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Home Equity Loan /

Home Finance | Mortgage Refinance | Home Equity Loans | Home Equity Line of Credit -- BUY A HOME SELL A HOME HOME LOANS NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION ABOUT US MY ACCOUNT Find a REALTOR ® Buy or sell your home and you may receive a Gift Card worth up to $1,000. Find a REALTOR ® Find a Builder with iNest and Get 1% Cash Back! Finance Your Home Get a Mortgage Refinance Your Mortgage Home Equity Loan / Line of Credit Online Credit Report Search Homes for Sale Start Your Search Home Price Check ® Additional Services Insurance Quotes Get a Home Warranty Get a Home Inspection Find a Mover Find Home Improvement Professionals Change Your Address Setup Your Utilities Learning Center Qualifying for Home Loan How Much Can You Afford? How To Choose the Right Loan You are here: Home | Home Finance Center Get Banks Competing for Your Home Loan RealEstate.com has partnered with LendingTree to provide you with up to four offers for a home mortgage in one easy step. 3 Great Reasons to Get Your Mortgage Now 1. Get Pre-Qualified Many homeowners will require proof of pre-qualification before they will consider an offer for purchase on their home,so be prepared. 2. Rates are Low Rates are still at record lows so get the best rate possible by getting multiple offers from Lenders. Youonly need to fill out onesimple form. 3. Customer Care Our customer care agents are here to help you through the entire process. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or a veteran of homebuying, we have you covered. You can complete your mortgage request over the phone with one of our trained customer care agents. Call 1-800-RealEstate. We're here to help you. Already submitted a mortgage request? Login to view offers. We Also Offer the Following Home Finance Products Since rates are low, you may want to consider refinancing your current home. Need money for home improvement. It may be tax deductible. Check with your tax advisor first. Know Your Credit Score. Make Smarter Decisions. Credit Reports TM , Score Power ® and Score Watch TM give you the tools you need to understand, manage and use your credit wisely. Figure Out How Much You Can Afford Total gross monthly income: Total monthly debt: Monthly payments you can afford with 28% rule: Monthly payments you can afford with 36% rule: Are You Paying Private Mortgage Insurance? Facts About Adjustable Rate Mortgages Choosing the Best Mortgage Which is better: 15 or 30 year term? Are extra payments advantageous? What will adjustable rate payments be? Buying a Home | Selling a Home | Homes for Sale | Credit Report & Score | House Prices at Domania New Home Construction | Find a Mover | Find a REALTOR ® | Home Financing | Real Estate Learning Center Customer Service | Publications | For the Media | News Releases | Join Our Real Estate Network | Post Home Listings Privacy | Security | Terms of Use | Jobs | Disclosures and Licenses | Sitemap | Loans | Commercial Real Estate Houses for Sale in: Atlanta | Austin | Boston | Charlotte | Chicago | Dallas | Denver | Houston | Las Vegas | Los Angeles Miami | Minneapolis | New York | Philadelphia | Phoenix | San Antonio | San Diego | San Francisco | Seattle Washington, DC | Real Estate in More Cities LendingTree technology and processes are patented under US Patent Nos. 6,385,594 and 6,611,816. © 1998 - Real Estate.com, a service of LendingTree, LLC. All Rights Reserved.This site is directed at, and made available to, persons in the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii only. Conversion to LendingTree, LLC We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. REALTOR ® -- A registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS ® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Not all of the real estate professionals participating in the "Agent's Competing" program are REALTORS ® , which are members of the National Association of REALTORS ® . The Home Depot ® is not affiliated with LendingTree, LLC. The Home Depot ® is a registered trademark of Homer TLC, Inc. RealEstate.com is not sponsored by or affiliated with the parent franchisor companies of any of the participating members of its network. Partner Sites: Citysearch | Expedia | Hotels.com | Ticketmaster.com | Hotwire.com | Entertainment.com | Match.com Home Shopping Network | ReserveAmerica | LendingTree.com | iNest | ServiceMagic | Ask Jeeves | Gift Ideas Mortgage Calculator | Refinance at GetSmart | LendingTree Mortgage | Free Online Credit Report | Home Equity Loans

foreclosure property is a

Real estate foreclosures information from Answerbag Real estate foreclosures What you need to know about buying property that has been foreclosed Home » Index » Real estate » Foreclosures Questions What is a foreclosure? Are foreclosures an option? What are problems buying foreclosures? What types of foreclosure are there? How do you get financing for a foreclosure? What happens at a trustee sale? How do you find government-repossessed homes? Can I get a HUD home for as little as $100 down? Where can I find foreclosures? Do I have to buy HUD homes through a realty agent? Where do I learn about HUD foreclosures? How does a home go into foreclosure? What happens at a trustee sale? How bad is a previous foreclosure on credit? What makes a newspaper "the newspaper of record" in a given state? Who takes care of delinquent property taxes that have been previously sold at tax certificate sale for prior years? Am I responsible for any liens that were on a foreclosed property before I had purchased it? I have the policy of title insurance. In the normal home buying process, issues found during the home inspection allow you to back out of the purchase. Does this apply to foreclosures also? How long does foreclosure take? Where can I find an example of a letter to send to home owner's who are facing forclosure asking them if they would like to sell before their home is forclosed on? If a bank initiates a foreclosure on a property which also has an IRS lien, and the bank ends up buying back the property for the amount of the unpaid loan, does the bank also have to satisfy the IRS lien? Can you use a prequalification letter to secure a bid on a property that has been foreclosed on by a mortgage company at the county sale? » Ask a question What is a foreclosure? (100%, 2 ratings) submitted by Andersen777 ( A++ , 99%, 1854 ratings), Apr 27, 04 A foreclosure is a legal procedure whereby a lender gains title or sells a mortgagors after he or she does not pay it in order to satisfy all or part of the unpaid debt (legal definition). Layman's terms: Essentially, due to lack of payments, the property is repossessed by the lender. The property is then re-sold as foreclosed. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top Are foreclosures an option? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 A foreclosure property is a home that has been repossessed by the lender because the owners failed to pay the mortgage. Thousands of homes end up in foreclosure every year. Economic conditions affect the number of foreclosures, too. Many people lose their homes due to job loss, credit problems or unexpected expenses. It is wise to be cautious when considering a foreclosure. Many experts, in fact, advise inexperienced buyers to hire an expert to take them through the process. It is important to have the house thoroughly inspected and to be sure that any liens, undisclosed mortgages or court judgments are cleared or at least disclosed. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top What are problems buying foreclosures? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 Buying directly at a legal foreclosure sale is risky and dangerous. It is strictly caveat emptor ("Let the buyer beware"). The process has many disadvantages. There is no financing; you need cash and lots of it. The title needs to be checked before the purchase or the buyer could buy a seriously deficient title. The property's condition is not well known and an interior inspection of the property may not be possible before the sale, says Wiedemer. In addition, only estate (probate) and foreclosure sales are exempt from some states? disclosure laws. In both cases, the law protects the seller (usually an heir or financial institution) who has recently acquired the property through adverse circumstances and may have little or no direct information about it. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top (0 ratings) submitted by Team Jackson (0%, 0 ratings), Nov 17, 05 There is however a difference in Sheriff Sale auction homes and REO foreclosure homes The ones up for auction are risky, no access, owners usually still in them, not sure the condition of the home b4 you bid Of course if the price is LOW enough then who cares REO homes have been auctioned to the bank, cleaned out, and listed with an REO agent in the area. Some of these will be priced high others will be dirt cheap, and you can go look inside them They are all sold AS IS, you can do an inspection but cannot use it to get out of the contract should you find something wrong. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top What types of foreclosure are there? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 Judicial foreclosure action is a proceeding in which a mortgagee, a trustee or another lien holder on property requests a court-supervised sale of the property to cover the unpaid balance of a delinquent debt. Non-judicial foreclosure is the process of selling real property under a power of sale in a mortgage or deed of trust that is in default. In such a foreclosure, however, the lender is unable to obtain a deficiency judgment, which makes some title insurance companies reluctant to issue a policy. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top How do you get financing for a foreclosure? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 One reason there are few bidders at foreclosure sales is that it is next to impossible to get financing for such a property. You generally need to show up with cash and lots of it, or a line of credit with your bank upon which you can draw cashier's checks. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top What happens at a trustee sale? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 Trustee sales are advertised in advance and require an all-cash bid. The sale is usually conducted by a sheriff, a constable or lawyer acting as trustee. This kind of sale, which usually attracts savvy investors, is not for the novice. In a trustee sale, the lender who holds the first loan on the property starts the bidding at the amount of the loan being foreclosed. Successful bidders receive a trustee's deed. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top How do you find government-repossessed homes? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development acquires properties from lenders who foreclose on mortgages insured by HUD. These properties are available for sale to both homeowner-occupants and investors. You can only purchase HUD-owned properties through a licensed real estate broker. HUD will pay the broker's commission up to 6 percent of the sales price. Down payments vary depending on whether the property is eligible for FHA insurance. If not, payments range from the conventional market's 5 to 20 percent. One caution. HUD homes are sold "as is," meaning limited repairs have been made but no structural or mechanical warranties are implied. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top Can I get a HUD home for as little as $100 down? (100%, 2 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 If you are strapped for cash and looking for a bargain, you may be able to buy a foreclosure property acquired by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for as little as $100 down. With HUD foreclosures, down payments vary depending on whether the property is eligible for FHA insurance. If not, payments range from 5 to 20 percent. But when the property is FHA-insured, the down payment can go much lower. Each offer must be accompanied by an "earnest money" deposit equal to 5 percent of the bid price, not to exceed $2,000 but not less than $500. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also offers foreclosure properties which can be purchased directly from the VA often well below market value and with a down payment amount as low as 2 percent for owner-occupants. Investors may be required to pay up to 10 percent of the purchase price as a down payment. This is because the VA guarantees home loans and often ends up owning the property if the veteran defaults. If you are interested in purchasing a VA foreclosure, call 1-800-827-1000 to request a current listing. About 100 new properties are listed every two weeks. You should be aware that foreclosure properties are sold "as is," meaning limited repairs have been made but no structural or mechanical warranties are implied. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) User comments eric soto : very useful, thanks for the phone # » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top (0 ratings) submitted by Team Jackson (0%, 0 ratings), Nov 17, 05 Now days you can pretty much buy anything for no money down There are even programs out there for investors with 0 Down to use on duplexs and 4 families This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top Where can I find foreclosures? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 In most states, a foreclosure notice must be published in the legal notices section of a local newspaper where the property is located or in the nearest city. Also, foreclosure notices are usually posted on the property itself and somewhere in the city where the sale is to take place. When a homeowner is late on three payments, the bank will record a notice of default against the property. When the owner fails to pay up, a trustee sale is held, and the property is sold to the highest bidder. The financial institution that has initiated foreclosure proceedings usually will set the bid price at the loan amount. Despite these seemingly straightforward rules, buying foreclosures is not easy as it may sound. Sophisticated investors use the technique so novices may find themselves among stiff competition. Resources: * "The Smart Money Guide to Bargain Homes, How to Find and Buy Foreclosures," James I. Wiedemer, Dearborn Financial Publishing, Chicago; 1994. * "Real Estate Principles," Charles O. Stapleton III, Thomas Moran and Martha R. Williams, Dearborn Financial Publishing, Chicago; 1994. * "Real Estate Investing From A to Z," William H. Pivar, Probus Publishing, Chicago, 1993. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top (0 ratings) submitted by Team Jackson (0%, 0 ratings), Nov 17, 05 For auctions go to your local courthouse For REO homes go to a site like foreclosure.com or find a broker like me in your area, I pay for the site and get all the info then i post a list weekly by email to hundreds of investors in the area FREE. Look around there is always a guy like me This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top Do I have to buy HUD homes through a realty agent? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 You can only purchase a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development property through a licensed real estate broker. HUD will pay the broker's commission up to 6 percent of the sales price. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top Where do I learn about HUD foreclosures? (100%, 2 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 9, 03 One good source is their Web page http://www.hud.gov This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top How does a home go into foreclosure? (75%, 1 rating) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 10, 03 (Answer last edited on Jul 5, 05) Foreclosure proceedings usually begin after a borrower has skipped three mortgage payments. The lender will record a notice of default against the property. Unless the debt is satisfied, the lender will foreclose on the mortgage and proceed to set up a trustee sale. For more questions or to learn about foreclosure prevention and information... http://www.propertyinvestmentadvisor.com/stop-foreclosure.html. To learn about foreclosure investing try here... http://www.propertyinvestmentadvisor.com This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) User comments Anonymous : kind of sketchy to those of us who really know nothing of real estate. » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top What happens at a trustee sale? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 10, 03 Trustee sales are advertised in advance and require an all-cash bid. The sale is usually conducted by a sheriff, a constable or lawyer acting as trustee. This kind of sale, which usually attracts savvy investors, is not for the novice. In a trustee sale, the lender who holds the first loan on the property starts the bidding at the amount of the loan being foreclosed. Successful bidders receive a trustee's deed. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top How bad is a previous foreclosure on credit? (0 ratings) submitted by Real Estate Guy ( A , 97%, 58 ratings), Sep 10, 03 A property foreclosure is one of the most damaging events in a borrower's credit history. In terms of the effect on credit history, a deed in lieu of foreclosure or a short sale is not as adverse an event as is a forced foreclosure. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top What makes a newspaper "the newspaper of record" in a given state? » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when an answer is posted » Top Who takes care of delinquent property taxes that have been previously sold at tax certificate sale for prior years? » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when an answer is posted » Top Am I responsible for any liens that were on a foreclosed property before I had purchased it? I have the policy of title insurance. (100%, 1 rating) submitted by breadmanpaul ( A+ , 97%, 219 ratings), Sep 21, 05 Your title insurance provides you with clear title to the property. You cannot obtain clear title without in some way dealing with all existing liens. When you purchased the property, you very likely paid off all of the liens. If there are still liens against the property that were there before you purchased the property, then you do not have clear title. If you have evidence of any existing liens, then take them to the title company that provided you with title insurance. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top (0 ratings) submitted by Team Jackson (0%, 0 ratings), Nov 17, 05 No... example Sold woman a reo home in Feb of this year had back taxes for 02, 03, 04 due 04 was paid at closing title company mistake now assessor wants 02 and 03 or will tax foreclose title insurance company just paid the assessor they are your insurance that ALL title is clear up to the contract phase then make sure you get a gap for the remainder This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top In the normal home buying process, issues found during the home inspection allow you to back out of the purchase. Does this apply to foreclosures also? (0 ratings) submitted by DARON J ( A- , 86%, 80 ratings), Nov 29, 04 Normally the sell of a forclosure is "as is" . This is supposed to be stated in the realestate listing. If this is the case then you would lose your earnest money if you back out of the contract. This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top How long does foreclosure take? (0 ratings) submitted by Team Jackson (0%, 0 ratings), Nov 17, 05 Most banks will let you be default for 12 months then they will start the procedure for auction this usually takes 90 days before its over and they are evicted depends on each area and the local laws This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top Where can I find an example of a letter to send to home owner's who are facing forclosure asking them if they would like to sell before their home is forclosed on? » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when an answer is posted » Top If a bank initiates a foreclosure on a property which also has an IRS lien, and the bank ends up buying back the property for the amount of the unpaid loan, does the bank also have to satisfy the IRS lien? (0 ratings) submitted by Team Jackson (0%, 0 ratings), Nov 17, 05 Yes all liens must be clear to resell the property with clear title This answer is ( useful ¤ somewhat useful ¤ incorrect ¤ offensive/spam ) » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when a new answer is posted » Top Can you use a prequalification letter to secure a bid on a property that has been foreclosed on by a mortgage company at the county sale? » Add new answer » Add new question » Email me when an answer is posted » Top » Ask a question » Send me updates Important: Answerbag cannot guarantee the accuracy of answers submitted by members, and we recommend that you use common sense when following any advice found here. Full disclaimer User tools » Ask a question » Send me updates » Send to a friend » Show in text format » RSS Feed Glossary · NOD » Add new term Related Links No links submitted yet » Add new link Answerbag experts on Real estate foreclosures 1. Andersen777 ( A- , 100%, 2 ratings) 2. 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Home equity for the

MSN Money - Home equity for the holidays MSN Home Hotmail My MSN Sign In Money S earch MSN Money: Help Home News Banking Investing Planning Taxes My Money Portfolio Loans Insurance Banking Home My Accounts Bill Pay Mortgages/Loans Services Credit Reports Financial Tools Track your bills Resources Decision Centers Home Buying Guide Home Financing Your Credit Rating Financial Privacy Better Banking Credit Card Smarts Bankruptcy Guide Commentary Index Related Links Manage Debt More on Budgeting Print-friendly version Send this to a friend See where rates stand Calculate your debt burden here Find a home-equity loan Find books on home buying Find It! Article Index Finance Q&A Tools Index Site Map Recent articles by Bankrate.com: • Mortgage rates hit 18-month high , 11/2/2005 • Best deal? Go to the source , 10/27/2005 • When it pays to stay single , 10/24/2005 More... The Basics Home equity for the holidays advertisement Borrowing from a home-equity loan for holiday spending is tempting because of the lower rates and tax-deductible payments. But theres a huge risk involved. By Bankrate.com This season, many consumers will charge against the home for the holidays. They will use home-equity debt to pay for gifts and travel. Some will do it directly, paying for presents and airline tickets with charge cards tied to home-equity lines of credit. More will do it indirectly, by using equity to pay off credit-card balances that end up as bloated as a turkey-sated family. Home-equity debt traditionally has been spent on investments that bring some kind of return -- renovating houses, paying for college, starting small businesses. More recently, as consumers have become more clever about using debt, equity loans are seen as a cheaper, smarter way to consolidate debt and pay for such items as cars and furniture. But gifts and airline tickets to visit family? Believe it or not, bankers and consumer advocates agree that there are times when it's appropriate to pay for something so fleeting by charging it against the roof over your head. It's not exactly wise to go into debt to pay for presents, but if you're going to do it, you might as well do so as inexpensively as possible. Find a loan that's right for you at the Loan Center Debt for gifts "Don't let these things be excuses to be in debt. That's the issue," says Anthony Hsieh, president of Home Loan Center, an online lender based in Orange County, Calif. If you listen long enough to AM radio, you are likely to hear a holiday-themed sales pitch for these loans, which allow you to borrow money and use the accumulated equity in your home as collateral. Generally, it takes two to four weeks to get access to the money after you apply. Home-equity loans, also known as second mortgages, come in a lump sum. You repay them with equal monthly payments at a fixed rate for a specified period. Related news and commentary on MSN Money • Gift cards are not gifts • 15 worst holiday gift ideas • The fine art of holiday tipping: why, who and how much • The 13 worst holiday spending blunders • 12 rules for regifting without fear • 10 low-cost gifts from the heart Home equity lines of credit, or HELOCs, on the other hand, work like credit cards. Instead of getting a lump sum, you start out with a credit line and can draw up to the credit line's limit. During the first years of the account, the minimum monthly payment covers only the interest on the balance. The rate is variable and usually is tied to the prime rate. The tax deduction On both kinds of equity debt, the interest you pay is deductible from your federal income taxes in most cases. That's the key, Hsieh says. If you decide to take some time to pay off your holiday debt, why not do it with tax-deductible interest? "Is it irresponsible to dig into equity (to pay for gifts?)" Hsieh asks. "Yes. But if you're going to get into debt and you're disciplined enough to pay it off in a predetermined time, there is an advantage to using a HELOC because the interest is deductible." Rudy Cavazos of Money Management International , a national, nonprofit credit-counseling agency based in Houston, agrees that buying things with low-rate home equity debt "beats using that credit card" with higher rates and no tax-deduction. But he's not sure every consumer understands all the differences between regular credit cards and cards tied to HELOCs, including the biggie: "You're placing your home on the line as security, as collateral, for these funds." No walking away from equity debt Sure, the HELOC has a lower rate and the interest is tax-deductible. But the regular credit card is unsecured, meaning that the balance is not backed by collateral -- so the debt can be wiped clean in some bankruptcies. Not so with a card tied to a HELOC. If you buy your godson a Christmas gift with your HELOC, you are pledging your house as collateral. You can't walk away from the debt, even in bankruptcy. This important point might not be stressed at the time of the loan application. That's why Cavazos recommends that consumers get some kind of loan counseling before they take out home-equity loans or get HELOCs. Consumer credit counseling agencies, such as MMI, often hold workshops or do one-on-one education for people who get home loans of all kinds. Cavazos hears radio advertisements all the time that urge listeners to use home equity as a way to consolidate debt "or improve their lifestyle in some way. That's all good, but you have to remember to educate yourself before you enter into these types of financial tools." When it comes to gifts and holiday travel, the best financial tool is to stay away from debt in the first place. Instead, use the financial tool that can't be beat: a savings account. 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