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Top 5 mistakes when getting home equity
Rates have historically never been better, so nowadays the temptation to borrow against your home equity is very strong. However, many homeowners unknowingly make costly mistakes.
Here are the top 5 mistakes people make when applying for a home equity loan.
Mistake 1 – Not Knowing The Difference between a Home Equity Loan and a Home Equity Line of Credit
A home equity loan is a one-time transaction that allows you to draw out all the funds available.
A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is open; you can choose a small initial advance against the full amount of the line; then reuse the line of credit as often as you want during the period that the line is open. Your monthly payment is based on the outstanding balance.
A general rule of thumb is: use a home equity loan when you need all the money up front; such as cash for home improvements, debt consolidation, or a large one-time purchase.
If you need ongoing access to cash and revolving credit a HELOC may be your best choice.
Mistake 2 – Taking a Home Equity Loan When You Plan on Refinancing Your First Mortgage
Many mortgage companies look at the combined loan amounts (i.e., the sum of the first and second loans) even when you are refinancing only your first loan. If you plan on refinancing your first loan the lender may require you to pay off both your first and second mortgages; or close your home equity line completely.
Check with your mortgage company to see if having a second loan will cause your refinance to be turned down.
Mistake 3 – Not Knowing The Hidden Costs
If you feel you must take out a home equity loan or open a line of credit it is important to know ALL the costs. With any loan secured against your property there can be hefty insurance costs, appraisals and other fees that can cut into your loan amount.
Mistake 4 – Only Applying at Your Current Bank
Many consumers apply for their home equity loan from their home bank. This can be a costly mistake.
As in any other type of loan, be sure to shop around for the best deal. Your current bank may not be able to give you the best interest rate or the best terms.
Think twice before deciding to use your local bank; you may find that there is another lender out there that can offer you a substantially more attractive loan program.
Mistake 5 – Not Checking Your Credit First
As in any type of loan, it is imperative that you get the best rates and terms. However, if you have credit problems it will seriously affect your ability to qualify.
In fact, if your credit is not the greatest you may have no choice but to use alternative lenders specializing in hard to place loans. The solution: Make sure you go with the bank or lender that provides the best rates for your type of credit whether good or bad.
There you have it. Avoid these 5 mistakes and you could save yourself hundreds, if not thousands of dollars when you get a home equity loan.
Strategic Capital Network is a licensed mortgage brokerage specializing in helping credit challenged homeowners qualify for home equity loans.
How To Get A Really Good Online Auto Car Loan Rates
There are several different types of ways to go about getting the best auto loan rates. It will typically include some initial thought and some real focused planning in advance. It’s easy to just straight tell individuals to shop around, but this is far too much of a fairly simplistic explanation of the true process.
First things first, the best possible online car loan rate can only be acquired with some good credit. If you find that you are below 680 or in even some cases less than 700, you should anticipate that you will be paying car loan rates that are not the lowest auto loan rates. Since having higher rates is going to mean having to pay more money for a vehicle, it is really important for you to plan in advance by going about improving your credit score. This could mean making certain that all of your prior credit obligations are actually paid in a timely manner for at least six months prior to applying for a loan.
One thing that may be used and is taken into consideration may be the length of your employment. People who have actually been at the same job for over a year more than likely end up getting a low interest car loan rate. Another important thing that you should take into consideration is the debt to income ratio you currently. If your current outstanding debts are somewhat high, you should go about paying these down so that your credit profile will reflect more available credit, particularly because the lowest car loan rates will also have a low ratio.
Another important thing to take into consideration would be saving up some money for an initial down payment. Financial lenders view this as something really positive. Though several loans out there can offer 100% financing, these are not going to be the low interest car loan you seek, this unfortunately will typically come at the cost of a few additional interest percentage points. This means that any new car loans can immediately become upside down loans the moment that the person purchases the vehicle.
Figuring out exactly how much this automatic decrease in value will be when you go about purchasing the car can go a long way in helping you figure out the ideal amount of the down payment. If you require some help, you should take a look at the Kelley Blue Book rates to find out exactly how much a new car goes about decreasing in value when it is sold to help you figure out a proper down payment. It is also really critical that you do not add money to the loan by trading in a vehicle that you have that is currently in an upside down state. A genuinely low interest car loan typically will not be granted for those individuals who are looking at borrowing more money than the price of the vehicle. This should be avoided at all costs when you begin searching for the best car loan rate.
Lastly, you should most definitely shop around for the best car loan rate. Do not for a moment simply assume the credit score auto loan rate offered from a car dealership is going to be the best deal. Individuals who currently belong to credit unions very well may want to look for their loans there, as they could end up being the best place to find them. Others can do rate comparisons with different local banks, but may ultimately find that the best auto loan rates online. With having really good credit, it shows that you have a proven ability to pay things on time, include this with a fairly sizable down payment, and most potential borrowers will come to see that there are a lot of financial lenders who will want compete for their business.