Jun
27
Using Home Equity to Finance Summer Projects
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Summertime is right around the corner. And with the right amount of cash on hand we can take full advantage of travel and vacations; complete a long list of to-do projects around the house, or pay for all those amenities, gadgets, and toys that make summer more enjoyable. But playing in the sun and surf usually shrinks our income rather than plumping it up, so the season always presents us with a challenging contradiction: Do we sacrifice our summer pleasures or wipe out our savings? Rather than succumb to the urge to depend on credit card debt to finance the fun and play now but pay later, it may be a better strategy to tap into the equity that is still hibernating within your home. That way you can have your cake and eat it too, by increasing your cash flow without necessarily putting your budget or savings at risk.
For some consumers, taking out a home equity loan or doing a mortgage refinance will actually increase their net savings.
The summer of 2006 was the season for seller shock as buyers took control of the housing market and homeowners watched the value of their homes plummet. Coming away from those experiences homeowners got creative, and during the first half of 2007 they pulled out every trick in the book to lure buyers.