Do you own
a house? If so, you already have realized the Greatest American Dream, which
many of us continue to work hard to have. Additionally, because you already
have a house, you already have easy access to money through Home Equity Loan or
Home Equity Line Credit.
It is thus
easier for you to acquire funds for myriad of reasons. Lenders can provide you
a credit of up to 75% of your total equity.
Funding
children’s college education or renovations for your house or even for purposes
of paying off the entire balance of your primary mortgage may be available
through home equity loan or line of credit.
You may
even opt to consolidate your debt, like your credit cards and other unsecured
credits with the options available in a home equity loan or line of credit.
This
facility is getting to be very popular nowadays because of the convenience of
owing only one institution and the added advantage of lower interest rates. In
addition, interests in consumer loans like your home equity loan or line of
credit is tax deductible.
The
facility of acquiring loan through home equity loan or line of credit is
flexible in various payments terms depending on the institution that is
providing you with the loan.
All of
these flexibility and advantages of acquiring a home equity loan and line of
credit notwithstanding needs some intelligent decision-making. This is because
even with the numerous advantages available in a home equity loan or line of
credit, the only one and most important factor to consider is the fact that you
put your house as collateral.
Consequently,
failing to pay your debt may cause you to loose the most precious asset you
have, your home.
For this
reason, before you embark on the convenient way of acquiring a loan through
home equity loan or line of credit, you may need to consider if you really need
this facility.
There may
be other loan facilities available where you can choose from, thus you may not
need to put your house as collateral. However, admittedly considering taxes and
interest rates may lead you back to home equity loan or line of credit. In this
case, you may need to seek additional advice.
I have been
mentioning home equity loan or line of credit. This is because the two differ
in one most significant factor. Home equity loan is a facility where you get
the proceeds of your loan lump sum. On the other hand, home equity line of
credit is a facility where you have a credit line, just like in a credit card,
where you may opt to get funds only when you need it.
However, in
a home equity loan, you pay equal installments throughout the duration of the
paying period and you pay part interest and part principal loan. In the case of
home equity line of credit, the interest rates are variable and you may choose
to pay interest only.
The
negative side of this is that you need to pay a balloon payment at the end of
the term, which may be hard for you if you are not ready to pay such a huge
amount. You may end up taking another loan, which will put you at a
disadvantageous position later on.
Finally,
financial experts recommend that before you embark on acquiring a home equity
loan or line of credit, you may need to do your homework by shopping around for
the best terms, payment options, and conditions where the lender may consider
you in default. Analyzing your needs may be an additional advantage for you to
make the intelligent decision.
For
additional information and advice, you may refer to various financial
management websites before you decide if home equity loan or line of credit is
good for you. You may find other loan facilities that will not be as risky, but
understanding what you need and how you need it may be necessary.
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