A reverse mortgage is the exact opposite of a traditional mortgage. Instead of you paying the bank to live in the house, the bank pays you to live in it. This may seem a bad deal for the bank, but there are a lot of reasons why a bank will allow a reverse mortgage. Typically a reverse mortgage is only approved for someone 62 or more years of age that has paid off his or her original mortgage. With all that equity in the home, the senior sitting in it might want to stay in the home but face additional expenses in medical or living costs that they can’t cover. Instead of selling the home and downsizing, they may choose to do a reverse mortgage with a bank instead thus allowing them to remain in the home.
How It Works
The reverse mortgage is a little more complex to close than a traditional mortgage. There are a number of different rules surrounding this type of mortgage loan. The age limit is one barrier and also the condition of the home may be another. The home has to be in good condition, free of major faults, before the bank considers doing this type of mortgage. Closing costs are significantly higher than the traditional loans and fees can also eat into equity. However, the upside is that you can get a disbursement of cash to help you pay immediate expenses while not having to vacate your home. This cash can come as a lump sum, a monthly payment, or even a credit line. The terms of the loan may differ with the bank involved and you should check to see what happens if you eventually sell the home instead of staying in it until you die.
The Potential Negatives
Seniors are targeted by unscrupulous lenders with predatory lending practices that can include a high fee reverse mortgage. Most lenders will be asked to undergo counseling before they take out a reverse mortgage, but that might not be enough to assess whether the mortgage is what you need at this point in your life. As always, if you aren’t certain of what you are signing, don’t sign. Instead, try to review the documents with someone who is knowledgeable and can answer any questions you might have about this type of mortgage. There are some downsides to a reverse mortgage. They can impact your ability to receive Medicaid benefits and government financial assistance. So, be sure to not only look at the terms of the mortgage but also check with your local government offices to see if the mortgage product might actually reduce your income instead of increasing it, due to the offset of benefits.
There’s no doubt that all the mortgage business that bubbled up in years past has now reached a boiling point. The number of adjustable rate mortgages that were sold in the last few years in the United States are now set to readjust, with a total of 370 billion’s worth of loans resetting in 2008. Places like London and Australia are also seeing a quick drop in prices and a rise in inventory from foreclosures. Hopefully, many of these loans will have already been refinanced to fixed rates, but there are new factors on the market that can affect your ability to refinance. Here’s how to figure out where you stand compared to the global forces at work.
The Local Realty Weather
If you happen to live in California or Florida, you will by now understand that it is a buyer’s market of immense proportions. So many people defaulted on their mortgage loans that the inventory of homes may take many months to clear. This has caused prices to drop substantially, and if you bought during high tide, by now your home may be less worth than what you paid for it. Refinancing may also be difficult for the same reason: negative equity. Not all realty markets are soft. In North Carolina, markets have not dropped as much as other places in the United States. This is because the market was not over-priced to begin with and gains on real estate property had been modest over the years. So, figure out where you are and how your local market is doing to understand exactly how the global climate is going to affect your mortgage options and your potential equity. If find you are in an upside-down position on your equity, you still want to be as proactive as you can to figure out how you can resolve this mortgage crisis, especially when it becomes personal.
Create More Sustainable Living Options
Now, you will need to approach your lender to figure out if you can renegotiate your mortgage terms. You will have to cut back on any additional expenses that might cut into your ability to make the mortgage payment. Understand that buying time is just as important as getting a clear-cut resolution. The odds of the market recovering are good and only a matter of time, so any little that you do will help you to recover in the long run.
Find ways to negotiate the following your lender if you are in trouble:
• Lowering your interest rate,
• Increasing the loan term,
• Skipping payments to allow you to catch up,
• Converting it to a fixed rate,
• Doing a short sale,
• Investigate special options for HUD and VA loans.
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