21 Aug Advantages & Disadvantages of Home Equity Loan
Are you planning to apply a home equity loan? If yes, it’s better to stay aware of its advantages and disadvantages before applying to avoid any last minute surprises. A house equity loan is a loan secured by the borrower against their existing property and provided by a financial institution or a bank or lender. Equity is defined as the difference between a home’s current market value and the remaining mortgage balance. As the mortgage is paid, the homebuyer gains equity in their property, which can then be used to secure a home equity loan in Abbotsford.
Advantages of Using Home Equity
- Low Cost Financing
A home equity loan offers a low-cost source of finance that does not distract from your long-term wealth creation efforts. It prevents you from digging into your savings or selling off portions of your investment portfolio.
Low Interest Rate
When it comes to lending or financing, a house equity loan is secured by the value of your residential property as collateral and possesses less risk to a lender. Interest rates on property equity loans are typically cheaper compared to ordinary unsecured personal loans or credit cards.
Boost Credit History
Once a home equity loan is approved and the borrower begins making principal and interest payments, they can increase their credit score if the lender reports the loan.
Size of Principal
If the value of your property has increased significantly from the time of purchase, you may have a sizable amount of principal that you can borrow from using a home equity loan. This loan allows you to use a portion of your net worth that would otherwise be difficult to access.
Disadvantages of Using Home Equity Loans
Investment Risks
Home prices are not necessarily guaranteed to increase over time. If homeowners have purchased an additional property with equity during a market downturn, they may find themselves underwater on numerous properties.
Power of sale or foreclosure
When a home equity loan is arranged, the underlying property serves as collateral. As a result, if loan payments are not paid, the property can be taken through a power of sale, or ownership can be transferred to lenders. As a result, it is critical to conduct enough due diligence to ensure that you, as a borrower, are financially able to make the monthly payments, which are often interest-only on many property equity loans.
Conclusion
A home equity loan can turn out to be a useful financing tool for additional properties and/or home upgrades. However, before making such a commitment, you should consider your options with a mortgage broker in Abbotsford and ensure that you have the monthly cash flow to cover both the loan and your mortgage on time.
If you are looking for a reliable mortgage consultant in Abbotsford who can help you with home equity loans, rely on none other than Satbir Bhullar. For more details, give us a call today.