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Featured Heloc Articles

5 Tips For Savvy Use Of Your Home Equity Line Of Credit
Tapping your home's equity to pay college expenses, consolidate credit card debt or even to buy a new car or boat is common place. Many economists attribute the additional buying power afforded consumers through home equity debt as a primary reason the ...

Home equity loan and credit line
Home equity loan, e-loan and credit line for your new life of being married. Most people have their house and mortgage when they get married but some couples need to shop for a mortgage. Home equity loan, e-loan and credit line for your new home will be ...

Shopping Home Equity Loan Rates
If you have been in your home for a number of years and you have established some equity, you may be considering liquidating some of that equity. A great way to do this would be to go with a Home Equity Loan. A home equity loan allows for you to borrow ...




Be Cautious When Using Your Nest Egg As An ATM
 
About five years ago I moved from the ranks of being a renter to that of being a homeowner. Now, not a week goes by that I don't receive some type of offer through the mail encouraging me to refinance my mortgage, open a home equity line of credit (HELOC), or apply for a home equity loan.

Payoff High Interest Credit Card Debt! Lower Your Monthly Payments! Buy A New Car! Refinance And Get Money Now! scream the slogans splashed across the envelopes.

The promotional letters inside point out how easy it will be for me to “get the extra cash you need NOW!” They promise “no out of pocket costs” with a newly refinanced 30-year loan.

Could I use some extra cash NOW? You bet I could! Who needs high interest credit card debt? Not me, no way, no how! Buy a new car? Hmmm, I like that new Pontiac G6 I've seen on tv, maybe in a sleek titanium color with black trim?

For thousands of U.S. households “Home Sweet Home” is rapidly being replaced with a new sentiment - “Home Sweet ATM.” According to the latest Federal Reserve study, 45% of homeowners who have refinanced their mortgages pulled cash out and 74% wound up lengthening their mortgage by about six years. Only 17% shortened their loan term opting to downsize to a 15-year mortgage.

In a period of six years, Americans have more than doubled the amount owed on home equity loans and lines of credit, nearing $766.2 billion, according to the Federal Reserve.

If you're in your 40's and you refinance on a new 30-yr. loan, you'll be in your 70's by the time your loan ends. Even if you shave off a few years by paying down your principle, you're still risking not owning your home “free and clear” as you approach retirement age.

What happened to the era when your home was considered your nest egg to be used only for life-threatening or life-changing events like paying for a child's wedding or for a medical emergency? And worst of all, many new homeowners are using their home's equity as another source for financing new debts.

Think twice before using home equity to pay off credit card balances. If you're already overspending on your credit cards now, what makes you think anything will be different after you pay them off with a loan or line of credit? Many people just wind up deeper in debt or facing bankruptcy because they couldn't resist charging their cards up again.

Keep this in mind before tapping your home's equity - Your loan or HELOC is secured by your home. Default on the loan and you could lose your house, even if you declare bankruptcy!

The best use for home equity is to make improvements that add value to your home. Remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, adding an extra room or creating a master suite are just a few of the “hot” improvements that can really pay off when it comes time for you to sell.

If your home truly is your nest egg, be smart about how use its equity. Make sure that it fits in with your overall financial plan and golas. Otherwise, you could be left without a nest and just the egg!







Heloc News


Toronto Star

Home equity line of credit fees can be confusing
Toronto Star
The information about the costs of taking out a home equity line of credit — known as a HELOC — including legal fees, administration costs and other charges is not there. The websites of no-frills banks such as President's Choice and ING Direct, ...

and more »

Calculated Risk Is Wrong: There Is No Housing Bottom In Sight
Business Insider
You see, I'm the only analyst who discusses the significance of the home equity line of credit (HELOC) debacle and its impact today. Take a look at this shocking chart for refinancings in Maricopa County from data provider, mortgagedataweb.com During ...

and more »

New Jersey Housing Market Struggles Despite Falling Mortgage Rates
Go Banking Rates
In terms of credit rates, the average HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) is 5.19% statewide, averaging between 2.74% to 10%. Homebuyers and mortgage applicants should take note that when pursuing a HELOC, financial institutions will refer to the lowest ...


Banks Moving to Ease Mortgage Approvals
UPI.com
According to the latest quarterly survey of senior loan officers by the Federal Reserve, an equal number of banks raised or lowered lending standards for nontraditional mortgages and revolving Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC) loans.


Fitch Affirms GMAC Mortgage's Residential Primary & Special Servicer Ratings ...
MarketWatch (press release)
The servicing portfolio was comprised of 10.0% non-agency prime first and second liens, 7.0% subprime first and second liens, 5.5% Alt-A, and 1.9% HLTV, 5.7% HELOC products, with the balance consisting of conventional conforming and FHA/VA loans.

and more »