วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 7 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2551

Thought Fixed rate mortgage will give you a respite from the perils of variable rates! Think again

Thought Fixed rate mortgage will give you a respite from the perils of variable rates! Think again
By Andrew Baker
Slight increases in the interest rates raise your hackles. Tension grips your mind as to how you are going to make the extra payment. Preparations begin right then to provide for the repayment, though it requires a huge cut in the monthly expenses.
Cautious is what describes your state. A fixed rate mortgage will be the solution to the stress that they are facing as to the repayment.
A fixed rate mortgage, as the name suggests limits the interest rate to a particular level. The borrower is protected against any increases in the interest rate. He keeps on making a lower repayment, when his contemporaries who did not have a fixed rate to protect them, pay a higher interest.
Apart from the savings that a fixed rate results into, it also has an added advantage. The borrower is not required to make regular calculations considering the newer rates. He keeps on paying the same monthly repayment that he paid at the beginning.
This however is not free from any disadvantages. We deal with the disadvantages of the fixed rate mortgages in the following paragraphs.
A borrower normally opts for a fixed rate mortgage to protect him/ her from hikes in interest rates. But they fail to consider a situation when the interest rates start falling. The entire statistics of the borrower fails and he feels cheated.
In such a scenario he is left with no options except to continue making the repayments, or look for refinancing the mortgage through remortgage. Continuing with the repayments will mean that the mortgagor pays higher than what he actually owes.
Even remortgaging will not produce the desired results. The lenders accept to remortgage the fixed rate mortgage only when they find it having some potential. Also the borrower will have to accept the remortgage at the lenders terms. This means that the borrower will have to face a loss in both the cases – whether he chooses to continue repaying or he goes for a remortgage.
The second drawback of a fixed rate mortgage is that the rate of interest is not kept fixed for the entire period of repayment. The interest rate is fixed for the initial few years. After that the borrower has to pay a repayment according to the interest rate prevailing in the market.
Other alternative interest rates can be tried to get the optimum method of charging interest. The other methods commonly utilized are as follows:
• Variable interest rateIt is the vicissitudes presented by a variable rate that leads to people going for a fixed rate mortgage. These are desirable till the interest rates are falling. Once the interest rates start ascending they become a menace.
• Capped rateA capped rate combines the good points of both fixed rate and variable rate mortgage. The interest rate is allowed to fall freely, but not allowed to rise above a particular level. This means that the borrower is assured that he will always pay a lower amount. But the period of capped rate is limited. The normal period for which the rate is capped ranges from 1 to 5 years.
• Discount rateA discounted rate is a cut-off allowed by the lender during a small period. This is normally allowed in case of first time buyer mortgages. The first time buyer is not burdened with the excessive repayments from day one. The borrower can get the mortgage refinanced after the completion of the discount period to avoid paying higher rates.
• Tracker rateWhile lenders assure that they will incorporate any changes in the interest rate right from the time it is effected, they seldom do. This means that till your lender incorporates the downfall in the interest rates, you have lost several pounds. A tracker rate is linked directly to the base rate and helps to save in case the interest rates fall.
Thus the next time you plan to take a mortgage, take stock of the various interest options available. You don’t have to stick to the variable interest rate. Neither is fixed rate the only option available to you. Capped rate, discounted rates and tracker rates can also be taken to suit the situation one is in.
Summary:
A fixed rate mortgage, as the name suggests limits the interest rate to a particular level. The borrower is protected against any increases in the interest rate. He keeps on making a lower repayment, when his contemporaries who did not have a fixed rate to protect them, pay a higher interest.
Andrew baker has done his masters in finance from CPIT. He is engaged in providing free, professional, and independent advice to the residents of the UK.He works for the personal loan web site www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk for any type of uk secured loans and unsecured loan please visit www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

Devising newer ways of repayment

Devising newer ways of repayment
By Andrew Baker
How good would it have been had there been no obligation to repay the loan or mortgage? This is what most people think when required to make the monthly repayments. But try as much as they can, they are never able to change the situation. s
The borrower has to cut his monthly expenses to provide for the repayment. The amount to be repaid includes the principal amount of the loan and the interest calculated based on the rate of interest prevailing in the market. This is the traditional method of repayment.
The loan amount is broken into a number of small parts for an easy repayment. The number of parts corresponds with the term of repayment. Thus, if the loan or mortgage is to be repaid in a period of five years, the number of equal parts of the loan will be 60. The repayments are to be made on a monthly or quarterly basis.
An improvement in the method above was made to reduce the burden of a borrower. The borrower is required to pay regular monthly installments as in the earlier method. After a certain number of installments the borrower can pay the remaining balance of the loan with a single balloon payment.
An alternative of the traditional method of repayment is an interest only repayment. In this type of repayment, the borrower is required to pay only the interest. At the end of the term of repayment or any particular time period desired by the borrower, the balance on the loan is repaid in full.
The monthly repayment in the interest only method is far lesser than in the former method. This is because the monthly repayment in case of the former includes both principal and interest. It is on this count that people prefer to repay through the interest only method. However, this method of repayment increases the cost of the loan.
A repayment vehicle is created to repay the loan or mortgage at the end of the term of repayment. The borrower is required to pay a monthly figure into the repayment vehicle.
Pensions, endowment policies, and individual savings account are the most important repayment vehicles. Pensions are widely used for repayment of the loan or mortgage amount. An added advantage in case of the pension policy is that the employer pays half of the amount of pensions. Thus effectively speaking, the borrower spends only half the amount in the repayment. Being tax free, these repayment vehicles offer a cheap means of repayment.
Another method of repayment which is not very popular but can be used for short term loans is the payment of principal and interest in one installment. This is helpful for people who need funds during contingencies. They can pay off the loan when the situation improves. An advantage of this type of loan is that the interest cost is lesser.
If you find that the methods discussed above are rigid as to the amount of monthly installments and the mode of repayment, then the equal principal payments will be helpful. The interest in this method is calculated in declining balance method. Thus, it means that the repayments change every month according to the reduced balance.
Early or premature repayment of the loan or mortgage (if permitted by the lender) is another repayment method. Before signing any documents for loans and mortgages, one must see properly if the lender does not prohibit early repayment with a penalty clause. Refinancing a loan or remortgaging a mortgage can help customers get rebate for early repayment. These transfer the loan or mortgage to another lender. So the borrowers can benefit from a lower rate of interest and a rebate for early repayment.
Whatever be the method chosen, the ultimate end of it would be the repayment of the loan or mortgage in full. All forms of repayment have their respective pros and cons. A perfect match between the pros and cons of the repayment methods and the individual financial condition must be established in order to derive the best method of repayment. There is not always an easy return from a particular method of repayment. A wrong repayment method can be precarious to ones financial health.
SummaryLenders offer a number of repayment methods to settle loans and mortgages. Customers can choose the method which best suits them. Just choosing an interest only method for the low monthly repayment will be unwise. This is because it will necessitate a lump sum payment at the end of the term of repayment. One must choose the method only if they feel that they can provide for such amount at the specified time. Know more about the other repayment methods in this article.
Andrew baker has done his masters in finance from CPIT. He is engaged in providing free, professional, and independent advice to the residents of the UK.He works for the personal loan web site www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk for any type of uk secured loans and unsecured loan please visit www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

Commercially viable commercial mortgages

Commercially viable commercial mortgages
By Andrew Baker
Commercial mortgages are similar to residential mortgages. Usually taken by businesses, commercial mortgages are secured against business property.
Businesses have to make an important decision regarding the premises where the operations are to be carried. It is a buy or rent decision. By acquiring a property on rent, one is required to make a small monthly or quarterly payment. However, even after paying the rental for innumerable months you are not able to make inroads into the property ladder.
Buying property, on the other hand, will be intricately difficult for a newly set up business. This will require a bigger investment. Obviously, the share of production in the capital lessens. Commercial mortgages provide a solution to this paradoxical situation.
Businesses where real estate holds an important place will benefit most from commercial mortgages. Running hotels and resorts from rented properties is a cheaper short-term solution. However if you plan to stay longer, it will be necessary to learn the drawbacks. The property owner may raise the rental or does not renew the lease. Moving operations to a new place will be more inconvenient for these businesses.
Commercial mortgage creates an asset in the form of real estate. The organization can fall back on the premises for help in times of recession. Because of the higher risk involved the rate of interest is usually higher in commercial mortgages, as compared to the residential mortgages.
Specialist lenders are the best place to look for commercial mortgages. They understand the specific needs of every particular industry. Thus, they are able to provide better solutions. However, the borrowers will have to decide the specialist lenders out of the many lenders available. Brokers can save borrowers this effort by finding best lenders and best deals in commercial mortgages. These brokers charge a commission for their services. Few brokers charge commission directly from the lenders.
Apart from the interest and principal amount of commercial mortgage, there are certain fees that the borrower will have to bear. Some lenders charge about
0.5-1.5% of the mortgage as a processing fee. The amount varies with lenders. Some lenders do not even charge the processing fees. The borrower is also charged for the valuation of the property and preparation of legal documents. Some lenders also charge early redemption penalties. It will be necessary to read well between the lines to be aware of such clauses.
Available with variable and fixed rate options, commercial mortgages are repaid in a variety of methods. The borrowers can choose from paying fixed monthly payments of both interest and principal as in a repayment mortgage, or only the interest as in interest only mortgage. The manner in which the final payment is made classifies the methods into endowment mortgage, individual savings account mortgage, and pension mortgage.
The owner or the proprietor of the organization taking the commercial mortgage must have a good credit standing. Since the owner plays an important role in the management of the organization, the lenders would study the policies framed by the owner. The organization as a whole must be well run and managed, and must have a good credit history. Lenders generally demand audited accounts and bank statement showing the dealings of the business. A copy of the balance sheet will accompany these documents. If demanded, future projections for the company will have to be furnished.
Lenders usually charge a deposit of 20-30% of the amount of mortgage. Once the organization decides to take up the commercial mortgage, it must start preparing for the deposit. All the documents must be updated to make the approval process easier.
Summary
Commercial mortgages help businesses to operate from their own premises, without diverting the valuable resources away from production. Learn more about commercial mortgages and the way these can facilitate your business operations. Everything regarding the documents that will be required to the places where commercial mortgages are available is explained in this article.
Andrew baker has done his masters in finance from CPIT. He is engaged in providing free, professional, and independent advice to the residents of the UK.He works for the personal loan web site www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk for any type of uk secured loans and unsecured loan please visit www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

Mortgage advice to make mortgages a really smooth ride

Mortgage advice to make mortgages a really smooth ride
By Andrew Baker
Mortgages are easy as long as you understand them well. But how many borrowers can be confident of their knowledge of mortgages.
With the list of terms and terminologies related to mortgages growing fastly, it is difficult to keep pace with it. However, ignorance of law is no excuse. Therefore, it is necessary to be updated in the field of mortgages.
This will not require a wide knowledge of mortgages. A basic understanding of the mortgage terms and the impact that every mortgage decision has on the overall financial condition of the customer will be desirable.
Once the need for mortgage advice is created, it is easy to get it. There are various articles on the topic. Newspaper clippings, seminars etc. can be valuable source of information. Friends and relatives who have taken mortgages too can provide valuable information. These explain the various terms associated with mortgage in easy to understand language.
Nevertheless, whether or not the advice given is independent still needs to be ascertained. Independence of the advice is an important criterion by which borrowers rate its value. Some sources are just selling their mortgage products in the guise of independent mortgage providers. It is important to stay away from these advisors. They tend to hide the disadvantages of the products while enumerating its advantages.
Whether the person or any other source offering advice is competent to provide advice will be the next criterion to judge the usefulness of the advice. It is advisable to contact independent financial advisors for all queries related to mortgages. Independent financial advisors provide advice according to the guidelines of the Financial Services Authority.
The first thing to understand will be the type of mortgage to be taken. There are a number of mortgages designed for different purposes. First time buyer mortgage is for people who are buying home for the first time. Those who aim to repay the mortgage through house rent can take buy to let mortgage. Those aiming to provide for their old age take a pension mortgage. There are many more mortgages to choose from. Customers must be aware of the uses that each mortgage can be put to, and their inherent advantages and disadvantages.
Choosing the mode of repayment will be the next to decide. One can pay outright the principal and interest through a repayment mortgage, or can choose to pay only the interest through an interest only mortgage. Few more terminologies like fixed rate, variable rate and capped rate creep in when the decision regarding the way interest is to be charged needs to be decided.
The correct mortgage advice is one that is provided after studying the requirements of the customer and the risk that they would desire to entail. A mortgage taken without keeping the financial condition of the borrower will make the repayment difficult. The mortgagee or the mortgage provider will have to face some difficulty in getting the mortgage amount with the interest. However, he gets the balance on the mortgage after liquidation of the assets. The ultimate loser is the borrower. Hence, the onus of understanding the mortgage process rests on the borrower.
Summary
Mortgage is an important decision that puts the home at stake. Therefore, it would be wise to take the mortgage decisions with maximum awareness. This article enumerates the major concerns when taking mortgage advice.
Andrew baker has done his masters in finance from CPIT. He is engaged in providing free, professional, and independent advice to the residents of the UK.He works for the personal loan web site www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk for any type of uk secured loans and unsecured loan please visit www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

The Truth behind Pension Mortgages

The Truth behind Pension Mortgages
By Aditya Thakur
A pension mortgage may seem lucrative at the first sight. However, they seldom are, if the customers who took pension mortgage are to be believed.
Nevertheless, before delving into the ill consequences of the mortgage, let us observe why pension mortgages seem lucrative. The most eye-catching feature of pension mortgages, which lures people, is that the pension mortgage requires to be paid out of the pension amount, which one receives at the time of retirement. This is the feature, which drives people to go for pension mortgages.
While in most types of mortgages, the customer would have to pay the full repayment amount himself; in pension mortgage, he gets assistance from the government, though not directly. To every 78p, which a person contributes to the pension fund, the government contributes 22p (This is for a basic rate taxpayer. In case of those who are high rate taxpayers, the ratio changes to 60:40. This means that for every 60p contributed by the customer, governments share is 40p). Therefore, a customer is actually paying just 78 and 60 percent respectively. Besides, the customer is also getting tax relief for paying into the pension plan.
People normally do not like to burden their present life. Their optimism assures them that their future will be secure. Pension mortgage is basically an interest only mortgage. This means that they will have to pay significantly less on the mortgage as they are paying only the interest. People who desire more of immediate relief shall be pleased with the idea of paying less.
However, they have to pay the mortgage amount drawn. At the end of the term of repayment of the pension mortgage, the principal amount will remain unaffected. This is because all through the period of repayment the customer has been paying just the interest. This principal amount will have to be repaid with the help of pension. Normally 25% of the pension amount is available in cash. This may be used to pay the pension mortgage.
Taking these into account, pension mortgages seem to be the perfect mortgage. Neither is the customer forced into paying more on the monthly installment, nor does he face any difficulty in the final repayment.
But, what of the life after the pension mortgage is paid. Is the life ahead as smooth as the repayment? No, it is not. You have retired and have lost a source of income. You are not in the prime of age to device new sources of income. You need something to rely upon once you retire. Utilizing cash from pension fund for paying a pension mortgage will be inappropriate. This reduces the amount of pension available for the customer to use.
Another feature, which can be seen as exploitative, is that one cannot go for full and final repayment until the age of 50. This is because a person is not authorized to use any part of the pension fund before they reach the age of 50. Therefore, one will be able to repay the pension mortgage before maturity only out of other resources.
Yet another feature of pension mortgage, which will give you goose bumps, is that there is no guarantee of the pension fund being able to pay the pension mortgage. A pension fund is an investment linked to the stock market. The amount available on the pension fund will depend on the whims of the stock market. Thus, there can be a scenario where the lump sum received through pension is not able to pay the pension mortgage in full. The borrower in such cases may be called upon to meet the deficit through other resources.
A similar scenario may occur when the borrower is not able to pay into the pension fund because of unemployment or death. The house will be repossessed to pay off the pension mortgage. Taking a life assurance policy can be a counteractive measure. This will help pay off the pension mortgage at the time of repayment.
There are numerous lenders in the UK offering pension mortgages. Many of the lenders are available online. After having screened the lenders and making a list of few lenders, it will be good to contact the lenders personally.
Before taking a pension mortgage one must be extra vigilant. A pension mortgage can endanger your retirement life. Unbiased and professional advice on the viability of pension mortgage for your individual case will be beneficial.
Aditya has completed his masters in mass communications from Jamia University. If you need UK Personal Loans, secured Loans, unsecured loans visit www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk
Article source: www.loanarticles.co.uk

Council Right to Buy Mortgage

Council Right to Buy Mortgage – Helping Everyone Have a Home of Their Own
By Aditya Thakur
“We will help every Council Tenant to become Home Owners”With these historic words Margaret Thatcher initiated an equally historic concept of council right to buy scheme. However, the groundwork for this scheme had been laid much before in the 70s under the reigns of the labour government.
The council right to buy scheme, without being embroiled in any controversy regarding who set off the council right to buy scheme, was indeed momentous. It led many people, who would never have thought (capable would be a more appropriate word to describe their situation) to have their own homes.
So what is council right to buy scheme? Council right to buy scheme is a scheme under which the council tenants are eligible to buy the house in which they have been living.
Therefore, what is that which distinguishes the council right to buy scheme from the other schemes? It is different because the customer would have to pay much lesser than what he would have paid had he bought the house in the open market. This is because the customer is entitled to a discount for the number of years that he was staying in the house as a tenant.
The rate of discount varies with the type of residence and the location of the residence. A person residing in a house will be eligible for a discount of up to 30% with a further discount of 1% for every year lived as a tenant of the house. In cases of flats or maisonettes the rate of discount ranges from 44% to 70%, but not exceeding £38,000. The maximum rate of discount is admissible only in a few localities like the posh London and the Southeast areas of England.
To avail the scheme one must be a council tenant. A council tenant is a secured tenant who has been living since 5 years or more (the limit has been changed from 2 years with effect from 18th January 2005) in any of the following:
District council.London borough council.Non-charitable housing association or other registered social landlord.Housing action trust. County council or another similar body.Numerous lenders who have sensed the importance of the scheme offer mortgages especially designed to facilitate such purchases. These mortgages are called council right to buy mortgage.
A council right to buy mortgage offers to pay the price of the house. This will be an added attraction to the tenants to go for the scheme. The council tenants can pay off to the council from whom the house has been purchased, and then pay to the mortgage provider in easy and affordable installments. In fact, the monthly installment, which the tenant will have to pay, is lesser than the rent he had been paying. Moreover, while the rent is a sunk cost, the monthly installments facilitate you to have your own home.
Getting a council right to buy mortgage is not that easy. One must start the search process right from the day when they get the offer. The approval process normally takes around 3 months. To start the search late would mean getting the mortgage late. This could mean losing on the offer for council right to buy. The council tenant must also undertake a full structural survey of the property.
The customer must be fully aware of the various formalities that need to be met in case of a council right to buy mortgage. The internet can provide enough information about the mortgages. Independent financial advisors can provide useful advice about the various intricacies of the mortgage. A solicitor appointed by the council tenant will act on his behalf in all legal formalities. The solicitor will help in the documentation part of the council right to buy which includes forms like RTB1, RTB2, Section 125 notice, etc.
Next, one has to sort out one mortgage provider from the numerous contenders. This is the most basic step and astuteness in this step will decide how the mortgage fares in the long run. The initial screening can be done through the net. The mortgage providers have compiled the information about their operations and the products that they offer on their websites. Careful study of the information will help give a manageable list of 10-20 mortgage lenders. These mortgage lenders can be requested for their no obligation mortgage quotes. Few more mortgage providers are ousted in this stage. The customer then personally meets the remaining mortgage providers. This is the final stage of the selection process.
The last step will be to decide the amount of mortgage to be taken. This will be derived after valuation of the house by the council or housing association and deducting the discounts from the price.
Treading in a step by step manner will be time consuming but will ensure that one does not has to repent later. You would surely cherish the output, which this effort leads to. The output will be your home-your own home, a perfect allurement, for which you will be ready to take any efforts.
Summary
Council tenants, who have received offer of buying their council homes, but do not have resources to purchase the home, need not get disheartened. Council right to buy mortgage offers council tenants a convenient method of buying homes under the council right to buy scheme. This article explains the right to buy process along with providing vital information on council right to buy mortgage.
Aditya has completed his masters in mass communications from Jamia University. If you need UK Personal Loans, secured Loans, unsecured loans visit www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

Flexible Mortgages

Flexible Mortgages- Offering Relief from the Fixed Mortgage Payments
By James Taylor
You flinch every month before deducting the monthly mortgage payment from your salary, cursing yourself on your decision to take a mortgage. You enjoyed the amount advanced on account of the mortgage, and now it is your turn to pay the mortgage. You share this feeling with hundreds and thousands of residents of the UK who have taken the traditional mortgages.
However, there is one mortgage where a customer is not required to be much punctual in the payments. These are flexible mortgages.
The trends in the mortgage market (as in any other market) are influenced heavily by the requirements of customers. Customers always wanted a mortgage where they can pay as and when they desired. Flexible mortgages allow customers this flexibility.
Flexible mortgage is basically an import from Australia. There is no fixed mortgage payment in case of these mortgages. Neither is there a fixed time for repayment. Customers are free to pay as much as they want and at whatever time they want.
This is a shift from the traditional mortgages. The mortgage broker fixes the monthly payment, depending upon the term of repayment and interest rate. Requests for overpayment or underpayment will not be catered to, as this will require the calculations to be made anew.
Flexible mortgages are useful for the self-employed people and those who do not have a stable source of income. While having no stability in income was the Achilles heel (lenders saw their case as being perilous for traditional mortgages where stability of income is the prime criteria for deciding the eligibility), this becomes their strength in case of flexible mortgages.
The income of this class of people follows no fixed pattern. They have enough in one month and nothing in another. To help these people pay according to this changing pattern, flexible mortgage allows the facility of overpayment and underpayment.
When the customers have more resources, they can pay more to their mortgage. This can be useful when the customer wants to pay less. A customer is also entitled to a payment holiday at times when he is not able to pay, or does not want to pay, like during christmas. The customer must have covered the payments with over payment to get this service.
A customer can also withdraw any excess amount that he might have put in the mortgage. Apart from these services, a flexible mortgage also offers to calculate interest daily, not annually as in the case of other mortgages.
Another feature of flexible mortgages, which give it a distinct identity, is that there is no a redemption fee or penalty for early repayment. Customers can, if they do have the resources, pay off the mortgage at any point of time.
Enjoying these many flexible features, customers must be prepared to pay a higher rate of interest. A serious search for desirable rates can lead to astonishingly low rates, much lower than the rates being offered by the high street lenders. Searching online is very easy. One has to just type the relevant keyword, and a whole lot of lenders appear with their offerings, all just for you.
Summary
Flexible mortgages offer flexibility to the borrower in deciding about the amount to be paid and the time when such payment is due. This type of mortgage is especially suitable for the self-employed and business people. This article gives vital information about the flexible mortgages.
James Taylor holds a Master’s degree in Commerce from JNU he is working as financial consultant for www.chanceforloans.co.uk To find a Personal Loans,bad credit loans, debt consolidation that best suits your needs visit www.chanceforloans.co.uk