Home equity loan and refinancing are two excellent ways that can help you manage your finances. However, it may prove difficult to choose one from the other and should depend on what your financial goals are. You can opt for the lower payment schemes of cash-out refinancing, or you can choose the great tax benefits offered by a home equity loan. The choice, however, does not prove to be as simple as this. Here is a comparison of these two types of loans to help you see which one is right for you.

Cash-Out Refinance Loan

Cash-out refinance simply means that you are refinancing your existing mortgage in order to lower your monthly payment and/or your current interest rate, and get some additional cash for other pressing reasons such as for home improvement, renovation, and the likes. If you are lucky to choose the right timing, you may be able to get all these with cash-out refinancing. Say, your home is valued at $300,000 and your existing mortgage balance is $200,000, your home equity remains at $100,000. You are free to borrow the remaining equity as you deem necessary.

Home Equity Loan

Home equity loans are usually provided in two kinds: the home equity line of credit and the home equity installment loan. A home equity line of credit line means that you are borrowing against the value of your home; your home is your collateral to the credit. Home equity plans are usually set at a fixed time; say 10 years but with variable loan rates. Your interest rate and the annual percentage rate of your mortgage can move up and down depending on the market trends. During the specified time, you are free to obtain the cash when you need it, and pay only for what you happen to spend. Some mortgages are offered with payment of full outstanding balance, while others allow repayment over a fixed time.

On the other hand, an installment loan is a loan that has a fixed rate that stays the same all throughout the rest of your home equity loan terms. Also called the closed end home equity loan, you amortize your loan for periods lasting up to about 15 years. In this kind of home equity loan, you usually receive a lump sum at closing depending on your home value, and you can not borrow further afterwards.

Which is better?

Remember that interest rates do not usually behave normally, much as you want them to. When this happens, home equity loans may actually prove cheaper than refinancing, although they are potentially riskier. Choosing what is better between the two should depend on individual circumstances. For example, if you plan to pay off your mortgage and do not need as much money, you can go for a home equity loan to get lower rates and shorter terms. On the other side of the fence, with cash-out refinancing, you can get all your money up front and simply pay off interest and principal on a lowered monthly basis as agreed upon, with no frills. Weigh carefully based on what your financial objectives are and choose one which you think will give you a fairer deal.




By: Alan Lim

e looking to improve your cash flow situation then refinancing your home mortgage loan may be a good choice for you. If you currently have a home equity loan along with a first mortgage you may be able to roll both of those into one loan with a lower interest rate and a lower monthly payment. This of course will depend on the interest rate of your current loan or loans but chances are you can save several hundreds of dollars per month on your payments by simply refinancing your current mortgage. There are quite a few options to consider and then choose from when refinancing a home mortgage loan. The first thing you will need to do before choosing a refinancing loan is to shop around and get at a minimum of 4 quotes which you can compare. This will give a good starting point as to what the various financial institutions are offering as far as interest rates and payment plans. You will also need to check and see what if any insurance they will require you to purchase. If you are comfortable paying your own insurance and property taxes see about getting a mortgage that doesn’t require an escrow account. This will save you money on the monthly payment but you need to be sure to set aside enough money to pay for these as needed. Once you have chosen the refinancing home mortgage loan that suits your needs be sure to read over all the contract details in detail. If you have a lawyer or close friend you trust have them read over the terms of the contract as well. Have a fresh set of eyes looking things over is a good way to not miss something important. When it comes time to close on you home mortgage refinance be sure to look over the closing paper closely. Make sure all the terms are exactly as you and the lender had originally agreed upon. This is important because once you sign you are agreeing to everything that is stated in those papers whether they contain the original quote parameters or something totally different. Your most important task when refinancing your home mortgage loan is protecting your largest asset, your home. If the terms of the loan are too good to be true they probably are. While most mortgage companies and brokers are honest in their dealing it is still up to you to protect your self from the few bad characters that do exist.


By: Andrew Bicknell