, auto and boat loans. The home equity rate is based on a $10,000 loan or line of credit with applicable points included. Rates are variable unless otherwise noted. Additional fees are not included. The auto loan rate is based on a 48-month contract for a new car. The boat rate is based on a loan for a new boat.
- Fixed-rate trap snares home owners (Sydney Morning Herald)
More than 40,000 unlucky Aussies are being denied any saving from the recent interest rate cuts.
- Five Home-buying Myths (Carteret County News-Times)
(ARA) - As first-time homebuyers grow curious about the home-buying process, they often turn to friends and family for advice about purchasing a home. While these sources can provide useful tips and information, they also may perpetuate some common home-buying myths.
- Fixed-rate trap snares 43,000 home owners (Sydney Morning Herald)
MORE than 40,000 unlucky people have been caught out in a fixed mortgage rate trap, having taken out their loan at the highest fixed interest rates in a decade, denied any saving from the recent cuts and confronting costly break fees if they decide to refinance.
- Proposal could drop mortgage rates to 4.5 percent (San Jose Mercury News)
If Treasury Department approves plan, said one mortgage broker, 'We would have everybody and their brother who had equity in their homes coming to refinance. That would be an amazing influx of loan applications. It would keep things going for a long, long time.' Rates drop to 11-month low Bernanke: More foreclosure help needed Real estate news | Economic crisis news
- Opening the tap on home equity (Austin American-Statesman)
Borrow before credit line is frozen, some suggest. Many homeowners who have taken out home equity lines of credit have learned in recent months that these loans are not as useful as they initially seemed.
- Bernanke urges action to halt foreclosures (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday urged more aggressive steps to halt home foreclosures and said government-funded programs could help strapped homeowners.
- (AFX UK Focus) 2008-12-04 16:30 Bernanke - need to do more to halt foreclosures (Interactive Investor)
WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday urged more aggressive action to halt home foreclosures, and said write-downs of principal may need to be part those efforts. "Despite good-faith efforts by both the private and public sectors, the foreclosure rate remains too high, with adverse consequences for both those directly involved and for the broader ...
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