Thursday, January 7, 2010

Mortgage Calculators - Useful Tool to Compare Various Aspects of Your Home Mortgage



As soon as it comes to your home mortgage, you might have several issues. You would be keen on getting the best deal for your money. If you are aware of interest rates, you might be wondering whether you would like a variable rate mortgage or fixed rate mortgage. There are pros and cons to both and you would like to take care that you completely know what the results can be in due course. Interest rates can be extremely puzzling and you possibly will not make out where to start on.



You possibly will need to speak to your potential lender to perceive what their recommendation is. They will be the most well-informed in the entire course of action. You might as well need to make use of a mortgage calculator to evaluate all kinds of rate to make out what rate will provide you the best payment along with the shortest tenure. These are readily available over the internet and moreover are free to use.

In addition, a free online mortgage calculator will allow you contrast lengths of tenures as well.



You might need to have a shorter loan that will have a higher payment, on the other hand you would be able to pay back your loan a great deal sooner and this can help secure your future. If you would like a lower payment every month, you will have to look at a longer tenure to note if this will offer you a payment you can manage to pay for.

A free online calculator may as well help you find out what your debt to income ratio is and this can come as big surprise. You might not realize how much debt you have brought upon yourself over the years and this kind of calculator can help make you aware and you can subsequently take the steps to transform it.



Besides a free online mortgage calculator will as well help you to compare lenders to make out which one has provided you the most excellent rates. You might next be able to narrow your lender options down to a few and do the rest of the exclusion from there. A mortgage is something you will have for a lot of years to come, and you would like to take care that you plan yourself for this extremely long experience.

Additionally you might as well have to get a copy of your credit record earlier than you submit an application and take care that there is no harmful details being accounted.



If you have some doubts on some entries, it might be an excellent idea to correct this earlier than you submit an application to take care that you find the most excellent rates. A free online mortgage calculator can help you get ready for the loan procedure and let you to evaluate interest rates. The home you have longed for years might be just within your reach and if you get ready for this and plan accordingly, you will be a step closer to move into your new home.






Interest Rates Could Be Worse



If you are looking to borrow, don't let interest rates scare you. Despite how the increase is being played up in the media, they aren't that bad yet.

Yes, those with alternative and adjustable-rate mortgages are going to be feeling a crunch when the interest rates adjust. Especially those that did not plan into the future. But there are many wise homeowners that made sure that they could afford any adjustments that could occur. Others are taking the opportunity to refinance right now for a fixed-rate mortgage.



And yes, rates have gone up quite significantly in the past two years. But you have to look at where they started off. Interest rates were at record low levels. You don't have to look too far in the past (say back to 2000) to find 30-year fixed rates in the low eights. In many expert opinions, interest rates remain at a modest level for the average borrower.

See the key isn't necessarily found in the rate itself. The key is in buying what you can afford. Regardless of the rate. You may find that with price appreciation, you may have to buy a less expensive home.



Will the interest rate hurt you that badly?

If you are planning on a $300,000 mortgage, you may have to settle for a $285,000 one. That is the qualifying difference between a 6% and 6.5% mortgage.

Don't worry about the gloom and doom that is predicted by many financial writers. It isn't universal and it may not apply to you. Many areas of the country are seeing booms while others are seeing busts. Prices are still going up in some areas, while prices are on the decline in others.



In fact, all markets cycle up and down. They go up, adjust themselves down and then go up again. If you are a current homeowner worried about the market affecting your property value, you probably don't have much to worry about. If you maintain your home and live in a decent neighborhood, over time the fluctuations should level you out to a reasonable rate of appreciation.

Don't simply assume that you won't be able to sell your home. Those with homes priced according to the area will find a buyer.



There may not be a bidding war, but there will be a buyer.

Regardless of your situation, you shouldn't panic just yet. Rates will go up gradually, not jump all at once. You can adjust your budget over time.

Part of wise financial management is making decisions based on your individual finances, not the market or average or lender's advice. Look to what you can afford, when you can afford it. Make your decisions wisely. After all, those with no debt don't worry about interest rates.

Martin Lukac (http://www.



MartinLukac.com), represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!


Build Your Home On A Strong Foundation: Go For Bad Credit Mortgage Loan



Whenever you apply for a mortgage loan, a lender will definitely cross check your credit score from the credit reporting agencies, such as FICO. Your credit rating is a crucial factor influencing approval of loan and the terms and conditions of the loan. It is difficult but not impossible to get loan in case you suffer from a troubled credit history. Many lenders are willing to offer loans to such borrowers.



Bad credit mortgage loan is especially designed for those borrowers who wish to mortgage their existing home to get cash or want to purchase a new home mortgaging the same but have a poor credit rating.



Lenders of bad credit mortgage loan offer loan based on your financial status and individual circumstances. It will be easy for you to avail a loan if you have a stable income or some valuable property to put forth as collateral.



The woes are graver for the first-time buyers having a bad credit history as they have lean finances, no home to offer as collateral and inexperience in buying home. For first-time buyers, there are first-time buyer mortgage loans available in the market.



There are basically two types of bad credit mortgage loan: • Cash out mortgage refinancing loan • Home equity loan



You should take into care a few things when you plan to go for a bad credit mortgage loan. Try to look for a property that has good equity value when you purchase it. This will enable you to get a loan easily and at favourable terms and conditions. Consult a mortgage broker who will guide you to avail the best mortgage deal from a lender.



Mortgage brokers have relationship with flexible mortgage lenders and thus are a big help in availing a favourable mortgage loan deal for the borrowers having a poor credit history.



Last, but not the least, you should try to improve your credit rating so that you face minimum hassles in getting a loan in future.




Investment Property Portfolio's - 6 Key Strategies for a Smart Loan



A booming market for buy-to-let and investment property portfolios has created the need for new types of mortgages and investment property loan facilities. Securing finance for buy to let and holiday rental properties classed as an “investment property loan”, has never been easier and many of the main lenders have transformed their lending criteria to support property entrepreneurs.



Historically lenders were reluctant to support property investors unless they had serious investment equity ranging from 25-40% of a given properties value.



The latest range of financial offerings, are now more in-line with existing household mortgages where buy to let loans are available for up to 90% of the value of the property. The criteria for lending, depends very much on the anticipated yields for the property and to some degree on solid business plans and logic that reflect capital growth in the investment. With a myriad of product offerings available it maybe difficult for a prospective property investor to determine what constitutes a good offer from a financial institution.



The best investment property lenders will look and consider 6 key elements in their risk assessment. So it is very important that you as the proposer understand clearly and prepare in advance a plan that accurately presents your facts in order to pitch smartly to get the finance you need.



6 key Investment Property Loan points



Equity available – Know what you have in terms of tangible equity in your home, other investments in assets, and liquidity. Use this valuable information to form the basis of calculating your security to finance the investment plan.



This ensures to the lender that you have a sound knowledge of your strategy in investing and you have a good consideration in managing your risk.



Interest Rate Percentages – It is generally anticipated that the higher the investment deposit the better the mortgage rate. Buy-to-let mortgages rarely attract the discounts that home mortgages attain. However interest rate benefits are gained if you are prepared to put up front 20 – 25% of the loan value.



Try and avoid low deposits as the rates for larger deposits will be more attractive both in the short-term overhead reduction and long-term gain.



Current debts – Ideally all outstanding mortgage and loan liabilities or commitments should be understood and declared when requesting the finance. This will determine the maximum loan available to you for your investment project. Ideally this should be considered in advance of any property speculation or viewing of proposed properties.



You may also find through this process that it presents an excellent opportunity to consolidate current finance and reduce overheads through the consolidation process.



Current Income or Salary – Lenders will often consider salary and income within the mix of calculating repayments. Multiples of salary are often considered along with the yields or estimated monthly rental incomes from the property portfolio. Important to the property investment will be the current state of the property and whether the property requires investment in refurbishment or modification to enable tenants or renters to occupy.



Tax liability Reduction – You can often save money by offsetting your mortgage payments, maintenance costs and agents fees against rental income. This will ultimately reduce tax liabilities against any profits made in rental and capital growth.



Insure properly – Accidental damage caused by renters or tenants does occur as does general wear and tear. So, make sure that you invest in adequate insurance and don’t let these costly overheads affect your profits. There are specialized landlord and investment property insurers who will cover your property for these eventualities and once again these fees should be tax-deductable.



Summary:



Investing in a property portfolio can be a lucrative venture provided that you are prepared and you understand and manage your risks. Lenders will look for good credible knowledge of the investment and will make assessments based on the six points raised earlier. An ill-conceived plan and approach will unlikely attract the finance desired from leading financial institutions. Alternative sources of finance may be available to you, although you should expect to pay significantly higher costs in terms of interest payments set-up fees and management costs.



If the numbers don’t add up in the plan the leading lenders will not support your venture. If this is the case then veer towards prudence and carefully rethink the 6 key steps to a smart loan.