What To Do Before You Speak With A Reverse Mortgage Specialist

When you’re considering a Reverse Mortgage in Florida, you should consider other options before speaking with a reverse mortgage professional. Here are a few tips to help you.

1. Talk to your family. Telling your children or even your spouse that you need to tap into your home’s equity can feel like you’ve failed them. Fortunately, in many cases, family members offer to help, making a reverse mortgage unnecessary. While others get confirmation to go ahead and use the money for whatever they need.

2. Credit cards are an easy, cheap way to cover short-term debts and they can be used over and over and there are no liens against your house to secure the debt. However, credit cards can be a financial trap. Eventually the credit limit will be reached, a late payment occurs, and the credit card rate can go to something like 29%. Your credit limit can suddenly be reduced making your hardship worse.

3. Home Equity Lines Of Credit (HELOC): HELOC’s are less expensive to obtain than other types of mortgages, are typically interest only, and you may be able to tap into more equity than a reverse mortgage. They are also reusable as the principal is paid off and are usually Interest-only for the first 10 years or so. The more you draw, the more you pay.

Payments become larger and larger the more you use the line, making it necessary to draw more and more money each month. The full loan could be due after the initial interest only term with the borrower unable to refinance the debt or pay it off. This could lead to foreclosure and loss of the home. As with credit cards, equity lines of credit can be reduced at any time if home values fall or if the lender believes you’re becoming a credit risk. So, there you have it. The pros and cons of the 3 options you should consider before you speak with a reverse mortgage professional.