Risks of Home Equity Loans

A home equity loan can be a hero if you're short of cash. It can also seduce you into thinking that you have financial freedom that you don't. Lulled by low payments and quick cash, many home equity loan users find themselves confronted by such troubles as balloon payments, penalties, and sky-high rates.

Four home equity loan traps

1. Not paying it back on time: If you get into trouble by borrowing from a friend or family member, you risk losing a valuable relationship. If you borrow from a bank or credit card company, you might damage your credit rating or need to declare bankruptcy. If you default on your home equity loan, you may lose your home.

2. Prepayment penalties spoil the party: Home equity loans often offer low closing costs and cheap initial interest rates. But if your loan includes prepayment penalties, you might be punished for paying off your debts in a quick and responsible fashion. For instance, if you decide to pay off your loan before the introductory interest rate adjusts higher, your lender might impose a hefty fee.

3. Living it up in the present, forgetting to plan for the future: Some say that the "present" is a "gift" to be unwrapped in every moment of your life. And there's plenty of wisdom in that sentiment. But it's important to remember that if you ever find yourself in a hole, you must stop digging. With some lines of credit, for instance, the borrower is able to defer payment of principal. But eventually, you have to pay the piper. If you borrow money from your own line of credit just to pay the interest you owe on it, you could wind up with a balloon payment the size of your house within a few years. And with no money to pay it off, your lender may take that house.

4. Lenders who are too easy can make your life too hard: If your lender encourages you to borrow 120 percent more than the value of your home, you might think that you just hit the jackpot. But before you sign on the dotted line, think this through carefully. It's often dangerous to borrow more than you can reasonably afford to repay. If you borrow more than your house is worth in order to pay off those nagging credit card bills, it won't make your problems go away, and may even make them worse.

By MortgageLoan.com