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Home Equity - Loan Details

Understanding your Options

Before borrowing against your home’s equity, it helps to understand how the process works: what you can borrow, how the rates work, and what repayment might look like. Below are the most common questions we hear about the details of home equity financing.

  • Home equity loans are repaid in equal monthly payments over a set term. At Credit Union of Ohio, we offer terms up to 20 years.

  • HELOCs usually have two phases:

    • A draw period: Our draw period extends up to 10 years, where you can borrow up to your limit as needed, only paying interest on the amount you've used.

    • A repayment period: Once the draw period expires, any remaining balance you owe is paid back over 10 years.

Our home equity options can be approved for up to a maximum of 90% Loan-to-Value(LTV). What this means is the total amount of your mortgage plus the amount you'd be financing with the home equity must be worth 90% or less of the home's appraised value.

  • For example, if your home is appraised for $200,000 and you currently owe $100,000 on your mortgage. In this example, the maximum you could borrow with one of our home equity options would be $80,000 as $180,000 is 90% of the $200,000 appraised value.*

 

*Please note: The above example is for informational purposes only and is not a guarantee of credit. Home equity loans are subject to credit approval.

  • Home Equity Loans have fixed interest rates, meaning your rate and monthly payment stay the same over the life of the loan.

  • HELOCs feature variable interest rates, which can fluctuate with market conditions. Some may offer an initial fixed-rate period through specials promotions.

Rates are often lower than unsecured loans or credit cards, since your home is used as collateral.