Seniors--Take a Dream Vacation Using a Reverse Mortgage?

Answer 1

After a lifetime of hard work, most seniors want to relax and enjoy their retirement. A dream vacation is the perfect way to start the retirement years. In today’s economy, many seniors cannot imagine that they would ever be able to afford that long-desired dream vacation. However, many seniors have not considered the benefits of a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage, also known as a reverse mortgage. A reverse mortgage allows seniors to access the equity in their property.

Often seniors are confused about reverse mortgages. Many believe that the house belongs to the bank once a reverse mortgage is closed. This is not accurate. A homeowner has title to the property the same as with a traditional mortgage. Seniors have several options to consider once obtaining a reverse mortgage.

First, the senior has the option of doing nothing other than maintaining the property and keeping the real estate taxes and hazard insurance current. Because there are no monthly mortgage payments with a reverse mortgage, the senior’s monthly expenses are not increased. For seniors with a monthly mortgage payment, a reverse mortgage eliminates those payments.

The reverse mortgage does not require repayment until the last surviving senior homeowner dies. At that point, the heirs could repay the mortgage by selling the property—keeping any profit after repayment of the reverse mortgage—or by obtaining a traditional mortgage. If the heirs choose not to do so, they can simply walk away from the property, but they are never obligated to repay the reverse mortgage.

Second, the senior can always sell the property to someone else and pay off the reverse mortgage. Having a reverse mortgage does not prevent a homeowner from selling the property, as some mistakenly believe. The homeowner retains title to the property, so the bank cannot prevent the sale of the property.

A third option available to senior homeowners with a reverse mortgage is refinancing the property. If the homeowner decides not to continue with the reverse mortgage, the homeowner can refinance the property by obtaining a traditional mortgage.

Seniors can take advantage of this unique mortgage product and start packing for that long-deserved dream vacation.