TOPAZ HORIZON: Reverse mortgages - can you walk the talk?

Monday, August 03, 2020

Reverse mortgages - can you walk the talk?

I was talking to some loved ones about mortgages. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they lost their main source of income and are now looking for other income streams because they have to pay the mortgage on their beautiful new home. So when this guest post about reverse mortgages showed up in my inbox, I figured it may interest many people. Unfortunately for us living in the Philippines, I don't know if it applies but for my readers in the United States, read on!

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GUEST POST - Although people look forward to retirement while they're working, nothing hits harder than getting to the point of retirement and still not having enough money. Many people turn to personal loans or remortgaging their homes to solve this problem, but neither of these is advisable because the last thing you want during retirement is a commitment to years of recurring debt. There are also grave consequences should you miss a payment, such as a foreclosure or eviction - something you don't want to face in your senior years.

A far better alternative is a reverse mortgage, as you are able to take advantage of the full amount of the loan without being under any pressure to repay it until the loan comes to an end. Sound too good to be true? Let me break it down for you.

What exactly is a reverse mortgage?

Where you would have paid a monthly predetermined amount towards the settlement of the total amount of your loan if you had taken out a regular loan, a reverse mortgage works differently. You can take advantage of this long-term loan and enjoy access to the money, as long as you stay in the house to which the loan is bonded.

HECM - where does that come in?

These four letters are quite simply an acronym for a home equity conversion mortgage. The difference between that and a reverse mortgage is that a HECM is issued by a state agency. This means that the state-issued loan comes with government-backed insurance. Apart from this point, there is no further remarkable difference between the two.

I've heard of a reverse mortgage calculator - what is it?

This is a very useful tool that any lender, no matter which kind you choose, will use to determine your financial standing at the time of your AAG reverse mortgage review. This calculator takes into account the age, condition, and physical location of your home, in order to create an overall picture of what you can and cannot afford and whether you would be eligible for a loan. Because federal laws prevent you from borrowing the full value of your home in the form of a loan, the calculator is also useful in determining what percentage of the total value you would be allowed to borrow.

Do bear in mind, however, that if you already have an existing home loan in place, you would have to settle that amount first, using the funds that have been made available to you in your reverse home loan, before you can access the balance of the funds.

How do I get my money?

You can choose to have the money made available to you in either a lump sum or in a line of credit. If neither of these is to your preference, you can also select to have a set monthly amount paid into your account for as long as there is money available in the loan. You are free to decide which option best suits your needs and lifestyle.

* This is a guest post, with my edits. To place a guest post, email frances@topazhorizon.com.