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19
Nov

Should You Take the Results of an Equity Release Calculation Literally?

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Two pieces of information are used for the equity release calculation, your age and the value of your home. It seems pretty straightforward and easy to enter correct data and receive an accurate result; however, there are actually a lot of factors that can hinder accuracy when using an equity release calculator on your own.

Age of the Youngest
An example of how someone can skew their results when using a calculator is the age you provide the calculator. The calculator does not have any idea how old each person in your home is. It has no way of knowing if the age you input is the one the equity release company is going to use.

• The youngest homeowner must be age 55 for lifetime mortgages and age 65 for home reversion plans.

A homeowner is defined by the property title. If the person is not in the property title and cannot sign for a loan, they do not qualify as part of the new loan; therefore, the youngest person on the property title is the person’s age you need to use in the calculator. Many consumers do not know this and may use their own age which could be older than the youngest person by a few years.

The calculator shows the results based on age and home value, thus if the age is not the one the equity release company will use, the results can show a larger maximum amount for the tax free lump sum than is actually going to be provided.

Valuing your Home
Did you hire an appraiser to tell you the value of your home? When you conduct online research for equity release schemes you probably are not ready to spend the money it takes for an appraisal. Plus there are equity release companies willing to offer free valuations. This means the number you use as the home value may be inaccurate in the current market.

Factors that apply include changes in the stability of the economy, particularly in the housing market where houses can start to appreciate. Recessions depreciate home values, which is why it turns into a select buyers’ market. A sellers’ market is where you have the upper hand because demand for your home drives the price up.

The more value in your home the more you can get released from equity. In your equity release calculation if you based the number of an appraisal you had when you bought the home 30 years ago the result will be skewed. You may find you could get double what your home was worth 30 years ago.

There are ways around this situation though. Nationwide offers an online tool that takes an old valuation, your home’s location, and will provide you with an estimate of its current value. Zoopla is also an option as you can find out about properties that have recently sold, pending sales, and homes on the market. By finding a comparable house in size and style in your area you can use their sale price as the home value.

But you are working off of an estimation, which means the results are an estimation: a guide and not to be used as a set in stone amount.

Brokers Narrow it Down
With equity release calculator results used as a guide, you will want to speak with an independent broker who is qualified and properly regulated. They can offer you the best products on the market for your situation by taking your information. You saved yourself some time in learning if it is possible to release some equity from your home. Now you need an experienced person to help you narrow down the best equity release for your needs.

They can do this by asking more pointed questions than the simple online equity release calculator. For example, if you have had ill health you may be asked to fill out a health and lifestyle questionnaire that would lead to a larger maximum amount available to you.

They may steer you more towards the drawdown mortgage if you have few expenses in the first 12 months of taking out the release in order to preserve funds for further into your retirement. It all starts with the equity release calculation and moves on from there. Armed with your guide as a cash sum number, you can decide if you want to take less, find a different product, or simply downsize to avoid lifetime mortgage products.

14
Aug

Is an Equity Release Calculator the Same as an Equity Calculator?

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There are numerous types of calculators available online to help you get answers to your questions including options for mortgages and equity release products. There are always going to be distinct differences when it comes to how these various calculators work, so you need to be clear on what they do and whether they are the same because the names are similar or not. In the case of an equity release calculator and equity calculator, you have two different types of calculators designed to give you two different answers, even when the names or keywords sound the same. In fact, you might run into a site that uses both phrases only to find out there is just one type of calculator available to you.

Unfortunately, some websites are misleading in order to get all consumers to visit, and most particularly those that can use their products. It is a long story but basically it goes back to the original concept of marketing for consumers with the new Internet. Now we are more refined and get into niches to ensure proper targeting. As long as you keep this in mind, you can search properly for exactly what you want.

Equity Release
An equity release calculator is specifically designed to target lifetime mortgages and home reversion. It is for individuals who are over 55. This is because the market for these equity releases is for those who are over 55 and heading into or already in retirement. These products provide money to supplement what used to be incoming from a job. It keeps you in the lifestyle you enjoy without making major changes.

Equity
An equity calculator is for residential mortgages, secured loans, and similar products designed more for individuals who are under the age of 55. As long as you have a steady income and can prove the income, you are able to get these types of loans. In recent years certain mortgages like interest only have not been offered above certain ages such as 65 because they are due to be paid at 75, when the person will be in retirement and may not have the funds to make the monthly repayments of interest. This is also different from the interest only lifetime mortgage which allows for interest repayment, but has the cap of a lifetime for the individual. Again, lifetime mortgages are for those aged 55 and over versus the interest only product that is not.

Understanding the Differences
Now that you know the calculators are for different age groups, it is possible to discuss the generic details of each in more context. An equity release schemes calculator is designed to use your age and the home value to tell you a maximum allowable lump sum. The older you are, the more money you can unlock from your home’s equity. This is on the assumption the money will be paid back sooner because you are closer to your death or needing long term care in a facility, versus living in the home. The more value in the home, the more you can obtain in a loan as well. Equity release works on the concept of loan to value percentage, where you get a certain per cent of the home based on the accrual of compounding interest over your expected lifetime.

With standard mortgages for the under 55s, mortgages are set on a fixed term. For interest only it is usually 10 years, where the principle balance must be paid in a balloon payment at the end of those 10 years. The interest is paid monthly. A 30 year fixed loan obviously has all payments in by the 30 year mark, although many refinance and thus extend the terms for another 30 years. The point is you are making payments throughout the mortgage as a means of dwindling the amount owed at the end.

With equity release you are not, so you pay interest in full plus the capital sum in full at the very end. It makes for one very large payment. The calculator for simple equity loans has to account for the length of term you will have the loan for such as 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years. It also accounts for the value of the property based on the amount you need to get the loan and pay for the property or to take equity out. You can usually release up to 85% although sometimes only 75%. Thus when you look for an equity release calculator you do not want an equity calculator to give you results and vice versa.

28
Feb

Is it Necessary to Compare Equity Release Schemes?

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Everybody wants to lead a comfortable life in terms of finances after they have retired. But, very few people can transform this dream into reality because of the increase in the price of various commodities. Retired people often struggle to make ends meet with the meagre sum of money that their pension amount offers. Equity release schemes are a wonderful way with which retired people can supplement their income. But, it is imperative to compare equity release schemes before contacting a lending agency, so that you can avail a good deal in the market.

Economic changes determine how well retirement will go. You understand that inflation can raise rates. Struggling economies can take away some of your invested funds. It all comes back to needing some way to supplement this income and for those lucky enough to own a home you have options. As long as you own your home free and clear comparing different equity products on the market is your best way to determine if you have cash you can access.

One needs to collect information about the various schemes that are available for equity release, so that they can analyse the plans which will offer them a viable deal. Interest rate is a very important factor which tends to help people to pick a particular equity release scheme. In most of the schemes, the rate of interest generally remains fixed, but it is still advisable to clarify all your doubts with the lender as well as to compare equity release products.

The interest rate is only charged to people who opt for lifetime mortgages. With home reversion plans, one does not need to worry about the interest rates because the lenders have legal ownership over the property portion that has been sold off. In terms of repayment for lifetime mortgages, people to have to pay an additional charge if they wish to pay off the loan early, but in home reversion plans there is no opportunity for paying off the loan.

The opportunity that does not exist in home reversion is due to no loan. If you have no loan then you have nothing to pay off. The money given to you under home reversion is for the exchange of a product, in this case your home. You sell a portion of your home, but retain partial ownership. With this method your family will lose the opportunity to keep the home unless they can pay full value for the home. It is rare that someone can pay full value for the home or the part sold in home reversion, but you do have that option.

With lifetime mortgages, homeowners can have legal ownership over their property and if they can repay back the loan then the rights can get transferred to their estate. But in the case of home reversion plans, homeowners cannot exercise the option of inheritance for their children in terms of the house. Home reversion allows for inheritance in cash form. Since you sell the property but not all of the property, any part that is left is sold to the provider. The provider gives the cash to your beneficiaries and there is the inheritance. If you sell the entire estate before you pass on or move to a new location and use up that cash you attained then inheritance is not an option. Just remember in this kind of scheme it depends on how you use the money as to whether there is inheritance left.

Many lifetime mortgages that you compare will have no option for inheritance. This is because the interest adds up sucking away the cash available on the sale of the home. The only way to get inheritance with lifetime mortgages is for your children to repay the loan in full.

Based on your requirements, you need to choose equity release schemes that work for you. One can also get the help of equity release experts about the various schemes that are available in the market and then decide which plan can give them the maximum amount of benefit. People often commit the blunder of taking the plunge with a particular equity release scheme without gauging its pros and cons, and eventually they might have to regret their decision. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to assess the market scenario and choose your equity release scheme with care. Compare equity release schemes appropriately to avoid making a mistake. Check out all your options and ensure your family is aware of the choice you are about to make.

21
Nov

What is the Maximum Equity Release I Can Raise?

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Equity release is now one of the most popular methods of raising a cash lump sum. The schemes allow people aged over fifty five to leverage the equity in their home to raise cash through a lifetime mortgage scheme or home reversion plan. The initial concern of most people is “what is the maximum equity release”, and while this is an important factor, it should not be your only deciding concern.

 

What is the Maximum Equity Release Available?

In order to understand what is the maximum equity release available, you will need to be aware of how the lender assesses an application. Equity release schemes can be divided into two different types of plans and each will have different criteria.

  • Lifetime mortgages: These schemes are similar to a conventional mortgage with the exception that there is no monthly payment needed. Instead the interest on the loan is compounded onto the loan balance each year. For this reason, the amount of loan available is dependent on factors such as your age, gender and medical health.
  • Home reversion: This type of plan is less common and allows home owners to sell all or a part of their home while retaining the right of lifetime residency. These schemes are only available to people aged over sixty five.

 

Calculating what is the Maximum Equity Release

Calculating what is the maximum equity release is dependent on a number of qualification criteria. Generally, those people who are older will be offered a greater percentage of equity release. Most people will be offered between thirty and fifty percent of the value of their home as a maximum equity release sum. However, this is dependent on a number of other variables.

There are a number of equity release calculators which have been pre-programmed to determine what is the maximum equity release for the specific circumstances of each individual. These are online and free tools which require you to answer questions about yourself and your property. The calculator will then apply this information to a set formula to determine if you qualify and what is the maximum equity release available to you.

 

Factors Affecting the Maximum Equity Release

There are a number of factors considered by equity release lenders. These include:

  • The value of your home: This is used together with the balance of any existing secured loans or mortgage to determine the amount of equity which is available to release. There is a specific loan to value ratio used by the lender to determine eligibility. The lender will also consider how much interest is likely to accrue and ensure that there is sufficient equity to cover this and the initial release sum. This is why equity release sums are restricted to approximately fifty percent of the value, since the compound interest has the potential to double the balance of the loan approximately every eleven years.
  • Your age: This information in addition to your gender is used to calculate your potential lifespan and therefore the anticipated duration of the loan. Older people are offered a higher percentage of release as they are deemed to have a shorter lifespan than someone younger. Gender is also a factor since the national averages show that men have a shorter expected lifespan than women.
  • Your health: Some schemes will also consider your health. There are enhanced plans offered to those with a serious or terminal medical condition which allow a higher rate of equity release due to the impaired expected lifespan of the applicant.
  • The other applicant: In joint applications, the other applicant will also have a dramatic impact on the maximum sum offered. Joint applications are usually based on the information of the youngest applicant since it is estimated that they would outlive their partner. Since equity release offers lifetime residency, even if one party passes away, the other party is still entitled to live in the home for the remainder of their lifetime. Both parties must meet the minimum age criteria of fifty five in order to be eligible.

 

If you are interested in equity release, what is the maximum equity release sum, is bound to be a question you have already asked. However, it should not be the only deciding factor. In some cases, it may be more beneficial to take a smaller sum or investigate the possibility of draw down schemes which offer an initial sum with a draw down facility if it is required later. This could save you a great deal in the long term in interest payments. It is always worth discussing your options with a specialist adviser who can assist you in assessing the advantages and disadvantages of specific schemes and help you in moving forward.

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