Getting Qualified for Equity Financing
getting yourself qualified for home equity financing
Lenders use several criteria to qualify an applicant for a home equity financing. The most important criteria include: 1) the current home value and appraisal; 2) your credit rating; 3) your debt and income capacity; and 4) your source of income.
Below is summary of four (4) quick qualifying factors for home equity financing
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qualify for equity financing
Existing Home Value
Lenders will not extend an equity line or loan that exceeds the value of the home. Since the home equity is secured in 2nd position (behind the first mortgage) by the equity value of your home, lenders will use your home value to determine how much loan amount to qualify.
That is why lenders complete a market valuation or a complete home appraisal before they qualify any home equity amount. The appraisal must be comparable with similar homes in the surrounding neighborhood.
qualify for equity financing
Your Credit Rating
Your credit report is used by banks and other lending institutions to determine your credit worthiness. The report lists any payment delinquencies that you may have had over the past three years.
The report can be a factor in a lending institution's decision to approve or decline your home equity application. You should review your credit report for any errors before applying for a loan.
You need a credit history of at least one year to ensure a good credit report.
A credit score determines the rate the lender may charge you. The credit score estimates your ability to repay a loan as evidenced by your credit history. Lenders will sometimes give you a better rate based on a good credit report.
qualify for equity financing
Your Capacity to Repay
Your capacity to repay the home equity is an important factor for lending institutions to qualify an applicant for financing. If capacity ratios are too high, you will need to change one of the following parameters in order to qualify:
- reduce your borrowed requests
- increase your income
- pay off outstanding debts
Lenders use two ratios
- The "housing ratio":
calculated by dividing monthly housing expenses by your gross monthly income. As a basic rule, the housing ratio should not exceed 28%.
- The "debt-to-income ratio":
calculated by dividing your fixed monthly expenses by your gross monthly income. As a basic rule, debt ratio should not exceed 36%.
qualify for equity financing
Source of Income
Your capacity to repay the loan is contingent on your employment and other income sources. Lenders like to see applicants in steady jobs with verifiable income.
Lenders will likely call your employer to verify your employment position and salary/wages. Any discrepancy in your reported employment and income may raise additional questions that can disqualify you for a loan.
For Self-Employed
Self-employed individuals will need to provide additional documents to ensure lenders that the applicant has steady income. These documents will include your personal tax filings and other information as required.
Helpful Tools
Some helpful tools for making decisions:
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