Saturday, December 29, 2007

Secured Loans: Best For Homeowners

If you are searching for a loan that gives you flexibility in repayment, low rate of interest and various repayment options, then it is possible only in case of a loan taken against your home. In the present day competitive loan market, lenders have many financial products to mitigate your money related problems. You can opt for credit cards, store cards, personal short-term loans, etc.

Every financial product has its own utility. If one type of loan can offer you a large amount of money, the other can provide relatively quicker transactions. You should have knowledge of all types of loans and their benefits as well as the negative aspects. This way you can choose a better loan to meet your financial requirements.

A question that many people would ask is how they can choose the best secured loans? It is not a difficult task if you take the help of various price comparison web sites that offer comparative analysis of thousands of products available in the market. Loans are just one of the products for which these price comparison web sites provide comparative data. There are many lenders who claim that their secured loans have the best interest rates. You should verify their claims before acting on any of them.

Another way to find the best secured loans available in the market is to apply with several lenders and request them to send loan quotes. Along with the loan quotes, you should also compare the terms and conditions that different are imposing on you. A lower interest rate does not always mean that it is a better option. A lender might lower the interest rate but raise other costs like arrangement fee and processing fee to make the loan look cheaper. You should be able to find it by comparing the terms and conditions and APR of different lenders.

Online availability makes secured loans fast to get. You can apply by submitting your details and requirements on any of the lender’s web site. If a lender takes less time in processing your loan application, it means that the entire loan process can be expedited to match your urgent requirements. Fast secured loans are possible with the help of online processing.

Sometimes, in case of a bad credit history, borrowers face difficulty in obtaining a loan. However, secured loans help you in this situation also by negating the effect of bad credit history and enabling you to borrow money.

Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=122807_compare_secured_loans.htm

Secured loans – Easier to grab

Are you in the bad books of lenders and credit reference agencies? If yes, there are many ways to overcome this bad credit tag. Obviously, it is a slow process and may take some time. However, if you remain punctual with your future repayments, the bad credit tag is not going to stay there for long.

People who have a good credit record seldom face any problems in getting a loan. Additionally, if you are also ready to pledge your home, the lender is likely to offer you the very best loan rate available in the market. However, every borrower has different circumstances and bad credit is one of the obstacles that many consumers face.

Secured loans are available for all the homeowners whether they have a bad credit history or not. If they do have a bad credit history, the rate of interest is little higher. In normal cases where homeowners have acceptable credit record, they can easily get a low rate secured loan from the lender.

Lenders classify borrowers on different basis. If you are a first time borrower and there is no credit record relating to you, the lender might feel unsafe in lending the money. Many lenders treat this category as similar to bad credit one.

Similarly, if you have been refused credit in the past, it might be due to your bad credit record or unavailability of credit record. In such circumstances, it becomes easier to get a loan by pledging your home. Lenders seldom refuse secured loans to the consumers because they know that it is very easy to get back the loan amount as long as they have security.

Secured loans and bad credit secured loans are available online. The sub-prime lenders deal in all types of bad credit loans. On the other hand, there are high street lenders and building societies that provide secured loans to the consumers at competitive rates.

Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=122807_secured_loans.htm

Sunday, December 23, 2007

New bank aims to make green even greener

A well-connected bank with a green bent plans to open its first branch in downtown Austin in June, hoping to capitalize on the local appetite for environmentally friendly projects.

Named One Earth Bank, it has among its backers U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett; former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk; former Texas Comptroller John Sharp; filmmaker Richard Linklater; Jim Marston, chief of Environmental Defense's Texas operations; Austin developer Perry Lorenz; state Rep. Mark Strama; and organic gardener and radio host John Dromgoole.

The bank will feature a green deposits program that will channel customers' money to green building projects, clean energy businesses and organic food companies, among other sustainable enterprises.

The bank's principals say its lending practices will weigh environmental and social considerations alongside standard underwriting criteria.

"When you put money in this bank, it's not going for a coal-fired plant in Waco," co-founder and Vice Chairman Bill McLellan said.

If the traditional economy has elements of a dirty engine, with banks lending to polluting companies, then One Earth's loans will stimulate a green economy, "like feeding a healthy ecosystem," said Edward Mannix, 33, a founder and chairman of the bank.

The bank's founders acknowledge that they might face sticky situations in lending.

"There are some projects that we may have to have some board meetings about," Mannix said, adding that the bank has already had some internal simulations to determine which projects it would back.

Stephen Skaggs, a bank consultant in Austin, said that One Earth shouldn't have a problem attracting deposits but that that's just one side of the equation.

"Then the question is, what do they do with the funds; how do they deploy the money in a green fashion?" said Skaggs, president of the Bank Advisory Group.

Skaggs said small-business loans, a strength of most community banks, present a challenge for One Earth. "Most small-business loans are secured with real estate, so you have a double whammy, assuring the business is green and assuring the real estate is green," he said.

Brandi Clark, the sustainability officer of One Earth Bank and a widely known environmental figure in Austin, said the bank is "leaning toward a policy of engagement rather than hard and fast no's."

"If someone has land in the aquifer and wants to develop and we say no to them, they can go and get money from someone else, and we won't have saved that land," she said. "We could help them structure a conservation development (in which land is set aside as open space) or find a land trust to buy their development rights, and find value for their land without doing something destructive."

She added that the bank would not loan any money to a development not in compliance with the Save Our Springs ordinance, which sets out development standards over the Barton Springs portion of the Edwards Aquifer.

"If it's not meeting current best standards for water quality protections, we wouldn't go there," Clark said.

Most of the bank's 50 or so founders have invested $25,000 to $150,000, and each is expected to encourage more people to invest.

This "super-community bank" model took root in California in the 1990s. Rather than starting with capital from a small group of investors, the newer model involves getting larger numbers of shareholders to invest and become a web of unofficial salespeople for the bank.

Mannix said the bankers plan to capitalize the venture with $23 million to $29 million.

One Earth's principals say they're banking on high customer loyalty and positive media attention while keeping their products priced competitively with other banks in Austin.

Small businesses with an environmental bent often find banks unwilling to bankroll their projects, said Dromgoole, who owns the Austin business the Natural Gardener.

"If you go into a lot of banks and say, 'I'm going to do this solar project,' they say, 'Solar? I don't know,' " he said.

One Earth Bank will be a rarity, but it is not the first of its kind.

Banks in New Mexico and Boston, for instance, favor loan applications for green uses, said Cliff Feigenbaum, the founder and managing editor of GreenMoney Journal, a Santa Fe, N.M.-based publication. Some give lower interest rates to people who buy hybrid cars or energy-efficient homes.

Feigenbaum predicted that the bank could easily draw customers in Austin, with its environmentally progressive population.

"A Whole Foods customer is a green banking customer," he said. "Why would they buy organics and then bank somewhere irresponsible?"

The activities of these small banks have been imitated by national conglomerates, which have found themselves under public pressure from environmental groups.

Earlier this year, Bank of America announced that companies that create "sustainable products, services and technologies" would earn a higher score on their loan applications than those that don't. The bank also said it would develop a credit card in which a percentage of each purchase would be donated to an environmental organization. It said it also would dedicate $18 billion in lending, advice and market creation to environmentally friendly projects such as green building developments.

One Earth faces state and federal regulatory hurdles to establish itself as a state bank — it plans to file its application for a state charter next month — and it needs to continue to attract investors.

"There's definitely a sufficient degree of consciousness to make a move in this direction," said Skaggs, the bank consultant. "From a business standpoint, I'm still anxious to see how you make it work."

Edward Mannix

Chairman; his careers have included baby food (he co-founded Fresh Start Organics, now Happy Baby), venture capital and a telecommunications company in Mongolia.

Bill McLellan

Vice chairman; a gregarious business networker and community leader in Austin whose long career at 3M Corp. ended with his retirement as staff vice president of the 3M Austin Center. He was a founder of Treaty Oak Bank in West Lake Hills in 2002.

source:http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/12/23/1223greenbank.html

StanChart's Thai unit to focus more on secured loans

The London-based bank's Thai subsidiary would slow its personal loan expansion next year and be more cautious about asset quality, executive vice president Yuttachai Teyarachakul told reporters.

"We want sustainable growthe and stable earnings. Housing loans will help balance our portfolio and won't make it too volatile," Yuttachai said.

"For next year, what we are concerned about is political stability after a general election, whether it would help revive confidence," he said, referring to a poll on Sunday expected to produce a weak coalition government.

The Thai bank expected to increase the proportion of housing loans to 50 percent by the end of 2009 from about 20 percent now, Yuttachai said.

He refused to give a figure for outstanding consumer loans, but said they accounted for 40 percent of the bank's revenues.

The bank would cut the proportion of personal loans to 30 percent from 60 percent now and maintain its credit card business at 20 percent, Yuttachai added.

source:http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSBKK19786020071220

Home improvement - Do it wisely

If you want that your home should stand apart in the crowd, you will have to make some efforts. Even if your home is very old, you can still make it beautiful. There are many ways that can help you in bringing your old home in line with the modern trends and requirements.

Some people carry out home improvements with an aim to sell it off at a higher price. The purpose of home improvement is a very important aspect. If you want to sell it later on, you should invest the minimum possible amount of money. Suppose you invest £50,000 in home improvement in a bid to attract a good buyer. It will add to the total price that your are asking for your home. Your decision to spend a large money on home improvement may turn out to be a bad decision if the cost of your home increases well above the comparative prices prevailing in the same locality. When improving your home with a purpose to sell it, an expert advice from the estate agents may prove extremely helpful.

If you want that your home should stand apart in the crowd, you will have to make some efforts. Even if your home is very old, you can still make it beautiful. There are many ways that can help you in bringing your old home in line with the modern trends and requirements.

Some people carry out home improvements with an aim to sell it off at a higher price. The purpose of home improvement is a very important aspect. If you want to sell it later on, you should invest the minimum possible amount of money. Suppose you invest £50,000 in home improvement in a bid to attract a good buyer. It will add to the total price that your are asking for your home. Your decision to spend a large money on home improvement may turn out to be a bad decision if the cost of your home increases well above the comparative prices prevailing in the same locality. When improving your home with a purpose to sell it, an expert advice from the estate agents may prove extremely helpful.

The budget for home improvement should be so fixed that all your requirements can be taken care of. A professional estate agent can be hired who will guide you through the entire home improvement process. The first thing is to set your priorities in order. All intended home improvements should be allocated adequate funds. After a budget has been fixed, you should stick to it and not let any major deviation creep in. Home improvement loans can be used to enhance your budget. Being a homeowner, you are at an advantage and lenders will hardly refuse a loan for home improvement.

The requirement for home improvement loans will depend upon the amount of deficit that you are facing in your budget. If you need a large amount of money from the lender, then secured home improvement loans will be helpful. These secured loans enable you to get upto £250,000 depending upon the value of your home.
source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=122107_home_improvements.htm

Maximum Loan Amount At Minimum Interest

Summary: Cheap secured loans are the loan plans with lowest rate of interest. These loans are available against the residential property security. The repayment period of these loans is higher.

People sometimes look for financial support to meet their needs but what bothers them is the rate of interest. You might have also faced the same condition while looking for loan. Now you are looking for loan with cheap interest. Comparison of different loan plans offers you the cheapest loan options.

You will find two types of loan options in the UK financial market. The difference between these loan plans is the pledged security. Rate of interest, repayment pattern and loan amount depends upon the security.

Cheap secured loans are approved against the residential property of the borrower. The property provided by borrower acts as security for the lender. While shopping for cheap rate of interest, borrower will find the rate of interest of these comparatively low than the other loans. Lower rate of interest is the benefit given to the borrower against the use of his property. If the borrower is looking for a reasonable rate of interest then he can take the help of free-of -cost loan quote which reveal details of the loans.

In cheap secured loans, the borrower is required to repay the loan in long span of time. The long span of repayment which the borrower has to pay varies from 10-25 years. This special feature of these loan plans helps the borrower to repay the loan amount in easy monthly installments. These loans are designed to facilitate even the bad credit holder. Bad credit holders can apply and benefit from these loans. The bad credit holders not only improve their credit status but also can meet their financial needs.

For the convenience of the borrowers, cheap loans can also be applied on the Internet. Applying online facilitates the borrower to save time and leads to instant approvals. Having a car, going for a holiday, cost of children’s higher education and such other requirements are easily accessible with the help of cheap secured loans.
source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=122107_secured_loans_low_interest_rates.htm

Friday, December 14, 2007

Advantages Of Online Secured Personal Loans

Speed and convenience is something that everyone wants. You cannot afford to wait endlessly in life for an event to happen at its own pace. Instead you need to plan in advance and be a step ahead to make your life secured and convenient.

The way a matter is handled is another big concern and if that is an appropriate one, half the battle is won.

If you are planning to handle the situation through secured personal loan, to your surprise, it is now made available online. Make use of the online application facility and get secured personal loan benefits from home or office, such as

Variety of lenders: You can opt from the different lenders according to their terms and conditions that suit you the best.

Quick and convenient way: Application is processed in no time. The moment you enter your contact details, representative calls you within a few minutes.

• Less paperwork: There’s no need to fill the lengthy forms, only the basic necessary details will be required from you.

Less cost included: Cost is less because neither you have to pay extras on paper legalities nor you have to run from pillar to post.

Longer tenure: Secured personal loan is taken by pledging a security, therefore you can get an elongated tenure, say 5-25 years.

Low interest rate: As the loan is secured in nature, rate of interest charged is a lower one.

Open to everyone: Person suffering from adverse credit history can also avail online secured personal loans. With regular payment of the loan installments he can increase his credit score.

Multi-purpose: It also allows borrowers to supervise a number of demands in a single loan. Such as buying a car, decoration of house, weddings, going for far holiday destinations, higher education etc.

Online availability is one of the reasons that secured personal loans have become so popular in the UK. Every other person is considering loan services in one way or the other.

Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=112907_personal_loans.htm

Get the right Personal Loan

Even though borrowing obviously assists in making the impossible possible, it’s important that the various products throughout the sector are considered carefully.

Personal loans are unsecured loans that are produced for individuals who want to borrow up to £25,000 over a fixed term. This means that the loan company has not secured their investment against any established residence or shares that the borrower may have. Because this is a risk for the lender, it does mean that the rates of payment are likely to be slightly bigger than on a secure loan, reflecting the nature of the gamble.

As they are produced to be paid off over a fixed term, a few companies impose penalties on people who take measures to pay off their personal loans early, generally in the form of a large, accumulated interest bill.

In this situation, it may be worth considering a flexible loan, where these charges don't apply. These loans are agreed at a fixed rate, signalling that they will be assessed on the existing rate of interest and that will not change over the term of the loan itself, as the repayments are made monthly, the rate of interest paid will lessen accordingly as it is worked out on the monies that are owed. The risk involved means a consumer's credit score can influence the cost of repayments.

A credit history score is worked out using a mathematical formula and by comparing the spending and repayment habits of people to see how much risk is involved in loaning to an individual.

A good history will generate a good credit score, and vice versa. Those with bad credit ratings can expect to pay higher rates of interest where repayments are concerned, but it is not always feasible to find out what that rate is until after application for a personal loan. It appears to be best for the borrower to take on a smaller loan that can be paid off as quickly as possible. A larger loan taken out over a greater period of time may keep the rate of the repayments down, but the actual amount of interest paid back over this time will be more expensive than if the consumer were to borrow the same amount over a shorter term.

Borrowers not certain of how much they will need to loan now have the option of taking out a flexible loan meaning that rather than borrowing more than might be necessary for, say, home improvements just in case costs escalate they can borrow exactly the amount needed. Alliance and Leicester offer a top up option on their unsecured loans so existing customers can simply update their current arrangement whilst maintaining the same monthly repayment rate.

There are many players in the loan sector and competition for market share is intense. This results in some very appealing rates that consistently tempt consumers to move from one provider to another. However, leaving a loan firm can incur penalties and this effectively reduces the pull of the newest offer. It is firmly recommended that prospective borrowers consult a professional body like the FSA, who will offer independent advice without any marketing terminology. It is also prudent to search the Internet for a Personal Loan Calculator, which should give you a handy indicator of the amount of repayment a would-be borrower can expect. You can find calculators on loan providers websites (on the Asda personal loans page for instance) or on loans comparison sites like Motley Fool or uSwitch.

Source:http://www.whatinvestment.co.uk/saving-money/saving-and-banking/guides/265231/get-the-right-personal-loan.thtml

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Secured Loans - Get Big Amounts at Very Low Rates

With big expenditures lying on your shoulders, you need to find out a way to cope with them. When you need money and are ready to pledge collateral, then the best way for borrowing money is secured loans. By availing these, the borrower can get big amounts at a very low rate of interest.

These are multi-purpose personal loans that can be used by the borrowers for any needs like debt consolidation, car purchase, home improvement, wedding expenses, and college education funding etc. luxuries like an exotic vacation can also be financed with the help of secured loans.

Any assets like a house, car, real estate, stocks and bonds etc can act as collateral for secured loans. The equity of the collateral should be high so as to avail the maximum amount at the minimum rate of interest. The purpose of the equity is to assure the lender of the repayment of them. The asset of the borrower is pledged so that in case of non-repayment of the loan money, the lender is able to retrieve his money by selling it off, although this happens in the rarest of cases.

The amount that can be borrowed through them depends largely upon the equity of the collateral but it usually lies in the range of £5000-£75000. The term of repayment for secured loans is 5-25 years. The rate of interest for them is very low as collateral is pledged for the money and the lender does not have to bear any risk of repayment.

Online research and application for secured loans helps the borrowers in obtaining an even lower rate of interest. Loan quotes are sent by numerous borrowers which are to be compared by the borrower to get a good deal with lowest possible rates.

Bad credit borrowers can also avail these which is the best option for them. Usually charged high rates, with these bad credit borrowers are charged lower rates of interest due to surety of repayment. So, to take care of your needs, borrowing a loan by pledging collateral is no more difficult with secured loans.

source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Secured-Loans---Get-Big-Amounts-at-Very-Low-Rates&id=845400

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