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Friday, January 2, 2009

HUD Counseling for Reverse Mortgages Wards off Scammers

By Spumeti Vanrock

Equity in a home is, of course, one of the benefits of owning in the first place. After all, who wants to go through the loan process, make payments and pay for all the repairs involved in owning without some monetary payoff.

The reverse mortgage was originally invented to help seniors with financial issues. Without any other type of savings the homeowner can access the equity to solve money issues.

Each financial situation requiring remedy is unique. As such the reverse mortgage does not always fit well as a solution.

As a possible conflict of interest, it is marketed by people just like me, who make money only when they get a senior borrower a reverse mortgage; they don't make money by talking the senior out of it.

I am a lender, and I have a high opinion of most in my field. Nearly all loan officers will give a just evaluation, and handle opinions in a measured honest manner.

That being said a certain minority resides in this business (as with any business), made up of unethical individuals willing to ignore anything associated with the golden rule to get what they want.

In the copier business, where I worked in the past, my company had a saying for sales people to remember: Get it done by any means possible. They were serious about it too. Do anything possible to get that money.

A few people in the business of reverse mortgages feel selfishly too, but have faith. You may not see the bad guys coming, but you will have a backup consultant to spot them for you.

Prior to advancing on in a reverse mortgage transaction the law requires potential borrowers to counsel with a intermediary, HUD approved advisor.

This is a major stopgap for those being talked into a reverse mortgage who could otherwise solve the financial obstacle in some other cheaper manner. If the counselor is worth his salt he should be able to spot a bad deal and give the would-be borrower better advice.

I constantly hear about seniors getting cheated or ripped-off. HUD counseling, in the reverse mortgage business, is very useful in stopping this from happening.

The Flexibility of Private Money Lenders

By Tomasheus Privetsky

There are a lot of people out there who could potentially become very successful real estate investors, but most people don't even try. Why? Because they themselves don't have the money to invest in property and they think it would be too difficult to try to secure financing through traditional venues, such as a bank or other type of "hard money" lender. However, what they probably don't know is that there is a better and easier way for real estate investors to finance properties and thus have success. That is, through private money lenders.

What Are Private Money Lenders?

What is a private money lender? It's a loan that is financed through an individual instead of an institution. That individual has extra money he or she wants to lend and make a profit with. This is an incredibly flexible financing strategy, because you can borrow from someone who is a regular individual just like yourself, instead of having to jump through the hoops set forth by banks and other lending institutions, which have to follow strict rules and regulations when they decide whether or not to lend someone money. In other words, private money lenders don not have to follow these rules.

Why Private Money Loans Are a Better Way to Finance Your Properties

Because private money lenders don't have to follow the same strict rules and regulations imposed by the government and board of directors in the same way banks and other traditional lending institutions do, they can choose whom they invest with. That means they may be very willing to lend you money if they see you as someone they want to invest with, regardless of a substandard credit rating or other financial missteps.

The Benefits of a Private Money Loan

As a real estate investor, you can approach a private money lender and make your case with them individually. You can explain to the private money lender why you are someone they should invest in, and after you've done so, they can make their own decisions. However, there's more to it than that and the benefits go even further. If the private money lender is interested in what you have to offer, you both can sit down and work out financing and repayment arrangements that are of benefit to both of you. You can both state what you want out of the arrangement and agree on a payment schedule and interest rate that satisfies both of you.

A private money loan is a short-term loan and therefore, the private money lender may be willing to wait until after you have refurbished and sold the house to receive any payments. This lets you focus on fixing and selling the property instead of having to worry about paying for a property that hasn't actually made you any money yet.

The Downside of Traditional Hard Money Loans

While private money loans benefit both borrower and lender, bank loans usually give the benefit to the bank. They get to set the standards on their side, and if you are lucky enough to get a loan through them, they also get to set the interest rate and determine what other fees might be. In general, you're not going to be allowed to make payment arrangements or other special arrangements, but will have to stick to the schedule the bank sets. This means that even if your credit history is perfect, and even if you can receive financing from a traditional lender, using a private money lender may still offer you more advantages.

Summarizing the Benefits of Working with a Private Money Lender

The private money lender can lend to whomever he or she wishes to and doesn't have to follow specific rules and restrictions in the same way traditional institutions like banks do. This means that even real estate investors who have less than perfect credit histories may be able to obtain financing needed for their properties.

Private lending can mean much more open communication between the borrower and private money lender. The borrower and lender can negotiate an interest rate or flat fee that will almost always save the borrower money over that of a traditional loan.

Both the borrower and private money lender can negotiate payment arrangements that will benefit both of them. The lender may even be willing to forgo payments until the borrower has sold the property.

No financial application is required. Borrower can appeal directly to the private money lender and convince him to take a chance on the property in question.

Private Lender will see borrower as a real person with a real goal, instead of just a paper application that must pass ridged guidelines.

All of these benefits make private money loans the most flexible funding option for real estate investors. A private money loan allows you a variety of options and opens the door for many real estate investors who would otherwise be turned down by a traditional lender.

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Basics of Credit Repair

By Rob Kosberg

If you know that you are what is called a "credit risk," you probably are feeling that as a derogatory connotation. That can be the motivating factor for you to explore the return to good credit.

It is actually possible for you to travel the "repair road" with yourself as the driver. However, when setting out on this trip, you will need a triptik to break down the milestones on the way.

The "credit risk" label is based on your "credit report" and "credit score." Therefore, you need to know what those are all about. The credit score is a very important 3 digit number that a "credit risk" will need to raise. A score of 700 or more is "good." If the score is under 700, this might be problematic. This information is essential to the repair process.

To find out this information, you will begin by obtaining your credit reports. You will need to be brave and confront these reports. There are 3 credit bureaus that supply reports: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. On a yearly basis, you are able to receive a free report (fee for the credit score) from each of these agencies. For the details on this procedure, see www.annualcreditreport.com.

It is possible that each of these reports may actually be different. Therefore, it is very important to obtain all three report for comparison.

Review each report for errors after you finish comparing them. Then, you will need to DISPUTE THE ERRORS with each of the three bureaus. This will require patience and persistence.

Document all errors, and the reasons why you know they are errors and send this in writing (with a copy of the credit report) to any or all, if needed, credit bureaus. Definitely retain COPIES OF EVERYTHING for your records.

This is the first information you need to have. Be prepared, there may be some surprises on those reports. Be persistent.

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Consolidation Loan Choices Make Choosing Easier

By Daniel Atolben

Debt consolidation loans were created solely as a means for putting all the debt together, or consolidating it, and lump sum loan is made instead of separate payments to individual creditors. Instead, the bank takes your debt total, and through many different types of loans, can, with the appropriate credit, aid in the immediate repayment of all creditors. The bank pays off the debts, and you pay the bank.

A very good reason to do this is when the interest rate on the loan is a fixed rate that is less than the typically higher rate charged by credit card companies and other creditors, especially if you have recently begun to pay your credit card bills later and later and the fees for such activity are beginning to mount.

A possible consideration for debt consolidation is a straight loan. This is equivalent to a home or car loan, but with no collateral. You are simply borrowing a set amount to pay a specific debt. Again, the rate should be noticeably lower than the interest rate being paid to the credit card companies. Not everyone who applies for a straight loan will qualify. There are serious guidelines to protect the bank from someone who may default on a loan that the bank has no way of recouping without your cooperation. Usually this type of loan is reserved for consumers with the highest credit rates.

Home equity loans are also valuable to a consumer interested in debt consolidation. If your home is worth more than the amount of the loan you are paying for it, the difference may be borrowed from the bank and used to pay creditors. These loans are restricted by the amount of equity in the home, and dependent upon good standing in the first mortgage. Often these loans are separate from the first home mortgage, and the rate may or may not be the same for each loan. As long as the interest rate is lower in the equity loan than the credit card rate, a home equity loan can be a good decision.

A total home refinance is also a possibility. If your home has been paid down considerably or increased in value quickly, and if the rates have gone down enough to justify the fees for refinancing, an whole new home mortgage may be established, with the extra debt added in to the value of the loan.

While escaping from a debt ridden situation can seem like a struggle, debt consolidation loans can be invaluable to a consumer who would like to reduce the number of payments that they make and interest that they pay per month. Consolidation loans stream line the payment process, no matter which method you choose.

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How to Remove a Tax Lien From Your Credit

By Matt Douglas

With a tax lien on your credit report your score will be dramatically affected. You should take action to erase this mark from your report.

The first step is to have the bureaus validate the lien. You need to send each bureau a dispute letter.

Unfortunately mistakes do happen on your report; there are estimates that 1 in 4 people have an error on their report.

Upon receipt of your letter the bureau will investigate the mark. They will contact the state or federal government and ask for verification that the debt does exist. If it is verified then you will have to make some form of payment.

If you have a large debt you should speak with a tax attorney or negotiator to help work out some form of repayment. Frequently you can pay a reduced amount, and when paid you can remove it from your report.

A tax lien can be collected upon for 10 years, and will stay on your report for 7 years once it is paid. If not paid then you can be reporting a tax lien on your report for a considerable amount of time.

However once you pay in full, wait three months and dispute the mark again. It has been learned that frequently the government will ignore future validation requests from the bureaus once a lien is paid.

Thus your lien will not be verified and the bureaus will remove it from your report. Additionally if this mark was make in error then send any documentation along with your dispute letter to prove that.

Repayment

The IRS and state government often accept partial payment. To propose this to them you will make an offer in compromise, often called an OIC.

The government will decide to accept based on; your income, assets, ability to repay, expected amount they will recover. It can help if you send in a letter explaining your financial hardship that led up to this.

It may be in your interest to hire a tax negotiator to help with this. However you do not have to just live with this mark on your report.

In sum, take action today and get this lien off your report. It will be hard to be approved for credit with decent terms as long as this mark is on your credit. Don't just wait seven years.

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How To Take Over Payments On Existing Loans To Buy Houses

By Tomasheus Privetsky

If you learn how to buy houses by taking over payments subject to existing financing, you'll add a highly profitable skill to your arsenal of real estate investing weapons.

How many loans are really out there that you can take over payments on? Recently the American Bankers Association reported that in a single year there were close to one trillion dollars of new mortgages created from refinancing existing loans. Most of these loans were made at low 6%-8% fixed interest rates.

What it means to real estate investors nationwide is there're trillions of dollars in highly desirable low interest financing locked up in houses people own right where you live. Wouldn't it make sense to learn how to take over payments on these existing mortgages that somebody else qualified for and obtained - to buy the very houses the loans are attached to?

You should be taking over payments instead of getting investor loans that are being given out mainly because investors are saddled with a high rate of interest on loans unlike home owners by mortgage lenders.

Once you succeed in taking over payments, be assured of the low rate of interest at which you will be paying unlike other real estate investors. Thus, your loan repayment expenditure decreases considerably increasing your monthly cash flow. In the future if you decide to sell the property with proprietor financing and maintain the original loan as well. You will be able to make a better deal on the interest and payments than the ones you assemble from your procurer.

Taking over payments has another valuable benefit. Remember, the bulk of your monthly loan payments will go toward interest, while only a small portion of each payment will apply toward a principal reduction. With lower interest financing on the existing loan you're taking over - you'll pay less interest and overall for the property.

If you consider taking an investor property loan, the down payment required is much more than for homeowners. Homeowners offer around 5% while real estate investors are asked to put down around 20% while procuring the loans.

Moreover, real estate investors have to show at least 6 months worth of payments in cash reserves while a homeowner can get away with just 2 months in reserves. If you're taking over payments on a homeowner's existing loan, you'll no longer have to come up with a large 20% down payment. This, in turn, means with the same amount of capital you can buy a larger number of properties.

But we're still not quite done yet. When you take over payments on an existing loan you benefit from all the loan payments previously made by the owner. Remember, the owner has originated the loan 2, 5 or even 10 years before you came along wanting to take over payments. The more payment the owner made on the loan you're taking over, the fewer months and years are left to pay on the loan until it is completely paid in full. So, taking over payments on existing loan speeds up the process and allows you to pay-off the loan balance and build up your equity a lot quicker.

Last but not least, when you take over payments on someone else's loan, you completely avoid tedious mortgage loan qualifying process. The owner of the house has done all the paperwork and has furnished the necessary proof of his creditworthiness to the lender at the time when the loan was originally obtained. You're simply stepping in to benefit from the results of lengthy loan qualification process the owner had to endure.

This process is perhaps the easiest way to finance the purchases you make as a real estate investor.

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