Archive for November 2008


What is an interest only loan and what are the benefits and drawbacks?

November 30th, 2008 — 02:59 am
loan
I was recently pre-qualified for a loan and the loan officer didn’t mention any other loan programs except for an FHA? I had to ask about the first time buyers program. I’m just wondering what are some other loan programs and where could I find out about them.

By: homeless

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Comment » | Renting Real Estate

Distressed Homeowners Fighting Back With Forensic Loan Audits

November 29th, 2008 — 11:15 am
loans
Washington, DC – November 6, 2008. National Loan Audits announced today that troubled homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages who are having trouble getting their loans modified or who are behind with their payments and in danger of losing their home, now have access to Forensic Loan Audits, performed by mortgage industry experts, to discover if their lender violated the Truth in Lending Act or made any errors while preparing their closing documents and neglected to adequately disclose the terms of their loan.

According to the Truth in Lending Act even a small mistake with calculating the borrower’s annual percentage rate could be an actionable violation, enabling the borrower to rescind the loan. Therefore, the threat of a lawsuit is often sufficient to persuade an otherwise uncooperative lender to negotiate an attractive work out with the borrower.

Until recently Forensic Loan Examinations were only made available to large banks and lending institutions wanting to determine their own exposure to risk and potential legal liabilities prior to purchasing large pools of mortgage loans. But now a Maryland company staffed by veteran mortgage professionals is offering this service to distressed homeowners at an incredibly affordable price. “While our competitors may charge up to $3000 for a Forensic Loan Audit, we decided to offer this product at a price almost anyone could afford” Said Dean Mostofi, the founder of National Loan Audits in Rockville, Maryland, a Washington, DC suburb. The firm charges $495.00 for a comprehensive mortgage document review and provides the homeowner with a 40-page written report that contains a detailed listing of their findings in an easy to read format.

Mostofi says that over 80% of the loan files reviewed by his firm contain violations ranging from small and unintentional mathematical errors to blatant fraud and misrepresentation. The most common violation is the understatement of prepaid finance charges and in many instances a mere $35 error within the Truth in Lending disclosure statement could entitle the borrower to a refund of all finance charges, closing costs and interest payments made since the inception of the loan.

Forensic Loan Reviews are also used by attorneys assisting borrowers with loan modification and foreclosure defense but according to Mostofi most lawyers who contact him don’t know much about the more creative legal tactics currently being employed by a handful of savvy foreclosure attorneys. Consequently, Mostofi also offers a consulting service to attorneys helping them understand the remedies available to their clients in the event the lender violated the Truth in Lending Act or if it cannot prove ownership of the note. “Amazingly, many lenders don’t legally own the note” says Mostofi “but since no one challenges their right to foreclose, they get away with it” he added.

The intent of an audit is not to force the parties in to a lengthy and costly lawsuit but rather to encourage the lender to sit down with the borrower and to negotiate an affordable work out so the borrower can keep the home and the lender can mitigated its loses. “The audit is to give homeowners more ammunition so they can stand a chance in negotiating a decent modification with lenders who have far more resources than the average borrower and often play hardball unless they are faced with the risk of a costly lawsuit” said Mostofi.

National Loan Audits was founded by Dean Mostofi and it is based in Rockville, Maryland.

 

 



By: Loan Audit

About the Author:

Dean Mostofi,
2275 Research Boulevard, #500,
Rockville, Maryland 20850
(800) 564-2764
dean@lenderaudits.com
www.nationalloanaudits.com



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Comment » | Regulatory Compliance

The Laws in Credit Repair – Why It’s Important To Know The Laws in Credit Repair

November 27th, 2008 — 12:29 pm

For more information about debt settlement lawyers and bankruptcy lawyer attorney check out different types of lawyers.

In this article I’m going to talk about laws in credit repair and why it’s important to know these laws in credit repair. There are certain laws issued for people with a bad credit and to know these laws in credit repair is important to protect you and all those involved in your life. The Federal Legislation and several other agencies including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) protect you from collection agencies and creditors. If you have bad credit you really want to read this article about laws in credit repair especially if you are being harassed by creditors or else threatened. First, we are going to look at what steps debtors can take to protect their status.

Debtors have the right to ask collection agencies or any source bothering them for debt collection to stop bothering them. You must contact the collection agencies as soon as possible and request that they stop communication with you completely. It is important to word your letter wisely avoiding giving them ammunition against you. You can do this if your collection agency has claimed a lawsuit against you, or if the date has ended, where the creditors can no longer contact you. If the collection agency has already written multiple letters or made multiple phone calls threatening you with a lawsuit, you can write an informal letter asking the agencies to stop bothering you.

If you have a current debt, it is wise to negotiate with the creditors, since some may reduce your balance or even dropped the debt completely. If the debt is older than seven years, it is important that you DO NOT communicate with a collection agency regarding the bill. At the seven-year period, the account should have been removed from your credit report. If it has not been removed from your credit report these people are in violation. There are several reasons why creditors will disregard lawsuits. Some of these reasons include reductions in their chances of winning the lawsuit If your debt is old then collectors avoid paying high attorney fees to collect the balance.

Therefore, knowing about the laws in credit repair is glowing when you have bad credit. If you owe a debt, you have the legal right to protect your self against creditors. The best solution to credit repair is stop ignoring the problem and finding a solution to repair your credit. Problems do not go away, rather they add up more problems. Credit repair is a deduction so you do not want to add on more than you can take.

Comment » | Finance

Cutting Back on Your Mortgage Costs

November 27th, 2008 — 12:29 pm

There are many ways to cut the costs associated with paying off a mortgage. The interest rate you pay on the loan is a significant cost, but it is not the only one. When you sign the final mortgage papers, there are closing costs involved. These include the cost of the legalities of the mortgages, the title search, appraisal fees, loan administration fees and other aspects of getting the mortgage approved. You can cut down on the full cost of the mortgage by paying these upfront rather than adding them to your loan balance. They then become part of the balance upon which the interest is calculated each month and add a larger sum to the overall amount you have to repay

The term you choose for the repayment of your mortgage will also influence how much it will cost you to borrow the money you need. By choosing a short term, you will not pay as much money in interest charges over the life of the mortgage. Another option for cutting years off your mortgage repayment is to choose bi-weekly payments. You make a payment every two weeks and although this means you make two extra payments a year, you will save on the amount of interest that you pay in total

In order to get the best rates on mortgage loans, you do need to have an excellent credit rating. If you are contemplating purchasing a new home, you should request a copy of your credit report to see if you have any negative items showing. If you have adverse credit, you will be charged a higher rate of interest because lenders will see you as a poor risk for repayment. If you do have a low score, you should take steps to improve your rating to increase your chances of getting the best possible rates and reduce your mortgage costs. The higher the amount of interest you pay, the higher your mortgage costs will be

Placing a deposit on your mortgage will also help to reduce your overall costs. The bigger the down payment you make, the less money you will have to borrow. This can make the difference in getting a lower rate of interest on the loan as well. The arrangement fee will likely remain the same. When you have the deposit required by the lender, you do not need to have extra insurance cover on the mortgage which in cuts back on the costs. You should also check to make sure the lender has a set amount for arrangement fees. Fees that involve a percentage of the mortgage amount can add to the cost of borrowing

Look for a mortgage that does not charge a fee for early repayment. Most lenders, though, that do charge a fee will allow you to make a substantial repayment on your mortgage once a year. If you have a mortgage in which you are permitted to pay more than the required monthly payment, adding fifty pounds a month to the amount you pay will reduce the term of the mortgage and the interest you pay on the total balance

Consider different repayment options to cut down on the amount of money you pay in interest. Choosing a bi-weekly payment plan, for example, will cut years off the term of the mortgage in the two extra payments you make each year. You make the payments every two weeks so that instead of paying the interest based on the outstanding balance each month, you can have two reductions in your interest

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American Association of Retired Persons Vehicle Insurance: A Good Option?

November 27th, 2008 — 12:29 pm

If you qualify, AARP car insurance coverage is a good choice for you. It is simply a benefit that you will get on the auto coverage plan that you buy and 100% Free Car Insurance Coverage Quote Online. If you are a member of the American Association of Retired Persons you are have the choice to get this price reduction or benefit if it is offered by your vehicle insurance coverage company. 

This is not a plan in and of itself; it is a policy benefit that goes towards your current or new plan. When you are a member of the AARP, you could use the time to research which vehicle insurance coverage companies are out there that are giving reductions in price for doing so. The good news is that the majority of the providers do have this benefit.

But, this by itself does not mean that the auto insurance coverage company is a good choice. You might want to make certain that the provider is right by taking your time to find some rate quotes for several vehicle insurance coverage companies such as car insurance on line. To do this, just logon to their websites and request them. You will need to give simple and detailed information about your vehicle insurance coverage history, your existing circumstances and your plan needs.

This is a simple procedure that will only take you a few seconds. Once you complete this, within a few moments, the insurer will create an insurance quote for you. This is a no obligation rate quote and one that you are under no obligation to use. You could even go on to the next car coverage provider and research if they could provide you a better rate by cheap car insurance quotes online.

For those that are members of the American Association of Retired Persons, make sure to include this information when you are applying for auto insurance whether on the world wide web or through an agent. This is a benefit that you may be entitled to receiving and there is no reason for you not to receive it.

Comment » | Finance

How much mortgage debt is there in the USA?

November 27th, 2008 — 06:08 am
mortgage
Given all the worries about credit in this country, and subprime mortgages, I was curious as to what the entire amount of home mortgage debt is. There are about 110 million households in the country, with 70% of them owned residences. Let’s say there are 75 million owned homes. Not all have mortgages, but if 70 million do, and the average mortgage amount on such homes is $200,000, that comes out to a scary $14 TRILLION of mortgage debt in the USA. If just 2% default, the amount of bad home loans is $280 billion. It could obviously be much higher.

Does anyone know what total mortgage debt is per household and in total? This is a real problem that could damage the economy.

By: PrimeConcern

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Comment » | Credit

Getting The Right Savings Account

November 26th, 2008 — 06:56 am

It has become increasingly important for consumers to try and put some money aside in a savings account in the current financial climate, as you never know when an emergency may arise. With credit conditions becoming tighter day by day it is vital for consumers to try and ensure that they have at least some money put aside for use in the event of an emergency. It is also important to ensure that you find the right savings account for your hard earned cash.

When you are looking at and want to compare high interest savings accounts you should check out accounts from a range of providers, as the features and benefits of the accounts can vary. By doing a little research and comparing different savings account from different provider you can help to ensure that the account that you end up with is suited to your needs and circumstances and will allow you to really make your money work for you.

The interest rates paid on different savings accounts can vary quite dramatically, and you need to ensure that you compare the interest rates in order to make your money work all the harder for you. Some of the newer savings accounts that have entered the market often pay higher rates of interest in order to attract customers, although there are also some accounts that pay quite low interest rates, which means that you won’t earn as much on your savings. However, there are also other things to consider in addition to the rate of interest paid.

Many people are looking for convenience when it comes to their savings accounts, and some simply do not have the time to keep visiting the branch in order to take money out of their savings account. However, these days many savings accounts enable you to transfer money quickly and easily using the phone or Internet, which means that you can transfer the funds from your savings account to your bank account and then use the money by making a card purchase or taking it out of a cash point.

You also need to be able to access your cash when you need it, so accessibility is another factor to take into consideration. If you are saving over the long term and do not plan to take cash from the account regularly then a notice account paying a higher rate of interest could suit you. However, if you think you may need to get at your cash regularly and at short notice you should opt for an instant access account that does not penalise you for taking money out as and when you need it.

There are other things that you will also need to look at when getting a savings account set up. For instance, make sure that you know what the minimum and maximum deposit levels are in order to ensure that the account meets your needs. When you compare savings accounts you need to take all of these things into account so that you get an account that really works for you.

Comment » | Finance

Dummies Guide To Online Banking

November 26th, 2008 — 06:56 am

A very important advantage of online banking is that you can so structure your account to make automatic payment of some bills and regular payment as at when due. Such payment may include utility bill payment, student loan, mortgage payment, etc. All you have to do is set the frequency of payment and forget about it. The account automatically acts as your financial assistant.

If you have signed up for online banking, then you are aware that most financial transactions can be carried out with it. Not only can you facilitate any financial transaction through online banking, it is very quick, simple and safe. Signing up for online banking is very straightforward and not confusing.

Have you ever heard about the ING Direct Electric orange checking account? This special account now offers interest on online checking accounts. This is something most brick and mortar banks don’t do. If you want interest on your checking account, you’ll have to run an online ING Direct Electric orange checking account.

Smart banking, as they refer to online banking, can help you monitor your accounts from anywhere.  You can monitor the status of your loan, mortgage and other credits in your name by simply using online banking. Using online banking ensure you are again in line with the new and latest technology in the world. Banking smartly will give you that edge over your peers.

The particular bank you use determines the type of services you receive on your account. Many big banks in America now provide a personal kind of online banking facilitated by the use of information technology and mobile phones to customize your banking transactions.

With the new technology use by the banks now days, it very feasible to search for banks and services beyond your residence country. With this method you can take advantage of banking services that are not provided in your country of residence.

Internet banking, E-banking, online banking or whatever name you know it as, simple means the traditional and corner way of banking enhanced by the internet. Initially, before banks started associating with the internet, you can only transact at the local branch where you open your account and if you require making transactions from another outlet of the same bank, it may take days or even weeks to confirm depending on the strength of the transaction. Now days online banking facilited you with the convenience to run your account from anywhere in the world as long you have internet connection.

If you activated your online account and this possesed access to financial products on your bank, you can without to much trouble make used of it right away. Totally different than spending unnecessary time on your bank managers office as in the paper work banking. Borrowing money is just few clicks away, thanks to online banking.

Jon Ferriss offers revealing articles about online banking on his site.

Comment » | Finance

Work With Lender To Stop Home Foreclosure

November 26th, 2008 — 06:56 am

Kicking people out of their home is not in the lenders best interest and contrary to what some people may believe, most lenders are willing to work with their customers to stop home foreclosure. Taking possession of a home is expensive for lenders and despite many legal avenues to recoup that expense exist, most do not want to own a bunch of houses and the expense of repairs as well as sales in the future. Lenders usually help homeowners in finding ways to stop home foreclosure, since they are not typically in the home management business.

Obviously, the quickest and best way to stop home foreclosure is to make sure all payments are made on time, according to the mortgage contract. When circumstances arise that prevent that from happening, often times working with the lender will give the home buyer a chance to stop home foreclosure before it is too late. Although the process can be halted up to the time the home goes on the auction block, the sooner it is stopped the cheaper and less traumatic it will be.

There are some people who appear to be waiting in the shadows to buy a home that is going through foreclosure, sometimes for their own but usually as an investment. They may seem like they are hoping to benefit from someone else’s misery, but if they can buy a pre foreclosure home it may also stop home foreclosure for the benefit of the owner.

Legal Wrangling Not Always Best Defense

While it may be true that some lenders used unethical practices to help people obtain their home mortgage, blaming the lender is not always the best way to stop home foreclosure  proceedings. Probably the best way to stop home foreclosure is working with the lender to make arrangements to get caught up on any past due payments while staying current on payments.

Depending on the amount of equity in the home, obtaining a new mortgage may be an option, however, this may not always be possible. By rewriting the mortgage agreement, better rates and lower monthly payments may result and at the same time being able to the stop home foreclosure process.

Taking out a second loan to pay past due payments on the mortgage may stop home foreclosure proceedings in the short term, but there will now be two payments to make and two different lenders that can start the process in the future.

Contrary to what some people may believe, most lenders are willing to work with their customers to stop home foreclosure, as kicking people out of their home is not in their best interest…View more articles at www.foreclosures.jsgenterprises.com

Comment » | Finance

Lawyers Are Not Always The Best Solution For Credit Repair And Credit Building

November 26th, 2008 — 06:56 am

To read an updated version and for more information about debt settlement lawyers and bankruptcy lawyer attorney check out different types of lawyers.

Lawyers often charge high fees to help individuals get out of debt. There are also credit repair clinics are available to assist individuals with debt relief, but only the absolute desperate would even consider these types of solutions. So, if this is not the solution for repairing credit, then what is? Many people that suffer from bad credit often wallow in a pond of self-pity believing there is no escape. Most people sit around waiting for the miracle that came to their neighbor’s door to hit their door. The fact is there are no miracles that happen unless someone takes the first step to take care of the problem. We all have problems at times, and some of us more than others. It depends on the amount you owe, but for most of us getting out of debt is possible.

Let’s consider Bankruptcy Chapter 7. Chapter 7 Bankruptcy allows families and individuals to erase many of the debts owed to consumers. Chapter 7 Bankruptcy will often erase medical bills, home mortgage, car payments, and credit card bills. The disadvantage with Chapter 7 of Bankruptcy is that in most cases you will have to give up some of your assets. Once you fill out the appropriate papers you will then go into an ‘automatic stay’ which stops all your creditors from contacting you.

This means that the creditors cannot garnish money from your checks each month to apply toward the bills you owe. It also means that the creditors can not deduct money from your checking, savings, money market accounts and so on. You are also protected for a while since the consumers are not allowed to discontinue your electric or gas.

The advantage of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is that you have a degree of control over all assets and income that are available once the bankruptcy is in motion. There are debts that cannot be wiped out by filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. Those debts include child support payments, college tuition loans, criminal fines and costs, or other similar bills. The problem with filing bankruptcy is that new laws are coming that will make it more difficult for debtors to file. The new laws in motion are nearly prohibiting debtors from finding a solution.

Another form of bankruptcy that is available is the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy means that the debtor keeps their assets while making lower monthly installments on their belongings. This is a good solution for building credit. If you missed car or home payments it is a solution to help you repair your credit. The downside with Chapter 13 is that if you miss payments the courts has the right to change your plans. If the courts see that the delay is only temporarily they may issue you a ‘grace period’ until you get back on track, otherwise you might get a ‘hardship discharge,’ which means that your debts are dismissed. The best solution then is finding a solution for the problem that won’t lead you into the courtrooms.

This is only a headache since you will have to make court meetings, be in someone else’s control, and so on. The first step to repairing your credit and building to a better future is put some taps on your spending habits. Setting up a budget plan is a great start to credit repair without hitting the courts. Before long the law is going to make it virtually impossible for anyone to go to bankruptcy court, so it is time to get started now. If you are not good at budgeting, there are Nonprofit Organizations that will help you set up a budget plan for little or no cost.

Remember you are not alone, and there are people out there willing to help you get back on your feet. If you don’t want to bother someone else with a budget plan you could also consider to purchase software programs that offer the tools for budgeting. Quicken and many other software programs have excellent spreadsheet programs, analyzing tools, and so on to get you on the road to budgeting your money in order to repair your credit.

Information is this article is for information purposes only. Always contact your lawyer if you need legal advice.

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