The equity in the property will determine the lendable amount. If it is not a necessary reason then a 2nd bond should be avoided. You do not want to pay interest on your equity unless you have to or it makes sense to. If the 2nd bond will help increase the property's value then a 2nd bond is a good investment. A bad investment decision would be to take out a 2nd bond for a vacation or a new car.
If you used the homes equity to pay student loans or to take a vacation then it is lost forever. You might find that upon selling the property that after closing you walk away empty handed. The point of owning a home is that it is an investment, so treat a second bond as an only if completely necessary option. If the home needs a roof or you would like to add a room then the 2nd bond would be increasing equity in the home and would be a good investment move.
You primary mortgage company is not your only choice. You can shop around for the best rates from many banks, credit unions, or even other mortgage companies. Just like your primary bond the 2nd bond will have terms and other features to the quote you need to have specified by the lender.
You may expect to pay a slightly higher interest rate on the second bond. Only a portion of the homes equity will be able to be taken out for the second bond. Some companies will offer 100% equity lending but the majority stay around 85% or lower.
The lender will require an appraiser to come out to evaluate the property first hand. The lender then uses the information gathered from the appraiser to figure out what the actual homes value is and what is available for lending through its equity.
Treat the appraiser as if he were someone looking to buy the home. Make sure that any noticeable issues are resolved before he arrives. You want to get the home in the best possible shape before it is inspected. If there are any repairs that need to be done, now is the time to do them. Simple things such as weed removal, un-cluttering, or tacking back up a gutter can earn you hundreds of dollars in equity.
Make sure you inform your lender as well as the appraiser of any improvements that are being made. You want them to be able to assess the property as is but also to look at the value of what it will be once improvements are complete.
Graham McKenzie is the webmaster for a leading South African bond originator. For more information visit: http://www.bondcredit.co.za/
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