As property prices have soared in the past two decades, home owners have seen an unprecedented rise in the value of their homes. As the cost of living increases, it is not at all surprising that the concept of releasing equity from your home to supplement your income during retirement has caught on furiously. Home equity release is essentially a loan that you can take against the value of your home, while continuing to stay in your property. This loan is recovered after the property is sold.
Home equity release plans are designed for older people, especially pensioners, who own a home but do not have sufficient cash flow to maintain a comfortable lifestyle or perhaps require additional money for a particular goal. The loan can be secured as a lump sum or more commonly in monthly installments. Home equity release is available in two main types of loans, home reversion plans, and lifetime mortgages.
There are no shortage of equity release schemes available on the market. There are many different companies offering different types of equity release loans, all promising to provide the optimum solution between keeping your property and increasing your income. As equity release becomes more and more popular, more flexible products are introduced to meet this growing demand.
One of the most common questions asked when it comes to home equity release is whether you can continue to live in the house for as long as you wish. The answer is yes, as most equity release loans are recovered only after the house can be sold. This can only be done after the owner has died or moved into long term care. However, it is absolutely necessary to understand all the terms and conditions of the equity release mortgage before going ahead with it.
While equity release mortgages work beautifully for thousands of pensioners who require an additional income, it also has its own drawbacks which could make it a wrong option for some. Once you have taken a home equity release loan, it is very difficult to back out due to the complicated terms of the contract. It is therefore vital to seek independent financial advice before signing an equity release loan contract.
You can get equity release explained by the financial expert who can guide you on which type of mortgage will suit you best. Independent advisers can give objective and fair advice on the pros and cons of different home equity release schemes for your particular circumstances. A lot of information is also available on financial resources on the internet, as well as on comparison sites which allow you to compare equity release plans.