The main disadvantage of equity release is that it does not pay you the full market value for your home. ... Another downside of equity release is that it will reduce the amount of inheritance your beneficiaries could otherwise receive. The specific risks vary with the type of scheme you choose.
Equity release plans provide you with a cash lump sum or regular income. The "catch" is that the money released will need to be repaid when you pass away or move into long term care. With a Lifetime Mortgage, you will owe the capital borrowed and the loan interest accrued.
There are many alternatives to Equity Release, which I always explore with clients. These include: Selling assets, remortgaging, asking for help from family and friends, grants, moving to a cheaper home, state benefits, renting a room, budgeting, changing employment, or simply doing nothing.
Is equity release safe? Equity release products are safe as they're regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and governed by the Equity Release Council (ERC). With lifetime mortgages, you always own your home and any increase in its value is yours.
The “core” age group for those signing up to equity release tends to be 65 to 75. However, Dean Mirfin at independent specialist firm Key Retirement says: “Equity release customers are getting older – the average age rose to 71 in 2015, from 69 previously.”
Paying off existing mortgages and other debts is one of the most popular reasons why people release equity, as it means they no longer have monthly payments to make. Instead interest on the amount borrowed rolls up over time and is only repaid when you die or move into long-term care.
What's the difference between equity release and a lifetime mortgage? Equity release enables homeowners to retain the use of their home while obtaining an income or funds from it. A lifetime mortgage is one of the two main types of equity release products, the other being a home reversion plan.
The lowest Equity Release interest rate is currently 2.90% (AER) fixed for life. The highest interest rate in the market is 6.80% (AER). In the Spring 2021 Market Report, the Equity Release Council stated that average interest rates for Equity Release were 3.95%.
A lifetime mortgage is a type of equity release, a loan secured against your home that allows you to release tax-free cash without needing to move out. Lifetime mortgages are available to homeowners aged 55 or over.
In general, the more equity you have, the better position you're in because the amount of money you owe compared to the value of your home will be lower. If your initial fixed term mortgage is coming to an end, it can be a good option to remortgage.
Equity release can reduce the inheritance you leave. This could be due to the fact that you have spent the money, and also due to the interest on the amount you borrowed. That means there could be less for your beneficiaries when it's time to sell the property.
In return you'll get a lump sum or regular payments. You'll normally get between 20% and 60% of the market value of your home (or of the part you sell). When considering a home reversion plan, you should check: Whether or not you can release equity in several payments or in one lump sum.
Equity release can be a good idea for older people who would like to gain some extra cash in retirement. Equity release can help you make home improvements, pay for the costs of care, help a loved one who is struggling financially, or pay off other debt. However, the release of equity is not suitable for everyone.
Can you repay equity release early? If you want to – yes you can, absolutely. However, it's important to reiterate how an equity release lifetime mortgage is designed to remain in place for the remainder of your life or whilst your health allows you to remain living in your main residence.
Home reversion plans.
Lifetime mortgages are by far the most popular type of equity release scheme, making up the majority of the market. With all lifetime mortgage products you are not obligated to make any payments and will retain 100% ownership of your home.
Many lenders impose an age cap at 65 - 70, but will allow the mortgage to continue into retirement if affordability is sufficient. Lender choices become more limited, but some will cap at age 75 and a handful up to 80 if eligibility criteria are met. Term lengths may be restricted.
All equity release plans approved by the Equity Release Council allow you to move whenever you like. If you have a lifetime mortgage, you may transfer it to your new home. ... You may not therefore have enough equity to purchase a new home.
You can take equity release more than once. There may be additional funds from your existing lender, which you can release with a drawdown plan or by a further advance. Alternatively, you can replace your existing equity release plan with a new one that repays your current lender and provides you with additional funds.
If you own multiple properties and have the equity available, you can have as many mortgages and equity lines or loans as you can qualify for. As long as you're not overleveraged or owe more than your properties are worth, there's no limit to the number of home equity loans or HELOCs you can have at one time.
You may be able to unlock more cash from your home with equity release than if you were to remortgage. This is because you don't have to make any monthly repayments. By contrast, a mortgage lender will only lend you what you can afford to repay each month from your income.
The simple answer is yes, you do. Equity release schemes based around lifetime mortgages require the youngest applicant to be over 55, while those based around home reversion plans require you to be at least 60. This is because equity release is designed essentially to provide extra money in retirement.
Can I release equity if I'm under 55? Unfortunately, no. Equity release lifetime mortgages are only available to those aged 55 or over, and you typically have to be older still (aged 60 or even 65) for a home reversion plan.
You can use the sale proceeds of your property to pay your equity release back in full when you move to a new home. However, you may incur an early repayment charge. Moving house doesn't always mean you need to pay your plan back in full.