We have the Best Home Equity Line of Credit Rates in the Market
What We Learned
Fixed Rate Lock Option on Home Equity Lines of Credit
CONS
Converting variable to fixed rate always results in higher rates
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Detailed Review
Huntington offers some good options for home equity loans and lines of credit, but their fee structure is more aggressive than other companies that we’ve reviewed. Additionally, a lot of the information that customers might want, such as the specifics of the terms and conditions of their loan and other important information are written in a difficult to read font at the bottom of the page.
Rates and Fees
Huntington has some of the higher rates and fees out of the companies that we’ve reviewed. Generally their rates are 1-2% higher than those offered by other lenders, and there are a number of different fees, including annual fees, conversion fees, mail-away fees, notary fees, courier fees, and more. As a result, the amount that you are actually paying for Huntington’s services may be much higher than you were expecting. Therefore it is extremely important to make sure you understand the total cost of your home equity loan or home equity line of credit before accepting any offers.
Eligibility
Huntington does not have any information about their eligibility requirements available on their site. This is an effort to get you to contact them so that while providing information they can attempt to make a sale. While this is a valid sales technique, many of the other lenders we reviewed put information about eligibility requirements in the public eye so that they can be compared to other lenders. Moreover, publically available eligibility information saves both the company and the customer time and money on the application process.
Loan Requirements
As with their eligibility requirements, Huntington doesn’t offer much information on loan requirements. There is no stated minimum or maximum loan. It is stated that you have to have homeowners insurance, loan insurance, Furthermore, in order to qualify for the best rates, you must take out at least $75,000 in credit or loans. This may be more than some customers want to borrow, and if that’s the case Huntington is not the home equity loan company or home equity line of credit company you are looking for.
Customer Experience
Huntington also had some of the lowest customer reviews that we could find for the companies we looked at. Customers were particularly upset and the fee structure and felt that Huntington was nickel and diming them, which can feel insulting when the transactions you are conducting involve tens of thousands of dollars.
Moreover, many customers were brought in under the impression that they would get one rate, only to find out that their loan or credit limit was night high enough to get the best rates that Huntington offers. Finally, the website doesn’t have very good information, there’s no step by step guide and customers are encouraged to call or visit a branch to get more information, which can be prohibitive to some individuals.
Summary
Huntington is a good place to look for a home equity loan or home equity line of credit if you are a well-qualified customer and looking to take out more than $75,000. However, if you have had some credit trouble in the past or don’t need a loan or line of credit that large, then Huntington may not be the best lender for you.