Equity Release has come a long way in the last few years, so even if you've looked at it before and thought it wasn't for you. It may be worth another look now.
The first thing
you need to know is a bit about us. We have been in the mortgage market for over 25 years, so have a wealth of experience. Importantly in that time we have never
charged fees.
Fees are a big issue within the Equity Release market. If you do your homework you will realise that the market is dominated by two large firms. They are no better than anybody else in what they do, but they have a large advertising budget. They do a lot of daytime TV advertising and 'pay per click' on Google. Because of this they have to charge a broker fee, aswell as receiving commission from the lender. Generally the fees they charge are 1.5%, with a minimum £1495.
Our broker fee is 0%. We do not charge any broker fees and just accept the commission paid to us by the lenders, we feel this is fair and it also means that we get more recommendations and so our advertising costs are minimal.
The second thing you need to know about Equity release is 'Are you comfortable with the Adviser?' This is essential because you must be able to ask questions, spend time and be able to say 'no' if you decide against it. At no point in the process should you feel pressure or obligation, because taking out an Equity Release product is a big decision, probably a bigger decision than when you bought your house in the first place.
The third thing to consider is a Retirement Interest Only (RIO) Mortgage. These are a relatively new product, but with more and more products coming out all the time, well worth a look. They are an interest only mortgage for people in retirement. It therefore means that what you can borrow is based on affordability, but if that is not an issue, then they can offer competitive rates and the mortgage can just continue to run and allow you to keep that compound interest rate pegged back. Well worth a look!