Posts Tagged ‘Interest Rates’

Personal Loans For the Unemployed

May 21st, 2010



Being unemployed can be stressful and upsetting. While you’re unemployed, you may think that you have no chance of getting approved for a personal loan. In many cases, you are correct. A good number of lenders will steer clear of unemployed borrowers because these borrowers do not have a regular source of income to guarantee repayment of the loan. However, there are lenders out there that are willing to look past your current financial downfalls in order to see your need. They may be able to help you find a way to get the money you need.

There are two types of loans available to unemployed borrowers: secured and unsecured unemployed loans. For a secured unemployed loan, you need to put up something of value as collateral. This will provide your lender with some security that your loan will be repaid. With a secured loan, your interest rate will be lower than with an unsecured loan, but by putting up your valuables as collateral, you run the risk of having them repossessed if you are unable to repay the amount of your loan.

With an unsecured unemployed loan, you will have to pay higher interest rates than you would if you had taken out a secured loan because your lender is taking a higher risk by lending you the money since they have no security that the amount will be repaid. Getting an unsecured loan when you’re unemployed will be fairly difficult, but there are lending institutions out there that are willing to consider you regardless of your lack of collateral.

You can get an unemployed loan for as little as £500 or occasionally for as much as £25,000. The factors that your lender will look when deciding whether or not to lend to you include your current income (if any), your credit history, and the length of time you have been unemployed. If you’re unemployed with bad credit, don’t despair. There are lenders that will consider you regardless.The term for an unemployed loan ranges from six months to ten years. Unemployed loans can be taken out for a number of reasons including higher education, debt consolidation, taking a holiday, purchasing a car, etc. In short, there are many types of unemployed loan plans with varying interest rates and terms.

Your financial status will determine your interest rate. Even if you have adverse credit, there are some lenders that will consider you for a loan anyway. Many online sites provide loan matching services that will help you find the lender that is best suited to your particular financial and borrowing needs.

By: Jon James

Home Loan Refinance – A Guide to Getting One

May 15th, 2010



There are certainly many advantages to a home loan refinance. If you have been in your home for awhile, there is a good chance that you have built up quite a bit of equity in your home. Even if it has not been that long since you purchased your home, if you live in an area where prices have appreciated considerably, you could still have a significant amount of equity in your home to tap into for a home improvement, purchase or to use for debt consolidation.

If you are considering a home loan refinance, it is important to know what you should expect. In some ways, getting a home loan refinance is not much different from getting your first mortgage with the exception that you already have the house! You will want to make sure that you look for the best terms and interest rates. In a similar fashion, the lender will want to make sure you are credit worthy before they approve you for the loan.

One of the first questions the lender may ask is why you are interested in refinancing. Be honest with the lender, because this may help him or her to design a home refinance package that perfectly suits your needs. Even if you are planning to consolidate your debts with your home refinance, be sure to mention this when you apply.

Be prepared for the fact that the lender will run a credit check on both you and any co-borrower in order to determine the level of credit risk you present. This is part of the process of becoming pre-approved in the home buying process. The lender will check your credit score and also check your credit report to determine the number of delinquencies you may have, the number of open accounts you have and the balances on those accounts.

The lender will also be interested in your income and various expenses. This is to ensure that you will be able to actually afford the proposed home loan payment. The underwriting guidelines for every lender are different; however, the general rule of thumb is that a prospective buyer should not have a debt to income ratio that is higher than 36%. Additionally, lenders usually prefer for your total housing expenses not to exceed 28% of your income. Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule. In certain circumstances, lenders will approve loans for buyers who have a debt to income ratio up to 40%. You can usually qualify with a higher debt to income ratio if you are able to make a larger down payment and/or if your credit rating is good enough.

To ensure there are no surprises when you sit down with the lender to discuss your home loan refinance, it is a good idea to check your own credit score in advance and be certain there are no mistakes or discrepancies before you submit your home loan application. If you do find any discrepancies, take the time to have them fixed before you apply for a home loan refinance.

By: Alan Lim

Compare Personal Loans

May 10th, 2010



What are personal loans?

A personal loan is a single payout lent by a financial institution to an individual borrower. Specific terms, such as the amount of money to be lent and the interest rate, are agreed upon in advance by both parties. The borrower has a certain amount of time within which to repay the loan. Regular payments, including interest, are made until the loan is repaid. Personal loans are typically sought for one-time expenses, such as a vacation, study or the purchase of a major item such as a car. Unexpected emergency expenses are another reason that people take out personal loans.

Why is it important to compare personal loans?

When handled responsibly and repaid on time, personal loans can be a highly beneficial financial tool. It can even boost your credit rating. The key to doing it right is to start by finding the best deal available. Personal loans vary widely from lender to lender, and even the same lender will offer differing terms depending on the type of loan you take out or the amount of money you borrow. Only by taking the time to compare personal loans will you know if you are making the best decision.

Interest rates are obviously an enormously important factor to take into consideration. One of the first comparisons you should perform is to weigh the pros and cons of fixed rate loans versus variable rate loans. A fixed rate personal loan means that your interest rate remains the same over the life of your loan. You and the lender agree upon this rate in advance, and it will not fluctuate, no matter what happens with the market. A variable interest rate, as the name implies, is a loan with an interest rate that can go up or down, depending on the interest rate set by the Reserve Bank.

A fixed rate loan offers you predictability and the ability to create a budget. A variable interest rate loan, on the other hand, may wind up saving you a considerable amount of money. It’s a trade-off, and each potential borrower must decide for themselves whether a fixed rate or variable rate is the wisest choice.

Chances are you already know approximately how much you need to borrow and what your ideal repayment period would be. You will likely find a number of lenders that can accommodate your needs, but it is unlikely that the terms of their loans will be exactly the same. In addition to interest rates, you should compare added costs such as loan fees, default penalties and minimum monthly payments.

Where can I compare personal loans?

A financial product comparison site is a great resource for would-be borrowers who want to compare personal loans. There is no need to visit dozens of websites and try to keep track of an overwhelming amount of information. You don’t have to wade through pages of sales pitches, either. The essential details about each loan are presented in a straightforward manner that allows you to make direct, side-by-side comparisons.

By: Scot Jamieson