The Most Common Types of Reverse Mortgages

Reverse home mortgages aid seniors over 62 take advantage of the equity in their homes that has been created over the time they have been in the home. It can help seniors because it can be used as a type of second mortgage. In a reverse mortgage, the owner doesn’t ever need to pay back the loan for as long as the owner stays living in the house. It basically works as a loan on the present equity.

The homeowner can never be thrown out of the home for lack of payment since there is no money to pay back. It is a good type of loan for seniors with a decreasing income but who would like to stay in the homes they have had for a long time The owner can choose to access the money in one of three ways: a credit line, a one-time payment or a regular monthly payment.

There are basically three different types of reverse mortgages that owners can apply for: a single purpose reverse home mortgage, a federally backed reverse mortgage or a privately issued reverse mortgage.

Single Purpose Reverse Home Mortgage

This type of reverse mortgages is offered by some Government organizations and non-profit agencies. It’s the cheapest of the reverse mortgage available. However, there are more hurdles to go over to qualify for this loan. The owner must be in the lower income bracket and the home loan must be used for a specific pre-approved purpose (home improvements, repairs or to pay real estate taxes.)

Federally Backed Reverse Mortgage

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) backs this reverse mortgage. It is also know as a HECM (Home Equity Conversion Mortgage.) It is a more expensive loan than the previous one.

The biggest plus of this loan is that you can use the proceeds from it for any purpose you want. It is also easier to get and it’s available to homeowners all over the country. This kind of reverse home loan is by far the most common.

Proprietary Reverse Home Mortgage

Proprietary reverse mortgages are loans issue by private companies that haven’t been approved by the FHA. They have the same basic requirements than HECMs.

Proprietary reverse mortgages can be very expensive. Since they don’t go through the same kind of control from the Federal Government, some private companies offering this type of loan have been know to take advantage of senior citizens by charging exorbitant fees.