Is It Wise to Get a Second Mortgage?

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Getting a second mortgage isn’t as simple as marching to a bank and telling lenders that you want to take a loan against your home equity. Although a second mortgage is just defined as a loan against the equity you’ve built up for your home, getting one is a complicated process that can result to you losing your home if you’re not careful. You should only take a second mortgage if you’re sure that you can handle the terms and that the risks will be worth it for you.

Why Get A Second Mortgage

Most people apply for a second mortgage to finance projects that they don’t have the cash for, such as an expensive home improvement project or extensive home repairs. Some do so to fund big expenses such as a dream wedding or vacation. There are also people who take a second mortgage to save money in the long run, such as when the money is used to consolidate loans with a high interest rate – effectively converting them to a low-interest single loan that is easier to handle.

How a Second Mortgage Can Help You

Whatever your reason is for trying to get a second mortgage, you need to understand how a second mortgage works to ensure that you end up helping yourself by getting it.

Know that a second mortgage gives you a one-time set amount that you have to pay on top of your first mortgage. The payments are a fixed amount monthly and is set until you’ve fully paid off your loan. The downside is that failure to make payments as agreed can lead to your losing your home to foreclosure.

How to Apply for a Second Mortgage

Getting a second mortgage follows a process that is similar to getting a first mortgage. There will likely be an appraisal as part of determining your home equity and then you connect with a lender or a bank to begin the paperwork.

Banks generally take a long time to evaluate your details to determine how much they can lend you. A private mortgage lender might be a better option if you’re not traditionally employed or if your credit score isn’t as good as banks requires it to be.

Is it Wise to Get A Second Mortgage?

Getting a second mortgage shouldn’t be your first financial option when you need cash. Ask yourself if it is possible to simply save up for the huge expense you have to fund. Try to see if your loans can be consolidated some other way. Try to see where you’ll be financially in the future to determine if you’ll be able to pay or whether you’ll be risking going homeless.

Weigh all the pros and cons before making up your mind to apply for a second mortgage. Try to find if there are any other ways to finance your needs. Once you’re sure you want to get one, don’t hesitate to ask for professional help to get the best terms possible. You need to make sure that getting a second mortgage will have a lot of benefits for your situation for it to be a truly wise  decision.

If you feel that you should consult with mortgage experts before you get a second mortgage, do it! Contact us and we’ll be happy to discuss your concerns with you.

The Smartest Way to Tap Your Home Equity

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Tapping your home equity is often the most convenient way to come up with a significant amount of cash in a relatively fast way. There is no need to sell taxable holdings and incur extra taxes and all you need is an approval.

Here are 3 ways to tap your home equity with secondary home loans:

Apply for a Second Mortgage

A second mortgage also goes by home equity loan and is considered to be the most structured among the home loans, more or less mirroring your primary mortgage.

Second mortgages can have a variable or a fixed interest rate with the rate oftentimes higher than the first mortgage. They can have a set term and are often amortized in the beginning. Note that payments are very much like in primary mortgage with the principal and interest listed separately. A second mortgage also can’t be further drawn upon after being issued.

Get a Home Equity Line of Credit

A home equity line of credit, also referred to as a HELOC, is the most flexible secondary home loan in this list. There is often a minimum amount that has to be dispersed although no funds is usually released upon approval because a HELOC acts like a credit card, not a lump sum loan.

When you are approved for a HELOC, you’ll have the flexibility to just withdraw whatever amount you need as long as it does not exceed your limit. Most HELOCs nowadays come with a debit card and/or a checkbook making your life even easier when it comes to accessing your funds. Another feature is that you can avail of future amortization because of this loan type’s structure. Payment isn’t as strict because you can choose to just pay for the interest each month as long as you can pay for your entire balance at the end of the loan term.

Go For a Cash-Out Refinance

A cash-out refinance is different from the two other secondary home loans above because this option doesn’t necessarily involve a second loan. In a cash-out refinance, the homeowner can just refinance the home for a larger sum and get the difference as a cash-out. A downside would be that this type of loan can have really high closing costs depending on several factors.

Tap Your Home Equity in A Smart Way

Don’t forget that failure to pay any of the 3 secondary home loans above will mean losing your home to foreclosure; so choosing an option that fits your ability to pay, and not just your desired amount to borrow is crucial. Amounts that will be granted to you will also be dependent on several factors such as the desirability of your location, your home’s value, and your ability to pay. You’ll have to have an idea of your future cash flow before signing anything. To be on the safe side, it is best if you can consult with refinancing or second mortgage experts before deciding on one.

Need help and more information about the smartest ways to use your home equity? Contact us and we’ll assist you soonest!