With a HELOC, you're borrowing against the available equity in your home and the house is used as collateral for the line of credit. As you repay your outstanding balance, the amount of available credit is replenished – much like a credit card.
Interest rates have been at or near all-time lows for several years now, and home equity lines of credit let you take advantage of that fact. HELOCs can have lower interest rates and lower initial costs than credit card, which makes them attractive for debt consolidation or ongoing purchases.
Pros and Cons of HELOCs
… and the downsides
HELOCs can be useful as a home improvement loan since they allow you the flexibility to borrow as much or as little as you need. If it turns out that you need more money, you can get it from your line of credit-assuming there's still availability—without having to re-apply for another mortgage loan.
It's not a good idea to use a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to fund a vacation, buy a car, pay off credit card debt, pay for college, or invest in real estate. If you fail to make payments on a home equity line of credit (HELOC), you could lose your house to foreclosure.
At any time, you can pay off any remaining balance owed against your HELOC. ... If you pay off your HELOC balance early, your lender may offer you the choice to close the line of credit or keep it open for future borrowing. Why you should close a HELOC. Sometimes, a lender will charge annual fees for open lines of credit.
Because it has a minimum monthly payment and a limit, a HELOC can directly affect your credit score since it looks like a credit card to credit agencies. It's important to manage the amount of credit you have since a HELOC typically has a much larger balance than a credit card.
If you decide to sell your home, you will have to pay off your HELOC in full before you can close on the sale. The HELOC is tied directly to your house, and if you no longer own the home, you can no longer use it as loan collateral.
Interest on a HELOC or a home equity loan is deductible if you use the funds for renovations to your home—the phrase is "buy, build, or substantially improve." To be deductible, the money must be spent on the property whose equity is the source of the loan.
When we receive an application for a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), we have to determine the value for the property. This, in turn, allows us to determine the amount that can be borrowed. However most times with a HELOC, a full appraisal is not required.
Unlike a HELOC, which allows you to draw out money as you need it, a second mortgage pays you one lump sum. You then make fixed-rate payments on that sum each month until it's paid off. It essentially is the same as your first mortgage, only instead of getting a house, you get an influx of cash.
To pay off a HELOC faster, make additional payments each month to be applied to the principal balance or refinance the debt to avoid variable interest rates.
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