It's a trend that seems to be hitting homes all across the country as soaring housing prices and record-low interest rates have combined to significantly boost consumer loan amounts. These loans are being viewed as alternative income for seniors who don't want to liquidate their stock and bond assets in a down market, said Phil Storms, a financial planner who focuses on real-estate planning in Denver.

A reverse mortgage allows home owners aged 62 and older to receive a loan against their home -- either in the form of a lump sum, regular monthly checks or a line of credit -- that's repaid with interest when the borrower sells the house, permanently moves, or dies.

They were once branded predatory loans that preyed on vulnerable older people. For years, the market was dominated by products with convoluted pricing structures, high exit fees and out-of-control interest rates.

But they have gained more credibility in the last decade, tamed by legislation in the mid-1990s that required more upfront disclosures of costs. Plus, software that allows for objective comparisons of loan offerings has helped people get a handle on their options, said Bronwyn Belling, reverse-mortgage specialist at the AARP Foundation, a unit of AARP in Washington, D.C..

Adding to people's comfort levels, the first federally insured product was introduced in 1989. It now makes up about 95% of all reverse-mortgage sales.

In the last fiscal year ended Sept. 30, the number of reverse mortgages rose to a record 13,049. That's nearly double the previous record of 7,982 in 1999, and last year's total sales of 7,781, according to data from the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association, NRMLA, a trade group for reverse-mortgage lenders in Washington, D.C.

Today's borrowers seem to be using cash from reverse mortgages to pay down remaining debt on their traditional mortgages, and using the remainder to fund other retirement costs, said Jeff Taylor, vice president for senior products at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in Greensboro, N.C. Seniors are seeking a combination of payment method -- lump sum and monthly check or line of credit and monthly check, he added.

The reason some homeowners turn to a reverse mortgage instead of a traditional home-equity line of credit is because debt payments, including interest and other costs, are stalled until a later date, usually when the owner dies. Few out-of-pocket costs can be a huge lure for income-strapped retired people.

But as more people become aware of the potential benefits of a reverse mortgage -- a trend that is expected to continue as the population over the age of 62 expands -- they should also be aware of the drawbacks.

A Reverse Mortgage is a loan that is guaranteed by the FHA for manufactured homes, but is different from a standard equity line in that: