Legal and Finance Articles
Life values and how we spend our money - ...omer generation, recent marketing campaigns have targeted boomer's values to sell them products and services. Trying to capture Gen Y's attention,...
Latest "Legal and Finance" Articles
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Think of many small items that fall into the category of unnecessary spending (05/11/2010)
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Additional principal payments that benefit you the most are also the most difficult to make. This is because they are most beneficial early in the loan term, when you are paying interest on the highest amount of principal. This is also when you are spending money to make your new home just the way you want it to be. (...)
Many Americans cannot afford their monthly mortgage payment (05/06/2010)
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Your lender may be willing to modify the terms of your loan in a way that will allow you to keep your home. Extending the time before adjustment and reducing the margins are examples of terms that might be able to be modified. If you cannot save your home, you may be able to avoid foreclosure by a short sale or deed in lieu. (...)
How to obtain a home equity mortgage and how much can you get (05/05/2010)
(...) If there are, they would have to be paid before the loan would be made. They could be paid out of the loan proceeds, but less would be left to go to the borrower.
The FHA insurance limit is the maximum that can be borrowed, regardless of the value of the property. (...)
Financial and property requirements for reverse mortgage (05/05/2010)
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Financing closing costs would decrease the amount that the borrower would receive in subsequent payments. For example, if a borrower was entitled to a US Dollars 100,000 loan and financed US Dollars 1,000 in closing costs, only US Dollars 99,000 would be left, regardless of which payment method the buyer chose to receive.
What are the property requirements for obtaining a reverse mortgage?
The property must:
be a single-family home or one- to four-unit home with one unit occupied by the borrower;
be condominiums or planned unit developments (PUD) that are HUD-FHA approved;
be cooperatives or manufactured homes that meet HUD guidelines; and,
meet minimum property standards regarding the condition of the property (borrower may fund repairs in the mortgage). (...)
A subordination clause in a mortgage is a very common scam (05/04/2010)
(...) If you are asked by a prospective buyer to insert a subordination clause into the purchase money mortgage, you can be fairly sure that this buyer intends to borrow the full value of the property with a mortgage or mortgages superior to yours. After you subordinate, you will be left with worthless paper unless the property greatly increases in value.
Subordination clauses are also used when construction is involved. (...)
Learn everything about ARM terminology when it comes to loans (05/04/2010)
(...) I prefer the phrase “a loan with the potential for accrued interest,” but because everyone else calls it neg-am, so will we. Before we get into the specific mechanism of the neg-am loan, I want to discuss its counterpart, the no-neg loan.
No-Neg Loans
If it weren’t for neg-am loans, the expression no-neg wouldn’t exist. (...)
Refinancing reasons why and how you should refinance (05/03/2010)
(...) Using easy numbers, if the refinance costs are US Dollars 700, it would take you ten months to cover the costs. On the eleventh month, you would be ahead.
Unfortunately, it is not quite that simple. (...)
What is a manufactured home and what makes it eligible for financing (05/03/2010)
(...) These are Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rules that went into effect on June 15, 1976. Factory-built homes constructed before that time are called mobile homes.
The HUD rules completely cover the building of the manufactured home, including requirements such as how strong of a wind it will withstand and how much weight the roof will hold. (...)
Foreclosure scams you must avoid (05/03/2010)
(...) The amount of the deficiency judgment is also usually greater because of a lower auction sale price due to any damage done to the property by the tenants. Milkers are usually not very particular about screening tenants.
2. (...)
Fixed rate versus adjustable rate explained (05/03/2010)
(...) If a prospective borrower has a poor credit history, the lender perceives that it has a greater risk of not getting its money back, so the risk part of the price goes up. At higher loan-to-value (LTV) ratios, there is less equity to protect the lender’s interest, so the rate goes up.
Here’s the first lesson in choosing a loan: Buy rate protection only for the length of time you’ll be in the property. (...)
Foreclosure cannot be stopped immediately (05/03/2010)
(...) The first is that under bankruptcy, you may be able to eliminate the personal liability of a deficiency judgment - if one is permitted for your mortgage. Second, under bankruptcy, you may be able to restructure your mortgage payment to make up the back payments.
Halted foreclosure
In either case, you will be granted a temporary stay, in which the foreclosure proceedings will be halted. (...)
Home equity line of credit works in a simple way (05/02/2010)
(...) Since you have already qualified, there are usually small or no fees charged. This would be beneficial if you wrote the check expecting to repay the loan quickly and now must keep it for a longer time. Not only will your interest rate be adjustable, but the cap (maximum interest rate) will also most likely be very high, especially if the term is twenty or thirty years. (...)
Government loans advantages and disadvantages for you to consider (05/01/2010)
(...) For purposes of simplicity and because of its common terminology, these FHA-insured loans are referred to as FHA loans.
What is the major advantage of an FHA loan?
The major advantage to the borrower has changed in recent years. At one time, the low down payment was the major advantage. (...)
VA loan information and how to get a VA mortgage (05/01/2010)
(...) Section 3732(c), as amended.
FHA - Upon default, the lender - depending upon the circumstances - may (a) assign the mortgage to FHA, (b) acquire (through foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure) and convey title to FHA, or (c) work with the borrower to sell the property before the foreclosure sale. The lender will receive insurance benefits equal to the unpaid principal balance of the loan, plus approved expenses. (...)
Hard money mortgages bridge loans and subprime loans (05/01/2010)
(...) The distinction between A, B, and C loans is now blurred. Because of the collapse of the housing market in 2007 and the high foreclosure rate of subprime mortgage loans, this is now changing back to the more traditional way mortgage loans are approved.
What is a bridge loan?
A common type of hard money mortgage loan is the bridge or gap loan. (...)
The Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act and its purpose (05/01/2010)
(...) Prior to the act, many loans were made knowing that there was little chance the borrower could make the required payments. As long as the property could be sold at the foreclosure auction for enough to repay the loan, the loan was made. There are also restrictions on balloon payments for loans of less than five years and a prohibition of arbitrary calls. (...)
A junior mortgage is subordinate to another mortgage you have (05/01/2010)
(...) A first mortgage has priority. If it is foreclosed upon, the proceeds from the sale of the property will go to the first mortgagee to pay the loan balance (plus the costs of the foreclosure process). If there is money left over, it will go toward what is owed on the second mortgage. (...)
A SingleFile mortgage is not a junior loan (05/01/2010)
(...) There is not the same policy of the refund once the loan gets to 80% or 78%. See if there is the possibility of an interest rate decrease after the loan is paid down. There are several LPMIs besides the SingleFile. (...)
Best way to understand an adjustable rate mortgage (04/30/2010)
(...) The adjustment cap is 1%.
Every six months, you must look at the current rate of the index. The interest rate rises or falls by the same amount as the rise or fall of the index rate, up to the cap of 1% per six-month period. (...)
Hybrid mortgage advantages and disadvantages (04/30/2010)
(...) A fifteen-year loan with a fiveyear fixed term and an adjustment period every three years would be expressed as a 15/5/3 loan.
At the end of the fixed interest period, the loan is recalculated to reflect the new interest rate. If you borrowed US Dollars 100,000 on a 30/3/1 loan, for example, the loan would be recalculated at the end of three years. (...)
What are the purposes of my mortgage prepayment (04/30/2010)
(...) By prepaying the US Dollars 110, you saved US Dollars 890 in interest. Late in your loan the opposite would be true - US Dollars 900 would go to principal and US Dollars 100 to interest. You would have to make a very large additional principal payment to save a small amount of interest. (...)
Prequalify for a mortgage loan through a real estate agent or the Internet (04/29/2010)
(...) Remember, once you look at the most you can possibly afford, less expensive homes will be disappointing. Always try to look at the least expensive homes first and work your way up until you find one that satisfies both your needs and desires.
Can I prequalify myself for a loan using the Internet?
If you want to avoid seeing the most expensive homes first or you want to check out homes for sale by the owner with no agent, prequalify yourself for a mortgage. (...)
Want to know how long will it take to pay your mortgage off (04/29/2010)
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Is a longer- or shorter-term loan better for me?
Examine your spending habits, as well as your current and future budgeting. For example, if you are not currently making car payments but plan to buy a new car you will have to make payments on, you have to add the probable car payments to your future expenses. If you eat out three times a week in a good restaurant, you could save hundreds of dollars a month if you cut back to once or twice a week. (...)
What mortgage payment plan is right for me (04/29/2010)
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Example: If your loan is for US Dollars 100,000 and your payment is US Dollars 1,000 per month, very little of your first payment will go toward principal. This is because you are paying interest on US Dollars 100,000 dollars.
If, of your US Dollars 1,000 payment, US Dollars 100 goes toward principal reduction and US Dollars 900 is interest, you will have a slightly higher amount going toward principal reduction and less to interest on your next payment. (...)
How to reduce the loan interest with a biweekly mortgage payment plan (04/29/2010)
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For those with little financial discipline, a biweekly payment plan is easier than paying the required monthly payment.
The results are surprising. On a US Dollars 100,000 loan for thirty years at 7% interest, you will save over US Dollars 34,000 in interest over the life of the loan and pay it off over six years sooner. (...)
Interest extra loans and balloon payment mortgages (04/29/2010)
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This type of loan is ideal for borrowers with good present income that is expected to fall. A working couple that expects one or both of them to retire in ten years would be good candidates. By the time they face lower incomes, their mortgage payment would be substantially lower. (...)
The type of credit card user you are and tips on finding your credit history (04/28/2010)
(...) Do you really believe that you will never get sick or that your car will never break down? Do you have cash put away for such possibilities? Do you realize that the kids need clothes for school in September or that you may spend more money in December for holiday gifts than you will spend at other times of the year? Have you prepared by saving cash, or will you have to charge everything and make monthly payments?
All of these financial planning failures can get to a point where paying bills on time becomes difficult. When an underwriter looks at your credit history, he or she is looking to see if you borrowed money and repaid it in a timely manner. Did you keep your promise to make payments on time? If so, chances are your promise to repay the loan for which you are applying will be kept. (...)
Improve your income to debt ratio and consolidate your debts (04/28/2010)
(...) The approval may be conditioned on you paying down or paying off some existing debt. You may be able to borrow a little more money on your mortgage loan from your equity and pay down your debts to meet the condition.
Should I consolidate my debts?
Be careful of conditional acceptances. (...)
What are loan amount points and buydowns (04/28/2010)
(...) 5%. By paying the two points, you are buying down the interest rate. Which loan is better?
There are two things you must consider to determine the answer to the problem in the example. (...)
In the mortgage industry many lenders make loans using mortgages (04/27/2010)
(...) The largest buyers are government agencies or quasigovernment agencies - private companies originally created by Congress.
Why would a primary lender sell a loan?
Primary lenders make money on the fees you pay when the loan is made and on the interest they collect over the life of your loan. However, if you have a thirty-year loan, it will take the primary lender thirty years to make all its money. (...)
How to get and keep good credit to balance your financial situation (03/08/2010)
(...) Making certain you know exactly what type of card(s) you are using and their specific terms and conditions means reading the fine print in your contract and the bills you receive every month.
Credit card issuers make money from you and also from the merchants who accept their cards for payment of goods and services.When markets change, or when they perceive a dip in your credit status, they can and do change the rules on you, sometimes without your knowledge and nearly always without your permission. (...)
Cash money disappears in the USA while credit grows (03/08/2010)
(...) The dollar amount of debt owed by American consumers grew from $154 billion in 1990 to $805.5 billion by the end of 2005. And when it comes to credit, that old cliché, "there's no such thing as a free lunch," could not be more true. (...)
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