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Equity Release – A UK Scheme That Could Leave You In a Great Financial Position for 2012
As you get older, the time comes to make more decisions that are all designed to give you the best quality of life possible. You don’t want to find yourself unable to make these decisions, because they directly affect the quality of life that you’re going to enjoy. If you’ve worked hard your whole life to enjoy a home, then you’re going to need to start thinking about trying to figure out an option that’s going to allow you to enjoy your home to the fullest.
Many homeowners in the UK have worked hard to actually pay off their mortgages. Yet they’re left with a problem — they still owe bills. They still have things that need to be taken care of. This means that you will need to still need to make sure that your expenses are covered.
Equity release is a great way to make sure that you can not only release equity from your home and take care of expenses and other things that you actually want to do.
Trying to figure out the equity relapse market can take some getting used to. There’s a few different ways to make everything come together.
The two main types of equity release schemes available in the market are the lifetime mortgage and the home reversion plan. The lifetime mortgage involves taking out a brand new loan secured on your property, while the home reversion plan involves selling a share of ownership in the property.
The right plan depends on what you’re actually trying to achieve. You need to figure out how much money you can raise through either scheme, what will be left for your heirs, and what impact that dying earlier or living longer than expected can have. You will also need to think about the impact of inflation on your circumstances, which would include your income and the value of your property.
Many homeowners in the UK go with the lifetime mortgage option, because it allows them to often get a lot more money than the home reversion option.
Lifetime mortgages are straightforward. As mentioned before, you will be taking out a new loan secured on your property. You don’t have to make any repayments while you are alive. Instead, the interest is rolled up to be paid when the scheme is ended — if you pass away or move into long-term care, your house is sold and the amount that’s borrowed (including interest) is paid to the lender. After the costs, anything left over is passed to the estate at large.
You can check into lifetime mortgages with confidence, considering that they are regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
The top advantages of a lifetime mortgage is that you get a lump sum or a monthly income for the rest of your life. This money is secured as a mortgage against the property. You need to pay nothing while you live at the property.
These loans are often fixed-interest, so there’s no worry that your costs are going to drive up. Unlike in the US, the UK equity release scheme can be available to people as young as 55. There are also staged payment options available as well.
However, there are some cons that you will need to think about. For starters, the interest can mount up very fast, and it will reduce what your family will inherit. Your family could easily end up with nothing from the sale proceeds. So if providing for your family after you pass away is important, you will need to make sure that you have this taken care of.
You will not be able to get a top-up loan later in most circumstances. Less money is available than what you would receive with a home reversion plan, but this is not always the case.
You will also need to make sure that your tax position as well as benefits that you receive from the state are not affected. Talk to an independent specialist that only deals with equity release. They will explain it all to you with more specific information — this is just general financial advice.
Now is definitely the time to start thinking about an equity release scheme. If 2011 wasn’t the year that you expected or wanted, you have a fresh New Year to begin making all of the right moves — check it out for yourself!
Will Equity Release Mean I Lose My Home?
Many people worry that if they take some of the collateral out of their home, then it means that they will eventually lose their house. There have been scare stories in the past, when this has happened, but these days it is not often the case. There have been tales where people have been forced to leave their homes as they have to be sold to pay back the loan. Normally this does not happen because the terms are normally that the house will only be sold when the person has finished with it, which normally means that they have passed away.
The key thing with this sort of scheme, is to make sure that you fully understand the terms and conditions. You need to be completely aware of what you are getting yourself in to and what will happen in the future as well.
What normally happens is that you will be given a lump sum of money or a regular monthly income. This value will be taken away from your property. When you no longer need the property, it will be sold and the company will get the money.
This can be a worry for some people, because they want to be able to feel that they can pass the property on to their children. In some cases the property will be sold and not all of the value will be taken by the lender but whatever is left over will go to the estate of the deceased.
It is important therefore, to make sure that a sensible choice is made when choosing an equity release scheme. It is worth thinking hard about why you need the money and how much you need, to ensure that you are making the right decision. You also want to make sure that it really is the right thing to do. Think about whether it will improve the quality of your life and what a difference the money will make to you and what a difference reducing your estate when you pass away will do. It can be a very difficult decision. It should not be something that you rush in to, so it can be worth investigating before you have a need to do it.
Then, if you are suddenly desperate for money in the future, you will not have to spend so much time doing research and you are less likely to make an error when making your decision.
Is Equity Release Safe?
When equity release first came about, there was a lot of talk of it being a con. Many people felt that they were not treated well when they tried to get money from their property and they were worried that they may not be able to continue living there after a certain period of time. Sadly this gave the whole scheme a bad reputation.
Things have changed now and equity release schemes are regulated. This means that everything is overlooked and so should be fairer. However, there are still better schemes than others and so you need to be responsible and make sure that you choose the right one for you.
You need to think about what you want and how much money you need, then look at what is available. Look at how the different lenders work and then when you have found a few that you think will suit you, make sure that you read the terms and conditions very carefully, so that you know exactly what you will need to expect.
You will find that they will differ in how much they lend, how they charge for the loan and things like that. It is therefore important to look carefully at a broad range of options, so that you know what is the best option for you. You should find that the options are safe, but it really depends on how you define safe. You need to think about what you want from the scheme and which fits in with this. You will have to be prepared to make some sacrifices to get the money, in the same way that people always do when they get a loan and so you will need to decide whether you feel it is worth it.
It is also worth carefully choosing the company that you use as this will allow you to feel safer. If you use someone with a good reputation or that you have heard of, then you will feel better about using them, than if it is a company that you have not heard of and therefore have little trust in. Many companies do now have their own equity release schemes and so there is a high chance that you will find one who you have heard of or already trust. However, it is still wise to do some research in to the company and their equity release schemes to make sure that you are fully happy with them.
Interest Only Equity Release Mortgages
There are many different ways to raise some money in retirement from releasing equity in your home. An interest only equity release mortgage is becoming a popular option for those people who have a good retirement income but need a lump sum of money.
In this scheme you will be able to borrow a lump sum of money in the same way that you would with a mortgage. You will then be charged interest each month. You will pay back the interest owed. Then when you no longer need the house and you decide to sell it, the lump sum will be paid back before the rest of the equity is paid to those inheriting money.
This option is really good if you want to get a lump sum of money. You may need this to pay for a holiday, repairs on your house or perhaps to give away to children or grand children that are in need of help. It can be frustrating knowing that you have capital tied up that you cannot get hold of and so this is a great way to release it.
The advantage of doing it this way is that there will be no costs to be paid after you die. You will have paid the interest on the mortgage and so when the house sells, there will be no additional fees, just the lump sum to pay back.
Another advantage is that you can use any type of mortgage rather than just looking at equity release ones. You do not need to be so limited in your choice and that means that you are more likely to get a better deal, something that is more competitive. You will also have the option of being able to borrow more in the future or even going for a reversion scheme.
This can be a more satisfactory and flexible approach for those with a decent retirement income. However, it is important to make sure that the interest will always be affordable. At the moment interest rates are low and so it can seem that it is a great thing to do. However, imagine how you might cope when they start to rise. They have been as high as 15% in the past and are only 0.5% at the moment and so the interest only payment could significantly increase in the future. Make sure that you will still be able to afford the payments if this does happen.
How do I Find the Best Equity Release Deal?
If you have decided to release some equity in your home, then you will naturally want to look for the best possible deal. You want to make sure that you are going with a reputable company but also getting a decent deal.
The best thing to do is to do some research yourself, Find out about the different types of deals available and also learn what all the relevant terminology means. Having this background knowledge is very important because then when you compare different schemes, you will understand the wording better.
Have a look at what is available on the market. There are some websites where you can compare different deals and this can be a good place to start. However, some places do not allow their schemes to be advertised in this way. The thing is that the website will take commission on the sales that they generate and so this means the costs will be higher for that product. This means that it can be better to go for a company that does not appear on these sorts of sites. However, it is still good to take a look at what they have on offer as you will start to understand about the different offerings available and what to expect from them.
There are a selection of things that you should be looking at when comparing the products. You want to make sure that you qualify, find out whether they will be prepared to lend you the sum that you need and in the way that you require (whether you want a regular income or a lump sum). Once you have a list of companies that fulfil those criteria then you want to look at their costs. These will come in the form of fees and interest and so you want to add up all of the potential costs and find out which will be the cheapest. Then look at that company and its product and look at reviews of it. Think about whether it is a company that you trust and that you would be happy working with. Consider this with all of the companies and you will be able to form a list with your best choice at the top. Now is the time to go through their terms and conditions and then telephone them and ask them a series of questions. Do that with your top three and you should be in a position to make a fully informed choice and be confident that you have done everything that you can to find the best possible deal.
Choosing a Good Financial Advisor
If you are looking for some help with releasing some equity in your home, then you might like to get advice. Using a financial advisor can be a big advantage because they will have an in depth knowledge of all of the products available. They should explain all the pros and cons to you carefully. However, they will get commission if you decide to go with a product that they recommend and so you need to keep this in mind.
Finding a good financial advisor can be tricky. It is great if you can get one that has been recommended by a friend of family member, but this is not always possible. Besides, if they used their financial advisor for a different type of financial help, they may not be necessarily useful for you.
Many people prefer using an independent financial advisor because they consider all financial institutions when they are making recommendations for you. Some financial advisors are toed to one institution and so they will only recommend products that their institution provides. This can be rather limiting. However, if you have a preference in the financial institution you want to use, then they could be useful.
Some people think that it is better to pay an advisor to help them. That way they will not just recommend the product with the highest commission in it for them, they will already have some money from you so they are more likely to be impartial. However, this may not be the case, they may charge you and go for high commission items so that they can make even more money off you.
Therefore, you need to find a way of selecting a financial advisor that you can trust to make the right decision for you. So read reviews online, ask around friends and family and speak to a selection of advisors before you make up your mind. It can even be good to have a face to face meeting with them because you will then be able to get an idea of how well you get on with them. This is important because you will want to be ale to ask them a lot of questions and so you want them to be able to explain things to you on your level.
It is important to remember that you are not obliged to act on any information given to you by a financial advisor. It is your choice in the end and if you do not like what t hey recommend, you can choose help from someone else or make your own decision.
How to Find a Good Lender
Finding someone to lend you money can be quite difficult at the moment. Banks are getting more reluctant to lend money to people these days. With the economic problems, they would rather not take a big risk.
If you want to release some equity in your house, you will need to find someone to give you the money. There are financial institutions that will do this, either in a lifetime mortgage, or home reversion scheme. This will allow you to take out some of the money that is tied up in your home.
The value of your house and its location will have an effect on how likely you are to find someone to lend you money. They will be looking for a house over £80,000 in value and if you live in a sought after area, they will be more likely to be interested because they will only get their money back when the house sells after you have finished with it.
However, you should still be able to find a selection of lenders that will work with you and you need to carefully compare then to find out who will be the best. Look at the company and read reviews of them. Ask friends and families about whether they have had any experience of working with the companies as well. You also need to compare the products that they have on offer to make sure that they have something that will suit you. However, even the best looking product might not be that good if the lender is not good. You want a company that has a good customer service so that if you need help with anything, they will be good. It can be a good idea to phone them up and enquire about the products to find out how friendly they are and how good their knowledge is.
It will take some hard work and knowledge but it can be really worth while if you find a good lender. It will take time, but it is well worth spending this time looking for information and comparing it and making sure that you have chosen the best lender. You may regret it if you make a bad choice, but if you have worked hard and done all of the research that you can, then you will have nothing to regret, whatever the future holds.
Pros and Cons
There are good and bad things about many choices that we make in life and it is important to consider all sides before making decisions. For example, if you are choosing whether to release some equity in your house, you need to think about how it will effect you.
If you are thinking of releasing equity, then you obviously need some extra money. There are many places that you might be able to get this money from and so you need to consider where you might get it from and whether equity release is going to be the best option for you.
It will enable you to either draw a lump sum of money or an income from the equity in your house, which can provide you with some much needed additional income during retirement. It can give you peace of mind, knowing that you are not struggling financially and enable you to live a better quality of life. It can help to do more things and enjoy yourself more.
However, there are disadvantages as well. You need to consider the fact that you house will no longer be yours or at least a proportion of it. You need to think about those that stand to inherit from you and whether it will make a big difference to them if they do not get any or as much money. Of course, the money in your house is yours, to do what you want with and if you need it, then you should have it. But, it is worth thinking about all the reasons why you decided to buy a house in the first place. You may have done it because it was a good investment or because it would provide you with a nest egg. You may have wanted you family to have a safe place to live or fee; secure when you are in a house that you own. Make sure that if you bought the house for a particular reason, that you do not regret releasing some equity in it.
It is a big decision, it will cost you money and will mean that your house is no longer totally yours. However, it will allow you to have some extra money for your retirement. If you are struggling financially, you should not discount it as an option until you have looked in to it thoroughly. It is a big decision and you need to be aware of all sides of the argument and exactly what you will get from the deal before you commit to anything. There is no harm in finding out more about it, you can always decide not to go ahead.
How to Get Cash by releasing Equity?
If you need money and you are retired, there are limited ways that you can get money. It can be very difficult to get a job, because employers want younger people and so you are only likely to get something like a paper round which will not pay very much. You may be able to sell things, but you might want to pass those on through the family or you may not have many things that are worth much money. You may have a very limited income.
Sadly, many retired people are struggling because of problems with the stock market causing pension values to be low and low interest rates meaning that they are not getting much income in the way of interest. This means that many are looking for alternative ways of getting money.
If they own their own property, they can release some equity in their home. This is something which more and more people are doing and therefore there are more financial institutions offering schemes like this. There are a selection of different ways to do it but basically you can either sell all or part of your house to a financial institution and they will pay you a regular income or lump sum or you can take out a mortgage on your property which gets paid back when the property is sold.
There are many financial institutions offering this and so as long as you have a property that you own and you are over 65 years of age, then you could qualify to get some cash by releasing some of the equity in that property. It will mean that you have some extra money to spend on things that you need, perhaps you need money to pay for house repairs or white goods that need replacing, you want a holiday or just want to have a better quality of life.
It sounds like a very simple way of getting some extra money in your retirement and it can be a blessing to those who are struggling financially. However, like all things, there are advantages and disadvantages and it is worth making sure that you spend a lot of time investigating all of the options before you sign up to anything.
Although releasing some equity in the house to get cash, seems like a great idea, think about any consequences it might have in the future as well as how it will effect you in the short term.