The Many Sides to What a Second Mortgage Is

Many people get a second mortgage so they can use the equity in their home. A second mortgage is a loan against the equity and allows a person to borrow up to the amount of equity they have built up in their home. It turns a home into cash and that can be tempting.

With a second mortgage a person will be able to get a large sum of money, but they also will incur a new monthly bill. Understanding all the sides of what a second mortgage entails is important to making sure you do not fall into trouble when you get one.

The Bank’s Side

From the banks point of view what a second mortgage is a huge risk. Yes, your home becomes the collateral, but the second mortgage is second in line behind the first mortgage. The lender can not simply just foreclose on your home if you default. They must buy the first loan you already hold and then they can foreclose. It is time consuming and expensive, so they protect themselves in other ways.

The bank will recover the risk through higher interest rates and other fees. You will have to watch for such high costs and make sure that you are getting the best deal.

The Homeowner’s Side

From your point of view it can be great to be able to get a large sum of money and be able to cash in on your home equity. You may be able to think of a million ways to spend the money. However, you also have to be rational. This is not free money at all. You need to realize what a second mortgage is. You do have to pay it back and it is costing you money in interest and fees.

You should only take out a second mortgage if you can be responsible and not let it go into default. You should use the money wisely for something that will better your situation, like debt consolidation or home improvements. Also you should always figure out a budget with the new loan included to make sure you can make the monthly payments comfortably.

Looking at both sides of what a second mortgage is can help you understand the process better. You will need to shop wisely and make sure that you are getting this loan for all the right reasons. The worst thing you can do is get a second mortgage and then realize you really can not afford it. The bank can still end up foreclosing on your home and that would leave you in a terrible situation that would make the loan not worth it at all.