Do you need to free up funds to pay for a larger expense or consolidate debt? With Greater Nevada Mortgage, you can leverage your home’s equity (what your home is worth minus what you still owe) to access a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) that you can tap into whenever needed, or explore options for a cash out refinance.
Home Equity
Limited-Time Offer: Interest Rate Discount on a New HELOC!
You can lock in a lower rate depending on how much you borrow at account opening.
What is Home Equity, and How Can You Use it?
So, what is home equity, after all? It’s a fairly simple concept that refers to the current market value of your home, minus what you owe. For example, if you had a loan on a $500,000 home and you have already paid $200,000 on it, and assuming your home’s value stayed the same, then the amount of equity you have would be $200,000. Your equity may grow over time as you continue to make payments against your home loan and the value of your home increases or decreases. Any gains you make come from paying down the balance of your loan over time or as the home’s value increases.
As a homeowner, you can leverage your home’s equity to secure a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) that allows you to borrow against available equity, using your home as collateral. In one sense, HELOCs work like credit cards in that you can continually borrow up to an approved limit while paying off the balance. Not so complicated when you think about it!
4 Ways to Leverage Your Home Equity
A Home Equity Line of Credit can be used for everything from home renovations to grad school and other personal expenses. Here are several common uses.
-
1. Home Improvements
One of the most popular reasons to take out a home equity line of credit on your property is to make improvements to your home. Looking to remodel your kitchen? Adding a “catio” for your furry friends? Whatever improvements you want to make, a HELOC is an excellent way to do so.
-
2. Debt Consolidation
If you’re facing the prospect of paying off large sums of debt, there may be a better way. Tapping into your home’s equity to repay outstanding debt can be an efficient and lower cost method of ridding yourself of credit card and other high-interest debt balances.
-
3. Education
Career changes can be a terrific way to increase your household income and maximize your potential. If you’re considering going back to school to learn new skills, a home equity line of credit can be used to fund your studies.
-
4. Emergency Expenses
Life happens. Be it a medical emergency or the need to fly across the country to take care of a loved one, it’s always prudent to have funds available to deal with all the curveballs life can throw. A home equity line of credit can help.
Options for Borrowing Against Home Equity
Homeowners have a whole array of options when it comes to borrowing against the equity in their home. From home equity lines of credit to cash out refinance loans, here are a few of our clients’ favorite equity-based home loans.
Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
If you’ve owned your home for a while, tapping into your equity can be perfect for freeing up extra cash.
Home Equity Line of Credit
Cash Out Refinance
A cash out refinance allows homeowners to refinance their first mortgage to a higher amount based on the amount of equity available.
Mortgage Refinance
How Do You Pull Equity Out of Your House?
Greater Nevada Mortgage has a solution for all stages of home ownership. For many, that means leveraging equity in their homes to successfully finance their dreams, whether that’s paying for home improvements or a remodel, funding education, or affording a dream vacation. A Home Equity Line of Credit or cash out refinance are two common paths to do so. Here’s how to get started.
Get in Touch
While it may not be needed by everyone, our leading professionals are happy to offer a no-obligation consultation to help answer any initial questions you have.
Complete an Application
Fill out an online application with pertinent information such as income, expenses, savings and assets.
Loan Process Begins
Your lending professional will reach out to you with next steps toward funding your dreams.
Common Questions About Home Equity
-
What is the difference between a HELOC and a home equity loan?
The terms Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) and home equity loan are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are actually a few key differences homeowners should be aware of. A home equity loan is based on a lump sum built around a fixed rate, fixed term and fixed payment amount. With this type of loan, you’ll begin payments immediately and your monthly payment doesn’t change. It’s important to note that a home equity loan is considered a second mortgage and adds a second monthly payment independent from the first.
A HELOC, on the other hand, is an adjustable rate line of credit tied to the prime interest rate and may include an additional margin. Whenever prime changes, your HELOC payment may also change. However, with a HELOC, you take money out as you go, and only make payments on the balance. In other words, if you don’t have a balance, you won’t be making payments.
Greater Nevada Mortgage does not currently offer home equity loans, but we do offer a HELOC option for our clients.
-
Do I qualify for a HELOC?
For a homeowner to qualify for a HELOC through Greater Nevada Mortgage, you must be able to qualify for membership in the Greater Nevada Credit Union (GNCU) which is open to anyone living or working in Nevada’s 17 counties, and members of their immediate family. New applicants can join GNCU without having previously been a member, and a property in California may qualify if the homeowner is eligible for membership.
Other qualifications include:
- You must be looking to obtain a HELOC on your primary residence, not an investment property.
- You must have at least 20% equity in your primary home.
-
How much equity do I have in my home?
It’s pretty easy to figure out your home’s equity. Get an estimate of your home’s value (from websites such as Redfin and Zillow) and subtract the amount left on your mortgage. To increase the equity in your home, follow these steps:
- Make a large down payment when purchasing
- Focus on paying off your mortgage faster than the repayment schedule
- Consistently pay more than the minimum
- Renovate as needed
-
Is it a good idea to use my home’s equity?
Home Equity Lines of Credit are not for everyone, but many homeowners find benefit in being able to tap into their home’s value to fund all sorts of expenses. From college and postgraduate education to home renovations to emergency funds, HELOCs are an affordable way to free up cash for many people.
Think of it this way: if an emergency arises, wouldn’t you want to have an established line of credit you can pull from any time, rather than scramble to put enough money together? Another advantage: your HELOC payment is tied to the balance you use. If you don’t need to borrow any money against your home, you will not have any payments. Win-win, we say.
-
Does a HELOC hurt your credit?
Any time you borrow money, it will impact your credit score. When you first apply, our team does what we call a “hard pull” on your credit to ensure that you can repay over time. This may or may not impact your credit score depending on many other factors within your credit history. Having a large loan balance on your HELOC could also impact your available credit.