How do you know if you are a candidate for a sub prime home mortgage? If you have been turned down by local lenders based on your credit and payment history then you might fall into this category. If there are problems in your file that cannot be corrected within a year or two then you might want to start looking into sub prime home loans.

On other hand, if you have a few problems in your file but there is a chance you can get them cleared up within two years or less, you might want to focus on cleaning up your file. Once you are done, your FICO score will probably go up and you can try again to get a regular home loan.

If you have a credit line of $30,000 and you use $12,000, then you pay interest on $12,000 and you have a remaining balance of $18,000 available at any time.

Home Equity Line of credit is great for emergencies If you should experience a sudden job loss, an accident, or any other type of emergency where your salary is in jeopardy but you will need a loan, you can still have access to your home equity line of credit. It does not require a new loan application and can give you same great rates as a home equity loan.

The interest rate on your credit line will vary based on amount that you have used and credit terms established by your lender.

So how do you decide which one is better?

Take an objective look at your finances. If it looks like you need a one time loan to reduce your debt, then a home equity loan is a good choice. If it looks like your will have periods where you will need more cash that you an get on your credit card, then a home equity line of credit might be your best option.