October 2008
Monthly Archive
Real Estate & More19 Oct 2008 06:30 am
Refinancing Your Home - How and Why?
Chances are you may need a little extra money to get some work done around the home or perhaps your current interest rate is 7.5% and the prime interest rate is 6.0% there is a benefit to restart the clock on an existing mortgage and save thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. The first thing you must realize is that refinancing your home can also be tax deductible, meaning that you will receive an extra tax advantage for the closing costs associated with a refinancing no matter what the condition, even in bankruptcy!
The first step of refinancing your home is finding a reputable lender that will get the job done right the first time. Think of refinancing similar to purchasing your home, as the same information is necessary in order to get started. You will need to produce the same documentation that verifies who you are, how much you make and what you currently owe. A reputable finance company will shop your loan around to several lenders and get you an acceptance in a matter of days and in some conditions in a matter of hours.
Once you set the ball in motion, you will have to get your current mortgage holder to provide a statement of payoff that shows how much you owe at this point in time. Your home will need to be appraised in value and an interest rate will be locked in for a period of 60 days. You will be asked to sign several pieces of paper to release this information from the mortgage company. You may also have to turn in the cover page of your homeowner’s insurance policy to show the break down of your coverage.
Should all the paperwork be in order, you will be given a tentative closing date by a registered title company. It is the title company’s job to make sure that all documentation and title pass from the current bank to the new one at the settlement table. At the close, you will resign your paperwork and title documentation over to a new lender. In some cases, it may be the same lender as the mortgage company that you currently have. Should you have asked for some cash back a check will be presented at this time.
About The Author
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.cashbazar.com. Visit his website for the latest on personal finance, debt elimination, budgeting, credit cards and real estate.
Real Estate & More19 Oct 2008 06:19 am
The Zero Down 80/20 Mortgage
This is an excellent loan for those that are lacking the down payment required for other types of mortgages.
The 80 20 mortgage is simply two loans for 100% of the purchase price. It is a first mortgage at 80% of the purchase price with a 20% second mortgage.
If you are a conforming borrower, doing your loan in this manner will save you from having to pay mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance is almost always required when you have less than 20% down. But with the 80 20 loan you avoid this necessary evil.
If you are a sub-prime borrower, doing you loan in this manner will typically keep your interest rates % to 2.5% lower than doing a 100% one loan. A 100% one loan is simply one loan for the entire purchase price.
Many times you will have two choices when it comes to the second mortgage portion of the 80 20 mortgage. The second mortgage can either be a fixed second mortgage or it can be a line of credit.
If it is a fixed second mortgage. The interest rate is fixed for the entire length of the mortgage. Most fixed second mortgages are a 30 due in 15. Meaning that the second mortgage is amortized over 30 years, but is due in 15 years. Basically it is a balloon payment. Don’t let this scare you. Statistically people refinance or sell their home every 7 to 9 years any ways.
If it is a line of credit as the second mortgage. The interest rate will fluctuate as the Federal Reserve adjusts the prime interest rate up or down. The benefit of going with the line of credit as the second mortgage is that the interest rate is normally much lower than the fixed second mortgages rate. It can be 2% to 5% lower.
If you are considering doing the 80 20 loan have your loan officer compare the two different options if you have both available to you.
You may also want to consider an 80 20 interest only loan. The interest only loan could save you hundreds of dollars in mortgage payments every month. This can help you purchase a more expensive home or keep the payments down on the home you want to buy.
About The Author
Matthew Allen is a mortgage consutlant with Action Brokerage Services, Inc. in Medford Oregon. He is also the author of “How To Buy A Home With Zero Down, Even If You Have Damaged Or No Credit” You can visit his website at http://www.realmortgageadvice.com.
Real Estate & More18 Oct 2008 08:34 pm
How to Find Wake County Mortgage Companies
Congratulations! You’ve just inked a deal to purchase a home. Wake County is a terrific place to live…great schools, cultural amenities, state government nearby, easy access to the beaches and mountains, etc. However, the seller is very nervous as he eagerly waits to see if you can finance the deal. Of special note, he is pressed for time and has given you just 72 hours to seal the deal. What should you do? For starters, you must do some serious research. Yes, from the comfort of your computer you can and must uncover a wealth of information to find a local lender fast. Let’s see how you can hasten the process without getting burned.
Every single day new information is being added to the internet. Because so many companies realize the internet’s importance, just about everyone has a web site. This can be good for you as it allows you to find accurate information quickly and painlessly.
Searching for mortgage companies in Wake County is as easy as a couple of clicks of your mouse. Yes, you could head over to the yellow pages, but remember this: your phone book is revised annually while updates to the internet are made all of the time.
I am not endorsing any particular sites; rather I am listing sample sites to help you find local mortgage lenders. A few of your results may yield national companies but plenty of Wake County mortgage providers are listed.
Eloan - Enter all of your information with Eloan and you will receive an answer from them in as little as 90 seconds! Once you are approved, you can then finish your application.
Lending Tree - Enter all of your personal information and Lending Tree will share with you four companies who will be interested in having you submit an application to them. You get to select a provider, but you do not make a commitment until you are approved and have decided to enter into a contract with them.
Quicken Loans - You can get approved within minutes through this particular lender and they have a simple to fill out mortgage application. You can usually close within weeks of approval.
Wells Fargo - This national lender claims: “In person, by phone, or via email, we’re ready to serve your home financing needs. A home mortgage consultant will gladly contact you, or you can visit and call any of our 2,000 locations nationwide.” Of course, a provider of this stature must be competitive too. Don’t be enamored by the sales spin; if you can find a lower rate with a similar level of service than go for it!
So, keep your seller happy and start exploring your options right now. Are there other online sources available? Yes! To find area companies google a search for “Wake County mortgage companies” and see who shows up in the results. As always, the choice of a lending provider lies strictly with you; start searching for qualified Wake County mortgage companies today.
Copyright 2005 — Matthew Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of topics including: advocacy, automobiles, aviation, business, Christian themes, family, news, product reviews, travel, writing, and more. Samples from his portfolio are available right online.
Real Estate & More18 Oct 2008 01:59 am
Shop Around for the Best Mortgage Interest Rate
If you are currently on the market for a new home, or you are looking to refinance your current mortgage, one of the most important things to you when shopping around for a home loan will be the mortgage interest rate.
Of course you will want your mortgage interest rate to be as low as possible, so take some time to shop around for the best deal.
Shopping around for the best mortgage interest rate is very important because you want to go with the best deal possible. Don’t just settle for the first lender you come across and go with whatever rate they may offer you.
By shopping around you can compare rates and products. The difference in one percentage point on an interest rate can mean thousands of dollars in savings over the course of a thirty-year mortgage.
Think of shopping around for a mortgage the same as shopping around for a new car.
When you are on the market for a new car, you visit two or three car dealerships, you speak with a few different sales people, you test drive a few different cars, than make your decision on the best car at the best price.
Treat the concept of shopping for a mortgage the same as you would if you were shopping for a car.
The mortgage industry is a very competitive one, and the mortgage companies are all too happy to compete for your business. The last thing a mortgage company wants is for you to give your business to their competition.
When shopping around, let the mortgage brokers or loan officers you are dealing with know that you are shopping around. By supplying them with this knowledge, they will understand the importance of coming back at you with the best deal they have to offer to make sure they secure your business.
Once you have a handful of loan officers make you their best offer, give your consideration to the one with the best rate and to the scenario that sounds the most reasonable.
Remember, once an offer is made to you, ask to see all of the particulars in writing. A verbal offer may sound great to you, but without the paperwork to back it up, it is worthless.
Jennifer Hershey has more than twenty years of experience in the Mortgage Industry as a loan officer. She is the owner of www.explainingmortgages.com/, a mortgage resource site devoted to making mortgage terms and products easy to understand.
Nice special offer 32500 dollar at a upright rate of interest of 14.4 percent
This is why now you really need to suss out and find out if you can have a loan at a dependable percent rate.
The translation says: Woon je in Cuijk of Vianen en heb je BKR verleden. Lenen met een BKR notering is nog nooit zo eenvoudig geweest. Haal snel een andere caravan met geld lenen met negatieve bkr vermelding, 375761 euro is altijd mogelijk om te lenen. Van Kerkrade tot Schermer, financieren met en BKR codering is altijd mogelijk.
Be clever today to examine if you have a special offer or if you don’t with the merchant bank that offers you a bank loan. 13.6 percent interest rate may look so middling but will that be ceaseless after you’re going to retort your loan. Investigate to see if the moneylender who is willing to give you a credit loan is trustworthy. At this present you can suss out rates of interest quickly and enter if there are other possible traps you should be aware of. A bank in Fairfield California or so can have a total completely different actual rate of interest for a 22500 dollar credit loan then a bank in Coral Springs Florida and that makes a vast clear difference in your weekly pay offs. Lots of of the banks wil show you a loan rate that is looking honest but doesn’t feel advantageously or so after some time. It makes no difference if you live in Maplewood Minnesota or in Fond du Lac Wisconsin a serious online inspection will excuse you often lots of inconvenience.
Real Estate & More15 Oct 2008 02:24 am
A quick guide to remortgage
Remortgaging means that we are taking a new mortgage to repay an existing one.
As time passes, the appreciation in property rates raises the home equity available at the disposal of the homeowner. Remortgaging utilizes this increase in property valuation to get a better deal on debt, or some extra money. Remortgaging does not involve selling or changing homes, but the debt may be transferred from one lender to another.
There are instances, when we require funds for some new construction, such as an extra bathroom, new kitchen, additional bedroom etc. Many times we find that some of our existing borrowings, charge higher rates of interest than those charged by our mortgage lender. In such cases, we can use the additional home equity available with us to provide funds and ease the repayment burden by remortgaging.
UK, in recent times has seen a sharp decline in mortgage rates. Therefore, more and more homeowners having existing mortgages, are applying for a remortgage to take advantages of the lower rates.
Remortgaging has become an easy process due to the increasing use of information technology in the lending process. People can now apply online for a remortgage right from the comfort of their home or office. This has significantly reduced the time and effort for getting a property remortgaged.
Considering the reduced interest rates and easier repayment options, the homeowners often see remortgaging as good source for generating capital. Changing high interest debts into low interest remortgage with easy repayment terms is often, quite lucrative for the debtors. By changing their debt type they can significantly reduce the repayment burden.
There are many lenders in the UK market, which provide competitive remortgage offers. Since, remortgages are used to move debts; it should be seriously considered that the cost of moving debts should not offset the savings in any such process.
The redemption fees, is the biggest cost to be incurred while taking a remortgage. A redemption fee is what a person has to pay when he ends an existing mortgage contract and applies for a remortgage. There are early redemption penalties, which escalate the overall costs of remortgage. These penalties are the largest when the debt is still new. Generally, remortgaging is not advised when such penalties are very high, but if you have a particularly good offer, which offsets the loss due to the early redemption penalty, you should consider it.
In addition to the redemption fee, there are many other costs involved with remortgaging. Some of which are discussed below:
The new lender who will provide the debt will like to reassess the value of your property to make sure that it is not a risky deal for him. So, he might charge some valuation fees for this process.
The entire remortgaging process has a legal angle attached to it. This might involve legal consultation fees. In addition to these, the lender might include the conveyance and other office charges.
The debtor should consider these fees while remortgaging. Options are available, where the lender might refund all or a part of the valuation, legal and office charges to the debtors, if the repayment schedule is exceptional. Be sure to ask your lender about such an option.
Remortgaging does provide funds with low interest and easy repayment options, but there are many drawbacks associated with it.
The debt repayment process again starts from the scratch. Short term savings might lead to a long term financial liability. The interests although relatively lower now must be paid over a longer period of time, and again the fact to be kept in mind is that any serious default in payments might lead to repossession.
Aldrich Chappel has been associated with get-secured-loans,since its inception.Having completed his Masters in Finance from Lancaster University Management School,he undertook to provide useful advice through his articles that have been found very useful by the residents of the UK.To Find Secured loans,loans for homeowners,best secured loans UK visit www.get-secured-loans.co.uk“>www.get-secured-loans.co.uk
Real Estate & More14 Oct 2008 11:36 pm
Is the Time Right for You to Re-mortgage?
At certain times and in certain circumstances it actually makes more sense for someone to re-mortgage than to stay with their current lender and ride the waves of ever changing interest rates.
This article looks at five specific reasons to re-mortgage but first things first I must just point out that the information contained in this article does not constitute personal advice and because your circumstances and financial position are as unique as you are, you should seek professional, regulated and specific advice before re-mortgaging to ensure that this is the best decision for you right now…
1) If your mortgage introductory or fixed rate period is about to expire you can save substantial money over the period of your loan if you re-mortgage. You avoid having to start paying your mortgage lender’s variable rate of interest which is highly likely to begin at least one percentage point above that which you have already been paying and which could increase your monthly outgoings significantly. Over the lifetime of your loan just a one percent increase will result in you paying back thousands in extra interest payments - money you could save towards retirement, put in a fund for your kid’s college education or use to actually pay off your mortgage faster…which leads me neatly to my next point!
2) Many lenders are trying to attract your new business and will offer you attractive re-mortgage rates now which will reduce the amount you’re already paying. If you can currently afford what you’re paying why not forego the reduction and instead continue paying the same amount with the new lender and pay back your mortgage quicker. The years or even months you can shave off the term of your loan are years or months without interest payments which are years or months you’ll be significantly wealthier.
3) If you’re not wholly comfortable with your current monthly repayments then ignore point 2 and look at re-mortgaging to a cheaper lender and taking the discount.
4) Make life simpler by considering a fixed rate mortgage so you don’t have to worry about interest rate fluctuations and can budget more effectively.
5) If you have accrued equity on your property you could consider re-mortgaging up to the new value of your property and using the additional funds to buy an investment property from which you could either draw down a regular income in the form of rent or which you could use for capital appreciation purposes.
With this extra money you could consider buying an overseas investment property in a country with an emerging property sector which will initially cost you less, let you and your family have a holiday home and remove expensive annual holiday costs, you could also rent it out when you’re not using it to generate an income to afford to pay for the property and over the long term this property’s value could rise significantly. Later in life you might choose to retire to this property or sell it for a nice lump sum that you can take into retirement.
Examine your options carefully and remember to look at the bigger picture! If you can profit from a re-mortgage then take the deal, but get expert advice and assistance before entering into any investment decision.
Rhiannon Williamson is a freelance writer whose many articles about property investing and finance have appeared in publications around the world. Visit this link to read her latest articles about investment property abroad
Real Estate & More14 Oct 2008 12:11 am
Mortgage Terms and Definitions
The mortgage process can be a little confusing if you aren’t familiar with the terms used in the process. To help you out, here is a list of terms with corresponding mortgage definitions.
Broker: An independent mortgage professional that oversees the entire home loan process.
Lender: The business entity providing and funding the home loan.
Processor: Prepares your loan for underwriting. The processor makes certain your income is properly documented and verified, the appraisal is being performed, and title and escrow are opened.
Escrow: Works with title to certify payoff demands for all existing liens. Escrow is an independent group which disburses monies to all parties in the loan transaction and ensures full payment.
Title: Ensures both the borrower and the lender have a clean title on the home, guaranteeing to both parties there are no mistaken liens and that all existing liens on the home are scheduled to be paid and removed.
Underwriters: Make the decision to approve or deny the loan. Hired by the lender, their job is to review all aspects of the loan based on the lender’s approval guidelines.
Automated Underwriting: A computer generated loan approval. This automated process only takes minutes and is the quickest path to approval.
ARM: Adjustable Rate Mortgage. An ARM has a fixed rate for a specified amount of time. After the initial term, the loan becomes adjustable and the rate can fluctuate depending on market conditions. ARM payments are initially lower than fixed rate payments. This is an excellent option for people with damaged credit, those who plan to sell their homes short term or who simply want to save money on their monthly payment.
DTI: Debt to Income Ratio or your total monthly debt in relation to your gross monthly income. For example if you have $2,500 in total monthly debts with a total income of $5,000, your DTI is 50%. The higher the DTI, the higher the lender’s risk and 50% is typically the maximum allowable DTI.
Equity — The amount of vested or owned interest in your property. Subtract the total balance owed on the property from the appraised value to determine your equity.
FICO Scores: Most lenders use the FICO scoring system to qualify borrowers. The FICO score is a number assigned from each of the three main credit repositories (Experian, Trans-Union, and Equifax). This number is calculated based on your complete credit profile and takes into account late payments, balances on trade lines, inquiries for additional credit, judgments, bankruptcies, total debt, length of credit history, and more. The lower the FICO score, the higher the lender’s risk.
LTV: Loan to Value Ratio. For example: a loan amount of $75,000 on a home valued at $100,000 equals an LTV of 75%. Your equity would equal $25,000, or 25%. The higher the LTV ratio, the higher the lender’s risk.
Stated Income: Your own statement of income on the application versus income that can be independently verified. Use of stated income is an excellent option for self-employed individuals or those with hard to prove income.
Getting a mortgage for a home purchase can be stressful. If you understand the lingo being used, you will find it less so.
Dan Lewis is a mortgage broker with www.gwhomeloans.com - San Diego mortgage brokers providing home loans and refinances. Visit gwhomeloans.com/services.html to learn more about options for San Diego mortgages.
Real Estate & More13 Oct 2008 01:57 am
Why Get a Home Equity Loan?
If you’re a homeowner, chances are that you’ve been deluged with offers from finance companies to lend you money based on the equity you have invested in your home. A home equity loan is a loan extended to you that is secured by your home. The amount of the loan is based on how much ‘equity’ you have invested in your home. The basic explanation of ‘equity’ is ‘the difference between your home’s value and how much you still owe on the mortgage’.
In other words, if you bought your home for $125,000 and put $20,000 down on it, financing $105,000, then your equity in your home on the day that you close the deal is $20,000. Now imagine several years pass. You’ve paid off $15,000 toward your mortgage - but at the same time, the value of your house has increased to $175,000. Your equity in your home is now $85,000: $175,000 (your home’s current value) - $90,000 (the amount you still owe on your home) = $85,000.
A home equity loan allows you to turn the equity you have in your home into cash by borrowing money and using your home as collateral to insure that you’ll repay it. If you default on the loan, the bank or housing agency can force the sale of your home to recover its money.
There are many reasons that people apply for home equity loans, though most fall into a few broad categories. The reason for taking out a home equity loan will often determine what kind of loan you apply for.
Debt Consolidation
By far one of the biggest reasons that homeowners apply for a home equity loan is to consolidate their debts. If you have outstanding debt to several different creditors at several different interest rates, it’s often to your benefit to consolidate all those loans. To do that, you can take out a home equity loan for the amount that you owe on all your debts together - or more - then use that money to pay off all your outstanding debts in full. By doing that, you trade writing several checks each month for writing one check, which is often less than the amount that you’ve been paying on all of the debts combined. This is because you’re also trading in the higher interest rates on your credit cards and loans for a lower interest rate on one loan. Chances are that you’ve also set a fixed time to pay back that loan, most often 15 years, though it could be as little as five or as much as thirty.
Home Improvements
If you want to make improvements or repairs to your home, it only makes sense to get the money OUT of your home to do it. Home improvements are one of the top five reasons that homeowners give for taking out home equity loans. If the reason for making improvements is to increase the home’s value or prepare it for a sale, then you should definitely take a look at the home improvements that return the most on your investment. In many cases, when the reason for taking out a home equity loan is to pay for home improvements, the homeowner applies for a home equity line of credit rather than a flat out loan.
Weddings, Vacations and College
Special events like weddings and vacations are the third most popular reason for taking out a home equity loan. For a wedding or other special event, where there will be multiple payments made to different merchants, a home equity line of credit is often a better choice than a lump sum home equity loan.
Joseph Kenny is the webmaster of the loan information sites www.selectloans.co.uk/ and also www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk. At the Personal Loan Store you can find some of the latest secured home loans explained in detail.
Real Estate & More12 Oct 2008 04:45 pm
Mortgage Equity Withdrawal - The Refinancing Trend
Mortgage Equity Withdrawal is the formal name for equity refinance, reverse mortgages or simply home loans based on equity (as the security for the loan).
Mortgage Equity Withdrawal rose to 8.7 billion pounds in the second quarter of this year to its highest since the third quarter last year, official data showed (on Tuesday 4th Oct 2005).
Mortgage Equity Withdrawal is a measure of the equity Britons have extracted from their homes but which they have not re-invested in property.
Sharply rising house prices in the last few years have encouraged a trend where Britons refinance their mortgages to extract cash which many economists say has helped support spending.
The Bank of England said that Mortgage Equity Withdrawal was up sharply from 6.437 billion in the first quarter of this year although it is still well below the 14.5 billion seen one year ago, when house prices were rising more than 20 percent annually.
The Bank of England has since cut interest rates by a quarter of 1% to 4.5 percent which could support Mortgage Equity Withdrawal in coming months, particularly as there are signs that the property market may be stabilizing after a year of stagnation.
As a percentage of post-tax income, Mortgage Equity Withdrawal rose to 4.2 percent from 3.2 percent in the first quarter of the year but is well down on 7.3 percent seen a year ago.
” Mortgage Equity Withdrawal appears to have found its way into increased holdings of financial assets (equities, bonds) as much as extra spending,” said Geoffrey Dicks, UK economist at RBS Financial Markets.
“Generally the pick-up in Mortgage Equity Withdrawal is probably indicative of more `normalization’ of the housing market but while it is saved rather than spent, the policy implications are not huge.”
Official data last month (September) showed the saving ratio rose to 5 percent in the second quarter of this year from 4.5 percent in Q1 (also of this year).
Separate figures showed UK residential construction barely grew in September, putting in its weakest monthly performance since May.
But what does this mean in real terms?
There are several key points in this statement, these are:
1.People are refinancing their homes because of increased value
2.People are not necessarily spending the money on the property
3.People are not necessarily spending the money in the high street
These three points are important to all of us, not just the policy makers. Here’s why.
Let’s consider the first point, people are refinancing there homes because the equity has grown rapidly.
This statement tells us that the housing market although not sky rocketing as it was a couple of years ago, is none the less still rising.
The second point tells us that when people effectively withdraw this money it is not to improve the home itself, hence the equity of the property will not grow at a better rate than market rate.
The third point is perhaps most telling, people are not taking the money and spending it in a hap hazard manner but are potentially saving it (bonds, shares, bank accounts).
So what do this mean for us?
Well, it’s a bit of mixed signals heads up if you like.
The general population (property owners) are slipping into ever increasing levels of debt (if you’re refinancing your mortgage or ‘freeing up equity’ as the agents put it, you are effectively borrowing money) - unless it’s a reverse mortgage.
People who are refinancing are not improving the quality of the property with the money and so if the market takes a fall their property will devalue as much as the next property (whereas if they’d returned some of the capital into improvements they would at least be sitting on a lesser slump in value).
Finally, and perhaps the most damming sign is that people are saving more, this is not a good sign. In a healthy economy the rate of saving is low, this is primarily because confidence is high (people aren’t worried about the bills or their jobs) but the fact that more people are now starting to save money rather then spending it means that the retail sector will be taking a hit, this means that the bottom end jobs will be in danger, this in turn has a knock on effect in the service sector and becomes a vicious circle - the end result being market stagnentation .
But what this trend does illustrate quite simply is that you can potentially get more money back in savings interest than you pay out in refinancing interest - so at the moment the smart moneys in equity refinance.
The author, Paul Foley, is a successful counselor and Webmaster of the refinance information site www.mortgagehelp4u.comThe site is dedicated to providing information to those who need it regarding getting out of debt by means of financial tools. Paul also runs the site www.cash-sense.com/cashsense.html - make money the easy way.
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