Author:Ari Socolow
on June 29, 2015
- modified on October 6, 2018
Here are the four steps to take before applying for a home equity loan.
Every year, homeowners take out billions of dollars in home equity loans and equity lines of credit – and why not? Home equity loans are a great way to tap into the value of your home so you can afford some of life's major expenses, like a home upgrade or remodel, college tuition or a wedding. Many people use home equity loans to consolidate high-interest debts like credit cards and unsecured personal loans. But before you start filling out applications, there are a few things you should do to ensure you're positioned to get the best loan at the best rate possible. Read on to see what you should be doing right now to get the most from your loan:
First, check your credit. If you're applying for a home equity loan - or any type of loan or credit - the first thing you should do is check your credit report. Your credit report is used to determine your credit score – and your score, in turn, can determine whether or not you qualify for a loan. Federal law entitles you to a free credit report every 12 months from each of the three major credit reporting agencies – TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. All you have to do to request yours is to go to a free credit report site (like AnnualCreditReport.com) and download them. Once you have your copies, review them carefully, looking for any errors. Even minor errors may have an impact on your credit score, so be vigilant in your review. If you find an error in the way an account is reported – for instance, incorrect reporting of a late payment or collections report – be sure to contact the creditor immediately to request a correction.
Next, take some time to boost your credit score. Your credit score is based on the information in your credit report. That means that in addition to correcting errors, there are some other things you should be doing to make your report - and your score - as positive as possible. Ideally, you'll begin repairing your credit a few months before you apply for a loan, but even if you only have a month or so, you can still boost your score by a couple points with just a few changes in your buying behavior. Make sure you pay all your bills on time, and if you're over your limit or concerned you'll be late on a payment, call your creditor to let them know and make arrangements so it doesn't appear as a late payment. If you can, pay down the balances on your credit cards; if you're at or near your limits, your credit score will suffer. Ideally, you want to be below 20 percent of a card's limits, but if that's not doable, any decrease in your outstanding balance can help boost your score. Most importantly, if you carry a large balance, avoid using your card during the loan process – and don't take out any new lines of credit until after you receive your loan proceeds.
While you're improving your credit report and score, you should also be improving your home to make sure your home appraises for its full value. Why? Because the appraisal of your home's value will play a big role in determining the size of your home equity loan and the amount of equity you can tap into. It just makes sense to ensure your home looks its best when the appraiser comes to call. Of course, if you're taking out a home equity loan, chances are you don't have a lot of money to spend on major home improvements. But the good news is, you don't have to sink a lot of money into your home to impress your appraiser. Simple things like washing woodwork and walls, deep-cleaning your rooms, renting a carpet cleaning machine, putting some potted plants on your front porch and making sure minor repairs are made can help your home make the best impression during your appraisal.
And finally, know how much money you really need. When interest rates are low or your appraisal is high, it's tempting to take out a loan that's far in excess of what you really need. That can mean you wind up overextending yourself and getting in over your head when it comes time to make payments. To make sure you don't wind up in financial hot water, make a plan for how you're going to use your loan proceeds, including how much you really need to meet those goals – and then stick with it. That means if you're intending to use your loan to pay for tuition, avoid the temptation to slip in a vacation – even if you feel it's well-deserved. Having a plan and knowing your limits are two important steps in responsible – and smart – borrowing.
That's it – four simple steps are all it takes to make sure your home equity loan process is as rewarding and stress-free as possible. Take a few moments right now to get started, and soon you'll be on your way to making your financial dreams and goals come true.
Ari Socolow: Ari Socolow is the Chief Economist and Editor-in-Chief at BestCashCow. He is particularly interested in issues relating to financial literacy and bank transparency. Since co-founding this website in 2005, Ari has been frequently cited in the media as an expert on local and national savings accounts, CD products, mortgage and loan products and credit card rewards products.
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Conditions… Variable APR of Prime minus 1.01% in all states. Min loan amount $10,000. Max loan amount $200,000. 30-year term. Annual fee waived for the first year. See conditions for guarantee at thirdfederal.com.
Third Federal rate are typically 20% lower than other leaders
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No closing costs, prepayment penalties, or minimum draw requirements
Rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Applications are subject to credit approval. The Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”) is a variable rate and is established based on an Index PLUS or MINUS a margin. The Index is the highest United States Prime Rate as published in the Eastern Edition of The Wall Street Journal ("Prime Rate") on the last business day before the start of each month’s billing cycle. The minimum APR is 3.50%. The maximum APR is 18.00%. The rates shown reflect a 1-to 2 unit owner occupied primary residence, including condominiums. Receive a .25% percentage point rate discount if you choose to make your payment using auto debit from a People’s United checking account. Other terms and conditions may apply. There is a $75 annual fee, which is waived for qualified People’s United Bank checking accounts. There is a prepayment penalty fee of $500 if you close your account within two (2) years after the date of your Note. If the Note is secured by property located in the State of New York, borrower(s) must also pay People’s United Bank back the mortgage tax paid by the Bank at the time of the origination of the Note . Home Equity Lines of Credit are available only for 1 - 4 unit owner occupied primary residences, 1 unit second homes and condominiums in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and select counties in the state of New York and are not available on cooperatives or properties listed for sale. The Home Equity Line of Credit has a minimum line amount of $25,000 and a maximum line amount of $750,000. Property insurance is required. Flood insurance may be required.
People’s United Bank, N.A. Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender NMLS#464603
No appliction fee, no origination fee and no closing costs
Home Equity rates and terms are subject to change without notice. All offers of credit are subject to credit approval; applicants may be offered credit at higher rates and other terms. Loan-to-value restrictions apply. Hazard insurance is required on all loans secured by real property; flood insurance may also be required. No closing costs on new HELOCs up to $500,000. The borrower will have an increased APR rate if the borrower does not (i) take an advance of $25,000 and maintain this balance for 12 months, and (ii) have automatic transfers from any Bethpage personal savings or checking account for the monthly HELOC payment. Published rates and terms based on primary homes. Home Equities not offered in TX. $5.00 minimum share account required. Membership conditions apply.
Rates as low as 3.25%
Prime Rate as of 3/16/2020 = 3.25% (Wall Street Journal).
For Figure Home Equity Line, APRs can be as low as 2.49% for the most qualified applicants and will be higher for other applicants, depending on credit profile and the state where the property is located. For example, for a borrower with a CLTV of 45% and a credit score of 800 who is eligible for and chooses to pay a 4.99% origination fee in exchange for a reduced APR, a five-year Figure Home Equity Line with an initial draw amount of $50,000 would have a fixed annual percentage rate (APR) of 2.49%. The total loan amount would be $52,495. Your actual rate will depend on many factors such as your credit, combined loan to value ratio, loan term, occupancy status, and whether you are eligible for and choose to pay an origination fee in exchange for a lower rate. Payment of origination fees in exchange for a reduced APR is not available in all states. In addition to paying the origination fee in exchange for a reduced rate, the advertised rates include a combined discount of 0.75% for opting into Credit Union Membership (0.50%) and enrolling in autopay (0.25%). APRs for home equity lines of credit do not include costs other than interest. Property insurance is required as a condition of the loan and flood insurance may be required if your property is located in a flood zone.
Seamless process with fixed rates from 2.49% APR*. HELOC up to $250K
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Use to consolidate debt or finance your next project
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