By Zulika van Heerden
When it comes to debt consolidation
most people do not know how to
choose between unsecured and secured
loan options
Unsecured loans are some of the most
available ways to consolidate your
debts because, as the name suggests,
they don’t really need you to put
anything on the line. Thus credit
cards and similar loan consolidation
arrangements have become very common
in recent years.
However, one big problem with using
unsecured loans to consolidate debt
was that they usually had high
interest rates attached to them.
With credit cards, for example, that
interest could reach as high as 35%.
If that sort of figure is too much
for your income and budget, you
might want to try one of the other
very available methods of debt
consolidation – the mortgage.
Your Debts under One Roof
A mortgage bond is, in essence, a
loan with your home or real estate
used as collateral or security.
Therefore, it offers all the usual
benefits of debt consolidation
plans, such as simplified payments
and an extension on what would
otherwise have been overdue and
interest-heavy debts.
The added advantage of getting a
mortgage to consolidate your debts
is that the interest rates
associated with mortgages are
usually lower. Sure, it’s been
getting a bit more expensive in
recent years as all the borrowing
and other market forces have pushed
the interest rates upward.
Nevertheless, getting a mortgage to
put all your debts in one place is
still a cheaper option than
unsecured debt consolidation methods
such as using credit cards. You can
take comfort in the fact that you
won’t be forced to pay the sky-high
25% variable rate that some credit
cards tend to charge.
The Cons of a Mortgage
Because it’s a loan that’s secured
using your house, the most apparent
and the most urgent drawback of
getting a mortgage is that your
house and real estate is on the
line. Before taking out a mortgage
loan, you have to make sure that
you’ll be able to make mortgage
payments regularly and on time to
keep your house yours. There are
also closing fees that you’ll most
probably have to deal with at the
end of the loan term.
Mortgages are a great option to
consolidate debt for those who have
assured regular income for the span
of the loan term, as well as
considerable home equity. It offers
considerably lower interest rates
than other non-secured loans and
consolidation methods, so you’ll be
paying less in fees throughout the
term of the loan. And when it comes
to consolidating debt, saving money
is what counts.
For more on debt related articles
click on any of the links below:
Debt Consolidation Advantages
Debt - Free Living
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