What
Is Reverse Mortgage?
What
is reverse mortgage? This has become a popular form
of home
equity loan in the USA, available to Senior homeowners aged
62 years and over. It is a relatively safe plan run by the US
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under Federal Housing
Administration (FHA).
Basically, a reverse mortgage allows the homeowner to convert the
equity on their house or part of it into cash. A reverse mortgage will
enhance substantially the standard of living of the senior citizen by
supplementing their social security, plus the money can go into other
useful expenses like meeting the costs of home improvements and costs
of needed health care. And the good thing is that unlike other home
loans or mortgages no repayments are required unless the house is sold,
or unless it ceases to be the primary residence of the owner. In this
case the reverse
mortgage lenders will then recover their money and
interest accruing, and the rest reverts to the owner or
their heirs.
Some of the requirements for qualification for a reverse mortgage are:
the homeowner be over 62 years of age; they be the outright owner of
the house; the existing mortgage balance is not high; the owner must
reside in the house. Please note that if you move to a care
facility it will be deemed as if you are no longer residing
in your home. It is a good idea to consult with a HUD- approved
counselor to
get all your questions answered, and to assess your qualification for
the reverse mortgage. A reverse mortgage calculator will
help you determine how much you can currently borrow from your equity.
A reverse mortgage is a loan and can be expensive. Like all financial
decisions it is important to take careful consideration before taking
one. Ask yourself questions like; do I need it? Can I afford it? Do I
have other options I can look at, like selling this house and buying
another smaller cheaper house? Do the homework, understand clearly
the reverse
mortgages pros and cons, and then make
the right decision. A reverse mortgage could well be right for you.
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