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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Equity Release Schemes: What you should know

By Jo Smith


Equity release is a means of unlocking value of a property, without having to move house. It's used generally by older homeowners who either have paid off their mortgage loan altogether, or have a little bit remaining to pay. All equity release schemes are meant to be long-term agreements and so are therefore not to be entered into without thought. After you have opted in for them it may be difficult, pricey or even not possible to get out of if your circumstances change.

A few of the options will require that you give up possession of your home either completely or in part; others, that a mortgage loan is put on your property. After a period of saving to repay the home loan this is usually a hard move to make. If you do opt to take this route, it'll be very important for your reassurance to know totally what this can imply in terms of your legal rights and security of tenure - quite simply, your right to continue in your property for your lifetime.

These will be set out in your conditions and terms of the lender's offer to you. If you're not happy to accept them, equity release may not be for you. If you decide to go ahead and make use of the price of your home to give additional income or capital, then it's essential to remember this will undoubtedly have an impact upon any bequest you may wish to give to your loved ones.

The majority of the techniques for equity release work either by selling a portion of your property, or by taking out a mortgage where the interest rates are rolled up until death. Do not forget that either of those approaches will lead to a loss of possessions to pass on following your death. It's for this reason you may possibly think about discussing the options with your family - it might be they can help in some way.

Equity release is not ideal for everyone and you should always consult with an independent legal financial consultant prior to taking out a plan. Having the correct guidance from experts in this area is important. They will clarify the legal aspects involved and enable you to see the conditions and terms of any agreement.

Since these are long-term agreements, you need to be especially careful to take into consideration what could happen in the foreseeable future. Your circumstances may change as you become older and it is crucial that you have considered how any course of action taken now may affect your future choices.




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