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Brisbane - Buying property in Brisbane - ourbrisbane.com Search ourbrisbane.com: Skip to page content Start major navigation What's On Living In Active and Healthy Visitors’ Guide Start minor navigation Members' Area Email News & Weather Transport Maps About Brisbane Dining Guide Mostly Sunny. 23-32 °C . Currently 25.7 °C Living In Start side navigation Introduction Find a suburb Brisbane Real Estate Buying Guide Buying Property in Brisbane Statistics, Tools & Tips Legal Considerations Selling Guide Search Homes for Sale Search Homes for Rent Renting in Brisbane Renovation and investment tips Mortgage Calculator Maps Moving to Brisbane Jobs Brisbane Life Gardening in Brisbane Home Renovation Home Security Start page content Buying property in Brisbane What’s different about buying real estate in Brisbane? Well, some things stay the same no matter where you’re buying, such as finding a good agent and knowing the features you want in your new home. But there are things unique to Brisbane, such as local planning, zoning changes and flood information that influence the local property prices . The architecture of the property you buy can also impact the price. Find out the difference between a traditional Queenslander, a workers cottage and a reproduction Queenslander. If you haven’t bought property in Queensland before, we can help by connecting you to organisations and businesses that will advise you about the relevant legal processes and related laws. Plus there are a few things that can affect Brisbane’s local property prices which you need to know about. If you are new to living in the sub-tropics and in Queensland architecture, we explain some of the different housing styles and what you should look for in your new home to stay cool and comfortable. Looking to buy in Brisbane? Use our inspection checklist when you’re looking at various properties. Print out a few spares to take with you when you’re checking out potential new homes. It’s an easy way to remind yourself of the features, benefits and drawbacks of each of the properties you’ve looked at. If you’re not sure about where in Brisbane you want to live, use Brisbane Suburbs Online . It has everything you need to know, including statistics, demographics, local services and suburb profiles. back to top Legalities of buying a home in Brisbane The website for the REIQ has a wealth of information about the legalities and processes of buying a Queensland property. Read the recommended steps when buying and understand the associated costs . It is usual to get a pest and building inspection prior to buying and acceptance of the contract can be made subject to a satisfactory pest and building inspection. Termites (also called white ants) can be a very real threat and it is best to get the property checked by an expert. See the list of inspectors offering this service in Brisbane . The Office of Fair Trading publishes a helpful guide for consumers buying property. The guide is called ‘Real Estate Realities’ and it can be downloaded as a large pdf file or call 1300 658 030 for a printed copy. It outlines your rights and some common pitfalls. The guide also explains what ‘buying off the plan’ involves and your rights if buying at auction. Buying off the plan and bidding at auctions can be complex and your rights are different to those under a regular REIQ contract, so protect yourself by being well informed. See the houses available at auction from the Public Trustee and for sale . If you are considering buying a property at auction from the Public Trustee, you should read their conditions first. When you buy or sell a house you need to transfer the property title. This is called conveyancing. You’ll need to budget for the costs of conveyancing and searches when you buy. The ourbrisbane business directory has listings of local conveyancing companies to help you with the legal aspects of buying or selling your property. Some searches required for conveyancing can be lodged online through Brisbane City Council . You can also search for existing building plans and Brisbane property through Brisbane City Council. Buyer’s agents – if you would rather someone else did the househunting and tricky negotiations, think about using a buyer’s agent. They can also do research on the property and location or bid at auction on your behalf. Buyer’s agents charge a fee for their services. back to top What influences Brisbane housing prices? House prices aren’t just influenced by boom or bust real estate cycles. In Brisbane there are a number of factors that could affect house prices, including: The South East Queensland Draft Regional Plan as proposed by the Queensland Government, intends to limit development to certain areas of South East Queensland. For updates, check with the Office of Urban Management . The proposed North South Bypass Tunnel , to be built under the Brisbane River. Depending on the final location of entry and exit points, plus the impact on traffic, this project could influence property prices. Keep up-to-date with the project’s progress. The Green Bridge – between Dutton Park and St Lucia for bus and pedestrian use may affect prices in those suburbs. Flooding - Consider getting a flood report from Brisbane City Council for a small fee. It’s a worthwhile investment, particularly if you are thinking of buying in an area prone to flooding . Zoning changes – The Brisbane City Council Call Centre is probably the best place to find initial information about zoning restrictions on any property you want to buy. Call 07 3403 8888. They can tell you what area the property is in, and any building restrictions. back to top Architecture If you are buying a house in Brisbane, real estate agents classify houses using some common terms. Here are our definitions of the main styles of architecture found in Brisbane (as understood by laymen and not architecture experts!). They are: The Queenslander - a traditional home built of timber, with VJ (vertical join) or tongue and groove walls, tin roof and surrounded by verandahs. Built in this style until mid-1930s, Queenslanders are built on stumps to increase airflow around the house and the floors are of timber that can be polished. Some of the pretty features includes breezeways above the doors, moulded or plaster ceilings, leadlight windows and window hoods. A Queenslander-type house may not be able to be demolished or removed, depending upon the relevant local Council laws and if it is in a demolition control precinct . The Queensland Museum has detailed information about the different styles of Queenslander house and history. Worker’s cottage - very similar to a Queenslander home but smaller, with usually only a verandah at the front and a single hallway. May have less ornate finishes and be on a smaller parcel of land. If you are new to living in Brisbane, and you want to live in a traditional tin and timber home, consider a couple of things: they require maintenance – they need to be painted every ten years and constant attention is required to keep old windows, doors and plumbing functioning properly. can be noisy – they usually only have single-skin timber internal walls, which means that noise passes through rooms easily. Polished floorboards and lack of insulation in external walls can add to the noise factor from inside and outside. hidden renovation costs – if the house is unrenovated you may need to pay for a lot of work that won’t be seen, such as replacing old stumps, reroofing and rewiring. However, they are beautiful, have character and we love them. And compared to brick homes, Queenslanders are relatively easy to lift so you can build underneath, and removing internal walls or building additions (assuming you have a good builder) is usually fairly simple. Post-war home - a less ornate timber home built in the years following World War II. Simple lines, plaster internal walls, plain timber windows (sometimes replaced with aluminium) and timber floors. There are fewer constraints on a post-war home as it can often be removed or demolished without special permission. Brick home - common in Brisbane suburbs established in the 1970s. These areas are generally around a ten kilometer radius of the city. Features includes a tiled roof, garage, aluminium windows, fly screens and security. Lots have swimming pools and can be updated to reflect current trends Reproduction Queenslander - a newly built home designed to look like a traditional Queenslander or worker’s cottage. However they feature new conveniences such as an ensuite, better use of floorspace to suit modern lifestyles, plenty of powerpoints and cabling, insulation, large deck and sometimes airconditioning. Apartments - warehouse conversions are new to Brisbane, with many apartments being built and renovated in the old industrial areas of Teneriffe, Fortitude Valley and West End. There has also been a surge in building residential units in inner-city areas. If you haven’t lived in a sub-tropical climate before, find out what you should look for in a house so that it stays naturally cool. For example, which direction does it face and does it have awnings, blinds or gardens that help deflect the sun’s heat? The Green Home factsheets include information for home owners about sustainable living practices. back to top Advertisements Start footer Advertise | Directory | Newsletters | About Us | Legals & Privacy | Contact Us | Help | Sitemap

house rent glasgow .

house rent glasgow at s1homes house rent glasgow at s1homes Search house rent glasgow on Central Scotland's largest independent property website. s1homes allows homeseekers to search across a large range of options for property to rent or buy including house rent glasgow . Landlords, rental agents, estate agents and solicitors all use s1homes to advertise their properties ensuring that you have the widest choice possible when it comes to finding a home in Glasgow, Edinburgh or anywhere else in Central Scotland. And to make life even easier you can enter your property requirements and email address and we'll send you details of new properties as soon as they come onto the market. We don't even need your name, let alone your address and all that other stuff that some sites want. And, of course, we will never pass your email address on to anybody else. s1homes is part of the s1 family of websites which was set up by the same company that owns The Herald, Evening Times and Sunday Herald newspapers. The site carries more than 3000 properties at any one time attracting tens of thousands of visitors every week. We also regularly advertise on Television. So if you're selling or trying to let a property make sure it appears on s1homes, the largest and most effective property site in Central Scotland. You can post properties yourself using a credit card or your agent can do it all for you. You'd be surprised how little it costs. If you'd like to get in touch, send an email to customerservice@s1homes.com We look forward to hearing from you.

Home Loan Bank of

Home Page Company Info Events/Calendar Financial Information Careers Newsroom Washington Update Publications Resources Benefits Eligibilty Becoming a Member Capital Plan Member Profiles Member Directory FAQ Credit Products MPF Program Securities Services Grant Programs Credit Products Initiatives Applications Procedures Monthly Semiannual History FAQ Disclosure Search    Welcome to the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco Cost of Funds Index October 20053.074% Announced November 30, 2005 Login Username Password Online Security Success Stories Cedars Bank Enjoys Flexibility of CFI Program Provident Finds MPF Program to Be Viable Secondary Market Option United Labor Bank Creates Customer Loyalty A WISH Fulfilled Highlights AHAC Members Announced D. Tad Lowrey To Join Board 2005 Director Election Results Bank Reports Third Quarter Results Bank Announces $20.2 Million in 2005 AHP Round B The Bank awarded $20.2 million in Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants in 2005 Round B. The funds will support 53 projects, generating 2,938 affordable housing units in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Texas. Read More... Homeownership Program Workshops Coming In January The Bank will host six workshops about our homeownership programs, the Individual Development and Empowerment Account (IDEA) and Workforce Initiative Subsidy for Homeownership (WISH) programs. Read More... MPF Program Orientations Set For 2006 Want to learn more about the MPF Program? The Bank will host "Getting Started with the MPF Program" on three dates: January 19 in Los Angeles, June 15 in San Francisco, and November 9 in Phoenix. Read More... Temporary Suspension of Income Limits for Affordable Housing to Aid Hurricane Evacuees In response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Housing Finance Board has approved a temporary suspension of income limits to allow vacant AHP-assisted rental units to be rented to households, regardless of income, who were displaced as a result of the storm. Read More... Third Quarter 2005 Report Now Available On November 14, 2005, the Bank filed its third quarter 2005 financial report on Form 10-Q with the SEC. The Bank also declared a dividend for the third quarter of 2005 at an annualized rate of 4.58%. Bank Reports Third Quarter Results On November 4, 2005, the Bank announced selected financial results (PDF) for the third quarter of 2005. Bank Announces Projected Dividend Rate On September 27, 2005, the Bank announced its projected dividend rate for the third quarter of 2005. Read More... © 2000-2005 Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

Texas Land for Sale

Texas Real Estate, Texas Luxury Homes, and Texas Land for Sale Texas Real Estate Search Results Texas Luxury Homes and Texas Land for Sale HOME | SITE MAP | SEARCH | LUXURY HOMES | WHAT'S NEW | EMAIL THIS PAGE | UPDATE ME BY EMAIL | SIGN IN | PRINT Your search returned 3 Texas Properties Find More Luxury Real Estate and Land for Sale | Show All Texas Private Communities Properties 1 through 3 of 3 1 Mountain Springs Homesites Canyon Lake, Texas $40,000 To $100,000 Mountain Springs Ranch Newly opened hilltop neighborhood with jaw-dropping views-- many extending over 20 miles. Approximately half of the homesites overlook the adjacent 85-acre nature preserve so views will never change. The community is offering exceptional promotions during the early development phase. Read More about this Texas Land for Sale 2 Robert S. Thornton Great Homes Model San Antonio, Texas $959,000 4 Bedrooms 4 Full Baths 1 Half Bath Cordillera Ranch Spectacular Robert S. Thornton Great Homes model. Featured in the May issue of Country Lifestyle Magazine. 4 bedrooms (master down), 4.5 baths on 4+ acres. The separate Master Suite and gourmet kitchen must be seen to be appreciated. Wet weather creek and 43 acre neighbor enhance the privacy for... Read More about this Texas Real Estate 3 The Peninsula Spring Branch, Texas Mystic Shores at Canyon Lake Recently opened neighborhood in the exclusive gated section of The Peninsula. Neighborhood is surrounded by water on three sides and located on Canyon Lake where the Guadalupe River feeds into it. These homesites are among the best in the community offering both lake and river frontage as well as... Read More about this Texas Land for Sale Properties 1 through 3 of 3 Pick One - They're ALL Great! Albemarle Plantation - Hertford, North Carolina Bald Head Island - Southport, North Carolina Balsam Mountain Preserve - Sylva, North Carolina Barefoot Resort and Golf - North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Bay Creek - Cape Charles, Virginia Bay Harbor - Bay Harbor, Michigan Bear Lake Reserve - Cashiers, North Carolina Bear River Lodge - Hot Springs, North Carolina Bedford at Falls River - Raleigh, North Carolina Berkshire Forest - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Biltmore Lake - Biltmore Lake, North Carolina Brays Island Plantation - Sheldon, South Carolina Canyon Ridge - Lookout Mountain, Georgia Carriage Park - Hendersonville, North Carolina Champion Hills - Hendersonville, North Carolina Chapel Ridge - Chapel Hill, North Carolina Colleton River Plantation - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Colonial Heritage - Williamsburg, Virginia Cordillera Ranch - San Antonio, Texas Cotton Bay - Rock Sound, Eleuthera Creston - Black Mountain, North Carolina Daniel Island - Charleston, South Carolina Dataw Island - Dataw Island, South Carolina DeBordieu Colony - Georgetown, South Carolina East Haven - Covington, Georgia Fairvue Plantation - Gallatin, Tennessee Fawn Lake - Fredericksburg, Virginia Ford's Colony - Williamsburg, Virginia Fox Acres Country Club - Red Feather Lakes, Colorado Glenmore - Charlottesville, Virginia GlenRiddle - Berlin, Maryland Governors Club - Chapel Hill, North Carolina Grand Harbor - Vero Beach, Florida Grand Haven - Palm Coast, Florida Grande Dunes - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Grande Vista Bay - Rockwood, Tennessee Greenbrier Sporting Club - White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia Haig Point - Hilton Head Island/Daufuskie Island, South Carolina Hammock Beach - Palm Coast, Florida Hammock Dunes Private Community - Palm Coast, Florida Hampton Hall - Bluffton, South Carolina Harbour Ridge YCC/HR Properties - Palm City, Florida Heritage Hunt Golf and Country Club - Gainesville, Virginia Heritage Shores - Bridgeville, Delaware Indian River Club - Vero Beach, Florida Indian River Colony Club - Viera (Melbourne), Florida Jefferson Landing on the New River - Jefferson, North Carolina Kiawah Island - Kiawah Island, South Carolina Kicking Horse Mountain Resort - Golden, British Columbia Kingsmill on the James - Williamsburg, Virginia Lake Jovita - Dade City, Florida Longleaf at Callaway - Pine Mountain, Georgia MiraBay - Apollo Beach, Florida Mission Inn's Las Colinas - Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida Montreux - Reno, Nevada Mount Vintage Plantation - North Augusta, South Carolina Mountain Air - Burnsville, North Carolina Mountain Springs Ranch - Canyon Lake, Texas Mystic Forest at Queens Lake - Nantahala, North Carolina Mystic Shores at Canyon Lake - Spring Branch, Texas North Hampton - Fernandina Beach, Florida Oakbridge - Lakeland, Florida Oldfield - Okatie, South Carolina Oleta Falls - Hendersonville, North Carolina Osprey Cove - St. Marys, Georgia Pinnacle Falls - Hendersonville, North Carolina Piper's Landing Yacht & Country Club - Palm City, Florida Private Escapes Platinum Destination Club PUNTACANA Resort & Club - Punta Cana, Higuey, Dominican Republic Quail Ridge Country Club - Boynton Beach, Florida Quail West - Naples, Florida Quechee Lakes - Quechee, Vermont Rarity Pointe - Lenoir City, Tennessee Renaissance - Fort Myers, Florida Reunion Resort & Club - Reunion, Florida Reynolds Plantation - Greensboro, Georgia River Dunes - Oriental, North Carolina River Hall - Fort Myers, Florida River Landing - Wallace, North Carolina River Oaks - Savannah, Georgia Roaring Fork Club - Basalt, Colorado Rock Barn Golf & Spa - Conover, North Carolina Roosevelt Ridge Private Reserve - Boulder, Colorado Rose Hall - Montego Bay, Jamaica Santeetlah Lakeside - Lake Santeetlah, North Carolina Savannah Lakes Village - McCormick, South Carolina Savannah Quarters - Savannah, Georgia Seabrook Island - Seabrook Island, South Carolina Seawatch at Sunset Harbor - Southport, North Carolina Sharp Mountain Preserve - Jasper, Georgia Somersby Park - Hendersonville, North Carolina Southbridge - Savannah, Georgia Southern Hills Plantation Club - Brooksville, Florida Southern Woods - Homosassa, Florida Spring Island - Spring Island, South Carolina Spruce Creek Country Club by Del Webb - Summerfield, Florida St. James Plantation - Southport, North Carolina Sugarloaf Country Club - Duluth, Georgia Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club - Superstition Mountain, Arizona Symphony Village - Centreville, Maryland Tellico Village - Loudon, Tennessee Tesoro - Port St. Lucie, Florida Teton Springs - Teton Valley, Idaho The Abaco Club on Winding Bay - Marsh Harbour, Bahamas The Cliffs at Walnut Cove - Asheville, North Carolina The Cliffs Communities - Travelers Rest, South Carolina The Enclave - Savannah, Georgia The Ford Plantation - Richmond Hill, Georgia The Landings on Skidaway Island - Savannah, Georgia The Peninsula on The Indian River Bay - Millsboro, Delaware The Powder Horn - Sheridan, Wyoming The Ramble - Asheville, North Carolina The Reserve at Lake Keowee - Sunset, South Carolina The Reserve at Litchfield - Pawleys Island, South Carolina The Retreat - Lewisburg, West Virginia The Ridges at Mountain Harbour - Hayesville, North Carolina The Settings of Black Mountain - Black Mountain, North Carolina The Settings of Mackay Point - Jasper County, South Carolina Tidelands - Palm Coast, Florida Trillium - Cashiers, North Carolina Tucan Country Club & Resort - Balboa, Panama Turks & Caicos Sporting Club - Providenciales, Turks And Caicos Islands Verrado - Buckeye, Arizona Virginia Heritage at Lee's Parke - Fredericksburg, Virginia Vista at Bill's Mountain - Lake Lure, North Carolina Vista at The Riverbank - Tryon, North Carolina Wakefield Plantation - Raleigh, North Carolina WaterColor - Seagrove Beach, Florida Waterfall at Lake Burton - Clayton, Georgia Waterford of the Carolinas - Leland, North Carolina West Bay Club - Estero, Florida Winchester Country Club - Meadow Vista, California Windswept - Morristown, Tennessee Woodside Plantation - Aiken, South Carolina Wyboo Plantation - Manning, South Carolina Arizona California Colorado Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Maryland Michigan Nevada North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Texas Vermont Virginia West Virginia Wyoming Bahamas Canada Dominican Republic Jamaica Panama Turks And Caicos Islands Destination Clubs and Luxury Travel New! 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home equity plan may

When Your Home Is on the Line: home More and more lenders are offering home equity lines of credit. By using the equity in your home, you may qualify for a sizable amount of credit, available for use when and how you please, at an interest rate that is relatively low. Furthermore, under the tax law--depending on your specific situation--you may be allowed to deduct the interest because the debt is secured by your home. If you are in the market for credit, a home equity plan may be right for you. Or perhaps another form of credit would be better. Before making a decision, you should weigh carefully the costs of a home equity line against the benefits. Shop for the credit terms that best meet your borrowing needs without posing undue financial risk. And remember, failure to repay the amounts you've borrowed, plus interest, could mean the loss of your home. What is a home equity line? What should you look for? How will you repay your home equity plan? Lines of credit vs. traditional second mortgage loans Disclosures from lenders What is a home equity line of credit? A home equity line of credit is a form of revolving credit in which your home serves as collateral. Because the home is likely to be a consumer's largest asset, many homeowners use their credit lines only for major items such as education, home improvements, or medical bills and not for day-to-day expenses. With a home equity line, you will be approved for a specific amount of credit--your credit limit , the maximum amount you may borrow at any one time under the plan. Many lenders set the credit limit on a home equity line by taking a percentage (say, 75 percent) of the home's appraised value and subtracting from that the balance owed on the existing mortgage. For example, [D] In determining your actual credit limit, the lender will also consider your ability to repay, by looking at your income, debts, and other financial obligations as well as your credit history. Many home equity plans set a fixed period during which you can borrow money, such as 10 years. At the end of this "draw period," you may be allowed to renew the credit line. If your plan does not allow renewals, you will not be able to borrow additional money once the period has ended. Some plans may call for payment in full of any outstanding balance at the end of the period. Others may allow repayment over a fixed period (the "repayment period"), for example, 10 years. Once approved for a home equity line of credit, you will most likely be able to borrow up to your credit limit whenever you want. Typically, you will use special checks to draw on your line. Under some plans, borrowers can use a credit card or other means to draw on the line. There may be limitations on how you use the line. Some plans may require you to borrow a minimum amount each time you draw on the line (for example, $300) and to keep a minimum amount outstanding. Some plans may also require that you take an initial advance when the line is set up. What should you look for when shopping for a plan? If you decide to apply for a home equity line of credit, look for the plan that best meets your particular needs. Read the credit agreement carefully, and examine the terms and conditions of various plans, including the annual percentage rate (APR) and the costs of establishing the plan. The APR for a home equity line is based on the interest rate alone and will not reflect the closing costs and other fees and charges, so you'll need to compare these costs, as well as the APRs, among lenders. Interest rate charges and related plan features Home equity lines of credit typically involve variable rather than fixed interest rates. The variable rate must be based on a publicly available index (such as the prime rate published in some major daily newspapers or a U.S. Treasury bill rate); the interest rate for borrowing under the home equity line changes, mirroring fluctuations in the value of the index. Most lenders cite the interest rate you will pay as the value of the index at a particular time plus a " margin ," such as 2 percentage points. Because the cost of borrowing is tied directly to the value of the index, it is important to find out which index is used, how often the value of the index changes, and how high it has risen in the past as well as the amount of the margin. Lenders sometimes offer a temporarily discounted interest rate for home equitylines--a rate that is unusually low and may last for only an introductory period, such as 6 months. Variable-rate plans secured by a dwelling must, by law, have a ceiling (or cap ) on how much your interest rate may increase over the life of the plan. Some variable-rate plans limit how much your payment may increase and how low your interest rate may fall if interest rates drop. Some lenders allow you to convert from a variable interest rate to a fixed rate during the life of the plan, or to convert all or a portion of your line to a fixed-term installment loan. Plans generally permit the lender to freeze or reduce your credit line under certain circumstances. For example, some variable-rate plans may not allow you to draw additional funds during a period in which the interest rate reaches the cap. Costs of establishing and maintaining a home equity line Many of the costs of setting up a home equity line of credit are similar to those you pay when you buy a home. For example, A fee for a property appraisal to estimate the value of your home An application fee , which may not be refunded if you are turned down for credit Up-front charges, such as one or more points (one point equals 1 percent of the credit limit) Closing costs, including fees for attorneys, title search, and mortgage preparation and filing; property and title insurance; and taxes. In addition, you may be subject to certain fees during the plan period, such as annual membership or maintenance fees and a transaction fee every time you draw on the credit line. You could find yourself paying hundreds of dollars to establish the plan. If you were to draw only a small amount against your credit line, those initial charges would substantially increase the cost of the funds borrowed. On the other hand, because the lender's risk is lower than for other forms of credit, as your home serves as collateral, annual percentage rates for home equity lines are generally lower than rates for other types of credit. The interest you save could offset the costs of establishing and maintaining the line. Moreover, some lenders waive some or all of the closing costs. How will you repay your home equity plan? Before entering into a plan, consider how you will pay back the money you borrow. Some plans set minimum payments that cover a portion of the principal (the amount you borrow) plus accrued interest. But (unlike with the typical installment loan) the portion that goes toward principal may not be enough to repay the principal by the end of the term. Other plans may allow payment of interest alone during the life of the plan, which means that you pay nothing toward the principal. If you borrow $10,000, you will owe that amount when the plan ends. Regardless of the minimum required payment, you may choose to pay more, and many lenders offer a choice of payment options. Many consumers choose to pay down the principal regularly as they do with other loans. For example, if you use your line to buy a boat, you may want to pay it off as you would a typical boat loan. Whatever your payment arrangements during the life of the plan--whether youpay some, a little, or none of the principal amount of the loan--when the plan ends you may have to pay the entire balance owed, all at once. You must be prepared to make this " balloon payment " by refinancing it with the lender, by obtaining a loan from another lender, or by some other means. If you are unable to make the balloon payment, you could lose your home. If your plan has a variable interest rate, your monthly payments may change. Assume, for example, that you borrow $10,000 under a plan that calls for interest-only payments. At a 10 percent interest rate, your monthly payments would be $83. If the rate rises over time to 15 percent, your monthly payments will increase to $125. Similarly, if you are making payments that cover interest plus some portion of the principal, your monthly payments may increase, unless your agreement calls for keeping payments the same throughout the plan period. If you sell your home, you will probably be required to pay off your homeequity line in full immediately. If you are likely to sell your home in the near future, consider whether it makes sense to pay the up-front costs of setting up a line of credit. Also keep in mind that renting your home may be prohibited under the terms of your agreement. Lines of credit vs. traditional second mortgage loans If you are thinking about a home equity line of credit, you might also want to consider a traditional second mortgage loan. A second mortgage provides you with a fixed amount of money repayable over a fixed period. In most cases the payment schedule calls for equal payments that will pay off the entire loan within the loan period. You might consider a second mortgage instead of a home equity line if, for example, you need a set amount for a specific purpose, such as an addition to your home. In deciding which type of loan best suits your needs, consider the costs under the two alternatives. Look at both the APR and other charges. Do not, however, simply compare the APRs, because the APRs on the two types of loans are figured differently: The APR for a traditional second mortgage loan takes into account the interest rate charged plus points and other finance charges. The APR for a home equity line of credit is based on the periodic interest rate alone. It does not include points or other charges. Disclosures from lenders The federal Truth in Lending Act requires lenders to disclose the important terms and costs of their home equity plans, including the APR, miscellaneous charges, the payment terms, and information about any variable-rate feature. And in general, neither the lender nor anyone else may charge a fee until after you have received this information. You usually get these disclosures when you receive an application form, and you will get additional disclosures before the plan is opened. If any term (other than a variable-rate feature) changes before the plan is opened, the lender must return all fees if you decide not to enter into the plan because of the change. When you open a home equity line, the transaction puts your home at risk. If the home involved is your principal dwelling, the Truth in Lending Act gives you 3 days from the day the account was opened to cancel the credit line. This right allows you to change your mind for any reason. You simply inform the lender in writing within the 3-day period. The lender must then cancel its security interest in your home and return all fees--including any application and appraisal fees--paid to open the account. The material on this site is adapted from the brochure "When Your Home Is on the Line." Single or multiple copies of the brochure are available without charge. Order the brochure by telephone, mail, or fax . Order on line . Glossary | Where to go for help | Checklist Home | Consumer information | Publications | Brochures Accessibility To comment on this site, please fill out our feedback form. Last update: July 25, 2001