If you're a homeowner, you have a powerful weapon in your financial arsenal—your home's equity. Leveraging your equity by taking out a home equity loan can give you access to cash for home repairs, paying down high-interest debt, or buying a second home or investment property. But to receive the most benefit from your loan, you need to find the lowest interest rate possible. Here's how to go about it. Key Takeaways Home equity loans are secured by the equity you've built in your primary residence. Interest rates are generally based on the Federal Reserve's prime rate but can vary from lender to lender. Shopping around can yield the best interest rates and terms for your home equity loan. Improving your credit may get you a better rate. What Is a Home Equity Loan? A home equity loan is a loan secured by the equity in your home. Unlike a home equity line of credit (HELOC) , home equity loans typically take the form of a lump sum that you pay back on a fixed … [Read more...] about How To Get the Best Rate on a Home Equity Loan
Second time home buyer
What Credit Score Do You Need To Get a Home Equity Loan?
If you're a homeowner, you have a great asset at your disposal—your home equity . But while you may have easily qualified for your original mortgage, you will have to prove your creditworthiness again if you want a home equity loan . That means that your credit score is one of the deciding factors between approval and denial. Key Takeaways Home equity loans allow homeowners to borrow cash against their equity. Lenders generally want a credit score of at least 700. Interest rates are better for borrowers who have higher credit scores. What Is a Home Equity Loan? As the name implies, a home equity loan is a loan secured by the equity you have accumulated in your home. With every payment you make on your mortgage, you build equity, which is the difference between the amount you owe and the home's value. If your home appreciates in value, that adds to your equity, too. Home equity loans are often called second mortgages. When you apply for a home equity … [Read more...] about What Credit Score Do You Need To Get a Home Equity Loan?
Can I Use a Home Equity Loan To Buy Crypto?
Cryptocurrency has quickly grown in popularity, with 16% of Americans reporting they have used or invested in it, according to research by Pew. While fortunes have been made over the last several years by investing in cryptocurrencies, recent declines in the market have cost investors hundreds of billions of dollars. If you are looking to invest in crypto and don't have the cash, can you borrow against your home's equity to do it? Yes, but read this first. Key Takeaways You can use money from a home equity loan for any purpose you wish, including investing. For borrowing to invest to make sense, your investment needs to grow at an interest rate greater than the one you're paying on the loan. Cryptocurrencies are an extremely volatile asset class and gains aren't guaranteed. If you can't pay back your home equity loan, you could lose your home to foreclosure. How Home Equity Loans Work A home equity loan allows you to borrow against the equity you've … [Read more...] about Can I Use a Home Equity Loan To Buy Crypto?
Which Lenders Have the Lowest Home Equity Loan Rates?
If you're a homeowner, you may be sitting on a golden egg—your home's equity. Whether the housing market has risen, driving up the value of your home, or you've just faithfully made mortgage payments over the years, you may now have a substantial amount of equity that you could borrow against. A home equity loan can be a convenient and cost-efficient way to obtain money for home renovations, debt consolidation, or some other big-ticket item. But where should you look for the lowest interest rate on one? Key Takeaways Home equity loans use your home as security, so their rates are often lower than other forms of borrowing. Credit unions, small local banks, large national banks, and online lenders all offer home equity loans. Interest rates vary from lender to lender. Fees are another important consideration in comparing loan costs. What Is a Home Equity Loan? A home equity loan is a lump-sum loan secured by your home. The interest rate you'll pay can vary … [Read more...] about Which Lenders Have the Lowest Home Equity Loan Rates?
Adjustable-Rate Home Equity Deals for When Interest Rates Are Volatile
Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) can be powerful tools for financing big projects without incurring high-interest credit card debt. But when interest rates are unstable, adjustable-rate products like HELOCs are a bit trickier. How do you determine the right time to apply for a HELOC and what should you look for in one? Key Takeaways Home equity lines of credit allow you to borrow against the equity in your home. You only pay interest on the amount you actually borrow, not on your full credit limit. HELOCs have variable interest rates, tied to an index such as the prime rate. When that rate rises, yours will, too. To reduce your risk, ask the lender if there's an option for converting to a fixed rate in times of high interest. What Is a HELOC? If you're a homeowner who has accumulated some equity in their home, you may have significant borrowing power. A home equity line of credit (HELOC) can allow you to borrow money at a rate that … [Read more...] about Adjustable-Rate Home Equity Deals for When Interest Rates Are Volatile
Established Aurora neighborhoods appeal to buyers ready to put down roots
As metro home prices continue to climb, suburban areas ringing Denver are becoming more popular, especially if those areas offer more urban amenities and provide public transportation or easy highway access. Suburban areas with mature landscaping and trees draw younger professionals ready to put down roots and raise their families, says Esperanza Wardroup, West+Main real estate agent . With lots of parks and opportunities for enjoying time outdoors, neighborhoods like Aurora’s Hutchinson Heights and Aurora Knolls appeal to young professionals and young families. “That dense suburban feel is a big reason why people gravitate and keep pushing east,” Wardroup says. Frieda Riggs, 8z real estate agent , agrees. “These older, established neighborhoods become a big attraction,” she says. Homes in Hutchinson Heights and Aurora Knolls sit along a greenbelt and offer a new central recreation center, biking, or walking trails. The open space appeals to people with dogs and … [Read more...] about Established Aurora neighborhoods appeal to buyers ready to put down roots
Biden limps to G7 as allies fret over his troubles at home
- A + A (June 24): US President Joe Biden’s political fortunes have changed dramatically since his first Group of Seven (G7) summit last summer, or even his last visit to Europe in March. It couldn’t come at a worse time for his international allies as Russia settles into a long war with Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who will welcome G7 leaders in the Bavarian Alps, views Biden as a driving force in sustaining pressure on Moscow and believes that unity among allies could fray once again if Republicans win back the White House in 2024, according to a German government official who requested anonymity to discuss internal thinking. It was only a year ago, on a sandy English beach in Cornwall, when European leaders celebrated that Donald Trump was gone and that the US had returned to the multilateral orbit. Now, that relief has been replaced with a sense of foreboding about whether Biden’s Democrats survive midterm elections and the president’s political … [Read more...] about Biden limps to G7 as allies fret over his troubles at home
Can You Get a Home Equity Loan Without Fees?
When you have a big project to pay for and equity in your home, a home equity loan can be an obvious choice for quick and relatively low-interest cash. But, as with any kind of borrowing, home equity loans aren't free. All home equity loans charge interest and most also charge fees that can significantly boost your costs. Is there such a thing as a fee-free home equity loan? Let's find out. Key Takeaways Home equity loans allow homeowners to borrow against the equity in their homes. Many home equity loans have closing costs similar to those on a regular mortgage. Lenders will often waive or discount certain fees in order to win your business. What Is a Home Equity Loan? A home equity loan , sometimes referred to as a second mortgage , is secured by the equity in your primary residence. You receive a lump sum from the lender and then pay it back in fixed installments over an agreed-upon period, generally five to 30 years. Once you have a certain amount of … [Read more...] about Can You Get a Home Equity Loan Without Fees?
Family-Owned Luxury Jewelry Store Finds New Home In Tribeca
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Sometimes home is where the jewelry is. Sisters Jennifer Gandia and Christina Gandia Gambale have found another downtown location for their family's jewelry store, Greenwich Street Jewelers, to call home. The business, founded by their parents Carl and Milly in 1976 on its namesake street, has relocated to a 1,550 square foot location on Reade Street after spending the last twenty years on Trinity Place. ADVERTISEMENT Located in the second cast-iron building constructed in New York known as Obsidian House and dating to 1857, the airy space draws upon original details to create a fresh, modern environment. Working with Maori Hughes of MAOarch, the original exposed brick walls and an archway are fused with contemporary walls and lighting, resulting in a backlit architectural detail lining the space. The arch design also creates three distinct sections of the store. Behind one newly constructed arch are a try-on table … [Read more...] about Family-Owned Luxury Jewelry Store Finds New Home In Tribeca
Student Loan Cancellation: New York Times Says Canceling Student Loans For Everyone Is A ‘Bad Idea’
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The New York Times editorial board says that canceling student loans for everyone is a “bad idea.” Here’s what you need to know — and what it means for your student loans . Student Loans In a major blow to supporters of wide-scale student loan cancellation, the New York Times editorial board officially opposes student loan forgiveness for all borrowers. Among the highlights of the new editorial: The burden of student loan debt is “crushing” and has caused “lasting, generational damage on the lives of millions of Americans”; However, if President Joe Biden enacts wide-scale student loan cancellation through an executive order, it would be “ legally dubious , economically unsound, politically unfraught, and educationally problematic”; Rather than cancel student loans for everyone, the Biden administration should make higher education more affordable and help student loan borrowers who are the … [Read more...] about Student Loan Cancellation: New York Times Says Canceling Student Loans For Everyone Is A ‘Bad Idea’