Table of Contents

• How Do Home Renovation Loans Work?
• What Type of Loan is Best for Home Improvement?
• How Can I Qualify for a Home Improvement Loan?
• Is it Difficult to Get a Home Renovation Loan?
• How Much You Can Borrow for Home Renovation? 
• Can I Get a Home Renovation Loan with Bad Credit? 

How Do Home Renovation Loans Work?

A home renovation is quite time-consuming and requires a lot of money and planning. In order to fulfill your dream of home renovation, you can take out a home improvement loan to help finance the project. But before applying, it is imperative to know what type of loan you require.

Home renovation loans are used to cover renovations’ expenses. Renovations are usually financed by household savings. Those who do not have savings or wish to spend their savings usually choose home renovation loans. 

Typically, home renovation loans are for borrowers with a good credit score, but there are chances to get a loan with a below-average credit score.

There are a variety of options related to home renovation loans, including unsecured personal loans and home equity loans.

What Type of Loan is Best for Home Improvement?

Depending on your circumstances, there are many different types: 

1) Personal Loan

Personal loans are not secured with your home. In fact, lenders won’t even consider getting your home information if you apply for a personal loan. Nevertheless, lenders decide how much money you can borrow based on your financial credibility such as your credit score, income, etc. It is a good choice if you don’t want to keep your house as collateral or if you don’t have a lot of home equity.

2) Cash-Out Refinance

Financial planners recommend it because of the effects of Covid-19 on the current economy. Cash-out refinancing involves changing the terms of your mortgage and cashing out a portion of the equity in your home. After that, you can use the proceeds for your project. 

3) Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)

In general, this method of home improvement financing is the most popular. HELOC money is derived from your equity. It is the value of your house minus the amount you owe on it. It is essentially a second mortgage, you use your house as collateral. 

4) Home Equity Loans

The second mortgage has fixed rates which means that the money from the second mortgage is received in full and you begin to repay the principal and interest immediately. Before you decide to take out a home equity loan, you must know how much renovation will cost.

5)Credit Cards

Short-term projects are best financed with a card that offers 0% APR. Payment should be made before the promotion ends. It is suitable for small purchases like small furniture. Additionally, they can cover any unexpected expenses. 

6) Government Loans

Some government loans have specific requirements based on state & municipality. In order to qualify, you must renovate your principal residence and cannot sell it until an extended period of time, usually 10 years. 

How Can I Qualify for a Home Improvement Loan?

In order to qualify for a home improvement loan, you need to have good credit, so you should check your credit score. 

Let’s take a look at the FICO credit score ranges to get an idea of how you can raise your credit score: 

Outstanding: 800-850 

Very Good: 740-799

Good: 670-739

Fair: 580-669

Poor: 300-579

Documents such as bank statements and income documentation are required to verify your income. A home appraisal is required if you’re getting a loan based on the equity in your home.

To determine the value of your home and equity, you need to evaluate its value and how much is left on your mortgage loan. 

Is it Difficult to Get a Home Renovation Loan?

Home renovations and debt repayments require proper knowledge and planning. For those who can repay the debt in a short period of time, a home equity loan or HELOC may be a better choice, providing lower rates than personal loans. 

For those who wish to refinance their mortgage, cash-out refinances are one of the sensible options, but they must also ensure that they keep only one loan rather than two.

The consequences of not repaying any of these loans are serious, and if you have fair credit, then you may have a hard time qualifying for a lower interest rate.

If you wish to avoid these circumstances, a personal loan may be the right choice for you. To get the best deal, you need an expert at Shant Nalbandian.

To see if you qualify for a HELOC, home equity loan, or cash-out refinance, you should contact your current lender and check the terms they are offering.

No worries if you still have questions regarding home renovation loans in your city. We are available to assist you 24/7.

Give us a call today (416) 894-3976 or send us an email at [email protected]

How Much You Can Borrow for Home Renovation?

License-Based Renovations

In most cases, a residential property can borrow 95% of its purchase price to finance cosmetic renovations.

Renovations Without a Builder

A typical purchase price plus the cost of renovations can be borrowed up to 90%.

Major Renovations

You can typically borrow up to 80% unless you have a contract builder, in this case, you can borrow a total of 95% of the purchase price plus the cost of renovations.

Rebuild

You can borrow up to 90% of the land value or 95% of the total land’s cost in addition to construction costs accompanied by a licensed builder. 

Rebuild with No Builder

If you intend to do the renovations yourself, you can borrow 60% of the cost of the land and the renovations.

No Intention to Renovate

You can borrow up to 80% of the property value which depends on the property’s location and condition.

Can I Get a Home Renovation Loan with Bad Credit?

You can certainly get a home equity loan even with bad credit. This is because home equity lenders typically look at how much equity you have built-in your property.

Also, home equity loans are secured loans. You guarantee the loan with your home, which gives lenders surety that you have the resources to repay the debt.

Although you can get a home equity loan with bad credit 100% of the time, it does not apply to all lenders. A traditional lender has strict requirements, including:

• A minimum credit score of 620  
• A debt-to-income ratio not higher than 35%
• A history which you are making debt repayments on-time
• Stable employment
• Minimum15% equity in your home

Dealing with financial products can be daunting at times due to the long and hectic procedures and lack of knowledge. 

If you are having trouble getting a home renovation loan, contact Shant Nalbandian for expert advice.

You can reach us at (416) 894-3976 or email us at [email protected]