What are the Reverse Mortgage Disadvantages?



by Paul Hong


Reverse Mortgage Disadvantage #1: It is a loan and it has to be repaid when the senior moves or pass away. All banks and lenders are in business to make money. A reverse mortgage lender is no different. When they lend you money, it has to be repaid plus interest in it. This is a business transaction, you get the fund, the bank puts a lien on your home, the lender gets a guarantee that they will be repaid when you move or pass away.

But, in the case of a reverse mortgage, the lender must wait for payments of any kind until you sell the home, refinance, or permanently leave the home (i.e. pass away). It is a business transaction: you get the money, the lender gets a guarantee that they'll eventually be repaid.

Reverse Mortgage Disadvantage #2: Reverse Mortgage transaction tend to cost more then traditional mortgage loans. Because the banks are taking a bigger risk on this mortgage and they are paying you to stay in your house every month. They are charging you more to elevate the risks, but you can include the transaction fees into the mortgage.

Reverse Mortgage Disadvantage #3: The home has to have enough equity, so else the bank will not lend you the money.

Reverse Mortgage Disadvantage #4: Reverse Mortgage Sales people. Most sales people don't know what they are talking about, Reverse Mortgage is a complicate loan and not many people are proficient about it. Many of them sound like used car sales man. Make sure you use people that you know.

Reverse Mortgage Disadvantage #5: You are charged interest on the money that you receive. Most Lenders charge a variable interest rate like the 1-Yr Terasury Bill or the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), plus one to three percent onto your rate. Its best to ask for a fixed interest rate. Interest is not paid out of loan disbursement, but instead compounds over the life of the loan until its pay off.

Reverse Mortgage Disadvantage #6: You need to have lots of equity to qualify for a Reverse Loan. Usually means that you owed the house for many years. They need to leave plenty of room for interest to be added to the principle balance of the loan, so that it will not get too close to the value of the home in the future.

Reverse Mortgage Disadvantage #7 If you get a Reverse Mortgage, you will have less equity in your home to pass to your heirs. It gives you access equity in your home, you will have less equity left in the future. Also interest will be added to your loan balance, reduces your home equity even more. Before you apply, you should communicate with your heirs.

If your house is in a good area and the home price appreciates to a high value, you may be able to refinance your reverse mortgage and pay it off. That meants you will be able to apply for Reverse Mortgage a second time. The Reverse Mortgage may provide for you the life of your live or it may just help you to pay off your debt. Make sure you have a lender that you can trust.




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