Challenging times are ahead for thousands of homeowners with HELOCs as their lines of credit reset with higher monthly payments while some may struggle to refinance
Challenging times are ahead for thousands of homeowners with HELOCs as their lines of credit reset with higher monthly payments while some may struggle to refinance.
Analysis by Black Knight Financial shows that 1.5 million HELOCs will see interest-only draw periods end this year with just under $100 billion in outstanding unpaid principal balances; an average of $62,500 per HELOC.
The data reveals that average borrowers whose lines of credit reset will face an additional cost of $250 per month, more than double the current average payment.
“In 2017, 19 percent of active HELOCs are facing reset,” said Ben Graboske, Black Knight Data & Analytics EVP. “This is the largest share of active HELOCs facing reset of any single year on record, although the approximate 1.5 million borrowers slated to see their HELOC payments increase this year is about 100,000 fewer borrowers than in 2016.”
Graboske explained that the lines resetting this year and early in 2018 are the last of the pre-crisis-era HELOCs that the industry has been focusing on since early 2014.
A third of those with HELOCs resetting this year will find refinancing challenging as they have less than 20 per cent equity in their homes. A fifth have less than 10 per cent and 1 in 10 are underwater.
While that is a concern, it reveals a large improvement from 2016 when 45 per cent of HELOC owners were below 20 per cent and a fifth were underwater.
For most borrowers though, recent conditions have enabled them to avoid the addition monthly cost of a reset.
“One thing that’s working in the 2007 vintage HELOCs’ favor has been the equity and interest rate environment of the last year. Rising home prices and low interest rates throughout 2016 have allowed borrowers to be much more proactive than in years past in terms of paying off or refinancing their lines to avoid increased monthly payments,” Graboske explained.
More market update:
Home sellers show increased confidence
Goldman Sachs making progress on mortgage settlements
Analysis by Black Knight Financial shows that 1.5 million HELOCs will see interest-only draw periods end this year with just under $100 billion in outstanding unpaid principal balances; an average of $62,500 per HELOC.
The data reveals that average borrowers whose lines of credit reset will face an additional cost of $250 per month, more than double the current average payment.
“In 2017, 19 percent of active HELOCs are facing reset,” said Ben Graboske, Black Knight Data & Analytics EVP. “This is the largest share of active HELOCs facing reset of any single year on record, although the approximate 1.5 million borrowers slated to see their HELOC payments increase this year is about 100,000 fewer borrowers than in 2016.”
Graboske explained that the lines resetting this year and early in 2018 are the last of the pre-crisis-era HELOCs that the industry has been focusing on since early 2014.
A third of those with HELOCs resetting this year will find refinancing challenging as they have less than 20 per cent equity in their homes. A fifth have less than 10 per cent and 1 in 10 are underwater.
While that is a concern, it reveals a large improvement from 2016 when 45 per cent of HELOC owners were below 20 per cent and a fifth were underwater.
For most borrowers though, recent conditions have enabled them to avoid the addition monthly cost of a reset.
“One thing that’s working in the 2007 vintage HELOCs’ favor has been the equity and interest rate environment of the last year. Rising home prices and low interest rates throughout 2016 have allowed borrowers to be much more proactive than in years past in terms of paying off or refinancing their lines to avoid increased monthly payments,” Graboske explained.
More market update:
Home sellers show increased confidence
Goldman Sachs making progress on mortgage settlements
