They are marketed as a solution to seniors' money problems or a way to more fully enjoy retirement. But reverse mortgages can be hard to understand, and the fees and interest can use up a substantial portion of a homeowner's equity.

Traditionally, mortgage lenders applied a multiple of your income to decide how much you can borrow. So if you earn ï¾£30,000 per year and the lender will lend four times this, they may be willing to lend ï¾£120,000.

There are quite a few miscellaneous fees that have to be paid on reverse mortgages for seniors including mortgage insurance premiums (MIP), origination fees, third-party charges, and servicing fees. Each of the rates for the respective fees is drawn based on a lot of factors including the lenders discretion, their practices, and in-house policies.

The average rate of interest on reverse mortgages for seniors depends on a lot of factors including the type of plan that you go with. Essentially, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) publishes statistics each month on all HECM originations and based on this the lenders set their average interest rates. Based on hist

The amount sanction on reverse mortgages for seniors is set by the lender based on a percentage of the home equity. Usually, the qualifying applicants get unto 60% of their home value as the sanctioned amount. However, this amount can vary based on factors such as age, the value of the appraised home, current interest rates in the market, the lende

Unlike a regular loan, reverse mortgage for seniors cannot be paid off on a monthly schedule as the repayment is due in full at the end of the loan term. Usually, at this point, the applicant or their heirs have the option of selling the house and repaying the loan. In case the amount due supersedes the home equity value, then except for HECM monta