Ten Important Questions To Ask Your Mortgage Loan Broker
by admin on Jul.30, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages
When looking for a mortgage in todays market you are swapped with information, products and deals. This can make the whole process very daunting and confusing. For this reason it is good to be prepared with a set of questions to ask your mortgage broker, so that you do not get ripped off and you know where you stand.
1. What are different types of mortgages and in what way do they work?
There are a mass of different types of mortgage products on the market, so make sure that your broker explains the differences between the different types of mortgages and how they can benefit you. For example may lender these days offer fixed rates, discounts and cashback over a number of terms. Also make sure that you get an outline of the varying ways of paying the capital off. This at first might seem to be a complicated area, but once you have the basics explained everything will become a lot clearer and you will start to see how different products will suit your personal circumstances better than others.
2. What is the Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?
In accordance to regulations the APR is meant to appear in all adverts alongside the headline mortgage rate. The APR is used to provide customers with the true cost of loans and empower them to be able to compare different deals. Do remember that APR is unreliable and is no substitute for personal prepared quote that outlines all upfront and ongoing costs.
3. What is the interest rate that I will be charged?
In the cases of fixed, capped or discount rate then your broker should tell you what the initial rate you will paying and how long you will be on that rate for.
4. So what happens at the end of the fixed or discount rate period?
It is important to know what will happen when your fixed or discount rate period ends. Will you be switched on to the standard variable rate or will the lender offer you another discounted or fixed rate deal. Also remember remortgaging is a good option.
5. Standard Variable Rate What is that?
Because house prices are at a record high many people (probably including yourself) are now thinking of their mortgages in the long term as well as the upfront rate. For this reason it is worth knowing what current customers are paying. It is highly unlikely that when you come to the end of your fixed or discount rate period you will be on the same SVR as current customers. But you can use the information to see how the lender compares against others in the market.
6. What are the Early Redemption Charges or Early Repayment Charges attached to the product?
Most mortgage deals will involve some kind of repayment charge. So you will have to a fee to the lender if you repay your mortgage early or switch to another lender within a set time period. Make sure you find out precisely what you will have to pay and what would happen if you moved home during the mortgages term.
7. What will my monthly payments be at the quoted interest rate?
Your broker should tell you exactly what your monthly payments are going to be. They should also tell you what you would be paying at the SVR as to give you an indication of what you will be paying after your products term comes to an end. Get the broker to work out the payments on interest rates of up to 11% as well. This way if the interest rates rise substantially you will be able to see if you can afford the mortgage.
8. Are there any other conditions attached to the mortgage?
Different lenders will have different deals, incentives and clauses. Lenders will offer better discounts, fixed rates or cashbacks if you are prepared to take the lenders building and contents insurance. This is something that will be worth considering. Just make sure that you are informed about the terms and what would happen if you moved your insurance cover.
9. Are there any Higher Lending Charges?
With some lenders there may be a Higher Lending Charge (HLC) if you are borrowing more than a certain amount of the value of the property. Make sure you know what the charges are and how much the fees are. Some lenders will add HLC charge to the loan others will charge it upfront.
10. What are the arrangement or broker fees?
Your broker should tell you about every payment you will have to make to arrange your mortgage. This will give you an idea of the whole cost of the deal rather than just an upfront rate. This will also allow you to shop around and find the best deal.
So next time you are looking for a mortgage make sure you have these ten questions to hand.
Understanding Credit Card Debt Consolidation Loans
by admin on Jul.29, 2010, under Loans and Credit
If borrowers are asked to vote for the most striking feature of credit cards that appeals them, then increased spending power ought to bag the largest number of votes. In fact this is a feature that distinguishes credit cards from cash, cheque, and the newly launched debit cards. Credit cards allow customers to spend up to a certain credit limit, even when their account may not sport a similar amount. The feature takes not much time to be turned into a drawback when the credit card is used inappropriately. People often keep a multitude of cards and when each card has been stretched to its credit limit, it becomes difficult to repay the debts in totality. It is here that credit card debt consolidation loans come into play.
Credit card debt consolidation loan is a regular debt consolidation loan, reengineered to counter credit card debts. The speed with which debts are eliminated is of prime importance in credit card debt settlement process. Since the debts carry a very high rate of interest, employing a method that moves slowly will only increase the interest burden over time. Credit card debt consolidation loans present the fastest method of coming out of debts.
Credit card debt consolidation loan borrowers need to keep tab of three factors before consenting to any deal.
Rate of interest or APR constitutes the very first factor. The APR being charged on the credit card debt consolidation must be the cheapest available in the UK. The principal motivation behind the use of credit card debt consolidation loan is to escape high rates of interest. It must thus be ensured that the rate of interest must not be equally higher. This has a direct effect on the cost of loan. Secured and unsecured credit card debt consolidation loans, which define the categories of credit card debt consolidation loan, influence rate of interest significantly. Secured credit card debt consolidation loan are backed by a collateral. Borrowers thus cannot be irregular in making monthly repayment without risking the asset kept as collateral. The APR on a secured credit card debt consolidation is generally lower.
Rate of interest or APR is the visible face of a loan. The loan quote requested from loan providers gives the APR. Many borrowers, as a part of the homework or loan search, request loan quotes from a large number of loan providers. Cheapest loan immediately comes into the fore when loan quotes from several loan agencies are compared. In order to confirm that the APR being promised is really cheap as asserted by a loan provider, many borrowers also make use of loan calculators. Loan calculator lists the APR charged by banks and financial institutions, many of which are well known among the financial circles in the UK. Shopping around for interest is going to be very helpful in getting cheap credit card debt consolidation.
The next important factor is the term within which the credit card debt consolidation loan will be repaid. Just as credit card debts become costly if not repaid on time, credit card debt consolidation loans too have a time period within which it will be wise to repay. This is known as the term of repayment. In the absence of any fixed rule stating the term, the borrower will have to depend on his personal discretion. Unless necessary, the term of the credit card debt consolidation loan must not be extended beyond a certain level. Payment calculator is an easy method to find the optimum number of repayments. The potential borrower has to fill the amount of loan and the number of years that he would like to spread the repayments in. Payment calculator calculates monthly repayments on a particular rate of interest. If the monthly repayment so derived suits the potential borrower, the optimum term of repayment is found. If not, borrowers must continue using different permutations and combinations to achieve the optimum level.
Monthly repayments are the last important factor to be considered before taking up a credit card debt consolidation loan. As seen in calculations for term of repayment, monthly repayment is a by-product of the search. Borrowers, in some instances, have already determined that they cannot afford beyond a particular monthly repayment. The search process can thus be centered upon the monthly repayments so determined. Monthly repayments need to be determined with a sufficiently larger period in mind. Whether one would be able to pay the monthly repayments at that point of time will be an issue for consideration. Being irregular on monthly repayments can result into repossession of collateral as well as bad credit.
The list of points to be considered before accepting a credit card debt consolidation deal may not be limited to these three. It may be endless. Depending on the priorities of a borrower, differences in prominence attached to these are often visible.
Understanding Bad Credit Home Equity Loans
by admin on Jul.29, 2010, under Loans and Credit
In todays market, it is fairly easy to obtain a bad credit loan even though the rates of such loans are high as compared to the conventional loans. Lenders would be more than happy to grant you a home equity loan in such a case because the loan amount will be secured by your home and if you default in repaying, your property will be foreclosed.
Since the process is not very difficult, you can shop around and compare the credit offers to get the best deal. Because of the increasing competition among the home equity loan providers, you can easily find good deals if you conduct some research. You can get quotes on the Internet and compare. But before you decide on a lender make sure that you check with the Better Business Bureau to ensure that there are no complaints lodged.
There are several lenders in the market who try to take advantage of consumers who do not have good credit and proper knowledge of how a mortgage works. So when you shop around for bad credit home equity loans, make sure that you do not buy anything based on impulse.
Make sure that you know everything about the specifics of mortgage and how loans can differ from one lender to another. For instance, adjustable rate mortgage comes with a low monthly rate in the initial period of three to seven years, but then it increases. On the other hand, balloon mortgage has also got low payments in initial years but in the end the entire mortgage is due in full.
It helps a lot to scrutinize the closing costs. You need to remember that every reputable lender provides a Good Faith Estimate with details of the costs according to law. You should have an idea of the charges and be aware of the origination fee that can bloat anytime.
There are a lot of lenders who would be willing to give you as much as you want, but they do not care if you have to make huge monthly payments on the loan. Hence, you need to make sure that the loan you are planning to take benefits you in the long run and helps you to bring your finances back into shape so that you can qualify for loans the next time.
Remember to make this the ultimate goal of any financial transaction you make. Even though you can get a bad credit home equity loan, you should remember that you can get the best deal only when you are a smart shopper.
Tear Your Mortgage a New One by Refinancing Your Home
by admin on Jul.28, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages
Tear Your Mortgage a New One by Refinancing Your Home Loan
Do you have a mortgage with high interest rates, sizable monthly payments, and little cash to take care of bills and credit card debt? If so, you may consider the option of refinancing your home.
Refinancing involves ending your current loan agreement with your lender and getting an entirely new mortgage. One benefit of taking this step is that you have the ability to get a much better interest rate on your home loan, lower your monthly payments, and even borrow extra money in order to take care of debts or home improvements.
Lowering your interest rate can make a huge difference in how long it takes for you pay down your mortgage because with each payment you make, more of your money is going to the principal balance of the loan rather than to the interest. Paying thousands of dollars in interest can make a homeowner feel like they are spinning their wheels; getting no closer to actually owning their home outright.
Be sure to do research before jumping into the world of refinancing. You need to speak to an advisor who can tell you about current interest rates and forecasted trends. You will also need to decide once again if a variable rate or fixed rate mortgage would be more appropriate to your situation. Fixed rate mortgages can give you peace of mind, in that you know every month what the payments will be. With variable rates, you are vulnerable to the financial tides, which can be very anxiety inducing. On the other hand, variable rate loans can often mean lower payments than fixed rate ones provide. You have to decide how much of a risk you want to take in order to save as much money as possible.
Lower monthly payments can be achieved if you alter the length of time you have to pay back the mortgage. This aspect is something that you have to weigh carefully. If you want smaller payments, then you will need to extend the length of the loan, meaning that you will have this debt over your head for a lot longer. However, if lower monthly payments will make your life easier, it may well be worth dragging out the loan.
Alternatively, you can also shorten the loan period when you refinance your home. If interest rates are favorable at the time, you may not even increase your monthly payments, but will save a great deal of money that would otherwise be applied to interest over the course of your loan.
Not only can refinancing make your mortgage conditions more favorable in the long run, but it also enables you to borrow over and above the amount needed to repay your current mortgage. This money can be used to pay off debts, home repairs, or any number of emergencies that can happen in life. This money is simply added to the amount you owe.
There are a couple of disadvantages to refinancing your home loan to be aware of. One is the fact that your original lender may charge you a penalty for paying off your mortgage early. Also, because you are starting a new mortgage from scratch, you will have to pay fees to the new lending company. Each lender is different in terms of what you will be charged for the privelege of borrowing money, so it is wise to shop around. Because there are so many costs involved, most people simply include the lender’s fees and closing costs into the amount of their new mortgage. This is a great choice for homeowners who are strapped for cash at the time.
Refinancing your home loan can have many advantages to it, and can improve your quality of life by reducing the amount of money you pour out each month on interest and monthly payments. You can also get your hands on extra money to take care of immediate financial concerns, which can be a great stress reliever and save you money in the long run. Just remember to take all lender’s fees, penalties, and interest rates into consideration before jumping into anything.
Subprime Mortgage Refinance And Subprime Home Equity Loans
by admin on Jul.28, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages
If you have credit problems in your past and a low credit score, if you decide you want to refinance or get a home equity loan, you will probably need to work with a subprime mortgage lender. Subprime mortgage lenders are willing to work with those with lower credit scores and past credit problems. They charge interest rates that are slightly higher than the prime rate. When you work with a suprime lender, you will need to be careful of a few things. Subprime mortgage lenders sometimes take advantage of borrowers with poor credit and charge excessive fees or offer terms that are not reasonable.
Be careful of these things when applying for a new refinance or home equity loan:
1. Watch Out For The Pre-Payment Penalty – Most sub-prime mortgage loans have a pre-payment penalty attached. That means that if you decide to either sell your home or refinance your home anytime within the designated period of time, you will have to pay a penalty which is usually equal to about 6 months of interest or mortgage payments. If you are ok with a pre-payment penalty, make sure you know exactly how long that allotted amount of time is and exactly how much the penalty is. A penalty is usually for anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. But, a penalty that is two years or longer, in some cases, might be considered excessive.
2. Watch Out For Junk Fees – Many times in sub prime mortgage loans, a broker will tack on excessive fees that are not completely necessary. Have your mortgage broker go through all of the fees one by one and make sure you understand where all the fees are going. Educate yourself on what fees are completely necessary and which ones are not. Go to http://www.mortgagesanity.com for a list of junk fees that sometimes get added to mortgage loans. Also, educate yourself on the average cost of such fees to avoid being charged an excessive amount.
