Heleigh Bostwick asked:




If you are thinking about undertaking a major home improvement project or debt consolidation for those mounting credit card bills, then perhaps it’s time to consider a home equity loan. While the two most common home equity loans are the home equity loan and the home equity line of credit (HELOC), there are a couple of other mortgage loan options as well including the 125% loan and cash-out refinancing. When comparing home equity loans several factors should be considered such as whether it’s a fixed or variable interest rate, if you have good or bad credit, which affects the interest rate of the loan, how much equity you have in your home and how much money you need and for what purpose, and which loan offers monthly payments you can afford.

What is a Home Equity Loan?

A home equity loan allows a homeowner to obtain cash in the form of a loan or line of credit in return for the equity built up in their home. Equity refers to the difference between the original loan amount on the mortgage and what the home is currently worth. For example if a home with an original mortgage loan of $100,000 is now worth $150,000 the amount of equity in the home is equivalent to $50,000.

Homeowners can benefit from second mortgages in several ways. Home equity loans generally have a lower interest rate than other types of loans and since most homeowners already have some equity built into their homes, they are a convenient and easy source of cash. There are also tax advantages in that the interest is tax deductible unlike credit card or loan interest.

What Kinds of Home Equity Loans are Available?

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) or home line of credit is a variable rate loan. Monthly payments vary according to the interest rate, which corresponds to the prime rate set by the Federal Reserve Bank. With a HELOC, homeowners are pre-approved for a specific amount of money and use the loan like a line of credit, withdrawing cash as it is needed. Interest rates (and monthly payments) often start off low but eventually end up rising.

In contrast, a home equity loan offers homeowners a lump sum payment with a fixed interest rate and loan terms ranging from 5 to 15 years. Homeowners pay the same amount of money every month for the duration of the loan. Both are considered second mortgages, and as with a conventional mortgage loan, both home equity loans and home equity lines of credit have closing costs associated with them. According to Don Taylor, PhD, CFA, CFP, a columnist at Bankrate.com, if you need money for a big-ticket item or single home improvement project go with a home equity loan. If you need money on a continuous basis and don’t mind the fluctuating interest rates, go with a HELOC.

The 125% loan is a 2nd mortgage loan option in which homeowners can borrow up to 125% of home’s value. For example, if your home is worth $100,000 and your first mortgage is $95,000, you can borrow $30,000, for a total of $125,000. The total of the first and second mortgages combined cannot exceed the appraised value of the home however. A 125% loan is useful when a homeowner needs more cash than can be obtained through a conventional home equity loan. Cash-out refinancing refers to refinancing your home at a lower interest rate (either a fixed or variable rate) and getting cash out, providing cash to a homeowner to pay for home improvement projects or pay down credit card bills.

John

Michael A. Goldstein asked:




If you are behind on your mortgage payments or are struggling to stay current on your loan payments, you may have considered refinancing your loan. However, if you have been turned down for a refinancing, and your home is worth less then you owe on it, you may be able to modify your loan. Below are several tips to successfully modify your existing loan, even if you do not have good credit.

Prepare a detailed document listing all of your income, assets and debts both secured and unsecured. More specifically, you should list out any income from wages, investments, social security, etc. You should also list any assets you have, such as investments, stocks, bonds, money in any checking or savings account, 401K, and fair market value of any additional real estate. You should list out all secured debts, such as 1st and 2nd mortgages, car loans, and any credit cards that use property as collateral, such as jewelry. Finally, you should list your home expenses, such as utilities, credit card bills, educational expenses and any other monthly expense that you incur. Draft a short hardship letter. Every loan modification has a story behind it. You need to tell the most compelling story as to why you can not stay current with your mortgage, or why you need to modify the loan to enable you to conduct some other life necessity. Prepare all of your financial documents such as: two years of tax returns, six months of bank statements, three months of pay stubs, Proof of home insurance. Form your negotiation strategy You want the bank to believe it is in their interest to modify the loan. As such, you want to remind the bank that you do want to remain in the home, but should no modification be entered into, you may have to file bankruptcy and force the lender to foreclose on your home, thereby incurring all of the legal fees and financial losses of selling your home in a depressed market. Always ask for more then you expect or want (It never hurts to ask) You want to leave room to negotiate to your eventual goal Typically start at 70% of your goal. When forming your offer, make sure you have thrown in a few items, you do not need, but can use a bargaining chips by taking them off the table. When the bank makes their first offer, you want to counter without emotion. For example you can say “let me see if that number will work for me, I need to run my numbers and get back to you with in 48 hours. I will need to speak to my attorney or broker first.” As discussed earlier, when negotiating with a bank, you may want to imply that should the loan modification or short sale not work out at the walk away price, the bank will end up taking the property and incur all the foreclosure sale fees involved. This is especially important in a depressed market, where it is unlikely the bank will recoup their return on investment. Banks do not want to owe properties in this market.


If after talking with your lender you have not received the results that you need, please feel free to contact our law office.

Willie

Jared Lee asked:




Several types of mortgage loans are being floated in the market by multiple financial institutions. However, it is advisable to have information regarding various criteria that are taken into consideration by mortgage lending firms while determining the eligibility of a borrower for a mortgage home loan. As these criteria determine the interest rate on the loan, knowledge about them is even more vital.

The most important criterion that lenders usually go for is about the repayment capability of the borrower. Credit history and FICO scores of the borrower provide ample information regarding financial status and the repayment history of the borrower. Lenders usually give prime importance to borrowers having a reasonable credit history with credit scores of more than 600. Credit reports of the borrower can be obtained from any of the three leading credit bureaus in the U.S.. Credit reports contain details such as the income of the borrower, his credits, and any late payments made towards rent, mortgages and credit card bills.

Another important criterion is the debt-to-income ratio of the borrower that determines the eligibility and interest rate on the loan. Borrowers having a debt-to-income ratio of 28/36 are considered ideal for a mortgage loan. However, certain lenders entertain customers with a poor debt-to-income ratio. But, loans to these customers are provided at a higher interest rate and require a high down payment.

Apart from these, the customer is expected to have a steady income and a satisfactory employment record so as to multiply his chances of getting a mortgage loan approved. The customer must be employed with a single employer for a minimum period of 2 years in order to be eligible for a loan.

Interest rates on the loan also vary if the loans are federally insured or assured by any private mortgage insurance companies.

Earl

Mercy Maranga asked:


Having bad credit can sometimes hamper very many dreams or things that you want to achieve. Most conventional lenders may not want to be associated with you unless you are also bringing something valuable to the table. However, this should not dampen your spirits as there are lenders out there who are willing to give you a chance despite your bad credit. There are many reasons that you could have bad credit. This could be due to a loss of business, a divorce or even huge medical or credit card bills.

So if you need to get a mortgage, there are bad credit mortgage loan lenders in the market. These loans are generally more costly than the regular home mortgages. This is because the lenders need the extra security should you default. It is advisable that you compare the different lenders and what they are offering in terms of repayment options and interest rates. The terms that they offer are usually done depending on how bad your credit is and the amount you intend to borrow.

When making bad credit mortgage payments, it is advisable to repay your loan over a short period of time. The longer you take, the more you will pay especially in interest. These types of loans are normally approved much faster by the bad credit mortgage lender.

There are those that have a pre-payment penalty so it is important that you are fully aware of the type of loan that you are going for. You will also have to choose whether to go for a fixed rate loan or a variable rate one. If you repay your loan, you will be able to repair your credit and help you get lower rates and a more affordable mortgage deal from a standard lender.



Anita