According to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), home remodeling may be preferable to moving. Remodeling can be less expensive — the process of selling a home and moving can cost up to 10 percent of the value of your current home. Remodeling also enables your family to stay in a familiar neighborhood and school district. And though it can be stressful, remodeling is much easier than moving a household.
In addition, remodeling allows you to customize improvements based on your individual needs and lifestyle. There are many reasons people choose to remodel. You may wish to add more space, upgrade cabinets and countertops, or improve energy efficiency with new windows, doors and climate control systems.
Remodeling and increased home values
Remodeling can also increase the value of the home. However, experts warn, a home’s value may not increase as much as you might have expected. In some cases, you may not even recover the costs of the renovation.
The Remodelers’ Council, a part of the National Association of Home Builders, suggests remodeling projects that bring the value of your home up to the value of your neighbors’ homes. A good rule of thumb is to keep the total of the value of your home before remodeling and the value of the remodeling projects to within 10 to 15% above median sales prices for a home in your neighborhood. Avoid projects that make your home the most expensive in your neighborhood or “different” from the other homes, such as a large outdoor swimming pool.
专家认为,厨房和浴室重塑projects are the most likely to allow you to recoup their investments, possibly because homebuyers expect to spend a great deal of time in these areas of the house.
If increasing your home’s value is a key priority, keep in mind that your keenest competition at resale will be new homes. So get a sense of what these buyers want by looking at the features and amenities found in new homes, such as Great Rooms and high ceilings.
Financing your remodeling project: more options than ever
Once you have decided on the remodeling project, it’s time to obtain financing. With today’s low interest rates and climbing home prices, homeowners have greater opportunity to borrow against their equity. They also face more choices for accessing equity, because lenders are offering greater options than ever before.
A key decision is choosing between a home equity loan or a line of credit. Although both borrow against the equity in your home, there are differences between them. A home equity loan is given as a lump sum and under preset terms is repaid over a fixed period of time, generally 15 years.
一个旋转房屋净值信用额度,另外一些er hand, provides a credit limit or line, which you can draw on as needed, making regular payments. As you make payments, you can continue to borrow against the credit line during the draw period. Many homeowners enjoy the flexibility of a line of credit. To determine which option is best for you, sit down with your lender or financial planner.
Some lenders, such as Bank of America, the largest home equity lender in the U.S., are introducing features to make the process more convenient for customers.
New access options— Credit Cards that access a home equity line of credit benefit from low rates, payment schedules and possible tax advantages of the home equity line. (Potential borrowers should consult with their tax advisors regarding the deductibility of interest and charges for the line.) Whether you’re accessing the account through a check or card, the account is still a home equity line of credit and subject to the same terms and conditions.
Line of Credit lock-in options— While a home equity loan is commonly available at a fixed rate, lines of credit typically are offered at variable rates tied to the prime rate. Variable rates have been popular recently because of low interest rates. However, as rates climb, the interest rate on a variable loan will increase.
Because many customers prefer the predictability of a fixed rate, many lenders now offer a “lock-in” option for already-advanced portions of our home equity lines of credit.
Primary mortgage tie-in options— Many new homeowners want to make improvements or enhancements to their homes right away. Lenders such as Bank of America often offer qualified customers the opportunity to secure a home equity line of credit when they close on a primary mortgage.
Technology process improvements— Because of breakthroughs in technology, many lenders can offer decisions nearly instantly. These advancements, which include electronic appraisal and online title verification, continue to decrease the time between approval and closing.
Properly planned, remodeling can transform the space in your home to meet your needs. In addition, today’s financing options make the process more convenient and flexible than ever before. So whether you choose to hire the experts — or you’re a do-it-yourselfer — now is a great time to get started.
Editor’s Note:For more information, visitwww.bankofamerica.com.
