By Erica E. Reynolds


After living in your house for several years, you have built equity in it and can now use it as collateral for revolving credit. Financial institutions have different methods for determining how much you can borrow. Repayment amounts will vary depending on the rate. Home equity loan interest rates are determined in a number of ways.

The general method used to determine how much you can borrow is to take a percentage of the value of your house and subtract the amount you still owe on the mortgage. This results in the amount the lending institution is willing to give you. Different financial institutions use different percentage amounts.

One of the concerns some people find with this type of loan is that if you default on the loan it is possible to lose your property. The decision to borrow money should be weighed carefully. When using your house as collateral, it is even more important to find out all of the details before signing.

The interest rates associated with this type of credit are typically variable rates, not fixed. Variable interest is based on an index, like the prime. When the prime rate changes, so does the variable interest rate. In your loan contract, you will see a referral to prime plus two points. That means your rate is two points higher than the prime rate.

The index can change at any time, but changes to your rate can only be made at certain intervals. It will affect the amount of monthly and total payments you will need to make. Meet with a lending institution for any questions you might have.

Information you should have includes which index is used and how often it is changed. Look at the history of it and see how high it has gone up in the past to make an educated guess about how high it might go again. Contracts include a ceiling, it is a cutoff point that is the upper limit you can be charged. If the index goes above the ceiling, no additional interest can be charged.

A ceiling that limits the percentage change in rates is required for any situation that use homes as collateral. This protection for the homeowner has a similar protection for the lender. The consumer does not have to pay for increases above a certain level. The lender does not have to reduce the rate below a certain level.

Some institutions offer introductory rates to entice customers. Often it is a lowered rate for a specified period and can result in significant savings if you are planning to take out a loan. Get all of the information about it before signing the contract.

Additional fee included in the cost of obtaining a loan include charges for property appraisal, closing costs, application fees and up-front points. The money generated by using the collateral on your home can pay for significant items and give you room to breathe. Your first step is to find out about home equity loan interest rates.




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