Conventional loans
Conventional loans are, as opposed to the so-called non-conventional loans, any type of mortgage or loan which is not insured and/or guaranteed by any of the governmental institutions.
Due to this aspect it is obvious that this was the first loan type to be dispensed by the local lenders.
These loans have some very interesting advantageous aspects which will definitely interest many borrowers. But beware, as there are certain details which can be considered less attractive to many. This article will discuss the different aspects of the conventional loan and inform you of what you need to be weary of.
To start off with we list the most common advantages of this loan type:
A set amortization and interest rate
The freedom to negotiate certain loan fees with the lender
The possibility of comortgators
It is not always compulsory to use your home (which is the usual means of collateral) as collateral
The first mentioned advantage can for some mean the sence of security knowing that the interest rates will not rise or fall. But, if during the life of the loan the interest rate should fall below the rate you are currently paying, you are still stuck with the rate you initially got when obtaining the loan. Therefore there is no chance in getting a lower interest rate when the rates fall.
The other three advantages basically speak for themselves. There are of course other advantages such as the fact that the closing costs might be lowered by the lender. This is only in exchange for a higher interest rate. If you do not have the current funds for the closing costs but feel that you will be able to pay a higher interest rate then this option might be suitable.
As mentioned above, there are also, as is with most loan types, the less advantageous aspects of the conventional loan types. We list the most important below.
Interest rates are set by the lender and might exceed the rates of the VA and FHA loans.
Often (when LTV is higher than 80%) the lender will make personal mortgage insurance compulsory
No chance of getting a lower interest rate during the lif of the loan (see above)
In some cases there are application and processing fees involved
Application process might take up more than a month.
Make sure, that when you are thinking of applying for one of the conventional loans you take into account the above. Ensure you have enough current funds to finance the closing costs, application costs and processing fees (if applicable) and that your credit rating and credit history are sound and up to date (most lenders require good credit rating from the borrower).
Applying for Auto Loans
The rising price tags of cars today have spawned auto loans with longer terms and alternative financing.
Although this page refers solely to the purchase of new cars, there are also car loans available for people looking to buy a used (second hand) car.
As mentioned below in the ‘features’ section the car loans are available with different amortization periods varying from 36 months to 72 months.
The same amortization periods will apply to car loans for used cars, although the usual maximum there is 60 months.
So, there is quite some information to take in when applying for an auto loan and in this article, we will explore its costs and features and grasp a better understanding of its components.
Finding out what you can afford
Let’s have a look at the many factors before you get approved. These factors include:
Your credit rating and payment history
The cost of the car
Your down payment
The amount to be financed
Car loans are considered secured loans, so the lender wants to ensure that the outstanding balance is never more than the market value of the car.
A ratio in the 36 to 42 percent range will probably get your loan approved. If the percentage is over 42 percent, approval is unlikely.
This quick check helps you choose which car you can realistically afford every month. Use the auto loan calculator to get a recommendation on the best loan for you. If the payments for the car you’ve chosen prove to be more than you can afford, choose a lower-priced car.
Features of Auto Loans
Length of the loan
Car loans usually run 36, 48, 60 or 72 months. The longer the term, the more of total interest you pay. The benefit to a longer-length loan is the smaller monthly payments.
Interest rate
You want to know the annual percentage rate (APR) of the loan stated over a 12-month period. Lenders quote lower interest rates for new cars and higher rates for used cars.
Total finance costs
The total finance cost is your bottom line cost.
Monthly due dates
In many cases, you can request a specific date of the month when your payment is due.
Charges for prepayments and late payments
Find out what the charges are for prepayments and late payments.
Life and disability insurance
This insurance pays off your loan if you die or become disabled during the loan period.
Lien holders
When you borrow money to buy a car, the lender places a lien on the title of the car. This assures the financial institution that loaned you the money that it can repossess the car if you default on the car loan.
Need a personal loan for bad credit?
Having a good credit rating is a wonderful financial tool, but having that good rating takes good management from you, both to establish that credit rating initially and to maintain your good rating.
In this ‘personal loan for bad credit’ article, we explore different options of establishing credit. If you have credit problems and in need for a ‘poor credit home loan’, you need to re-establish your good credit rating.
However, there are loans for people with a bad credit history. Usually called A Minus loans, for borrowers whose credit normally would not allow them to get a mortgage. Other names for these ‘poor credit home loans’: Timely Payment Rewards Mortgages, Affordable Merit Mortgages, and other similar names.
These personal loans for bad credit have some common features:
They start out at a higher interest rate than the normal rate.
If the borrower makes all of the payments on time for the first 24 months, the interest rate is lowered.
If you do not qualify for standard loans, ask your lender about a personal loan for bad credit. If the problem is such that no lender can make you the loan, sit down with your lender and find out exactly what you need to do to correct it and how long after that before you can make application again.
Note – Will a loan denial affect your credit?
No. Being turned down for a loan is not in itself bad credit. Nothing on your credit report will ever show that you were turned down for a home loan.
Sometimes you cannot get a personal loan for bad credit. What do you need to do to repair a poor credit history? If you need to re-establish your credit history, then follow these suggestions to establish credit:
Start a checking/savings account
Establish yourself with a bank by maintaining a checking account or a savings account is a good first step in money management.
Secure a personal loan
This is not a personal loan for bad credit! After you accumulate some money in your savings account, consider transferring that money to a certificate of deposit (CD) with a higher interest rate for a specific period of time. Then request a small personal loan, secured with your CD, from your banker.
Apply for a merchant charge card
This is another way to go around a personal loan for bad credit. Find a store that has a short-term 90-day payment system similar to a layaway program. This is how it works: the store holds your selection (such as a microwave) until you finish paying for it, within the 90-day period. When you have completely paid for it, you get it and the start of a credit background with that store.
Apply for a secured bank credit card
A process similar to securing a personal loan.
Request a cosigner
If you can’t get a personal loan for bad credit then try to get a relative or good friend with an excellent credit background to act as a cosigner. Basically, your friend or relative guarantees to repay your loan if you don’t pay it back.
Correcting errors in your credit report
Sometimes you find yourself in need of a personal loan for bad credit because of errors in your credit report. Reporting errors such as the following can occur:
Someone else’s account information is on your report
Information on the account is outdated
Tax liens that you paid and judgments in your favor are not shown as paid and released
Multiple listings are indicated for one account
Personal date is inaccurate
If any of these errors, that had caused your need for a personal loan for bad credit, apply to your report, follow these procedures:
1. Contact the credit bureau in writing, describing the error in detail and your request for a correction.
2. Mail documentation by certified mail to assure proper handling.
3. Continue to be diligent in contacting the credit bureau by telephone and by written correspondence until you receive satisfactory information.
If your dispute is resolved, the credit bureau sends you an updated report showing the negative information removed.
Bridge Loans
This loan type is used for a brief period of time until the lender can put up the permanent financing by selling the current real estate. Therefore, you can say the existing real estate is used as collateral.
For example when someone has not yet sold his/her current property but wishes to acquire a new home they can aid the lender (buyer of the new home) in completing that new home purchase. The new home is then bought with the loan, and the amount raised by selling the existing home is used to pay off the bridge loan.
The general amortization period is between 6 and 36 months. But the key aspect of this loan type is the swift funding of the required amount. An aspect which is of course of utmost necessity when making a spontaneous purchase.
This can be used not only for home buying but also for buy-outs, foreclosures, restructuring, cash out, construction purposes and business mergers.
The most commonly used reasons are for business mergers, investments and buy-outs. As you would imagine after reading the explanation above there are several interesting advantages to be gained from this type of loan. Listed are the advantages:
Swift funding of the loan
Large amounts of $250,000 to a million (some institutions will provide even larger amounts)
No prepayment penalties
Negotiable interest rates
However, there are of course a few details to which close attention must be paid before obtaining a bridge loan. When in doubt, ask your mortgage advisor to look at your financial situation and equity value.
They must be secured with real estate (your existing home as collateral).
Repayment usually within the short time-frame of six to thirtysix months.
Finally, another interesting point when using your home or other property as collateral to acquire a new purchase is that you will have a much stonger negotiating position with bridge loans. The sale of your current real estate will guarantee the borrower that you can pay back the loan.
Buying a Home in 10 Steps
Find out the process of buying a home in 10 steps. From finding your house and obtaining a mortgage until the closure.
You will probably be making the biggest purchase of your life. It is a process which takes careful consideration because you (and your family) will be making it your home for years to come.
To aid you in this process we will list the most important steps at which you should look carefully.
First tip for buying a home
Do not be naive when it comes to the legal aspects of buying a home. There will be a lot of documents which need to be signed and thorougly read. If in doubt, always contact your lawyer. The terms and conditions can be misleading and incoherent, so if you are unsure of yourself, get some professional aid.
Second tip
Carefully study your financial situation. You can judge your situation by asking yourself the following questions:
Do I have a steady source of income? Have I been employed on a regular basis for the past 2 years? Can I rely on my current income?
Is my credit history sound? Are the bills payed on time each month?
Are there any other longstanding debts which need paying off?
Do I have sufficient funds for a possible down payment?
Will I be able to pay off the mortgage payments each month?
If the answers to the above mentioned questions are negative, it will be hard to find the right mortgage. Try to manage your current situation so you will be able to give more favorable answers (for the lender) to the questions when buying a home.
Third tip
Think about what your ideal house should have. What does it require to fulfil your needs. For example, one bedroom or two (maybe you wish to expand the family). Garden or no garden? Etc.
Fourth tip
Find the right broker. Find a reliable broker with whom you feel comfortable.
Fifth tip for buying a home
Find the right mortgage for you. A mortgage is of course the most important aspect of buying a home. Pay close attention and do your research. Here are the most common mortgages available:
Fixed Rate Mortgages (FRM) – FRMs are still considered the best types of loans available for many people due the simple fixed rate concept. This entails that the interest rate will not fluctuate over time. Read more about fixed rate mortgages.
Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) � The main difference in regard to the FRM is the fluctuating mortgage rate. This is dependent on outside influences such as the prime interest rate. The main advantage is that the rate can be favorably low at times. Read more about adjustable rate mortgages.
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) A government-insured mortgage with the following advantages:
– You can put down less cash to qualify under liberal guidelines
– There is no maximum limit on income to qualify
Read more about FHA loans.
VA loans (Veterans Administration) – VA loans benefit borrowers who are eligible veterans. Liberal qualifying, little or no cash down, relatively high loan amount. Read more about VA loans.
Click here to apply for one of the above mentioned mortgages.
Sixth tip
Find the house you wish to buy. There are several ways of buying a home such as:
Buying a built home. Buy a used home which you feel already caters for your needs.
Build a house.
Manufactured home
Rehab a home (fix up the house)
Seventh tip
Get the home inspected. Before making an offer it is good to get the home inspected by an independant authorized home inspector.
Eighth tip
Get the house appraised. The lender requires you to do this when buying a home to assure that the amount you loan is not more than the value of the house. For this process it is advantageous to call in the help of an appraiser or your broker.
Ninth tip
Get a homeowners insurance. This is for the benefit of you and the lender when buying a home.
Tenth tip for buying a home
Settlement (closing). The closing is often the most confusing step of buying a home, which can involve several persons, documents which need signing and several fees to pay. However, the settlement procedure may be a lot simpler when you have a better grasp of the process.
Conventional loans
Conventional loans are, as opposed to the so-called non-conventional loans, any type of mortgage or loan which is not insured and/or guaranteed by any of the governmental institutions.
Due to this aspect it is obvious that this was the first loan type to be dispensed by the local lenders.
These loans have some very interesting advantageous aspects which will definitely interest many borrowers. But beware, as there are certain details which can be considered less attractive to many. This article will discuss the different aspects of the conventional loan and inform you of what you need to be weary of.
To start off with we list the most common advantages of this loan type:
A set amortization and interest rate
The freedom to negotiate certain loan fees with the lender
The possibility of comortgators
It is not always compulsory to use your home (which is the usual means of collateral) as collateral
The first mentioned advantage can for some mean the sence of security knowing that the interest rates will not rise or fall. But, if during the life of the loan the interest rate should fall below the rate you are currently paying, you are still stuck with the rate you initially got when obtaining the loan. Therefore there is no chance in getting a lower interest rate when the rates fall.
The other three advantages basically speak for themselves. There are of course other advantages such as the fact that the closing costs might be lowered by the lender. This is only in exchange for a higher interest rate. If you do not have the current funds for the closing costs but feel that you will be able to pay a higher interest rate then this option might be suitable.
As mentioned above, there are also, as is with most loan types, the less advantageous aspects of the conventional loan types. We list the most important below.
Interest rates are set by the lender and might exceed the rates of the VA and FHA loans.
Often (when LTV is higher than 80%) the lender will make personal mortgage insurance compulsory
No chance of getting a lower interest rate during the lif of the loan (see above)
In some cases there are application and processing fees involved
Application process might take up more than a month.
Make sure, that when you are thinking of applying for one of the conventional loans you take into account the above. Ensure you have enough current funds to finance the closing costs, application costs and processing fees (if applicable) and that your credit rating and credit history are sound and up to date (most lenders require good credit rating from the borrower).
FHA loans
Get FHA loans with less down payment and liberal qualifying.
There are many forms of Federal Housing Administration loan types: for people who want to fix up a house, for people with no money, for people with bad credit. You name it and they probably have it.
These loans were intended as a means by which borrowers, usually moderate income and/or first time buyers, could get a loan with less down payment and liberal qualifying. The federal government insures the loans through FHA, because most lenders would be reluctant to make a loan like this. You cannot find a stronger way of insurance than by the full faith and credit of the United States government.
The government insures these FHA loans by means of a Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP). FHA does not provide the money, only the insurance. The MIP is divided into two parts:
The up-front MIP – financed into the loan amount
The renewal premium – escrowed into the monthly payment
The FHA sets the guidelines under which these loans are approved, closed, and insured. These rules are more liberal and have several significant differences compared to the conventional ones. These applications are taken by lenders approved by the Federal Housing Administration. These lenders can approve the loan and close it. The lender then applies for insurance coverage from the FHA. With that insurance in place, the loan can then be sold to the secondary market as a government-insured loan.
You can put down less cash to qualify under liberal guidelines
There is no maximum limit on income to qualify
Cons:
There is a maximum on the loan amount
This amount is not nearly so high as conventional loans
The reason the loan amounts are less is that the Federal Housing Administration is geared toward first-time buyers or borrowers who cannot afford higher-priced homes and the cash down payments they would require.
Qualifying for FHA loans
The Federal Housing Administration used to qualify by a residual income method that only a statistician could appreciate. Now, they use, just like conventional loans, gross qualifying, but with the following higher ratios:
29% of gross monthly income for housing expense
41% of gross monthly income for housing expense and all monthly depts with over six months to pay off
FHA now accepts computer underwriting. Its computer underwriting will allow lower credit scores and the lender can issue an approval within one to two hours from the beginning of application. It used to take as long as 30 to 45 days.
An important thing to keep in mind is that if you pay off FHA loan early, part of the MIP, Mortgage Insurance Premium, will be refunded to you. The longer you hold the loan, the less is refunded.
And finally, in summary the advantages of FHA loans:
1. Liberal qualifying
2. Less down payment required
3. Assumable
4. Can make resale higher and/or quicker
5. Insured by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government
The disadvantages:
1. There is a MIP regardless of the LTV (Loan-to-Value)
2. The MIP is higher than on conventional loans
3. The loan limits are lower than conventional