Archive for December, 2010

Affordable Car Insurance – It Is Out There!

Everyone wants affordable car insurance but nobody wants to pay the price. That may not have made much sense to you but the insurance buyer has to be better informed. There has to be some time spent on educating yourself enough to make intelligent decisions about your next insurance purchase. Too many folks avoid all responsibility when it comes to buying car insurance. You do not need an insurance course to understand the fundamentals involved in rating car insurance. Look at the declarations page on you car insurance and you will find all that you need to know.

The Declarations Page

1. Policy Period – This is the specific time period that the policy is effective. Some car insurance policies have an annual renewal and others have a six month renewal. Do not shop for car insurance with a declarations page that shows that your policy period has expired. That could cause you to be placed into a sub-standard carrier. Shop at least one month before your insurance is ready to expire.

2. Vehicles – Your vehicles will affect your physical damage rate. When shopping, make sure that you give the quoting company the vehicle identification number of all of your vehicles. This is usually on your declarations page.

3. Drivers in Household – Every resident relative with a driver’s license should be listed on the policy unless they have other insurance.

4. Liability Limits – These are the limits for bodily injury and property damage insurance. This is very important coverage and not a good place to cut costs if you are a property owner. This portion of your policy pays benefits to the party that you have may have injured in an auto accident. It also pays for the damage to their vehicle.

5. Physical Damage – This is your collision and comprehensive benefit that you see on your declarations page. This is coverage for your automobiles. Your deductible selection will raise or lower the rate.

These are some of the many policy benefits that you will find on your declarations page. Ask your insurance company about discounts and tort option. Learn all that you can and you can help make your car insurance more affordable.

Adjustable Rate Mortgage

The adjustable rate mortgage is a type of loan which will be secured on a home which has an interest rate and monthly payment that will vary. The adjustable rate will transfer a portion of the interest rate from the creditor to the homeowner. The adjustable rate mortgage will often be used in situations where fixed rate loans are hard to acquire. While the borrower will be at an advantage if the interest rate falls, they will be at a disadvantage if it rises. In places like the United Kingdom, this is a very common type of mortgage, while it is not popular in other countries.

The adjustable rate mortgage is excellent for homeowners who only plan to live in their homes for about three years. The interest rate will typically be low for the first three to seven years, but will begin to fluctuate after this time. Like other mortgage options, this loan allows the homeowner to pay on the principle early, and they don’t have to worry about penalties. When payments are made on the principle, it will help lower the total amount of the loan, and will reduce the time that is necessary to pay it off. Many homeowners choose to pay off the entire loan once the interest rate drops to a very low level, and this is called refinancing.

One of the disadvantages to adjustable rate mortgages is that they are often sold to people who are not experienced in dealing with them. These individuals will not pay back the loans within three to seven years, and will be subjected to fluctuating interest rates, which often rise substantially. In the US, some of these cases are tried as predatory loans. There are a number of things consumers can do to protect themselves from rising interest rates. A maximum interest rate cap can be set which will only allow interest rates to rise at a specific amount each year, or the interest rate can be locked in for a specific period of time. This will give the homeowner time to increase their income so that they can make larger payments on the principle.

The primary advantage of this loan is that it lowers the cost of borrowing money for the first few years. Homeowners will save money on monthly payments, and it is excellent for those who plan on moving into a new home within the first seven years. However, there are risks to this type of mortgage that must be understood. If the owner has problems making payments, or runs into a financial emergency, the rates will eventually rise, and the owner who cannot make payments may lose their home.

One term that you will hear lenders talking about is caps. The cap can be defined as a clause that will set the highest change possible for the interest rate of the loan. Homeowners can set up a cap on their mortgage, but they will need to make a request from the lender, as the cap may not be present on the rate sheets that are presented.

Buying Investment Property With No Credit Check

Low down payments, no credit check and guaranteed approval. This is the convenience for many investment property buyers who choose to shop online. With the internet being responsible for dramatically changing the way people do business, it is also responsible for revolutionizing the way people shop for investment property.

A conventional loan for investment property would entail an application, credit review and complete disclosure of the applicants financial situation. However, an increasing number of real estate developers, owners and brokers are offering investment property with the convenience of owner financing. A low down payment, which is followed by regular monthly payments, may result in a prime piece of investment property. Most commonly used for purchases of land, owner financing is extremely popular for investors, first-time home builders with no credit or even individuals who have past credit problems and would not otherwise qualify for a conventional loan.

With very low down payments, which are often lower than $1,000.00, many investment property sellers provide competitive interest rates and low monthly payments with absolutely no qualifying, credit check or income verification. As long as consumers continue to make their minimum required monthly payment, they will be approved.

No matter when, where or how investment property is purchased, the buyer must perform due diligence prior to signing on the dotted line. The buyer will want to make sure that he/she will receive a warranty deed on any investment property, which means it will be free and clear of any liens, and that the current owner has the full right to sell the property. In addition, it may be a good idea for the potential buyer to contact the local tax office and inquire about the most recent assessment of the investment property. This will give the buyer a good idea as to whether or not he/she is getting a bargain. If the investment property is located in another state, the buyer should request photos and even consider hiring a video professional to make a recording of the immediate area and the land for visual purposes.

When agreeing to purchase investment property with owner financing, a signed contract is a must. This is simply a contract that is drawn and signed by both parties, which will indicate the down payment required, full purchase price, monthly payments, number of payments required until payoff, a listing of pre-payment penalties (if applicable), the location of the investment property and the size and details of the same.

A valid investment property contract will confirm that the seller agrees to finance the property at a certain amount of interest and will sell the described property after a predetermined number of payments. In return, the buyer agrees to pay a certain amount each month on a specified day each month. The contract should outline the exact location, street address, size of the lot and parcel number. In addition, it must include terms regarding late or missed payments, late fees and cancellation options (if any). The contract must be signed and dated by both parties in order for it to be valid.