Saturday 11 June 2011

Equity Release Schemes And Their Advantages

By Craig Seamus Samson


When one decides to release equity on a house, this means obtaining payments left over when the mortgage rates are subtracted from the rates of the market value of the house. These payments go directly to the owner. Since there are many types of equity release schemes available, it is imperative that one learns more about each type along with the pros and cons. This is because financial issues contain many risks and one should avoid taking any steps without proper knowledge.

The main clients involved in these transactions are senior citizens. This is because usually they do not have many dependents or do not wish to involve them in their housing affairs. The money being given to the owners must be repaid to the lender within a deadline, which is often at the end of the life of the owner.

There are three major schemes being used today. Known as the lifetime mortgage, the first one lets the borrower access to being part of the legal ownership of the estate. This is done by securing loans on the mortgage loan itself. At the time of death of the borrower, the lender makes further profit by selling the property.

The second form is known as a home reversion scheme which involves a third party. This scheme gives the borrower the chance to rent or sell the home to someone else and make money through rents and other services provided.

Finally, the last major type is called a shared appreciation mortgage. In this agreement, the lender gets part of the profit made over the years as the property value of the location increases. If the client is higher in age, the lender will get a smaller share.

Since there is no tax on the income flowing in to the owners, this is seen as the biggest advantage to these processes. Another advantage is that both the owners and lenders enjoy a set of predetermined legal rights which cannot be violated by the other parties involved in the agreements.

As for the disadvantages, the equity release schemes have their fair share and it is imperative that people are aware of them. For example, the family members of a person will probably not receive a substantial amount of inheritance money if the property rates do not peak regularly. Also, if one is not able to pay back the loans, the bank has full right to take over the house. Before making any agreements with lenders or banks, one should thoroughly read the fine print in contracts and educate oneself about the risks involved.




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