Posts Tagged interest rate
Secured Line of Credit or a Mortgage Refinance? What is better for you?
Posted by Top Home Loans in General Banking, Mortgage Advice on August 10, 2010
When deciding if you want to get a secured line of credit or a mortgage, the first thing that you need to decide on is what is important to you. Do you want to have lower monthly payments, or do you want to decrease your interest and pay off your debt faster? These choices are the most important choices, and they have a huge impact on how you manage your mortgage. What is a secured line of credit?
A secured line of credit is a low interest line of credit. The only difference between a regular line of credit and a secured line of credit is that it is secured against your house, and it is a lower interest rate than a regular line of credit.
A secured line of credit is also a variable rate, whereas a mortgage can be a fixed rate or a variable rate. The secured line of credit does not have a defined repayment time, and you can keep the secured line of credit open for as long as you own a house. The minimum payments on a secured line of credit are interest only. The setup fees, on a secured line of credit, are very low in comparison to a mortgage. However, a true comparison between the two puts the secured line of credit at a clear disadvantage if you intend on using it.
What benefits does a Mortgage have over a Secured Line of Credit?
A mortgage has a higher monthly payment; however, this is a good thing because you will know when you can expect to pay off your loan. You will be provided with a certain time frame to have it paid off by, and certain fixed payments. A mortgage acts similar to a loan whereas the secured line of credit is a line of credit. The mortgage can also offer a lower variable rate on your mortgage. As of right now, the secured line of credit features a prime plus rate and the mortgage features a prime minus rate.
If you intend on holding a balance on your secured line of credit for several months, then it may be in your benefit to choose a mortgage over a secured line of credit. Even though secured line of credit may seem more advantageous with some of the features available on the secured line of credit, it is designed to put the borrower into perpetual debt. It is a good idea to not have a revolving balance on this account.
What is the Better account, a Mortgage or a Secured Line of Credit?
What is better depends on how you intend to use the account. If you goal is to pay off your outstanding balances as quickly as possible, then you may want to consider the mortgage. If you are not concerned with how long it takes you to pay off your accounts, and you would prefer the lower payments, then you would rather choose secured line of credit over the mortgage. However, many people also choose both. You do not usually need to pick either one or the other. Some borrowers with plenty of equity can choose both products.
What do you think is better, a secured line of credit or a mortgage? How did you come up with your decision? Leave your response in the comments below.