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Maintaining Your Home & Planning for the Future

So, you purchased a home.

Next comes the challenging (but rewarding!) work of maintaining it.

If there’s one thing homeowners know, it’s that owning a home comes with unexpected expenses – and those expenses often come at the most inconvenient times. A roof leaks, a water heater blows or a furnace fails in the middle of winter.

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) offers flexibility and peace of mind for homeowners.

A HELOC is a line of credit that allows you to tap into your home’s equity and borrow against it for home expenses when needed.

 IconUse this calculator to determine the HELOC amount you may qualify to receive.

The line of credit is based on a percentage of the value of your home. The more your home is worth, the larger the line of credit. Of course, the final line of credit you receive will take into account any outstanding mortgages you might have at the time. This includes first mortgages, second mortgages and any other debt you have secured by your home.

Establishing a HELOC means that when stressful events arise, you’ll have a way to pay for them. 

A HELOC allows you to transfer funds into your checking account with a few simple clicks of the mouse. You can breathe a sigh of relief knowing you have an immediate source of funds for unexpected financial needs or wants.

At North Shore Bank, many of our customers say they consider their HELOC another form of insurance, and they happily report their financial stress level is lower because they know they have some freedom and flexibility when needed.

Outside of emergencies, a HELOC can also help you improve your home and make your dreams a reality.

Making upgrades to your home can add value long-term, but they can be costly in the short-term. Whether you want to replace your floors, install new countertops or add on to give your family more room, a HELOC can make those improvements possible.

You can also use your HELOC to finance other large purchases – like finally getting a new car or helping a child pay for their wedding.

At North Shore Bank, a HELOC offers you flexibility in how you use it, and the option to convert a portion of it to a fixed amount. 

With an interest-only HELOC, your monthly payments only include the accrued interest on the money that you've borrowed. Additionally, North Shore Bank offers conversion loans, so if you draw a balance on your line of credit, you have the option to lock in at a fixed interest rate.

Interested in a Home Equity Line of Credit through North Shore Bank?

In addition to HELOC, North Shore Bank also offers multiple Visa Personal Credit Card options to help you with these major life purchases. Learn more about credit cards through North Shore Bank.

Browse more of our financial literacy resources by clicking here.

Do not rely upon the information provided in this content when making decisions regarding financial or legal matters without first consulting with a qualified, licensed professional. Furthermore, while we have made good faith efforts to ensure that the information presented was correct as of the date the content was prepared, we are unable to guarantee that it remains accurate today. North Shore Bank expressly disclaims any liability arising from the use or misuse of these materials and, by visiting this site, you agree to release North Shore Bank from any such liability.

FAQs

To start using Zelle® at North Shore Bank, you must be enrolled in Online Bill Pay. If you are not already enrolled in Online Bill Pay, you can enroll by logging in to the Mobile App or Online Banking (web-based). Locate the Online Bill Pay tab and follow the instructions to complete the Online Bill Pay enrollment steps. 

Already enrolled in Online Bill Pay? Follow these steps to start using Zelle®:
  1. Log in to the Mobile AppFootnote 1 or Online Banking (web-based)
  2. Select "Send Money with Zelle®"
  3. Accept Terms and Conditions
  4. Select your U.S. mobile number or email address and deposit account

1 Mobile network carrier fees may apply.
Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.

Bill Discovery will automatically connect you with your eligible bills by searching the biller database and if you consent, your credit bureau data. Once the bills are located, you can add them to your list of bills in one click. Bill Discovery greatly reduces the time it takes to set up Bill Pay and reduces the chance of manual input errors.

Bill Discovery will continually search for new bills and alert you if new bills have been found.

Bill Discovery is available in both Online Banking and the Mobile App.

The following are screenshots of how you can set up and use this feature.

You first must consent to have your bills be found through the biller database and your credit bureau data. If you wish to have your credit data used, it is a soft inquiry and your credit score will not be impacted.

 

Once you provide consent and click Find My Bills, you will be presented with a page of potential payees.

 

If biller(s) require additional verification upon selecting the biller, you will be provided with the additional verification fields.  If the biller does not require any verification then you can add those directly by clicking the Add button.

 

If you are not yet using Bill Discovery, you may see the following banner ad to begin using the feature.

 

After initial entry into Bill Discovery, new billers found among billers from the biller network or in your credit report will appear in the top, right area of your window.  When clicking “Get My Bills”, you will be walked through the process of adding your bills in the same manner as the initial setup.

 

Yes, you can easily schedule an appointment at any of our offices or with one of our Mortgage Loan Officers through our online scheduling tool.

My Card Manager shows the most recent 50 debit card transactions posted within the last 30 days. Additional history can be viewed within the Accounts menu.

Sometimes a merchant will pre-authorize the card for an amount that may be more than the spend limit you allow on the card. In this case, your card will be denied.