The Second Mortgage vs. the First Mortgage
A second mortgage is a loan taken after the first mortgage, and it is secured against the same assets as the first. It is based on the amount of equity or interest or ownership you have in that property, thus based on the difference between the current value of the property and the amount you owe on it. Second mortgages are arranged for various purposes, such as financing home improvements, college tuition fees, debt consolidation or other emergency expenses. If you have gathered enough equity, another option is to refinance your home and borrow funds in excess of your current loan balance. Usually, a second mortgage carries a higher rate of interest than a first mortgage. So if interest rates are low or start decreasing, refinancing becomes a more appropriate option. Since underwriting guidelines are less strict for second mortgages, it usually takes less time and effort to get a second mortgage than to refinance a loan. Also, a second mortgage may have low transaction costs, so despite higher interest rates on second mortgages, in the long run they may turn out to be less expensive than refinancing.
