What Is a Home Equity Line Of Credit ?

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is a type of second mortgage . The way a HELOC works is very similar to the way a credit card works. Your home equity is used as the collateral for the loan and you receive a line of credit from which you can draw money.

Benefits of a Home Equity Line of Credit

Using your home equity line of credit for home improvements, consolidating your high-interest debts, or keeping a "rainy day" fund, is a better financial alternative than using your credit cards. Here are the top 4 home equity line of credit benefits:

• You get a lower interest rate than you would with your credit cards. That means you pay less interest over the life of the loan.
• You get tax advantages that are not available with credit cards. With a home equity line of credit, the interest is usually tax-deductible.* Interest on credit cards is not tax-deductible.
• You get flexibility in your payment options. Lenders like Quicken Loans offer interest-only options to help make your payments more flexible. With an interest-only home equity line of credit, you have the option to pay only the interest for a pre-determined amount of time or pay interest plus as much or as little principal as you want.
• You get much larger credit limits. Quicken Loans offers home equity lines of credit up to $500,000. This is a great option to have when making a large purchase, such as remodeling your kitchen or adding an addition to your home.

Home Equity Line Of Credit

Home equity as a source of a line of credit

If ever you are in need of borrowed funds, one practical and handy source of credit is a home equity line. To begin with, a home equity credit line will offer you a large amount of cash with a comparatively low rate of interest. It also gives you some tax benefits not available with other kinds of loans.

HELOC and security for the loan

Home equity lines of credit (HELOC) will require property to be pledged as security for the loans. Obviously, this kind of borrowing may jeopardize your home and you, if you default on a loan or even if you are late with your monthly payments.

A loan with a balloon payment, that is a large payment at the end of the loan term, may result in your borrowing more money to pay off the debt. It may also put your home at risk, if in the course of the original loan you are deemed ineligible for refinancing. In the event that you sell your home, the conditions of most loans will require you to pay off all debts on your credit line at that time. While home equity loans provide you with ready cash quite easily, you tend to borrow more freely as well.

Always compare HELOC rates from several lenders to assure that you get the lowest rate possible.

Alternatives to home equity line of credit and home equity loans

It is important to bear in mind that there are many other ways to borrow money besides home equity credit lines. Second mortgage installment loans are one such viable option. Certainly second mortgage plans place an extra future burden on your home or property, in terms of an added mortgage. But the money lent is usually given as a lump sum, not as advances through continuous charges to a card or checking account. Also, a second mortgage generally has a fixed rate and fixed monthly payments.

Another option, preferred to borrowing money outright, is a credit line that does not use your property as security. Under the right conditions, that also might be available to you with a credit card, or an unsecured credit line allowing you to write checks whenever you need the funds. Information about loans for specific items, such as auto purchases or tuition fees, is available at your request.