PROUDLY CANADIAN
If you are a homeowner, you may want to know what your credit options are, how you can use your mortgage to your benefit, and what equity in a mortgage is. Many homeowners try to use their mortgage as a line of credit and often find themselves in more financial difficulty.
A recent report by the Royal Bank of Canada suggests that there is an increase in household debt among homeowners in Canada, especially when rates rise. This can easily turn an easy loan into a debt that people simply cannot repay. This is why it’s important to know how you can use home equity smartly and effectively.
What is Mortgage Equity?
Mortgage equity refers to the value you have built up in your property, which relates to a value, and this can be used as security to obtain an additional line of credit or even a second bond. If you have mortgage equity available in your property, it serves as security for a bank or financial institution to give you a loan or line of credit. This is often why it is so easy for homeowners to get a loan.
But it’s not always a good idea to get another loan on your mortgage. If you are already struggling financially, it may be a bad idea as interest rates can rise unexpectedly, or you may find yourself without a job, or even unable to work due to an accident or illness. In these cases, you may not be able to repay your bond and it can negatively influence your credit rating, not to mention putting you in even more debt that you cannot repay.
How to Use Mortgage Equity
One benefit of mortgage equity is that the interest rates are often lower than traditional loans. When taking out a loan with your home as security, the most important thing to remember is that you have to be able to repay it comfortably. It should not be used as a short-term solution to survive or buy something you don’t need, but ideally to extend your credit if you can afford it.
People often use their home equity towards home improvements or upgrades, or even toward education. Equity can one day be used to withdraw large amounts of money, or even to pass money onto your heirs. That’s why it’s important to grow your home equity as much as possible. The more equity you have, the higher your net worth.
You can also increase your home equity in a few ways; one of which is to make larger payments toward the balance. Also keep in mind that if your home’s value increases, your equity will increase as well. That’s one reason why property is often a good investment to make.
If you are a homeowner and interested in mortgage equity options, speak to the friendly team at Mortgage Guys. We specialize in a variety of services, including helping you with home equity loans and other great financial services.