Reverse Mortgage Loan Blog

Q: Hi, we’ve been partly funding my mother’s rent in a close-by senior apartment with her dwindling savings while waiting for her home to sell back down south. It isn’t moving in this market and we are not allowed to rent her home. Would it be wise to take a reverse mortgage, equity loan or some other type loan until it sells? – Bonnie, Brighton, N.Y.

A: Stay away from reverse mortgages unless you need it as a last resort. Reverse mortgages work by basically taking out the equity in your home – selling back what you own in the home – however, reverse mortgages in particular are packed with fees that can lose you up to 20 percent of your equity. If you’re really feeling hardship, take out a HELOC, home equity line of credit, instead. It can be a tax deduction for her as well and all you pay is the interest and maybe small administration fees. However, HELOC rates are adjustable and rates will go up eventually, so be mindful of that and keep a cushion to protect you from a ballooning monthly bill.

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