North Idaho Fine Homes - Josh Ivey and Jennifer Ivey, REALTORS
  • Home
  • Properties
    • 714 Church St >
      • 714 Church St Photo Gallery
    • 24557 Highway 2 >
      • 24557 Highway 2 Photo Gallery
    • 306 Shepherd Rd >
      • 306 Shepherd Rd Photo Gallery
    • NNA Dufort Rd >
      • NNA Dufort Rd Photo Gallery
    • 11295 N Avondale Lp >
      • 11295 N Avondale Lp Photo Gallery
    • NNA Crooked Ear Dr >
      • NNA Crooked Ear Dr Photo Gallery
    • The Cottages - Waterfront Community in Sandpoint, Idaho >
      • The Cottages Photo Gallery
    • 20 Acres - Lone Cedar Lane >
      • 20 Acre Lone Cedar Lane Photo Gallery
    • 180 Deerhaven Dr >
      • 180 Deerhaven Dr Photo Gallery
    • 206 E Third Ave >
      • 206 E Third Ave Photo Gallery
    • 714 Church St >
      • 714 Church St Photo Gallery
    • 6850 Spurwing Loop #204 >
      • 6850 Spurwing Loop #204 Photo Gallery
    • 3921 W Accipter Dr
    • 6416 River Rd
    • 660 Gemini Trail
    • 210 W Third Ave >
      • 210 W Third Ave Photo Gallery
    • 822 Northview Dr
    • Coeur d Alene Area Search
    • Sandpoint Area Search
  • Destinations
    • Coeur d Alene
    • Sandpoint
  • Lifestyles
    • Amusement Park
    • Bicycling
    • Fishing
    • Golfing
    • Outdoor Adventure
    • Skiing
    • Snowmobiling
  • Professionals
  • Perspectives


​I am the master of my fate, i am the captain of my soul

~ William Ernest henley

Financing Home Improvements

2/10/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Home improvement loans provide a source of funds for owners to finance the improvements they want to make.  These are usually, personal installment loans that are not collateralized by the home itself.  Since there is more risk for the lender with this type of loan, the interest rate is higher than a normal mortgage loan.

In today's market, the rates on home improvement loans could vary between 6% and 36%.  A borrower's credit score will determine the interest rate; the lower the score, the higher the rate and the higher the score, the lower the rate.

Smaller loan amounts are under $40,000 with larger loan amounts over $40,000 based on the extent of the improvements to be made.  With all things being equal, a larger loan may have a lower interest rate.

Besides the interest rate being higher than a regular mortgage, the term is shorter.  Similar to a car loan, the term can be between five and seven years.  A $50,000 home improvement loan for a borrower, with good but not great credit, could have a 12% interest rate for seven years.  That would make the monthly payment $882.64.

An alternative way to fund the improvements would be to do a cash out refinance.  These types of loans are collateralized by the home.  The current mortgage would be paid off with the new mortgage plus the amount for the improvements.  Lenders will usually require that the owner maintain a minimum of 20% equity in the home.

Assuming a homeowner owed $230,000 on the existing mortgage and wanted $50,000 for improvements.  The new loan amount would be $280,000 and the home would have to appraise for at least $350,000 for the homeowner to have a 20% equity remaining. 

Another thing that occurs on a refinance is that the standard term for mortgages is 30 years which means the owner would be financing the improvements for 30 years instead of a shorter term.  The advantage would be a smaller payment.

Let's say in this example, the owner originally borrowed $250,000 at 4.5% for 30 years with a payment of $1,266.71.  After 54 payments, the unpaid balance is $230,335.  If they did a cash out refinance at 4.5% for 30 years for the additional $50,000 and financed the estimated closing costs of $8,700, the new payment would be $1,464.50.

Using the home improvement loan, the combined payments would be $2,149.35 which would be $684.85 higher.  While the cash out refinance produces a lower payment, it adds $8,700 to the amount owed and stretches it out over a longer period.  Home improvement loans have lower closing costs than regular mortgage loans.

Another alternative loan is a HELOC or Home Equity Line of Credit which can be explored and compared to the two options mentioned above.  If a homeowner is going to finance improvements, a comparison of different types of loans and payments can be helpful in the decision-making process. 

​A trusted mortgage professional is a valuable resource to assist you with current and accurate information.  If you need a recommendation, please call me at 208.946.7816.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Josh & Jennifer Ivey - Your trusted real estate advisers for all of North Idaho.

    Archives

    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    Categories

    All
    Home Buying
    Home Cleaning
    Home Design
    Home Finance
    Home Maintenance
    Home Selling
    Investments
    Lifestyle

    RSS Feed

221 E Sherman Ave
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho 83814

200 Main St
Sandpoint, Idaho 83864
Tomlinson Sotheby's International Realty
Josh Ivey (208) 946-7355
josh.ivey@sothebysrealty.com

Jennifer Ivey (208) 946-7816
jennifer.ivey@sothebysrealty.com

©2016 North Idaho Fine Homes. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Mary P Madigan