Over the last year the average homeowner in the United States gained roughly $64,000 in equity due to home price appreciation. Now, whether you’ve just retired or you’re thinking about retirement, you may be considering your options for this whole new stage of your life. Here are a few ways that you can go about converting your home equity into money for retirement.
Cash-Out Refinance
For retirees who don’t want to move, a cash-out refinance may be a viable option. A cash-out refinance is a new loan that replaces your existing mortgage. While other types of refinancing can result in a lower interest rate or change the length of your mortgage, a cash-out refinance leaves you with a new mortgage for an amount that exceeds what you currently owe. You then collect the difference in cash.
While the cash-out refinance will produce a lump sum of tax-free cash, there are risks and drawbacks associated with this type of transaction. In addition to paying closing costs, you also give up the equity you’ve presumably worked to build. And if the value of the home drops, you could end up owing more than the home is worth. Then again, if you’re committed to staying in your home and your retirement income can cover your monthly mortgage payments, a cash-out may be an option for you.
Downsize
The most obvious option is to sell your home, purchase a smaller one and pocket the difference. Some retirees who downsize forgo buying a new home altogether and opt to rent instead. These retirees are less likely to be interested in building equity in their home over the course of several decades and instead view their home as an expense, not an investment.
Convert Your Home Into a Rental
Retirees with the energy and willingness to be a landlord can combine some of the above strategies to create a new income stream. If you own your home outright, you can take out a mortgage on the home and use the cash infusion to cover your retirement expenses, including buying a smaller home or renting an apartment. By converting your primary residence into a cash-flowing rental property, you’ll hang on to the home and use the monthly rent to cover your mortgage payments. pocketing whatever’s left over. Assuming the property remains rented, it will be a valuable asset to leave to your heirs as part of your estate.
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