Sometimes, loans can be difficult to calculate. Home equity loan figures are no different, but they don’t have to be. All you need is a little understanding of the basics and a reliable equity calculator. Having a trustworthy loan officer available is also a highly valuable resource.
Here’s a quick guide to calculating your home equity loan:
Home equity means the amount of your home that you own outright. This is typically considered to be the amount of your mortgage you’ve already paid, which is often a driving factor for those searching for short mortgage terms.
Say you’ve purchased a home at $250,000. You’ve already paid 50% of your mortgage, leaving you with $125,000 in home equity, the amount you’ve paid into your home due to your monthly mortgage payments.
When someone refers to a home equity line of credit or home equity loans, they’re referring to a loan that you take out against your current home equity. These loans are typically taken out for a variety of reasons, like large home improvement projects, home refinancing, finance consolidation, etc.
Calculating your home equity loan or facets of your loan may seem fairly cut and dry, but there are a few aspects to remember. For example, you’ll need to know your home’s current market value (or appraised value) and the outstanding balance left on your mortgage loan.
Another important facet to consider is your loan-to-value ratio. This number helps lenders determine your interest rates and, in turn, your monthly payments. Your LTV can be calculated by inputting the full mortgage amount and dividing it by the amount the property is appraised for.
So, if you have a property that’s been appraised for $200,000, and you made a down payment of $20,000 (10% of the appraised value) resulting in your mortgage loan being $180,000, your equation would be:
180,000/200,000 = .9 or 90% (LTV)
While 80% or lower is thought to be best, having an LTV of 90% or more does not immediately discredit you as an applicant. You just may face higher interest rates if you meet the rest of your preferred lender’s requirements.
These are just a few simple, yet heavily important, factors in determining home equity loans and home equity lines of credit. However, there will typically be specifics based on your specific circumstances and your lender’s requirements.
Stephanie Englund Siegel is a successful Realtor with Compass. She was born and raised in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. Living in the city for over almost 20 years has given Stephanie the in depth knowledge of many neighborhoods. Stephanie feels that Chicago's culturally diverse residents are what contribute to the richness and quality of life in its neighborhoods. Before joining the Compass Family, she worked as a paralegal for a real estate attorney which gave her the knowledge about every step in a transaction. From the very beginning of the process all the way to the end, Stephanie is dedicated to her clients and the success of the transaction so both parties get a win-win. Stephanie serves real estate needs in the following neighborhoods: Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Streeterville, Loop, West Loop, South Loop, Lakeview, River north, Lincoln Square, Wrigleyville, Ravenswood, Greater Chicago area and surrounding suburbs.
