125% Equity Loan

A 125% equity loan or 125% home equity line of credit enables one to borrow up to 125% of the value of one's home or equity in one's home. Popular now, 125% equity loans allow people to borrow to pay for college, home improvements, pay off credit card debts and even purchase new properties. The downside of the 125% equity loan is that it is so appealing that some people end up borrowing over their heads.

Many lenders are willing to lend borrowers up to 125% of the home's value, minus the first mortgage's balance. This can be used for loan consolidation or for other priorities such as buying a new car. The 125% LTV or Loan-To-Value really took off in 1997 as has never looked back since. Loan-To-Value simply means the ratio between the fair market value of a home and the percentage of that value that is still owed to the lenders.

The 125% equity loan is an off-shoot of the second mortgage loans offered in the early 1990's, which were primarily used for home improvements. These home improvements would generally increase the value in a home so there was a tangible pay-off for these loans. The 125% equity loan now days is most often used for debt consolidation rather than home improvements, though it really can be used for whatever the borrower wishes.

The average 125% equity loan is from $10,000 to $50,000, which can be used to consolidate credit card debt, pay off student loans and often-times have some cash left over for home improvement or personal use. The 125% equity loan has been heavily marketed over the past several years, on radio and television by smaller firms willing to take the risk as lenders. Traditional mortgage companies are now coming on board since the profit margin is quite in the lender's favor.

Credit card debt is at an all-time high now and borrowers are taking advantage of the 125% equity loans to help with this relief. The popular 125% equity loans are not for everyone, however, as consumers wishing to qualify for a 125% LTV loan will need a FICO credit score of 650-700 or above. In order to receive these loans, borrowers will also need good jobs, stead incomes and good payment histories to receive the required scores. The ideal candidate for this kind of loan is a borrower with considerable debt but who has always been able to pay the bills and simply needs some relief.