How to finance your home remodeling project

Know that the economy has recovered from the housing market crash of 2008, homeowners are once again turning their attentions to home remodeling. A home remodel can be quite an expense and while it’s a pretty sound investment, it can be difficult to decide how best to pay for it. Of course, the least expensive and simplest option is to save up and pay for the remodel out-of-pocket. That way you don’t pay any interest. But most homeowners can’t afford such a large expense without financing. So if paying out-of-pocket isn’t an option, here are three other financing options.

HELOC or second mortgage

A home equity line of credit or second mortgage is a popular way to finance a home remodel. Both use the equity that you have in your home as collateral. Since these are secured loans, you can get a lower interest rate than you could with other financing options. Depending on the amount of equity you have in your home, this could allow you to borrow a significant amount of money to finance a larger remodeling project at a lower cost. Of course, the downside to financing a remodel in this way is that it puts your house on the line. If you can’t repay the loan for any reason, the bank can foreclose on your home. If you don’t have

Credit cards

Credit cards are an unsecured loan option which means you’re not risking your home by using this financing option. Credit cards are a good option if you don’t have enough equity in your home or if you just don’t want to risk your home. A downside to credit cards is that there’s a higher cost with borrowing this way. If you can take advantage of a zero interest introductory rate, you can borrow at no cost so long as you pay them off in full before the introductory rate has passed. But if you don’t, you’ll pay the interest dating back to when you made the purchases.

Personal loan

A personal loan is another way to borrow without putting your house at risk. If you’ve got a great credit score you can borrow more money at a lower interest rate than you could with credit cards so it’s ideal for a larger project. Credit unions will typically give you a lower interest rate than banks though some banks will offer a comparable rate if you have an existing bank account with them. Online lenders are a third option that can offer even better terms on a personal loan.

Federal programs

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development authorizes lenders to make home remodeling loans of up to $25,000 and you don’t need to have equity in your home to qualify. The interest is higher on these loans than a typical secured loan against your home equity but may be cheaper than a personal loan. The government will sometimes assist you in financing projects that make your home more energy efficient as well.

Source: Nerd Wallet

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