Home

Home Equity

Home equity- All you need to know about it

Buying a home in a country like Canada is almost everyone’s dream. But not everyone knows the best way of achieving this dream. There are many options made available by the Canadian government for buying your own home without having to go through heavy financial burdens. You can opt for mortgage loans or home equity loans for owning a home by taking a financial help from the government or private lenders. A home equity loan can allow you to use the net worth of your home for taking a loan. You just have to build some equity of your home and keep your mortgage balance minimum. The subtraction of the pending balance of your mortgage loan from the net worth of your home would give the equity value of your home.

Want to know more about this home equity loan?

Read below to upgrade your knowledge about a home equity loan and its qualifying conditions.

What is home equity?

Home equity loans allow you to use a large sum of money against the equity build up of your home. These loans are similar to second mortgage loans where you can use the leftover equity of your home to borrow some money while paying off for your first mortgage loan. Basically, the first mortgage loan is taken up for the property and the second mortgage loan can be applied for the same property, you just have to ensure that you keep paying off your first mortgage loan while paying for the home equity loan. Moreover, it is also believed that qualifying for home equity loans is a bit easier than qualifying for any other traditional loans. You just need to maintain some equity of your home by opting for regular renovations and keeping the outstanding debts as minimum as possible.

How can you borrow from your home equity?

Home equity loans provide you with a lump-

Sum amount of cash against the net worth of your home. Home equity is measured by subtracting your pending mortgage balance from the net worth of your home. Home equity loans usually provide for a maximum 65% of the equity left for your home, so that even after applying for the loan, you still have some equity (20%) left with your home. In case you need emergency cash for your child’s tuition fees, home renovations, medical fees, or any other personal reason, you can use your home equity to apply for this loan. But remember that the home equity loans are provided for fully constructed freehold homes, whether residential or non-residential.

How to get the best home equity lender?

You would find many brokers or lenders to get home equity loans. All of them would have different conditions and would offer different interest rates for lending. So, you need to find the best lender and the best deal for using the equity build up of your home. Lenders would check your credit score, financial condition, condition of your home, and then offer interest rates and other payment details of the loan. Thus, it is advisable to maintain your home in a very good condition and keep your credit score high. You can look out for various lenders and ask for their deals. Then you can choose the best suited deal for your home. Even if you have a bad credit score or have pending debts, lenders would still have solutions to make up for it and approving your loan. Just contact the professional and experienced lenders to opt for home equity loans.

Essentials to keep in mind while borrowing from home equity-

1) Maintain your home equity-

To maintain a good equity value of your home, keep opting for regular renovations to ensure a good overall condition of the home. Besides, keep paying off for your first mortgage loan because equity is calculated by subtracting the pending mortgage balance from the net worth of the home.

2) Keep a quantitative idea of your home equity-

Calculate an estimated value of your home equity by subtracting the pending balance of your first mortgage loan from the net market value of your home. For example, if the market value of your home is nearly $ 250,000 and the pending balance of your first mortgage loan is $ 100,000, then your home equity value would be $ 150,000.

3) Learn about the pros and cons of home equity loans-

Opting for a home equity loan is a great option for dealing with emergency cash requirements. But this can bring up some risks too. So, ensure to know about the risks and opt for these loans only if they suit your financial condition as well as the needs.

4) Consider the qualifying conditions-

Lenders usually ask for a minimum of 20% equity and we will qualify based on the non-traditional income verification.

How can I maintain my home equity?

• No outstanding balance in mortgage payments-

You should always be regular and well in time while paying off your first mortgage loan to increase the equity value of your home. Avoid keeping outstanding balance of the mortgage instalments. Moreover, to give an additional increase to the equity value, you can opt for additional principal mortgage payments.

• Renovate your home-

Keeping your home in a good condition and opting for regular renovations add a hike to the net value of your home. This will definitely cause an additional rise in the equity value of your home also.

• An increase in your property value-

With a fortunate increase in the property value of your home, your home equity value also rises. Property values usually rise after every few years, but this is not an inevitable rise. So, don’t depend on such rises and take full advantage if you get fortunate in this case.

• A high down payment-

Raising the net value of your down payment will increase the equity value of your home. For an instance, if you save for 20 percent down payment rather than just 10 percent, this will give a hike in your home’s equity value.

How can I calculate my home equity?

• Know the market value of your home-

The net worth of your home might be very different from its original price that you would have paid when you had bought it. Property prices show huge fluctuations over time. So, know the exact market value of your home before you plan to apply for a home equity loan. You can use an online estimation tool or you can talk to an experienced real estate agent to know the exact market value of your home.

• Subtract your mortgage balance from the market value-

After knowing the net worth of your home, subtract the pending balance of your first mortgage loan or any other pending debts from that worth. You will be left with the net equity value of your home.

Benefits and risks of home equity loans-

You can easily pay off your unsecured and pending debts with the help of home equity loans. Moreover, these loans can be beneficial in cases of paying for home renovations, college fees, and medical expenses. But, these loans come with some risks too. So, you better concentrate on the benefits and risks both, before putting your home at stake.

Benefits-

• Tax deductions-

In case the home owners wish to use the money for capital improvements, then the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs act gives them the access to ask for interest rate deductions on the home equity loans or lines of credit.

• Low interest rates-

Home equity loans have lower interest rates as compared to those of unsecured debts like credit cards and personal loans. So, opting for these loans is beneficial to improve your monthly cash flow.

Risks-

• Property losing risks-

In case you fail to pay off your debts or loan instalments, then your lender can foreclose on your home, which can result in losing your home. Moreover, if the market value of your home falls down, you would have to pay off the loan with a greater value than the net worth of your home.

• Misusing the loans-

It is always advisable to think twice before opting for home equity loans to pay off your debts. Always use these loans for those expenses that will pay you back after sometime. For example, you should consider these loans for educational expenses, or starting your businesses which will give you returns after sometime.

• Extra borrowing costs-

Lenders take some extra charges or borrowing costs for home equity loans or HELOCs. So, it is always advisable to know about the net charges i.e. the loan charges plus the interest rates which are to be payable to the lender, to avoid any regrets later on.

What are the different types of using home equity for loans-

• Home equity loans-

Home equity loans are just like second mortgage loans where you would get a lump-sum amount of money from your lender. Once you receive the loan, you need to start paying it off in the form of monthly instalments at fixed interest rates.

• Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs)-

A home equity line of Credit is a very flexible and reliable loan option where you can use your home as a collateral. The loan amount is calculated by subtracting the pending balance of your mortgage loan from the estimated value of your home. You can take up to 65% of your home equity value in HELOCs.

A home equity Line of Credit comes with the following benefits-

a. Free renewal process

b. No refinancing needs

c. No annual charges

d. No charges for zero balance

e. Non-traditional income verification mode

f. Easy and penalty-free returning process

g. Access availability for urgent needs

h. Interest is charged on the monthly withdrawal

How HELOCs are better than second mortgage loans or home equity loans-

Second mortgage loans are somewhat like home equity loans, where you use your home as a collateral and borrow a required sum of money. Second mortgage loans are paid in the form of a lump-sum amount at the starting of the loan. The length of this loan and payment amount remain the same.

However, HELOCs are a source of secured credit, taken against the home of the applicant. These are better than second mortgage loans as the interest has to be paid on a limited amount only, rather than on the entire amount taken. Moreover, the interest rates are much lower in the case of HELOCs. So, HELOCs are a much better option for debt consolidation than second mortgage loans or home equity loans.

The best type of home equity loan for you-

Depending upon the main points of differences between home equity loans and HELOCs, you need to choose wisely that which one suits your availabilities and requirements. In case you need a lump-sum amount of cash and want to pay it back at fixed interest rates, then home equity loans are the best for you. However, if you need to get an access to a credit card-like loan and want to be flexible with the interest rates, then HELOCs are the real options for you.

Lenders have different qualifying conditions and rule criteria for home equity loans. They would ask for a good credit score of more than 620. Even, in case you have a bad credit score, it is quite possible that your loan interest rates would be higher than other cases.

Conclusion-

Home equity loans are the best options for getting a large sum of money in hand, when in need. You can arrange well for your emergency expenses like medical costs, tuition fees, home renovation charges, and unsecured debts. You just need to build up some equity for your home and use that equity value for getting a loan. But, just like the benefits, these home equity loans are accompanied with some risks as well. So, stay sure to look at the risks very smartly. Besides this, consider only the experienced and professional lenders to get the best deal for your home’s equity.