If you are at least 62 years or older and have at least 50% equity in your home you can qualify for a reverse mortgage. While a reverse mortgage can be a good option for your retirement, you may also find the payouts useful to pay off your existing debts. A reverse mortgage can be taken either as a line of credit or as a lump sum. But you must keep in mind that by taking out a reverse mortgage, you will be using up part or all of an asset, which might otherwise be left to children or other heirs. Also, your equity will usually be eroding and there will be less equity available when the lender actually sells the property. Yet, if you are thinking of retirement, need a steady source of cash and want to stay in your home, a reverse mortgage can be a great option.
What really makes reverse mortgage financing attractive is the fact that lenders consider neither income nor credit history while determining who qualifies. Instead, the only factors considered important by lenders to determine your reverse mortgage eligibility is your age, the value of your home and the amount of available equity in your home. Additionally, the reverse mortgage industry is heavily supported by HUD (US Department of Housing and Urban Development) and the heavy majority of reverse mortgage loans are insured by HUD’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA). This product makes it possible for you to pull needed cash from the equity of your home, without incurring monthly expenses. Lenders cannot force homeowners to sell the property to pay back the loan. Also, reverse mortgages guarantee that you can stay on the property for as long as you live, even if the outstanding loan and interest grow to exceed the value property’s value.
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