Home   »» Sitemap Search:  

Home | Finances


Financing Home Improvement Projects: How to Get Them Done

By: Bill McCowen

Homes need updating. Aside from the cosmetics of tiles and paint colors, there are the basic, but necessary renovations that need to be taken care of as well.

Young home buyers frequently enter into a mortgage commitment scraping together all they have to offer a decent down payment and having calculated what they need to be able to afford the monthly payments. What they may not take into as serious account are the monthly utility bills and the eventual (inevitable) costs of house and property upkeep.

Those requirements may be acknowledged as necessary somewhere down the road, but since they are not immanent, the couple may simply assume they will come up with the money from somewhere when the needs are more pressing.

However, from re-shingling a roof to weather-proofing your windows, major home improvement projects are a part of home ownership. Unfortunately, they're also costly and there isn't always room in the family budget for a full overhaul of the heating and ventilation system. That's where home improvement financing comes in.

For those who don't have much extra money saved, home improvement financing allows homeowners to borrow what they need for renovations. Sometimes the house itself is used as equity and in other situations, little to no equity is required. Keep reading to learn about the different types of home improvement project financing.

Home Equity Loan

The terms for any loan, including a home improvement or renovation financing loan, will vary depending on the borrower. If you have good credit, your mortgage is paid off and you're willing to put your house forward as equity, then you can expect to get great rates payable over a period of months or years.

You could even opt for a second mortgage, which will get you rates close to prime. However, while a home equity loan obtains for you a lump sum up front, remember that you'll start paying interest on that entire sum right away.

Line of Credit

One of the easiest ways to borrow money is through a home equity line of credit. A line of credit allows you to only borrow as you need, therefore only paying interest on what you use. The rates, if your credit is good, are great and they're often approved fairly quickly and painlessly.

Remodeling or Home Improvement Loan

Many banks offer remodeling or renovation-specific loan programs. These work by combining a construction loan with a mortgage and are based on the projected value of the home after you complete your project.

You will most likely have to submit a building plan as well as a breakdown of all your project expenses. The bank then usually releases the money in increments, as the project progresses.

Credit Cards

If your credit isn't as good or you're still building it, you may opt for a small amount of financing that will let you complete the project without being overwhelmed by debt. An example of this might even be store credit from a local store - just enough to purchase a new furnace or the materials you need to retile your floors.

Article Source: http://www.kravities.com

To help meet your home improvement needs, such as for beautiful replacement windows, great flooring options, home improvement loans, and much more, please visit www.home-improvement-needs.com for insightful information.

Please Rate this Article

 

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Finances Articles Via RSS!

  • SILVER NEWS AND ANALYSIS
    As such, it has been putting a lot of effort into charming local communities to get them on board with the project and avoid some of the pitfalls others have fallen into (or brought upon themselves). Apogee Minerals (APE.v) ...
  • The Cost of Turning an Old Country Club to New
    Sitting tight would be the wise thing to do, but if the infrastructure of a country club is costing more a month to repair than the monthly interest on a capital improvement note then maybe sitting tight is not the right answer. ...
  • A Case Study on Reducing Debt
    She writes: "This morning I made my very last payment on $14300 in credit card debt and a personal line of credit for a home improvement project that was completed a few years ago. I paid it off over the last 20 months thanks to ...
  • Moultonboro Selectmen Minutes October 9th, 2008
    NHEC has available Smart Start Financing, with a low interest rate, if needed. Karel asked if NHEC must first approve of the proposed changes and rebates before starting the project. Mr. Grady replied that she was correct and they must ...
  • 417 - North American Tree News
    Unfortunately, climbing 15 to 20 feet off the ground places hunters in jeopardy of returning to earth in an unexpected and often catastrophic manor. In fact, studies done by the National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) show that ...
  • 10 Biggest Selling Myths
    As a rule of thumb, if your improvements push your home?s value higher than 20% above average neighboring home values, don?t expect to recoup the entire amount of improvements. Your real estate agent can advise you as to the scope of ...
  • How Erin Cureton Formed a Winning Real Estate Rehab Team
    To get an account, you need a company name, a credit card and a bank account, that?s it. Don?t buy retail! Home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes charges 20-40% markups for nearly every product on their shelves. ...
  • Home Improvement Contractors: What Homeowners Should Know
    It is advisable to hold back at least 10 per cent of the total contract price for at least 90 days to ensure that the work was done properly. For those homeowners who wish to finance their projects through the HIC or a third party ...
  • Home Improvement Tips to Increase the Value of Your Home
    Keep the value of other homes in the area in mind whenever you consider improvements. Your home's value should be no more than 20% above the average. That means a $10000 kitchen improvement project might be a better idea than a $10000 ...
  • Chesterfield County: The Future of Chesterfield?
    Many of the projects going on right now are facing some real hurdles in terms of financing and lease occupany contracts. They will certainly move forward, but the planned and predicted level of business starts will be slower than ...
  • Episode 59: (Pickens Plan - Wind)+ Nuclear = Success
    The current tight-fisted grip on financing by investors and the world?s banks may have an impact on plans to build large infrastructure projects around the world, and nuclear plants certainly fall into that category. ...
  • Details on SmartyPig
    Families saving for vacations and home improvement projects. Couples saving for weddings. Military men and women in Iraq saving to save. We have quite a few parents using SmartyPig as an educational tool to teach the value of savings ...
  • (Home improvement loans) Forex Signals and Market Currency Trading
    There are 3 possessions that every home buyer had better do to get a wonderful mortgage offer. If you are a prospective homeowner wanting to locked financing to merchandise your home but do not have the 20 down expense prerequisite by ...
  • How Erin Cureton Formed a Winning Real Estate Rehab Team
    Don't buy retail! Home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes charges 20-40% markups for nearly every product on their shelves. Accountant Find one early, interview them and get their advice months ahead of time. ...
  • Erin Cureton: How to Form a Team to Buy and Sell Foreclosed Homes
    Home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes charges 20-40% markups for nearly every product on their shelves. To save money on supplies, you need to find a wholesaler and establish an account with them.. Typically you can find a ...
  • City Manager's Report 101008
    The Public Works Department will host a second public information meeting on October 22 regarding the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Improvement Project. The meeting will provide residents and interested stakeholders with a progress report on ...
  • Free Grants For Black People
    Why havn't you joined the thousands of already satisfied customers? Over 20 Million People get government money each year. 100% Money Back Guarantee! eINfoNews.com Covers minority and small business finance news and solutions, ...
  • October Astrological Forecast
    The end of the month is also an excellent time for concentrating on creative projects and business partnerships, where you move slowly but surely towards your goals. The powers that be are supportive both with time and finance. ...
  • WSJ's"Top Small Workplaces 2008"
    Cunningham says he can talk to ATA's engineers and find out what types of technologies they want to develop and then he can find ways to get grant money for those projects. "I think in other companies you have a lot more red tape," he ...
  • Obama and Acorn Community organizers, phony voters, and your tax ...
    Its American Environmental Justice Project received 100% of its revenue from government grants in the same years. EPI estimates the Acorn Housing Corporation alone received some $16 million in federal dollars from 1997-2007. ...
  • The rubber meets the road at the Barnstable Town Council Hearing ...
    and Barnstable taxpayers will provide approximately 47.2% of the funding through financing approved by the Barnstable Town Council through general fund obligation bonds ($36100800). Santos says he?ll reimburse the town from airport ...
  • Personal Finance: Dealing With the Downturn
    In an effort to get houses sold, lenders are pulling foreclosed properties off the market and selling them at auctions. As a result, would-be buyers are getting great home deals are getting great home deals, reports Post staffer Dina ...
  • The Basics of FHA Real Estate Mortgages for Investors
    The homebuyer then selects an FHA-approved 203(k) lender and arranges for a detailed proposal showing the scope of work to be done. The proposal should include a detailed cost estimate on each repair or improvement of the project. ...
  • Dell Simplifies Disk-Based Backup and Recovery With Integrated ...
    A. I certainly would say the work that we?ve done around Xbox is an unqualified success. No question about that. Q. How so? A. The product is selling very well. The Xbox is an absolute home run. Q. But sales of the Xbox have slowed ...
  • Federal Barn Grants
    Barn Assessment Grants - planning grants prior to rehabilitation projects, New ... Preservation Tax Credits - 20% federal income tax credit for the rehabilitation ... New York State Barn Coalition State and Federal grants and programs ...



Article Directory   SiteMap

Powered by Article Dashboard