Real Estate Mortgage Refinance

Reasons To Get A Home Equity Loan

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:40:00 +0000

Using a home equity loan really depends on what your needs, wants and desires are that prompt you to take the home equity loan in the first place.
The most common reason people obtain the loan is for debt consolidation however other uses include home improvements, educational expenses, unexpected family emergencies, medical expenses and in some cases for big ticket purchases.
As expected debt consolidation is the primary reason many people obtain a home equity loan. The thinking is sound especially if they're stuck paying anywhere from 17% to 21% in credit card debt. Department store cards are another money eater that using a home equity loan to pay off could be considered smart.
Paying for an education with the loan could prove beneficial in the long run but I'm hesitant to advocate taking out a loan for that reason. The only other reason I could recommend getting a home equity loan would be to pay for a home improvement project that could increase your home's value and could also make you feel better about your house.
For absolutely no reason would I ever advise anyone to take a home equity loan out to make a big ticket purchase. It simply doesn't make financial sense in the long run. As far as for medical reasons or family emergencies I would take that case by case to determine if it would be a smart decision.

Free Home Equity Loan Information

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 11:39:00 +0000

Home equity loan information can sometimes be confusing and misleading. I have written this article to properly explain home equity loans. Basically equity is the difference between your home's appraised -- or fair market value and the outstanding mortgage balance you owe on your home. Borrowing against the equity built up in a home has become extremely popular.
If you're wondering why this has become popular it's due to the tax deductions and the low interest rates that are current in today's housing loan market. It's also because of the growth of equity in most people's homes.
For instance if you buy a house for $100,000 with a down payment of $20,000 and have made payments of $10,000 towards the principal then you would have $30,000 in equity. But wait suppose your house has increased in worth to $120,000 in that case then you would have $50,000 in equity that you could use for a home equity loan.
This equity is very valuable because you can use it without selling your home. Banks consider this equity to be secure since it is based on your house so they are more inclined to give you lower rates when loaning money against the equity.
However, don't be mislead. The cost for these loans is higher then your actual mortgage rate but since many people use their home equity loan to pay off credit cards or make house improvements they end up paying less then if they had gotten a traditional loan. Best of all the interest on this type of loan is also tax deductible. When you add it all up you can actually save money in finance charges.
Anyone using this type of loan must be careful though because if a person defaults or fails to make payments on this loan then the bank can forclose on your house which could prove to be a financial nightmare for the careless borrower. For this reason I recommend using caution when using a home equity loan.

Home Equity Loan Types

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:38:00 +0000

There are at least two types of home equity loans.
The first is a term or closed end loan and the second is basically a line of credit. Most people prefer to refer to them as a second mortgage because they are secured against your home much like your first home loan or mortgage. Typically these types of home equity loans usually have a payback life of between 5 and 15 years.
The term loan is a one-time lump sum payment that is paid off over a set amount of time. There is a fixed interest rate which allows for the same loan repayment each month. After you get your money you cannot borrow further from the loan.
A home equity loan line of credit works more like a credit card. You are allowed to borrow up to a certain amount for the life of the loan. The time limit is usually set by the lender of the loan. During that time you can withdraw money as you require it to purchase items or pay for things that interest you. As you pay off the principal your credit revolves and you can use it again. This credit line gives you more flexibility than a term home equity loan.
Which ever of the two types of home equity loans that you should use depends on your unique situation. You can base your decision on some common questions such as how much money will you need, how long will you need the money for, how long will you need to pay the loan off and how much of a monthly payment can you afford.

Mortgage Debt Elimination in 5 to 7 years!

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:37:00 +0000

Mortgage Debt Elimination shows that most home loan debts will be secured. Secured debts usually are tied to an asset, like your house for a mortgage. If you stop making payments, lenders can foreclose on your house.
Unsecured debts are not tied to any asset, and include most credit card debt, bills for medical care, signature loans, and debts for other types of services.
If you fall behind on your mortgage, you must contact your lender immediately to avoid foreclosure, dont wait 2 or 3 months. Most lenders are willing to work with you if they believe you're acting in good faith and the situation is temporary, please tell the truth.
Some lenders may reduce or suspend your payments for a short time, mortgage debt elimination shows you that when you resume regular payments, you will only have to pay an small additional amount toward the past due total.
Other lenders may agree to change the terms of the mortgage by extending the repayment period to reduce the monthly debt. Ask whether additional fees would be assessed for these changes, and calculate how much they total in the long term.
If you and your lender cannot work out a plan, contact a housing counseling agency. Some agencies limit their counseling services to homeowners with FHA mortgages, but many offer free mortgage debt advice to any homeowner who's having trouble making mortgage payments.
Call the local office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the housing authority in your state, city, or county for help in finding a legitimate housing counseling agency near you.
The prospect of debt elimination is something that many Americans are dealing with today. If you are concerned about your current debt situation, constantly trying to eliminate debt from your life, you are not alone.
In fact, over half of all American households have trouble meeting their minimum monthly obligations, driving them further and further into debt.
Interest on the average home mortgage will cost the homeowner nearly TWO TIMES the cost of the home.
If you were to purchase a $150,000 home with a $120,000 mortgage (80%), and you paid an interest rate of 9% for 30 years, you will have paid over $227,500 just in interest (in addition to the original $120,000). That's nearly two times the cost of the home!
Without mortgage debt elimination, you can pay-off your home, credit cards, car loans and other debts the slow, old-fashioned way and maybe end up with a few thousand dollars saved for your retirement years...or you can stop living Pay-Check to Pay-Check. Starting Today!
NOW! Imagine what you will feel like, when you wake up one morning and absolutely know that all of your debts have been eliminated, and you Now Own Your House, mortgage debt elimination shows you how.

Mortgage Debt Elimination

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:34:00 +0000

The prospect of mortgage debt elimination is something that many Americans are dealing with today. If you are concerned about your current debt situation, constantly trying to eliminate debt from your life, you are not alone.
In fact, over half of all American households have trouble meeting their minimum monthly obligations, driving them further and further into debt.
Mortgage loans will be secured by your house.
Secured debts usually are tied to an asset, like your house for a mortgage. If you stop making payments, lenders can foreclose on your house.
Unsecured debts are not tied to any asset, and include most credit card debt, bills for medical care, signature loans, and debts for other types of services.
Morgage Debt Elimination shows that if you fall behind on your mortgage, you must contact your lender immediately to avoid foreclosure, dont wait 2 or 3 months. Most lenders are willing to work with you if they believe you're acting in good faith and the situation is temporary, please tell the truth.
Some lenders may reduce or suspend your payments for a short time, mortgage debt elimination shows you that when you resume regular payments, you will only have to pay an small additional amount toward the past due total.
Other lenders may agree to change the terms of the mortgage by extending the repayment period to reduce the monthly debt. Ask whether additional fees would be assessed for these changes, and calculate how much they total in the long term.
If you and your lender cannot work out a plan, contact a housing counseling agency. Some agencies limit their counseling services to homeowners with FHA mortgages, but many offer free mortgage debt advice to any homeowner who's having trouble making mortgage payments.
Call the local office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the housing authority in your state, city, or county for help in finding a legitimate housing counseling agency near you.

Real Estate : Understand a Real Estate Appraisal

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:52:00 +0000

If you buy a house or refinance one, through a lender, you will have to have an appraisal. The reason it is required is FHA insures the loan, VA quarantees the loan and conventional loans are federally related. The easiest way to explain the process is from the beginning.

There are three types of residential appraisers. There are also timber, agricultural, industrial and other appraisers. Most residential appraisers are not allowed to do those and even if they are usually they will reject the request because they don’t have that kind of expertise. There are licensed, certified and general appraisers. Usually the licensed appraiser has the least education and can do an appraisal up to a certain value. I always find this a little stupid since you can’t know the value until you are done with the appraisal. What do you do, complete it and then tell the lender, oops I’m sorry, I can’t give you the completed appraisal because it exceeded my limit. Certified appraisers can usually do any value of residential property and up to a certain amount in commercial. General can pretty well appraise anything, Trump’s ......

Usually appraisers receive the assignment, request, contract with the contact information and address. From there begins the initial file work. A search is done of the area , then of the neighborhood, determining types of housing, age range, price range, marketing time....Hopefully at that time there is adequate information to make one trip. A call is made to the contact, usually a homeowner or agent. Sometimes the house will be on a lockbox, which makes it convenient for everyone, especially the appraiser, if it works. First an oblique picture is taken of the front, rear and one of the street. The house is supposed to be measured on the exterior including porches, bay areas, garage, etc. Then the square footage is calculated in the living area, which excludes unfinished, unheated areas, such as the garage, a utility room and open areas above the first floor.

Think of an appraisal like a physical exam. Everything, I mean, everything , from the front door (insulated steel entry) to the floor (ceramic tile) to the windows (insulated double hung) and the screens (full) is noted. When he or she started the file some of the information they were looking for was three recent, similar sales that occurred in the same neighborhood. That’s the perfect condition but it doesn’t always happen. I should say it never happens in rural areas unless there is a new development. So if the subject’s size was fairly close to accurate (taken from most public records, mls, agent or plans and specs) then the appraiser has it made , almost. With map in hand they go on to the comparables. A front picture and notes are all that’s needed there. Back to the office they go. Please rate and tell friends.

How To Get a Mortgage If You're Self-Employed

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:51:00 +0000

If you are self-employed, work on a contract basis, or have an income that is irregular or comes from multiple sources, it will generally be harder for you to get a mortgage than it is for someone who is an employee and can easily prove their income.

A self-employed person is someone who runs their own business and works for themselves without an employer. Directors of small limited companies, although technically employed on a PAYE basis, will generally be classed as self employed when it comes to applying for a mortgage or remortgage.

With over three million self-employed individuals in the UK, the attitude of many mortgage lenders towards the self-employed population is a problem that can affect a large number of people, even though many self-employed people often earn more than a lot of salaried workers.

The problem stems from the fact that the majority of mainstream mortgage lenders require proof of income when assessing a mortgage or remortgage application. Employed people can use their payslips and P60 as proof of salary, but there is no such straightforward equivalent if you are self-employed.

In place of payslips, self-employed workers may be asked to provide audited accounts that show their income over the last three years. However, in many cases, these accounts will not give an accurate reflection of how much money a self-employed person is making. This is because if the accountant who prepared the accounts is doing his job properly, he will have offset as many allowable expenses as possible against tax. This has the effect of reducing the self-employed person's net profit, upon which the lender will base the size of mortgage or remortgage they are prepared to offer.

The situation is even worse for the newly self-employed, as they may not yet have been trading long enough to have had three years' worth of accounts prepared.

This is where mortgage lenders who specialise in self-certification mortgages and self-employed mortgages come into their own. These types of lenders appreciate the different and complex working patterns of the self-employed, contract workers, and people whose jobs are seasonal. They are prepared to look at each case individually and assess each mortgage application on its own merits, rather than just applying a series of one-size-fits-all income tests. In many cases, self-certification means that you do not need to supply any proof of income - you just declare what your income is without having to provide any supporting documentation.

In addition, specialist self-employed and self-certification lenders are more likely to offer flexible mortgage products that allow overpayments and underpayments. This is ideal for people whose income can fluctuate throughout the year, as it means you can overpay when times are good and underpay if you're business is going through a quiet period.

Mortgage Basics for First Time Home Buyers

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:50:00 +0000

Anyone planning to take out a mortgage for the first time will most likely find the job a little daunting, not least because the financial jargon can often be very difficult to make sense of. As with any major financial decision, it is essential to fully understand every aspect of a mortgage plan before making a commitment. It’s also vital to simply do the math, to calculate exactly how much each type of mortgage will cost for the overall life of the loan, how long it will take to repay, and what the monthly repayments will be. Buyers would be wise to make the financial calculations before choosing a home, to get a clear picture of exactly how much home they can really afford to buy. More information is available at http://www.money-smash.com

One of the most important decisions to make is choosing the term of the mortgage. Most fixed term mortgage plans work on either a 15 or a 30 year period. Generally speaking, a 15 year plan means the monthly repayments will be higher, but less interest is paid over the long term, so often the mortgage will work out cheaper over the life of the loan. A 30 year plan will normally mean more interest in the long term, but the monthly repayments will be lower, which may mean the borrower can afford to buy a more expensive home.

Another important choice to make is between a fixed and an adjustable rate mortgage. The terminology is as simple as it sounds, although making the choice between the two types of plan may be a lot more complex. Fixed rate mortgage means the interest rate is set at the time the loan is made, and remains the same throughout the life of the loan. With an adjustable rate mortgage, the interest rate is set for the first few years, then after that, it is determined by various external economic factors which are outside the control of the lender and the borrower. Usually there will be some kind of cap to protect borrowers from excessive interest rate rises. A fixed rate plan is the less risky option, but an adjustable rate plan generally offers lower rates initially, and should interest rates fall in future, borrowers can take advantage the lower rates immediately, without having to refinance.

How a Commercial Mortgage Can Help Your Business

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:01:00 +0000

A commercial mortgage or commercial remortgage is a business loan which is secured against a commercial property.

Commercial mortgages are often used to buy business premises, such as offices, shops, restaurants, or pubs.

But they can also be used to buy other business assets such as plant or machinery.

As well as being a useful way of financing the purchase of business premises for a new business, commercial mortgages can also be an excellent way of funding the expansion of an existing business.

A commercial mortgage can also be used to fund investment in land or property which will be used for commercial purposes.

A commercial mortgage can be used to buy most types of commercial buildings, such as shops and offices, for both new and existing businesses.

The interest rates on commercial mortgages tend to be lower than the interest rates on unsecured business loans and the repayment terms are usually longer. This makes them useful for all sorts of business financing requirements.

What About a Remortgage?

If you already have a commercial mortgage on your company's business premises, you might find you could benefit from remortgaging.

A commercial remortgage allows you to unlock some of the equity that is currently tied up in your commercial property. It could also be a chance to switch to a more competitive, cheaper mortgage, especially if your or your company's credit rating and business history have improved since you took out your original commercial mortgage.

The money you free up through a commercial remortgage can be used for all sorts of things for your business. For example, you could purchase additional stock, or invest in new machinery or other fixed assets such as vehicles. Another use for the extra money can be to pay off outstanding bills, or clear other borrowings such as the company's overdraft.

Here are some typical uses for a commercial mortgage or remortgage:

* Borrowing money to buy a shop

* Raising finance to purchase an office building

* Buying a pub

* Financing the purchase of a restaurant

* Buying a hotel

* Buying a house to convert to a Bed & Breakfast (B&B)

* Raising finance to buy an existing business

* Clearing a business overdraft

* Improving business cashflow

* Buying new plant or machinery

* Financing the purchase of company vans and other vehicles

* Borrowing money to buy extra stock for your business

* Funding the expansion or refurbishment of your offices

* Borrowing money to pay for training

* Buying land for business purposes

Understanding UK Bridging Finance

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Bridging finance, also referred to as "bridge loans" and "bridging loans", have nothing at all to do with re-constructing the London Bridge. Bridging finance is typically a short-term loan that a business uses to supply cash for a real estate transaction until permanent financing can be arranged. The word "bridge" conveys the fact that the loan is designed to get you over a temporary obstacle.

A typical use for a bridge loan is to cover situations such as when a company needs to close on a new office building before having sold their old one. They would use the proceeds of the bridge loan to continue making payments on the old building until it is sold.

Bridging finance almost always requires that you pledge some sort of collateralas security against the loan. You could offer up commercial or private real estate that you own,or are in the process of buying, machinery and office equipment or even existing inventory. If you have outstanding business and personal credit, as well as an outstanding relationship with your lender, you might be able to secure your bridge loans on just a signature.

Because the need for bridging finance sometimes arises suddenly and without warning, it is a good idea to establish a relationship with a lender before the actual need arises. When you do this you can arrange to be pre-approved for a specified loan limit. Later, when the need suddenly arises, you won't have to wade through all of the red tape. The typical term for a bridge loan runs from a fortnight to as long as two years. Of course, any terms can be negotiated and a motivated lender will work hard to match your needs.

Since bridging finance usually lasts for a relatively short period you may find that the interest rate you are being asked to pay is slightly higher than a more conventional type of loan. Lenders make their profit by charging interest across the life of the loan. The shorter the loan period the less interest they earn. As a result many lenders will often boost the rate by a 1/2 point or more. In general, the length of the loan, the amount of risk that is present for the lender, the quality of your credit history and the liquidity and value of your collateral all are used to help determine the interest rate.

Your best bet for securing a bridge loan at the most favourable rates and terms is to work with a qualified UK Commercial Mortgage Broker who understands the ins and outs of bridge loans. That way you can get your application in front of as many lenders as possible and end up with several who are willing to compete for your business.

Total Cost Of Credit vs Monthly Payments

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:59:00 +0000

I read a press release the other day which points to the fact we need to be very careful with our finances. The subject of the release was home mortgages. A company was announcing the availability of 40 year mortgages for its customers. The stated purpose was to lower the monthly payments to make buying a home more affordable.

Whenever I hear the phrase “more affordable”, I put my hand on my wallet because the attempt to empty it will begin any moment. Almostnever is that phrase used in relation to the total cost of financing. It isalways used in reference to the size of the monthly payment, as in this example.

Let’s see what it really means. I did the math. A mortgage for a $100,000 home at 6% for 30 years would have a monthly payment
of about $600 for principal and interest. You would pay about
$216,000 over the life of the loan of which $116,000 would be
interest..

A mortgage on that same home for 40 years would be at 6.25%,
with a monthly payment of $565. The payments over the life of
the loan would total about $271,200 and $171,200 of the total
would be interest.

The forty year mortgage has a higher interest rate (usually
between.25 and .50 percent) because the lender has his
money at risk for a longer time (Lenders are well aware that
time is money. You should be as aware).

This higher rate coupled with the extra ten years of the loan, has the borrower paying 47% more interest, or $55,000 more over the life of the loan. Even with a lower payment that supposedly makes it more affordable to purchase that home. Sounds like a pretty good deal for the lender.

Another problem the borrower faces is building equity much
more slowly in the beginning of the loan. The extra interest
expense paid for the extended length of the loan prevents equity
from building up quickly. All of this for a monthly payment that is only $35 less.

You need to think in terms of overall cost and not just monthly
payments. The total cost is what you will give back to your
creditors. The focus on the monthly payment takes attention
away from the total amount to be repaid. You need to look at
this with any indebtedness, car payments, personal loans, credit cards: figure the total cost, not just what you pay each month.

You'll begin to hear more about these loans I'm sure. Think long and hard before you lengthen your indebtedness. The goal is to become debt free and to do it as fast as possible. Advise your families and friends to do the same.

A New Choice for Home Financing: Correspondent Lenders

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:58:00 +0000

When you begin your search for a new home loan, one of the first things to consider is where you'll get the money. Your basic choices will be mortgage brokers and banks.

Your first instinct may be to go with your local bank, who you know from doing business with them for other things, such as your checking and saving accounts. But you've probably also heard that mortgage brokers can get you a better interest rate, since they deal with hundreds of lending sources. It can be confusing, but there’s a third source of funding that combines the best of both--the correspondent lender.

In order to understand the differences, let’s look at how the lending process works in each case. Mortgage bankers are given rate sheets by their institutions, telling them what interest rates they can quote to their clients on any given day. There’s only so much a bank can do, with regard to interest rates, because it needs to remain profitable in order to stay in business.

Mortgage brokers have an advantage in that regard. They're not loaning their own money, and are free to "shop your loan around," looking for the best terms from various lending sources. They make their money by getting loans at discount prices and then marking them up, making money on the difference. Since they have many sources to choose from, they can often find loans at lower rates than most banks.

The third alternative, correspondent lenders, combines the best features from both groups. Correspondent lenders are similar to mortgage bankers in that they make the lending decision and fund the loan with their own money or credit line. However, as soon as a loan has closed, it’s sold to another lender at a previously negotiated price. It’s the best of both worlds for you as a borrower. You'll be dealing with the banker who is funding your loan, yet that banker is able to shop your mortgage around, which can obtain you a lower interest rate.

Correspondent lenders can sometimes be difficult to find, since they're generally smaller institutions, operating on a regional basis, and it can be hard to tell whether a lender is a broker or a banker, based solely on the company’s name. One way to find out is by visiting the lender’s website, if they have one. You'll normally find a button you can click that will bring up a page containing a detailed description of the company. If the lender doesn't have a website, you may find their phone number in the Yellow Pages.

Although they may not always be easy to locate, with a little digging, you may find that a correspondent lender offers an attractive alternative to a banker or mortgage broker when it comes to shopping for your next home loan.

Housing Bill - Changes in the Right To Buy Scheme

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:56:00 +0000

Presently council tenants are able to purchase their rented property after 2 years of tenancy. However, this is about to change. As of the 18th January 2005, the new Housing Bill becomes law and the current 2 years will change to a period of 5 years. This means, that once the proposals come into force, any new council tenant will have to wait 5 years before having the option of buying their property.

There is also a proposal to extend the period during which landlords can require owners to repay some or all, of the discount given on a property in the case of an early resale.

Currently, purchasers of a property that has been bought on the right to buy scheme, can sell after 3 years with no requirement to make any repayments of the discount. The proposal suggests this should be extended to 5 years. Therefore, anyone who sells a property bought under the right to buy scheme within 5 years of the purchase, will be requested to repay a percentage of the given discount. Repayment figures are as follows: -

Currently

Sale within the 1st year – 100%

Sale within the 2nd year – 66%

Sale within the 3rd year – 33%

Proposal amounts

Sale within the 1st year – 100%

Sale within the 2nd year - 80%

Sale within the 3rd year - 60%

Sale within the 4th year - 40%

Sale within the 5th year – 20%

With the predicted drop in house prices in 2005 (meaning lower property valuations) combined with the new proposals further restrictions on council tenants wishing to purchase, now may be a good time to consider a right to buy.

The proposed changes in the right to buy scheme include measures to reduce the attraction of purchasing a discounted property with the prospect of selling it to make a profit.

The initial idea of the right to buy scheme was to give ordinary families the opportunity to own their own homes, something they may not have been able to afford otherwise. However there are concerns about the effects this has had on local housing stock and a number of people profiteering from potential windfalls in expensive property areas.

Exploitation in the Right to Buy Scheme

There have been several schemes where third party companies encourage tenants to purchase their homes under the right to buy scheme, by offering them cash incentives. The tenant purchases the property at a discounted price under the right to buy scheme and simultaneously exchanges contracts to sell the property to the company after 3 years at which point no discount penalty will be repayable. The tenant will lease the property to the company and move out of the home with a cash sum. This leaves the company free to rent out the property at the current market rental rates.

After three years the tenant sells the property to the company. The company will either continue to rent the property at market rates or the property will be sold on at a substantial profit.

The incentive for the tenant is the lump sum offered, which can be anywhere from £5000 to £26000 but is usually a percentage of the equity of the purchased property. This could be attractive to tenants who do not wish to purchase their current home or hope to purchase a property in another area as it will give them a ready made deposit to buy another home.

The new proposals are designed to make this type of sale less attractive and prevent profiteering as well as securing local housing for the less well off.

The proposed changes in section 180 and 182-189 of the Housing Act 2004 will come into effect on 18/1/2005.

Are Biweekly Mortgages Really Worthwhile?

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:55:00 +0000

You may have heard people, especially mortgage lenders, extolling the virtues of biweekly payments, saying that you can save thousands of dollars and take 5-7 years off your mortgage--and then offering to set up a biweekly plan for you for as little as $400. But you don't have to spend $400 to begin saving money and time on your mortgage. In fact, you don't have to spend anything at all! You can set up a money-saving mortgage payment plan yourself--easily and at no extra cost.

The key is to look carefully at the fine print in many biweekly plans. You find that even though you'd be making biweekly payments, the lender may only post them to your account on a monthly basis, which means that you wouldn't be saving anything on interest, because mortgage interest is paid in arrears (as opposed to rent payments, which are paid in advance). Your only real savings would be in the fact that you'd be making the equivalent of one extra payment a year. That’s a good thing, of course, but you don't need to pay someone $400-500, possible monthly maintenance fees, to be able to accomplish the same results.

Here’s how biweekly payments save time and money: By making biweekly payments, you actually end up making an extra monthly payment each year. Over the course of a year, you'd make 26 payments (one every other week for 52 weeks), which is the same as making 13 monthly payments. Making one extra payment per year will shorten the life of your loan and save you thousands of dollars.

But you don't have to make biweekly payments to obtain those savings. Here are a couple examples of how you can save big money, using the same basic idea:

If you get paid every two weeks, divide your monthly principal and interest payment in half and then send your lender a check for that amount during those months in which you receive three paychecks. Just sending in those two extra checks will be the equivalent of one extra payment a year.

If you don't want to send lump checks, you can get the same results by dividing your monthly principal and interest payment by twelve and then adding that extra amount to your payment every month. Normally, that figure won't put too much extra strain on your budget, and it will add an extra mortgage payment to your loan every year.

You really can save significant amounts of money and shorten the life of your loan by making extra payments, but you definitely don't have to pay a lender $400-500 to do it. Making those extra payments is easy to do yourself, and at no extra charge--which is always a good thing.

Selling Your Business Note

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:53:00 +0000

Before I go further, let me ask a question- if you won the lottery tomorrow, would
you take the payout in a lump sum or in monthly payments?

Most people would take a lump sum because even though it might be less than the
total prize, they would have control over a large sum of money now and could let
the time value of money go to work and increase their winnings.So why then would
you opt to get paid on your business sale over several years rather than take a lump
sum payout?

The answer is probably because you didn't know that you could get cash for your
business note. Peacock Capital can help you to sell your business note at a discount
and cash out now, rather than later.

Advantages to sell your business note include:

• Walk away from a business you didn't want without having a financial
anchor still attached to you for the next several years

• Use the balance owed to you to fund a new business, pay off debts or
finance education for yourself or your loved ones- now!

• Avoid the risk that the buyer will default on the loan

• Avoid the risk of the buyer going bankrupt

• No need to wait for monthly payments

If you are going to sell your business, the following criteria should be structured
into your note so that it will be more attractive to investors for purchase:

• Down payment of 30% or more

• Personal guarantee from the buyer

• Short term financing - the shorter the term the better

• Minimal seasoning of the note is needed - usually two months at least,
depending on the type of business.

A note for a business that has substantial tangible assets will be easier to sell
compared to one that does not - example: machine shop versus a coffee stand.

Turn That Fixed Rate Mortgage Into A Goldmine

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:47:00 +0000

When you purchased your home, you most likely got a fixed interest rate mortgage with a 15 or 30 year term. These are the most popular mortgages in the industry. Even in the summer of 2004, when the interest-only or simple interest mortgage loans became popular, the average American stuck to the fixed rate. You see, the fixed rate offers security to conservative people, and the average American home buyer and home owner is a very conservative person.

Today, it's time to ignore that conservative nature and throw out that fixed rate mortgage. If you have a home, no matter when you purchased or refinanced your mortgage, you now need to refinance your fixed interest rate mortgage to an adjustable rate mortgage.

Now, before you begin to panic and start calling me all kinds of unsavory names, read on, and you'll see why an ARM is actually a cash goldmine, and you need to start panning for this gold immediately.

When I was originating loans fulltime, I could barely get the word ARM out of my mouth, before the customer would say, “Oh no! I don’t want an adjustable mortgage. I’ve heard how the rates change and your payment skyrockets, and some people actually lose their homes. No, no, I don’t want my rate to change.” Of course, once I illustrated the thousands of dollars they would save in just a few years and quashed all of those myths about loan payments “blowing up,” most of them decided the ARM was not the “devil loan” it’s made out to be.

But why risk an adjustment of your rate, you may ask, when you can have it fixed for the life of the loan? The answer is twofold and quite simple. The first part is the most important, and that is the average American either sells or refinances his or her home in four to seven years. So, if the chances are that you’ll sell or refinance in five years, why fix your rate for 30 years at a higher interest than you can get on an ARM?

The second reason to get an Adjustable Rate Mortgage is because the interest rates are so much lower than fixed rates. And since these great rates are fixed for a particular period, five years on a 5-year ARM and three years on a 3-year ARM, there really is no risk, at all. Again, in most adjustable rate mortgage programs, the interest rate does not adjust monthly or yearly
(although programs with these types of adjustment periods do exist at much lower rates).

For example, as of publication of this article in 2004, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage was going for around 5.75%, and a 5-year Adjustable Rate Mortgage was going for about 4%. Suppose you’re financing $100,000. The 30-year fixed rate of 5.75% would give you a monthly payment of $583.57 (not including your taxes and insurance, which vary from state to state and county to county). The same $100,000 financed at 4.0% interest yields a monthly payment of $477.42. The difference in these two payments is $106.15. This is $1,273.80 each year, and $6,369.00 for five years. I can hear you saying, “Wow, that’s hard to believe,” but these are real numbers and real savings. You may be saying, “Sure, but the rates change.” This is true, but the difference in the fixed rate mortgages and the ARMs is almost always the same, regardless of what rates the market bears, so you’ll always save a ton of money in the difference in these two payments.

The numbers are even more staggering if you finance $150,000. The fixed rate payment is $875.36 and the 5-year ARM payment is $716.12 – a monthly savings of $159.24 and over $9,500 for five years. If you buy or refinance a home and finance $200,000 or more, you’ll save between $13,000 and $15,000 over five years, with the 4% rate as opposed to the fixed rate of 5.75%.

Bank that money and you can buy a decent car for cash, or pay for a year of college, or take a European vacation. Pretty powerful stuff, huh? Now, if you’re one of those people who is really into cutting into the term of your mortgage, and you can afford the higher fixed-rate payment, simply apply the difference back to the principal loan amount. You’ll build equity in your home very quickly, and you'll always have the option of paying the lower payment.

So, get your adjustable rate mortgage today, and start using your own personal goldmine.

Bankers Don't Want You to Know That You Pay for Your No Cost Home Loan Forever

noreply@blogger.com (Dignity) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:16:00 +0000

With mortgage rates continuing on a downward trend, the competition in the business is fierce. A day never passes that I don't hear some crazy advertisement about a new loan program that XYZ mortgage company has and no one else offers. One of the oldest programs remains steadfast in both its high profile and its duplicity. This program is the No Cost Home Loan -- the one bankers say is free, but you actually pay for as long as you have the loan.
The no closing cost home loan is virtually everywhere. It is advertised in the mail, on radio and on TV all the time. "Hey, refinance your loan today, and there will be no closing costs," the ads scream. Wow, a free loan. Imagine the money you'll save. So, if you are in the market for a refinance loan or home equity line, which you probably should be, with rates at all-time lows, you might consider running to XYZ mortgage company, who is now offering free mortgage loans.
Just be careful you don't go bankrupt, along the way. Remember, the old cliche, Nothing in life is free, because it makes a lot of sense. You actually can get a mortgage with little or no closing costs. What bankers don't tell you (one of their great secrets) is that you pay a higher interest rate than you really qualify for, when you get your loan for "free." So, you might save $2,000 or $3,000 in closing costs, but your monthly payment could be $100 to $300 higher than it would have been if you had actually paid the costs.
Imagine taking this loan and saving $2,000 in total closing costs. Perhaps you borrow $200,000. Now, if you simply pay all the costs and tell the banker you want the best rate available, let's say it is 6% for this example, you would have a monthly payment of $1,199. Now, let's assume the wiley banker convinces you to pay no closing costs and take an in terest rate of 7%. He might say, "Now, your interest rate will be a bit higher, but you'll save $2,000 in closing costs." Sounds great, you might think.
What he doesn't do, though, is spell out the difference in the 6% rate you could qualify for, versus the 7% rate you choose to take for your "free" loan. If you borrow $200,000 at 7% interest, your monthly payment is $1,330. This is $131.00 more each month than you will pay on the same loan at 6% interest.
If you choose to pay the closing costs and save $131.00 monthly, it will take you 15 months to get your $2,000 in closing costs back. Now, if you keep this loan for five years beyond that first 15 months, you will save an additional $7,860 at the 6% interest rate. If you listen to the crafty banker, selling the No Cost Loan, you'll allow nearly eight thousand dollars to drift right up your home's chimney.
Unless the difference in the interest rate on your no closing cost loan and the loan with costs is a tiny amount, say .125%, you are almost always better off paying the costs. Be sure to ask what the difference in the rates is. Then learn exactly what the total closing costs will be. Calculate the difference in the two monthly payments (one with closing costs and one without). If that amount will pay back your closing costs in two years or less, and you intend to remain in your loan for at least five years, pay the costs and take the better rate.
Use this method, and you'll never go wrong.