The home equity line of credit is a device used by homeowners who want to borrow against the equity in their home. There are several different types of home equity lines of credit. These differences are frequently based on the interest rate charged the homeowner.
Sometimes a home equity line of credit will have variable interest rates. With variable interest rates, the homeowner cannot know for sure from month to month what the interest payment will be. The interest rate on the loan will vary to the same degree as the interest rate set by the Federal Reserve Board.
In some cases the home equity line of credit offers a low introductory interest rate. These rates sound attractive, but they hide the fact that the homeowner will later be asked to pay a considerably higher rate. The homeowner needs to read the loan materials carefully in order to learn exactly what the payments could be at a much later date.
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 ¼ % 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.