Saturday, 9 July 2011

Make Sure You Know How Home Equity Loan Interest Rates Are Calculated

By Stacey M. Sandlin


Homeowners can take advantage of a form of revolving credit by using their house as collateral. The equity in the house is built up over time, as you make mortgage payments. The lenders have different rules concerning minimal amounts borrowed, and the total amount you are eligible for. Home equity loan interest rates will determine how much you will need to pay in addition to the principle.

The general method used to determine how much you can borrow is to take a percentage of the value of your house and subtract the amount you still owe on the mortgage. This results in the amount the lending institution is willing to give you. Different financial institutions use different percentage amounts.

One of the concerns some people find with this type of loan is that if you default on the loan it is possible to lose your property. The decision to borrow money should be weighed carefully. When using your house as collateral, it is even more important to find out all of the details before signing.

The interest rates associated with this type of credit are typically variable rates, not fixed. Variable interest is based on an index, like the prime. When the prime rate changes, so does the variable interest rate. In your loan contract, you will see a referral to prime plus two points. That means your rate is two points higher than the prime rate.

The index can change at any time, but changes to your rate can only be made at certain intervals. It will affect the amount of monthly and total payments you will need to make. Meet with a lending institution for any questions you might have.

Make sure you know details like which index will be used, how often it changes and how high it has historically risen. Look for the ceiling rate, this is the percentage limit of of the interest charged to you. You will not be charged anything over that percentage. The limit can help to protect you when the economy is in turmoil.

For loans that use homes as collateral, must legally include a ceiling that is effective over the life of the plan. The plan works for both the consumer and lender. The ceiling rate stops the payment from going beyond a certain point, but may also state that it cannot go below a certain percentage, so the lender is not at risk.

Incentives like introductory rates can make an appealing case for applying to borrow money sooner than later. In this case, the rate is lower for a period of time at the beginning of the repayment period. It can help you make the decision to move forward with the process. It can also help you to save money and focus on paying the principle. Check with your financial institution to see if they have any promotions in effect.

There are other fees to consider, like property appraisal, application fees, up-front points and closing costs. Taking out a loan can provide much needed cash, but should not be taken lightly. Do your homework and find out all of the information you can about home equity loan interest rates and how they work.




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