HELOC Hamilton, Ontario

The Canadian Mortgage Stress Test in 2024

📅 Last Updated: October 4, 2021

✏️ Written By Bryan Daly

🕵️ Fact-Checked by Caitlin Wood

Table of Contents show

HELOC Hamilton - Compare Providers

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
100	1709683200	up to $1,250	12%-32%	90 - 150 days	up to $1,250
23	1700524800	$5,000 - $25,000	24.99% - 29.99%	30 or 60	$5,000 - $25,000
21	1700524800	$1,000 - $5,000	46%	9-24	$1,000 - $5,000
15	1695254400	$1250	16.06% (nominal) - 31.99% (effective)	3 - 5	$1250
11	1692748800	Up to $250	0%	Up to 61 days	Up to $250
8	1688083200	$150 - $1,600	10 - 35%	3 - 6	$150 - $1,600
100	1686182400	$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
100	1686182400	$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
100	1686182400	$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
6	1683676800	$15,000	6.7%	Up to 60 months	$15,000
1	1670889600	$1,000 - $10,000	19.9% - 46.9%	-	$1,000 - $10,000
7	1666051200	$150	0%	-	$150
100	1643932800	$500 - $15,000	+18.9% APR	6 - 60	$500 - $15,000
100	1642723200	up to $1,500	-	-	up to $1,500
13	1639094400	$1,000 - $15,000	29.9% - 46.9% APR	12 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
30	1637280000	$5,000 - $50,000	5.75% - 22.99%	Up to 84	$5,000 - $50,000
100	1623369600	Varies	0%	6 or 8 weeks	Varies
2	1620777600	Up to $35,000	9.99% - 46.96%	6 - 60	Up to $35,000
17	1607558400	$500 - $50,000	6.99% - 46.99%	12 - 36	$500 - $50,000
100	1600646400	$1,000-$7,500	12.99% - 29.99%	24 - 60	$1,000-$7,500
100	1598918400	$1,000 - $15,000	-	-	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1598832000	$500 – $15,000	+ 25.99%	9 - 60	$500 – $15,000
100	1595980800	$200 - $1,200	25% - 32%	-	$200 - $1,200
100	1551830400	Up to $500,000	5.75% – 9.9%	negotiable	Up to $500,000
100	1594684800	$100 - $2,000	0%	-	$100 - $2,000
100	1593561600	-	0+	2 - 60	-
100	1589155200	$2,500	15.65% AIR	13 - 26	$2,500
100	1582243200	-	-	Up to 60	-
100	1581033600	$5,000+	-	Up to 60	$5,000+
100	1580947200	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	$500 - $5,000	-	12 - 24	$500 - $5,000
100	1580860800	$350 - $1,000	-	2 - 12 weeks	$350 - $1,000
9	1580860800	$1,600 - $25,000	19.99% APR	36 - 60	$1,600 - $25,000
16	1580774400	$1,000 - $25,000	7.5% - 31.5% APR	36 - 60	$1,000 - $25,000
100	1579478400	$100 - $1,500	-	-	$100 - $1,500
100	1579478400	Up to $5,000	29.78% - 44.8%	36 months	Up to $5,000
100	1579219200	$100 - $25,000	+4.9%	-	$100 - $25,000
100	1579219200	-	15% - 19%	-	-
100	1576713600	-	Up to 35%	-	-
18	1576713600	$500 - $100,000	6.99% - 14.99%	12 - 240	$500 - $100,000
100	1575590400	1800- 2900	15.99%	23 - 36	1800- 2900
100	1562198400	$500 - $15,000	15.99 - 39.99%	6 - 60	$500 - $15,000
100	1560124800	Up to $15,000	29.99% - 46.96%	9 - 60	Up to $15,000
17	1545955200	Up to $20,000	18.99% - 24.99%	36 - 84	Up to $20,000
19	1552262400	$1,000 - $15,000	29.9% or 46.90%	6 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1551830400	$100 - $1,000	546% APR	14 days	$100 - $1,000
100	1569974400	$500 - $50,000	15 - 30%	-	$500 - $50,000
100	1551830400	$1,000 - $15,000	19% - 46.95%	6 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1551398400	Up to $1,500	15% - 19%	14 days	Up to $1,500
100	1551398400	$100 - $1,500	15% - 17%	14 -31 days	$100 - $1,500
100	1551398400	$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	-	$500 - $1,000
100	1551398400	-	-	14 days	-
18	1546128000	Up to $5,000	19.9% - 45.9% APR	6 - 36	Up to $5,000
100	1551139200	$250 -$1,250	29%	3 - 6	$250 -$1,250
100	1551139200	$5,000 - $35,000	9.9%+	6 - 60	$5,000 - $35,000
15	1551139200	Up to $15,000	19.99% APR	Open-end	Up to $15,000
100	1550534400	$300 - $25,000	7.95%+	36 - 60	$300 - $25,000
100	1550534400	$100 - $1,500	-	14 days	$100 - $1,500
100	1569974400	Up to $1,500	15% - 17%	up to 62 days	Up to $1,500
100	1550534400	Up to $1,500	Up to 59% APR	14 days	Up to $1,500
19	1550534400	$2,500 +	-	-	$2,500 +
100	1550534400	$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	3 -5	$500 - $1,000
100	1550534400	$300 - $1,000	38% APR	3 - 4	$300 - $1,000
100	1549411200	$100 - $1,000	546% APR	14 days	$100 - $1,000
100	1549411200	$1,000 -$15,000	46.93%	12 - 60	$1,000 -$15,000
100	1567555200	$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
100	1549238400	$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	4 - 5	$500 - $1,000
100	1549238400	$100 - $1,500	90% - 390% APR	14 days	$100 - $1,500
100	1549238400	$250 - $1,000	29% APR	3 - 4	$250 - $1,000
20	1548720000	$500 - $1,000,000	7.9%	12	$500 - $1,000,000
100	1548720000	$1,000 - $50,000	4.6% – 49.96%	3 - 60	$1,000 - $50,000
100	1548633600	$300 - $7,500	29.9% - 39.9%	6 - 60	$300 - $7,500
100	1548633600	$50 - $1,500	-	14 days	$50 - $1,500
100	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19% - 49%	36 - 48	Up to $20,000
16	1545264000	$2,000 - $10,000	18.9% - 54.9%	12 - 60	$2,000 - $10,000
5	1545264000	$500 - $10,000	12.99% – 39.99%	9 – 36	$500 - $10,000
100	1545264000	$500 – $10,000	Starting at 9.90%	12 - 36	$500 – $10,000
2	1543622400	Up to $50,000	19.99% - 39.99%	6 - 120	Up to $50,000
100	1545177600	$2,000 – $10,000	34.9% - 43%	12 - 60	$2,000 – $10,000
10	1545264000	$500 - $12,500	19.99%+	12 - 60	$500 - $12,500
100	1545350400	Up to $1000	30%	3 - 5	Up to $1000
100	1545350400	Up to $5,000	60%	6 - 60	Up to $5,000
100	1545350400	Up to $3,000	22% - 35%	3 - 4	Up to $3,000
100	1545350400	Up to $7,000	-	6 – 60	Up to $7,000
100	1545350400	$500 - $2,500	29% - 46.95%	6 - 36	$500 - $2,500
5	1545350400	$500 - $1000+	28%-32%	3	$500 - $1000+
100	1545350400	$500 – $750	28% – 34.4%	3	$500 – $750
100	1545350400	$500 – $750	23% - 34.4%	3 – 12	$500 – $750
100	1545350400	$300 - $1500	27% - 35%	3 - 4	$300 - $1500
4	1545264000	$500 - $100,000	Starting at 29.99%	9 - 84	$500 - $100,000
3	1545264000	Up to $3,500	47.72%	-	Up to $3,500
2	1568937600	$1,500 – $10,000	Varies by province	Varies	$1,500 – $10,000
10	1545177600	$1,000 - $35,000	5.99% - 29.19%	36 - 60	$1,000 - $35,000
18	1545177600	$100 - $20,000	Up to 46.8%	Up to 60	$100 - $20,000

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
3	1697414400	Up to $800,000	9% - 49.99%	3, 6, 9, or 12	Up to $800,000
2	1669852800	$5,000 - $300,000	-	3 - 24 months	$5,000 - $300,000
100	1648512000	$10,000 - $250,000	Varies	6-12	$10,000 - $250,000
100	1620345600	-	-	12 - 60	-
100	1611878400	$5,000 - $30,000,000	-	Up to 18	$5,000 - $30,000,000
17	1607558400	$500 - $50,000	6.99% - 46.99%	6 - 36	$500 - $50,000
100	1603756800	-	-	-	-
100	1598918400	-	-	-	-
100	1592438400	-	-	-	-
100	1585612800	-	0.9% - 12%	6 months - 5 years	-
100	1581984000	$10,000 - $10,000,000	6% - 12.5%	-	$10,000 - $10,000,000
100	1581292800	-	-	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1580947200	-	-	-	-
100	1580947200	$10,000 - $1,000,000	-	-	$10,000 - $1,000,000
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	$5,000 - $1,000,000	-	-	$5,000 - $1,000,000
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	up to $250,000	-	-	up to $250,000
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580688000	Up to $10,000	-	-	Up to $10,000
100	1580256000	$5,000 - $500,000	-	6 - 18 months	$5,000 - $500,000
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	$10,000- $30,000,000	Min 4.95%	-	$10,000- $30,000,000
100	1579478400	-	-	12 - 120	-
100	1579478400	-	-	24 to 60	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579046400	-	-	-	-
100	1578873600	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1575849600	$5,000 - $150,000	15% +	6 - 24	$5,000 - $150,000
100	1575849600	Up to $250,000	-	-	Up to $250,000
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
1	1545955200	$5,000 - $150,000	Fee-Based: Starting at 9%	12 - 60	$5,000 - $150,000
100	1552262400	$500,000 - $10,000,000	-	-	$500,000 - $10,000,000
100	1552262400	-	Competitive	-	-
100	1552262400	-	-	-	-
100	1552262400	Up to $250,000	-	Up to 10 years	Up to $250,000
100	1552262400	-	-	-	-
100	1552262400	Up to $1,000,000	-	-	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400	Up to $100,000	-	-	Up to $100,000
100	1551830400	$10,000+	-	Up to 15 years	$10,000+
100	1551830400	Up to $1,000,000	-	Up to 15 years	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400	Up to $500,000	-	Up to 10 years	Up to $500,000
100	1551830400	$5,000 - $10,000	-	Up to 7 years	$5,000 - $10,000
100	1551398400	$3,500+	-	-	$3,500+
100	1551398400	$5,000+	4.9% - 24.99%	18 - 48	$5,000+
100	1551398400	$10,000 - $1,000,000	4% - 14%	12 - 84	$10,000 - $1,000,000
100	1551139200	Up to $75,000	-	Up to 18	Up to $75,000
100	1550534400	$500-$50,000	0.5% weekly	12 week cycles	$500-$50,000
100	1550534400	$1,000 - $1,000,000	6% - 20%	-	$1,000 - $1,000,000
100	1550534400	Up to $5,000,000	4.5%	24 - 72	Up to $5,000,000
100	1550534400	$5,000 - $200,000	-	-	$5,000 - $200,000
100	1549411200	$50,000 - $12,000,000	-	24 - 96	$50,000 - $12,000,000
100	1549411200	$5,000 - $1,000,000+	-	1 - 60	$5,000 - $1,000,000+
100	1549238400	$5,000 - $1,000,000	-	3 - 24	$5,000 - $1,000,000
100	1548720000	$5,000 - $5,000,000	-	4 - 18	$5,000 - $5,000,000
100	1548720000	Up to $100,000	6.05% +	60	Up to $100,000
100	1548720000	$10,000+	18% - 22%	-	$10,000+
100	1548720000	$10,000 - $300,000	4.70% - 5.45%	-	$10,000 - $300,000
100	1548633600	Up to $5,000,000	5% - 10%	12 - 60	Up to $5,000,000
10	1545177600	$1,000 - $35,000	5.6% – 25.5%	36 – 60	$1,000 - $35,000
100	1545264000	$5,000 - $250,000	-	3-18	$5,000 - $250,000
100	1545264000	$5,000 - $150,000	-	3 - 24	$5,000 - $150,000
6	1545350400	$5,000 – $100,000	15% +	12 – 18	$5,000 – $100,000
100	1545264000	$5,000 – $100,000	Starting at 6.87%	3 – 18	$5,000 – $100,000
5	1545177600	$5,000-$250,000	8% - 29% APR	6 - 18	$5,000-$250,000
4	1545177600	$5,000 – $500,000	Starting at 5.9%	3 – 60	$5,000 – $500,000
5	1545264000	$500 - $10,000	12.99% – 39.99%	9 – 36	$500 - $10,000
100	1561507200	Up to $300,000	-	-	Up to $300,000

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
2	1679529600	Varies	8.49% +	24 - 96 months	Varies
100	1643846400	up to $10,000	19.99%	12 - 36	up to $10,000
3	1632960000	Up to $50,000	15.99% +	12 -72	Up to $50,000
8	1624233600	Up to $50,000	29.99% – 46.96%	12 - 96	Up to $50,000
100	1610409600	-	-	-	-
17	1607558400	$500 - $50,000	-	24 - 60	$500 - $50,000
7	1606435200	$500 - $10,000	29.95%+	up to 48	$500 - $10,000
100	1600646400	$1,000-$7,500	12.99% - 29.99%	12 - 84	$1,000-$7,500
100	1594339200	-	-	-	-
100	1582761600	-	-	12 - 96	-
6	1582761600	-	11.9% - 22.9%	Up to 84	-
100	1582761600	-	0% - 29.5%	-	-
100	1581033600	-	+ 4.9%	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1580688000	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579219200	-	-	-	-
100	1578873600	-	+8.99%	-	-
100	1578873600	-	-	-	-
100	1551830400	$5,000 - $10,000	-	up to 84	$5,000 - $10,000
100	1552262400	Up to $250,000	-	12 - 60	Up to $250,000
100	1552262400	Up to $1,000,000	-	up to 96	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400	Up to $100,000	-	6 - 96	Up to $100,000
100	1551830400	$10,000+	-	12 - 96	$10,000+
100	1551830400	Up to $1,000,000	-	up to 96	Up to $1,000,000
100	1577059200	-	-	up to 72	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1575849600	-	Starting at 4%	Up to 84	-
100	1575849600	$5000 - $45,000	4.90 % - 29.95% APR	36 - 72	$5000 - $45,000
100	1575849600	-	-	-	-
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
100	1575504000	-	-	-	-
6	1569974400	$7500 - $59,995	3.95% +	12 - 96	$7500 - $59,995
100	1562112000	-	Up to 49.9%	-	-
100	1561507200	-	-	-	-
100	1561507200	-	-	Up to 84	-
1	1560124800	Up to $100,000	3.99% - 19.9%	24 -96	Up to $100,000
100	1551830400	Up to $30,000	-	-	Up to $30,000
100	1551830400	Up to $500,000	5.75% – 9.9%	negotiable	Up to $500,000
100	1550534400	-	-	-	-
100	1548720000	-	-	-	-
100	1548633600	-	4.2%+	-	-
100	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19% - 49%	36 - 48	Up to $20,000
5	1545264000	$500 - $10,000	12.99% – 39.99%	9 – 36	$500 - $10,000
100	1545177600	Up to $50,000	-	-	Up to $50,000
100	1545177600	$5,000 – $40,000	-	12 – 72	$5,000 – $40,000
100	1545177600	-	-	Maximum 84	-

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
100	1578873600	$1,000 - $35,000	-	24 - 60	$1,000 - $35,000
100	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19% - 49%	36 - 48	Up to $20,000
100	1545264000	Up to $25,000	-	12 - 60	Up to $25,000

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
7	1708473600	Varies	Varies	1 - 10 years	Varies
5	1700524800	-	-	-	-
6	1696377600	-	5.69% +	-	-
100	1695945600	-	-	-	-
100	1695772800	-	-	-	-
4	1690934400	Varies	5.54%+	Varies	Varies
2	1688601600	Min $100,000	5.34%+	2 - 10 years	Min $100,000
3	1679616000	$100,000 - $2 million	Fixed, variable, or adjustable rates	1 - 5 years	$100,000 - $2 million
4	1541030400	-	Varies	6 months - 5 years	-
100	1627344000	-	1.94% - 2.45%	12 - 60	-
2	1620777600	Up to $35,000	-	-	Up to $35,000
100	1551830400	Up to $500,000	5.75% – 9.9%	negotiable	Up to $500,000
100	1581033600	-	2.74% - 6.30%	12 - 120	-
100	1580947200	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	2.64% - 4.45%	12 - 120	-
100	1580860800	$50,000+	2.74% - 3.49%	12- 120	$50,000+
100	1580860800	-	-	36 - 60	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580688000	-	2.79% - 6.00%	6 - 60	-
100	1580688000	-	2.74% - 4.45%	12 - 120	-
100	1580688000	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	2.74% - 3.70%	6 - 120	-
100	1579132800	-	2.79% - 4.45%	-	-
100	1578873600	-	-	-	-
100	1578873600	-	2.69% - 3.95%	6 - 120	-
100	1578268800	up to 4,000,000	3.49% - 5.49%	12 - 300	up to 4,000,000
100	1577059200	$25,000 - $800,000	4.59% - 5.64%	6 - 60	$25,000 - $800,000
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	--	-	-
100	1577059200	-	2.84% - 7.30%	-	-
100	1574985600	$100,000 - $750,000	-	12 - 120	$100,000 - $750,000
100	1574899200	min 25,000	3.89.% - 4.84%	12 - 60	min 25,000
100	1574899200	-	2.23% - 4.45%	-	-
100	1560124800	-	2.89% - 3.79%	-	-
100	1548806400	$10,000 - $1,500,000	Varies	12 - 24	$10,000 - $1,500,000
100	1548720000	-	2.41% - 3.84%	-	-
100	1548720000	-	-	-	-
1	1517097600	$10,000+	Based on equity	-	$10,000+

		Services	Rating
0	0	Debt Consolidation Program, Debt Settlement Program, Consumer Proposal, Bankruptcy Consultation	N/A (Referrer)
100	1576540800	Credit Counselling, Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal
100	1576540800	Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal
100	1576540800	Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program
100	1576368000	Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program
100	1576454400	Debt Restructuring, After Care - Credit Rebuilding Program, Corporate Debt Restructuring

As one of the most populated cities in Ontario, Hamilton is home to countless homeowners, both seasoned and first-timers. One of the main benefits of being a homeowner with a mortgage is that you can tap into your home equity to gain access to funding when you need it. For more information about taking out a HELOC in Hamilton, keep reading.

For everything you need to know about borrowing with your home equity, check this out.

Home Equity Defined

In general terms, home equity is a type of asset that you can build and add value to as you pay down your mortgage throughout the years. To do a basic calculation of your level of home equity, you would take your home’s total appraisal value and subtract the amount you have left owing on your original mortgage.

For example, if you’ve managed to pay off $250,000 of a home that’s worth $450,000, it means you still have $200,000 remaining on your mortgage and therefore you’ve accumulated $250,000 (just over 55%) in equity ($450,000 – $200,000 = $250,000).

Other Ways to Build Home Equity

You can also add equity to your home by making renovations or by boosting the value of your property in some other way. Your equity may even increase on its own whenever a boom in real estate demand occurs in your neighborhood.

Once your property has accumulated 20% or more home equity, most lenders will allow you to apply for two kinds of credit products; the first being a home equity loan and the second being a HELOC.

For a more detailed look at building home equity in Canada, click here.

Home Equity Loan vs. HELOC

Although the application process and principal use of these two home equity products are somewhat similar, they are quite different when it comes to their terms and conditions, so be sure to speak to a financial advisor before you apply for either.

Home Equity Loan

While every lender’s policies will vary, this product typically permits you to access up to 80% of your home’s appraisal value, minus the balance that remains unpaid from your current mortgage. Normally, the funds appear as a lump sum of cash in your bank account by direct deposit. Just like any other type of loan, you would then repay the funds you’ve borrowed through equally divided installments, often at a fixed interest rate, which won’t change over the course of your loan term.

More commonly known as a “second mortgage” because of how closely it resembles the traditional mortgaging process, a home equity loan is beneficial because you’ll have an easier time calculating and budgeting for your upcoming payments. Although repayment periods can last well over 20 years in some cases, most lenders will also allow you to make accelerated installments, thereby ending your debt faster.

All this makes a home equity loan a wise choice if you have large but temporary expenses on your plate, such as a one-time repair or addition to your home, high-interest debt to pay off at once, or if you want to purchase new appliances.

HELOC

A home equity line of credit (abbreviated to HELOC) allows you to dip into 65% – 80% of your available equity. However, unlike a loan, any funds you’re approved for will appear as a revolving line of credit, which you can withdraw from whenever you need, then repay on a monthly basis.

Just like a credit card or personal line of credit, this product is beneficial because you’ll have the option of making more than one payment per month, which is good for your credit score. You would even be able to make minimum payments if you cannot afford your full outstanding balances, sparing you from any defaulting penalties.

In addition, a HELOC in Hamiton is usually accompanied by a variable interest rate that fluctuates with the Bank of Canada’s prime rate. So, if the prime rate dips, your own rate can end up lower than the average fixed-rate, potentially saving you money over time. However, the opposite will occur if the prime rate goes up.

With repayment terms being slightly longer than a home equity loan, a HELOC is often more advantageous when you have costs that reoccur or need to be financed over multiple years, such as lengthy renovations, educational expenses, and utility bills.

Do you know how much it costs to buy a house in Canada? Check out this infographic to find out.

Primary vs. Secondary Mortgages

Before you apply for either a form of home equity product, it’s important to understand which claim position it might fall into. Essentially, if you’re still in the middle of paying down your mortgage, that mortgage will fall into the primary claim position within your credit report. If you were to be approved for a home equity loan or HELOC during that time, the new product would then be moved into the second position and would, therefore, become your “second” mortgage.

As was mentioned previously, a home equity loan is more often referred to as a second mortgage due to its similarity to the standard mortgaging process. Nonetheless, a HELOC can also be put in a secondary position, so it can technically qualify as a second mortgage as well.

Be Wary of Higher Interest Rates

Having two different credit products in your repertoire has plenty of benefits. For instance, the more first and second mortgage payments you complete, the better it is for your credit. Not to mention, handling two mortgages responsibly will open the door for future credit products, good interest rates, and more adjustable payment plans.

That said, perhaps one of the biggest downsides to a second mortgage is that your interest rate may end up being higher than you’re comfortable with. This is particularly true if you apply with a different lender than your primary mortgage.

Even if you apply for a second mortgage with your original lender, your interest rate will still be high because said lender is taking a greater risk by approving a client that already has an existing mortgage on their property. If you apply with another lender, that rate may be even higher because, if you default on your payments, they would be last in line to receive compensation from any debt collection procedures.

In other words, the only way to get your interest rate lowered is to pay off the remaining balance of your original mortgage, then request for your HELOC or home equity loan to be moved into primary position, thereby reducing the risk for your lender.

Is the lowest mortgage rates always the right choice? Find out here.

When (and When Not) to Apply for a Second Mortgage

In the end, a typical mortgage can take several decades to pay in full, especially in an expensive area like Hamilton. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to wait that long to apply for a second mortgage. After all, you may need a HELOC or home equity loan to recover from a financial emergency, so a higher interest rate may be a small price to pay.

Then again, that higher rate can cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars extra every year. Not to mention the biggest drawback of all; the fact that you’ll have two sets of mortgage payments to keep up with. All this can leave you with a serious lack of savings and put you in massive unmanageable debt. Defaulting on enough of your payments could even result in your home being seized in foreclosure.

To reduce this danger as much as possible, it’s best to only apply for a HELOC or home equity loan when:

You are steadily employed and are earning a decent household income
You plan to only spend the funds on items/events that are necessary
You have saved up a back-up fund that’s sizeable enough to cover you in the event of unemployment or any other unexpected incident

Learn how to consolidate high-interest debt using your home equity. Click here.

The Best Ways to Use a HELOC

Remember, Hamilton, like many cities in Ontario, has a relatively high cost of living, so it’s always important to maintain a proper budget and save up as much money as you can so you don’t run into any problems. The same principle should be applied to your HELOC.

If you are planning to apply for a HELOC in Hamilton, make sure you’re not only capable of handling your upcoming payments, but that you’re also using it for costs that are essential and cannot be financed by more conventional methods (cash, credit cards, etc.).

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