How Reliable Are Equity Release Calculators

When considering equity release, many people are keen to research the details and find out more information for themselves. However, a great number of people question the reliability of a free equity release calculator and whether the results can be relied on when moving forward. A great number of pensioners are interested in pursuing equity release but worry about entering into the situation without the full information and knowledge. However, by understanding equity release calculators more fully, you can have the assurance of their reliability.

The Different Types of Free Equity Release Calculator

There are numerous different types of free equity release calculator readily available on the internet. However, these calculators do have some limitations. In order to understand the reliability of these tools, you must understand the limitations.

• Calculate according to a certain range of products: Many companies offer a free equity release calculator, but they are tied into their specific range of products. This will mean that the calculator will only assess your circumstances to the company’s specific parameters and criteria. This can mean that you may not qualify for the best possible deals as they are not available through this particular company. For example, home reversion plans are not that common in the equity release community. They allow home owners to sell part or all of their home while retaining residency rights. However, there is a minimum age requirement of sixty-five rather than the standard age requirement for other equity release schemes of fifty-five. This could mean that although you qualify for home reversion, you would be unaware of this option if it is not offered by the specific company.
• They are purely mathematical: The calculators have been pre-programmed to mathematically calculate the applicable figures according to a set formula. This means that the calculator has no way to assess the accuracy of your information. For example, if you enter your property value as £200,000, all calculations will be based on this value even if the actual market value of your property is only £175,000. This could dramatically increase or decrease the amount of release available to you. Inaccurate information could influence your decision to proceed or could slow down your application as once the property valuation report has been received from the surveyor, you would need to revisit all the figures before the application could proceed.

The Best Ways to Use a Free Equity Release Calculator

There are a number of ways to ensure that you obtain the best use from a free equity release calculator. These include:

• Use multiple calculators: These tools are free and there is no restriction as to how many you can make use of. It is recommended that you use at least three or four different calculators to obtain a more complete illustration of what is available on the equity release market.
• Ensure the accuracy of the information you provide: It is worth spending a little time checking on the balance of your existing mortgage and researching the current value of your property. There are numerous property valuation tools available on the internet which use the data from recent house sales to estimate the value of your property. This will ensure the accuracy of your information, which will add reliability to the results from the calculator.
• Be wary of giving personal contact details: Although you will be asked for personal information regarding your age, gender and state of health, you should be wary of providing personal contact information. In the best case scenario, you will experience sales calls and e-mails which may make you feel pressured; or in a worst case scenario, the website could be fraudulent and use the information for online fraud. A genuine free equity release calculator may ask for personal information but will provide a voluntary option for someone to contact you.

When considering this type of finance, a free equity release calculator can provide an excellent research tool. By learning a little more about these tools you can proceed forward assured of the reliability of the information provided. This can be essential in understanding whether equity release is the right choice for you and whether the amount of release available would be sufficient for your needs. This will allow the opportunity to explore alternative options and be confident in your decision before you move forward with an application and speaking with a professional specialist adviser or broker. Before making any decisions about equity release, it is wise to utilise a number of free equity release calculator tools to ensure you have gained the optimum amount of information needed.