How Does a Reverse Mortgage Work After Closing

Seniors who are interested in getting a reverse mortgage are usually interested in three things: whether they qualify, what they have to do to get a loan and how much money they are eligible to receive. While these are very important factors, seniors should also be asking, “How does a reverse mortgage work after closing?” What happens once the loan is closed is just as important as getting the loan itself.

How Does a Reverse Mortgage Work After Signing the Final Documents?

Borrowers who are wondering how does a reverse mortgage work after closing will need to know a few different things. The first is how and when they will be receiving their loan proceeds. Once the final loan documents have been signed, they will be sent back to the lender. After three business days, the lender will send the title company the funds necessary to pay the appropriate parties. The title company will pay off any liens against the property and, if applicable, send the borrower the requested cash advance.

If the borrowers decided to receive their proceeds in monthly installments or as a line of credit, their file will be transferred to the servicing company. The servicing company will contact the borrower and begin distributing the loan proceeds as previously agreed upon. Borrowers who have a line of credit or receive monthly payments will typically receive monthly statements listing their loan balance, interest and other account information.

In addition to understanding payment, borrowers should also understand exactly what they must do to keep their loan out of default. After closing, borrowers have six months to make any necessary repairs to their home. Borrowers must also keep up with important home repairs, pay their property taxes and have homeowners insurance. If borrowers stop paying their property taxes or homeowners insurance, their loan will go into default. To understand how does a reverse mortgage work, seniors must know how to keep their loan in good standing.

How Does a Reverse Mortgage Work in Terms of Repayment?

As long as borrowers meet the aforementioned obligations, they will not have to repay their loan until they sell the home, move from the residence or pass away. At this time, the loan will typically need to be repaid in full. Instead of accepting installments, lenders usually require one lump sum payment.

If borrowers die while the home is under a reverse mortgage, the responsibility of repayment is passed onto their heirs. Heirs may decide to refinance the loan, repay the loan from their own assets or sell the home. Once the home is sold, the lender must be repaid from the proceeds of the sale. The heirs of the estate will be allowed to keep any remaining equity.

Also, since reverse mortgages are non-recourse loans, heirs will not be forced to come up with additional funds if the home is sold for less than the balance of the reverse mortgage. Of course, this is assuming that the sale price reflects the home’s current value. Because a borrower’s heirs might be expected to repay the loan in the future, seniors should not be the only ones asking, “ How does a reverse mortgage work ?” Heirs should also take the time to understand how a reverse mortgage will affect their parent’s estate, as well as their future inheritance.