By Maria Valenzuela


Owning a home is the ultimate American dream, but it has extended to owning a second home for vacations, family gatherings, or relaxation. It could be in the mountains, near the ocean or in another city.

Financing a second home is different from that a primary residence One important difference is that a loan on a primary residence will generally have a lower interest rate than that of your second home. Generally, most homeowners use their primary residence to buy a second home. Homeowners refinance the mortgage on their current home to a larger mortgage and this is called cash-out refinancing. By doing this, you can get cash back from your equity and use this cash to buy a second home. If you don't like cash-out refinancing and have no means to get enough funds, you can make a sizeable down payment so you'll have a smaller loan for your second home.

Second home loans are also mortgages taken out by homeowners against the equity of their primary residence. Typically, this will be used for repairs, improvements, additional construction, or expansion. Not only that second home loans are for the mentioned reasons, but it can also be used for paying a child's college education, paying an outstanding debt, buying a second home, purchasing new furniture, or finance an expensive purchase.

The not so good side of second home loans is that it is financed at a higher interest rate than the first mortgage and must be paid off within shorter terms. In this case, it is wise to check with online lenders or banks to compare rates. By doing this, you can have some time to think over if home equity is indeed the best option for your financial plans.

Some say that applying for second home loans can be a gamble and if not planned well might result to serious negative consequences. Mortgage lenders and banks are stricter this times when it comes to second home loans because they need borrowers to be able to pay their refinancing without default. Life is uncertain and anything could happen, so before you extend your American dream to a second home, make sure that you are financially stable. Perhaps you don't need a second home loan, but a financial management or a second job.




About the Author: