Mortgage & Refinancing Information

Home Equity Loan Information - How to Use One Wisely


Using a home equity loan to get out of debt or make improvements to your home is usually a smart move. You have earned the equity, so it only makes sense that you put it to good use. Usually this type of loan offers a lower interest rate than credit cards or traditional loans, so it is a wise move for many circumstances. Perhaps one of the smartest uses of a home equity loan is for home improvements. You can take a $10,000 dollar loan, put it towards a new kitchen, and then turn around and sell your home for a profit. There are a few tips to getting the most out of your home equity loan. Use your head and ask questions, and you should have no trouble making the right decision.

First, you need to do your homework. We cannot stress this enough! The more you know about the process and your lender, the better prepared you will be come closing time. Get quotes from several lenders, which will give you a bargaining chip when it comes time to secure a loan. If you have found other lenders that can offer you a better deal, use that to your advantage. Always get it in writing.

Second, understand what the market is doing at the moment. Research the current interest rates available as well as the government prime rate. This will help give you a picture of where the economy is headed. Understanding the value of your neighborhood will also come into play during the process. For instance, if a golf course or park is in the process of being built, you may find that the value of your home will skyrocket once the feature is in place. Consider waiting until the construction is complete, to get top dollar for your home.

Lastly, know where you are going in the next 10 years. Sure, you may be able to swing the second mortgage now, but where will you be in 10 years. While nothing is ever certain, there are a few life altering events that could drastically change your finances. These include:

1. A spouse changing jobs or deciding to quit working to stay home with children

2. A spouse or child attending college

3. The birth or adoption of a child

4. Illness or death in the family

So make sure to discuss your current situation with your friends and loved ones. If you plan on having another child or moving to one income, you may be better off waiting for a while. On the same note, if you or your spouse will graduate college or receive a promotion, you can probably go ahead with the loan.

When the time comes to decide on a loan product, do not get pressured into signing something that you don't understand. Even if the lender says that the document is "standard" read through it cover to cover before signing. The final piece of advice for you would be to not take more than you need. Let's say that you have about $5,000 in home repairs that need to be done. Even if the lender says that you can borrow $30,000 dollars, you shouldn't do it. Borrow only what you need. That way, you can be sure to repay the loan in a timely fashion. Put any excess money into a savings or money market, so that you have a cushion should another emergency arise.

John Ross is a freelance author, providing tips and ideas relating to home equity loans. You can find more of his articles at: home equity loan company, online home equity loans, and fixed rate home equity loan. The Loanchbox is a user friendly website designed to teach the basics behind home equity loans.


MORE RESOURCES:

Washington Times

Is It Time To Refinance Your Mortgage?
Forbes, NY - Jan 8, 2009
Falling rates and a friendly Fed mean good things for homeowners. But there's a catch. Looking to refinance your mortgage? Do it now. ...
Mortgage Rates At 37- Year Low WHIZ
Refinancing suddenly booms Honolulu Advertiser
all 33 news articles


Cardoza proposal could aid housing crisis
Stockton Record, CA - 16 hours ago
By Bruce Spence Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Atwater, has a plan to reverse the housing crisis and boost the economy: a 4 percent interest rate on fixed-rate, ...


Waco banks seeing a boom in mortgage refinance applications
Waco Tribune Herald, TX - Jan 2, 2009
By Mike Copeland With mortgage rates hitting record lows, Mary Jo Teakell is seeing a growing backlog of refinance applications. “We’re quite busy right now ...
Borrowers seeking to refinance may face challenges WTOP
all 15 news articles


Situations determine refinancing
FayObserver.com, NC - Jan 7, 2009
By Hilary Kraus It depends on your situation. How much do you still owe? How long do you expect to stay in your home? Are lower payments a priority? ...


Mortgage Refinance Loans
Kitchener, Ontario Canada, Canada - Dec 31, 2008
The City of Kitchener is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. ...


St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Mortgage Refinance Online
PWO, France - Dec 17, 2008
If you want to consolidate debt or get cash to pay for home improvements, you can apply for a mortgage refinance online that offers you a cash back option, ...
Video: Record low mortgage rates ReutersVideo
Mortgage Rate Hits 37-Year Low Wall Street Journal
all 864 news articles


Bad Credit Mortgage Refinance Loan- 3 Most Important Items to Get ...
CrunchGear, NY - Dec 23, 2008
Ultimately if you are looking to do a bad credit mortgage refinance loan you need to keep several things in mind to ensure that you don’t get taken for a ...


TopNews

Question & Answer on mortgage refinancing
Boston Herald, United States - Jan 1, 2009
By Holden Lewis / Bankrate.Com With mortgage rates at historic lows, lots of homeowners are debating whether to refinance their mortgages these days. ...
Don't miss the mortgage refinance window Barre Montpelier Times Argus
Applications Show Refi Wear-Out? Housing Wire
A toast to low mortgage rates MarketWatch
all 457 news articles


Are points a good buy on refinancings right now?
WalletPop, VA - Jan 5, 2009
During the housing boom, my wife and I probably got at least a dozen solicitations a month from banks wanting us to refinance our mortgage or borrow against ...


ABC News

Falling interest rates create surge
Schenectady Gazette, NY - Dec 24, 2008
By James Schlett (Contact) ROTTERDAM — The past week has been something of a renaissance for Stan Len, a mortgage broker with Adirondack Home Mortgage. ...
Video: Money Minute: Holiday Spending, Mortgages AssociatedPress
Refi madness CNN
Q4 Consumer Spending Could Be Better Than Q3, But Weakness Will ... FXstreet.com The Foreign Exchange Market
Reuters
all 497 news articles

Mortgage-Refinance - Google News

home | site map
© 2006