Saturday, September 26, 2009

Home Improvement Loans and You


By Tammy Newton

Adding an extra room in your loft or just routine maintenance on an aging property is expensive and often the best way to proceed is by applying for a home improvement loan. Home improvements can be costly, involving contractors, supplies, and tradesmen such as carpenters, plumbers, roofers, and electricians.

A home improvement loan is a borrowing option that is open to most homeowners and there's a choice for you to take a secured loan or a loan with no equity required. Loans that do not require security are quite flexible and even new homeowners can apply. Finance which is used to improve the home is seen as a good investment in the property and even if equity in the property is not required, the loans can be organized for up to 15 years at a time.

However, one stipulation for a zero equity finance arrangement is that the combined income of the owners reaches a specified limit but it must not be greater than the limit imposed by the county where they live. The eligibility of the borrower, the property type and the improvements planned are all considered because this type of loan may only have minimal documentation and is relatively easy to process.

Home improvement loans which are secured against the property are just a way of releasing spare equity that the property has available. This is not the same as your original mortgage; instead, it is an additional loan that is often easier to obtain and process compared to a regular mortgage; usually providing lower interest rates than other types of finance.

Still before a secured loan can be arranged, the equity available in your home will need to be agreed upon by the lender. All factors are considered before a final amount is agreed upon and that includes how much is owed on the mortgage, its current value and what other debts the owners may have.

After this has taken place, the lenders will put a package forward which may not necessarily be for the full amount the homeowner wanted. Normally a lender will lend to the upper limit of the house valuation but a few lenders go much further and provide loans up to 125 percent of the valuation.

An equity based loan can be risky if you arrange to lend an amount greater than you can comfortably afford so consider this carefully as you may end up handing your beautiful home over to your creditors. Do not over-extend yourself to remodel your home when arranging your home improvement loan as often necessary maintenance and decoration will be enough to give it that all important face lift.

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