
Retirement sometimes is not all it is cracked up to be. Living past 60 can be a source of great stress and difficulty. Adjusting to life without the daily routine of a job and also the monthly wage can be very mentally and emotionally draining. Whilst you can stop ‘working’ on a 9 to 5 job, you should never really stop ‘working’ on living a life of fulfilment and satisfaction. Having goals and targets to work and strive towards is a great way to keep yourself active and your mind fresh. Often though, the ugly head of money will keep popping up into your consciousness. For those who already own their own home, this need not be a worry.
Retirees who fully own their own home are extremely fortunate. The home is not only a place of shelter but a great investment. Land is a scarce commodity and the population will only keep trending upwards. Having a house almost always means that over time it’s value would have increased. As a retiree, you can tap into this value by applying for a secured loan. Banks know the value of a house and the fact that you own your own home is a great source of trust for the lenders. The fact that you own your own home is proof enough of your credit worthiness and often there is not much more that you need to provide in terms of proof of ability to repay.
The lenders bank on the high probability that over the course of the loan, the value of your home will increase significantly more than the amount of interest that you will need to pay to service your loan. Whether or not you have regular income to pay the monthly interest expenditure is not paramount. This of course is great for the retiree. You can live your life financially worry free and work on the hobby that you always wanted to work on, go on that holiday that you never had a chance to, relax in that patio that you never had the time to finish.
Word of caution on loans for retirees: There are many untrustworthy lenders looking to take advantage of unexpecting seniors. Always look to lend from reputable lenders who have a sizable reputation to uphold. Not all loans are created equal. Shop around for the best deal. Know that you are a very valuable customer that every bank and financial lender wishes to get onto their books and use this to your advantage. Play the banks off at one another, compare rates and get your preferred lender to beat or at least match the best rate offered by the other lenders. A penny saved is a penny earned.
