These are also known as secured loans. When applying for a secured loan, there are many pros and cons that a person should consider before applying for such a loan. The lender is not at risk because if the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender has the collateral that the borrower used. Many times, with a secured loan, you can get a lower interest rate and a longer period of time to repay the loan. Before applying for a loan, find out how much money you will need. You should avoid taking out excessive collateral loans because in the end you will pay more money. To get an idea of how much you can borrow, you need to calculate your monthly expenses and monthly income, and then decide, after seeing how much you have left, how much of the monthly payment you can afford.
Next, you will decide what to offer as collateral because many times what you offer as collateral will help determine what your loan rate will be. A collateral loan can be used to consolidate debt, home improvements, vacations, or major purchases. When applying for this loan, the loans that the bank or lender will grant you against the guarantee will usually be a percentage of the estimated market value. For example, if you are using a car that is worth twenty thousand dollars, the lender will most likely offer you a collateral loan of seventeen thousand dollars, or about eighty-five percent of the value of your collateral.
Pros
• It is an easy loan to obtain and is generally approved quickly.
• The borrower can usually borrow more money than with an unsecured loan, which is the type of loan that would need a good credit score, stable employment, good income to obtain it.
• If an unsecured loan is declined many times, a person can get a secured loan.
• There is no limit on how much a borrower can borrow.
Cons
• What the borrower used as collateral is at risk if he cannot repay the loan in the agreed time.
• A collateral loan is not available to everyone, as you will need to have a vehicle, house or other property that can be used as collateral and if you do not have any of the three, you will not be able to obtain this type of loan.
As you can see, there are more advantages than disadvantages to considering a collateral loan, but make sure you don’t borrow more than you can repay.