Interest rates are quickly rising and aren’t expected to stop anytime soon. And thanks to rising home values, today’s homeowners have record highs of equity in their properties. So, if you’re sitting on high amounts of variable interest rate debt, it may be the best time for you to take out a home equity loan or HELOC before values begin to fall.
How Interest Rates Impact You
If you currently have a variable interest rate on things like home loans or credit cards, then rising interest rates impact you directly. When interest rates on your debt increase, so do the minimum monthly payments.
If you cannot afford further rate hikes, paying debt down as aggressively as you can by rolling it over to a fixed-rate option such as a personal loan or home equity loan before rates go up even higher is an excellent idea.
Is Rolling Debt Into a Home Equity Loan a Good Idea?
If you carry high debt balances with variable interest rates, such as a HELOC, now is the best time to turn it into a fixed-rate home equity loan. This is especially true for those people who won’t be able to continue affording payments if the rates keep increasing.
What’s the Difference Between a HELOC and a Home Equity Loan?
Though both a HELOC and a home equity loan allow you to borrow funds and use your home as collateral, there are differences. A home equity line of credit or HELOC more closely resembles a credit card. In other words, you are approved for a certain amount of credit, and you can use as much or as little as you want.
Alternatively, a home equity loan is usually paid out in a lump sum and comes with fixed monthly payments and a fixed interest rate, as opposed to the variable rates associated with HELOCs.
Benefits of a Fixed-Rate Home Equity Loan
As we mentioned, HELOCs are generally associated with variable interest rates, making it harder to estimate monthly payments and your personal budget during times of economic uncertainty. For this reason, most homeowners opt for fixed-rate home equity loans. There are several reasons for this, including the fixed interest rates associated with these loans are often far lower than the variable rates of HELOCs.
Moreover, a lower interest rate means a lower monthly payment. So, in addition to being easier to budget as you already know what to expect the bill to be, the payments will be lower than with a home equity line of credit.
The other thing most people like is that home equity loans are paid out in a lump sum rather than managing withdrawals as needed in a line of credit. Some borrowers may qualify for a 90 or 95 LTV equity loan. The maximum LTV for a HELOC is 90 with excellent credit.
Closing Thoughts
Ultimately, now is a great time to dip into your home’s equity, as values are still higher than normal. Knowing that values won’t stay this high forever means that you should start the application process sooner rather than later.
If you have questions or would like to learn more information, speak with a trusted lender or mortgage broker today.