Home Equity

Home Equity Loans and Debt Consolidation – A Great Partnership

Home equity loans offer several attractive benefits for debt consolidation. First, you are moving your debt from a host of different lenders to one lender with a lower interest rate. You will also be paying off one lump sum in a fixed time-frame, instead of paying various lenders various amounts on differing payment schedules. In addition, the interest on a home equity loan is tax deductible. Finally, in most cases, less money will be coming out of your bank account each month to pay off your debt.

In a recent article on Bankrate, Greg Pahl, co-author of "The Unofficial Guide to Beating Debt," states, "A home equity loan can be an extremely useful strategy if it's used properly, but people must have their eyes open and understand the implications." You need to remember that your home is the collateral for the loan, so there is a great deal at stake. For this reason, many homeowners opt for a home equity loan versus a home equity line of credit when looking to consolidate debt. A home equity loan is a lump sum loan for a fixed period of time, while a line of credit works in the same way as a credit card or checking account, making it tempting to continue to borrow money against your home. A home equity loan is a more secure choice for many homeowners.

What about refinancing? When you refinance, you are replacing your existing mortgage, not just borrowing against the equity in your home. This means that you would pay interest on your credit card and other debt for the entire length of your mortgage. A home equity loan is typically a better option when debt consolidation is your goal.

Jennifer is a free-lance writer who has produced many mortgage related articles for Mortgage Refinance Quotes & Second Mortgages. If you need more information or current home equity rates, please visit the Home Equity Loans Center.

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Home equity loans drying up for some - Business - Personal finance ...
Like many homeowners during the housing boom, Lynnette Madden and her husband decided to open a home equity line of credit about a year and a half ago as ...
Americans' home equity near a record low - Business - Real estate ...
WASHINGTON ? Falling U.S. home prices have shrunk equity so much that the proportion of their homes that Americans actually own is near its lowest point ...
Home equity lines have dried up across U.S. - Business - Personal ...
Home equity lines have dried up across U.S. As home prices collapse, banks cut off credit, further souring the economy Below:
Late payments for home equity loans rise - Business - Real estate ...
WASHINGTON ? Late payments on home equity loans climbed to a 1½-year high in the opening quarter of this year, while delinquencies on credit card bills ...
Retirees no longer count on home equity - Business - Personal ...
Many Americans have recently found themselves changing retirement plans after losing a substantial amount of home equity as the housing market and the ...
Equity in Americans? homes falls to historic low - Business ...
NEW YORK ? The equity Americans have in their most important asset ? their homes ? has dropped to its lowest level since the end of World War II ...
Students get creative to pay off loans - Business - Personal ...
Lines of credit typically work like a credit card, with a limit and a revolving balance: the average home-equity line of credit currently has an interest rate ...
Use of home equity hits a four-year low - Business - Real estate ...
Use of home equity hits a four-year low Freddie Mac report cites falling residence values, stricter lending standards Below:
Ford, Toyota are pinning their hopes on China - Business - Autos ...
NEW YORK ? Ford Motor Co. plans to build a new assembly plant in China ... $30K home equity loan FICO: 5.75%
Cities sue, invest to stop foreclosures - Business - Real estate ...
These stem from lost tax revenue and jobs as well as slower consumer spending that come with home equity declines, and don?t even include the financial toll ...

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