Interest-Only Home Equity Line of Credit


For the homeowner in search of a home equity line of credit the availability of interest-only home equity credit lines has drawn the interest of many who seek to benefit from the value of their homes. The name itself sounds too good to be true. A look at the details could cause the homeowner to think twice before seeking an interest-only home equity line of credit. Or those same details might spur the homeowner to contemplate yet another home equity line of credit.

Banks tend to offer the homeowner more than one-way to obtain an interest only home equity line of credit. One bank for example has advertised the existence of one plan whereby the homeowner gives payments that cover the Prime plus 5% for five years. Then in the next ten years, the homeowner pays a floating interest rate, a rate that is determined by the Prime rate.

Yet that same bank also offers an alternate way for obtaining an interest only home equity line of credit. Under this alternate procedure the homeowner pays 5.75% APR for one year. Then after that first year the homeowner faces an increase of % each year until the rate is 6.75% APR. In the sixth year of this particular line of credit the homeowner pays 6.65% every month until the credit line has been paid off.

The homeowner should also consider some of the other approaches to the offering of a home equity line of credit. For example, some banks will offer a draw period at the start of the period of the credit line. During this draw period, the homeowner can withdraw funds for making advances, for repaying advances or for advancing the line of credit. The draw period is followed by a period of repayment.

Each type of home equity line of credit offers the homeowner a way to reap added benefits from the existing credit line. For example, the homeowner could choose to increase the insurance deductibles, knowing that a line of credit had been made available. The higher deductibles would guarantee a decrease in the premium payments on the insurance policy.

A home equity line of credit could also be used to buy discount credit cards at a store of the homeowners choosing. In addition, the possession of a home equity line of credit gives the homeowner the ability to make purchases with a Rewards credit card and to then pay the card payment with the check obtained through the credit line.

Once the homeowner has negotiated all of the intricacies of a home equity line of credit then that homeowner is ready to use multiple economic tactics in order to make more money from what he has available. He will be ready to prove the old saying: You have to have money to make money.