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Friday, January 9, 2009

Fixed Rate Starting to Look Better for Reverse Mortgage

By Matt Vanrock

If you were to ask me one year ago which choice for senior borrowers was the better one, between the fixed rate and the adjustable, I would have told you the adjustable with few exceptions.

Cut to the present and that isn't so much the case anymore. This is because the banks dealing in reverse mortgages keep striving to increase their take on the deal.

One year ago, the margin that banks and their investors wanted was roughly one percent. The margin is loan's profit tacked on to whatever index is used as a basis for the loan.

To help you understand in a real life example. Let's say a year ago a borrower used an ARM with it's index equaling 1%. The lender adds on 1% for its margin. Add the two together and you arrive at an actual interest rate of two percent.

Well, margins have been quickly changing. They went to 1.5% by the spring of last year, and changed to 1.75 about 3 months ago.

What do you know, Fannie Mae just informed us a new price change is coming. The margin is expected to rise at least 1/2 point in the coming days.

I have another article dealing with why the adjustable rate option is so good when it comes to reverse mortgages. It still is, but the fixed rate is becoming more and more attractive as these margins rise.

One example is if the borrower cashes out all or the vast majority of the total a possible loan immediately.

If the lender is willing to lend $100,000, if the borrower needed all of it immediately the fixed may be a better choice. The reason is, with the new margin increase, the average 15 year interest rate for the adjustable is now higher than current fixed rate.

Right now the ARM is very attractive because it's squatting down extraordinarily low. It's teasing people, but this won't last forever and it will come up to meet the average.

One other benefit to the ARM over the fixed was that lenders were giving substantially more money on the ARM. This number is not nearly so profound today.

The ARM used to be a no brainer in terms of how much money it gave a borrower rather than the fixed. It's far closer now and one never knows. Perhaps after the change the fixed will give more.

We don't know quite yet, but the fixed rate is gaining on the ARM.

Credit Repair Form Letter ??" Good to Use or Bad to Use?

By William Blake

There are form credit repair letters all over the internet. They can be helpful if you find yourself needing to correct an error on your credit report or you are being harassed by debt collectors who are constantly calling your house. It is a stressful thing to have to deal with credit report errors or debt collectors. You may not feel that you are able to write an effective letter under such a stressful situation. Should you turn to the form letters on the internet for help?

Warning Signs

There are thousands and thousands of form letters out there to choose from. There is also sample letter prepared by the government that can be found on the Federal Trade Commission website. Which is a better choice? How can you decide?

When you are trying to choose a form letter to go by there are a few warning signs to look for of letters you do not want to use. For example, if a letter is threatening you do not want to use it. Words like, "if you ignore this letter I'll sue" or "you better stop harassing me" are phrases to be avoided. If a form letter contains statements like these keep looking. You do not want to send this type of letter to a credit bureau or any of your creditors.

You also want to avoid a credit repair letter template that has sentences containing ENTIRTELY CAPITAL LETTERS LIKE THIS. This is not only considered rude, it's also considered the mark of either an amateur or a scam artist. Letters containing a lot of capitalized words or exclamation points are not taken seriously because they look like they are written by a child.

Overwhelmed by Your Choices?

If the form letters intimidate you and you just can't decide it may be best to write you own letter. If you are going to do this remember that you want to keep the letter short. Be direct and respectful. Briefly explain what the letter is and your purpose in writing it. If you have a friend, an accountant or other financial expert that you can talk to, get some advice about how to write the letter.

Write the letter as if you are writing it for someone else and you are not personally involved. You do not want to show any emotion ??" anger, fear or frustration. Just state the facts as clearly and briefly as possible.

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UK Best Loan Payday

By Mishell Novell

This article looks at the way banks exploit customers with NSF and overdraft fees. It contrasts this with the other option known as payday or cash advances and proposes that these are in fact cheaper than bank fees. It goes on to show how banks lobby aggressively against the payday industry fearing cuts in there fees. The findings are based on a US study by the federal government and is freely down loadable.

An independent agency of the federal government, the FDIC was created in 1933 in response to the thousands of bank failures that occurred in the 1920s and early 1930s. The commission is managed by 5 people who constitute a board of directors. They are all appointed by the President and confirmed in the Senate. No more than three can be from he same political party.

In 2006 legislation allowed banks to apply automated overdraft programs - much to the detriment of consumers. This is a system where the bank honors customers obligations using computer rules to determine non-sufficient qualification for overdraft coverage. Data and information were gathered through a survey of a sample of institutions representing 1,171 FDIC-supervised banks, and a separate data request of customer account and transaction-level data from a smaller set of 39 institutions.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) published the results of a two year study on the use of overdraft programs operated by FDIC-supervised banks. Astoundingly the study found that customers pay in excess of 3,500 percent APR on a NSF check - on average.Customers in low income areas were more than likely twice as certain to incur these fees.

This study confirms the argument made by the payday industry. That is short term payday loans are much less expensive than using a bank and incurring bank overdraft fees. The other major difference is than banks are automatically enrolling customers in programs that carry APRs and other fees that are in fact far more expensive than a payday loan. Namely 75% of banks did this.

The study concluded that a typical customer would incur fees of $27- for each $20 overdraft over a 2 week period. A $60- ATM overdraft in 2 weeks would incur an APR of 1,067 percent. A customer repaying a $60 ATM overdraft in two weeks would incur an APR of 1,173 percent and a customer repaying a $66 check overdraft in two weeks would incur an APR of 1,067 percent. Surprisingly, the study also concluded that the faster a customer repays an overdraft, the higher the resultant APR.

Some consumer advocacy groups like the CRL are lobbying to ban payday loans. This leaves customers with no option than to pay overdraft fees to the banks. CRL and others recently led the charge to pass HB 545, a law effectively banning payday lending in Ohio . In 2006, Ken Compton, CEO of Advance America, said, "Contrary to the CRL's spin, responsible uses of the payday product provides consumers firm footing to overcome unexpected financial circumstances".

Some key findings;

Over 90% of banks completed overdraft fees without informing the customer.Very few banks (less than 8%) inform customers that they are about to incur insufficient funds. There is little opportunity to cancel the transaction so avoiding the fee.

Bank customers complaints about overdraft fees were received by twelve percent of banks.

About nine percent of bank customers have 10 or more NSF transactions per year. 4.9 percent had 20 or more NSF transactions. Customer accounts with 20 or more NSF transactions were charged $1,610 per year in NSF fees on average.

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Refinance with a Leading Arizona Mortgage Company

By Brent Mackelprang

What are you waiting for? Refinance today for less? Mesa Mortgage, a premiere Arizona mortgage company has a question for you; what's preventing you from refinancing today? There is a lot of talk about the current state of the economy, and of course there are many concerns about it, but what you may not know is that now is a great time to refinance! Mesa Mortgage, as an established Arizona Mortgage company is able to assist you with your refinancing with rates that are lower than the national average! Low rates that will save you $1000's!

Since Mesa Mortgage first opened its doors it has aimed at becoming one of the most respected and trusted Arizona mortgage companies! Mesa Mortgage has been able achieve this by setting the standards of the industry by providing unsurpassed commitment to customer service. Mesa Mortgage is determined to make sure all of your mortgage and refinancing needs are always and properly attended to.

Many times home owners believe that refinancing is their only option and unfortunately there are some Arizona mortgage companies who see this as an opportunity to talk these individuals into an unneeded refinancing. At Mesa Mortgage we will gladly answer any questions you may have about the need for refinancing and make sure that refinancing is truly the very best option. Additionally, if refinancing is the best choice, Mesa Mortgage can do it for less.

Often individuals allow themselves to talk themselves out of refinancing when in all actuality refinancing is the best thing for them. Whether its concerns about interest rates, monthly payments, a lack of steady cash or another concern, it may be tempting to avoid refinancing even if it truly is the best thing to do. Mesa Mortgage will help you determine if it is the best thing to do.

As a premiere Arizona mortgage company, Mesa Mortgage is afforded opportunity to assist potential home buyers in getting into their new homes faster and more affordably. This is just one of the many reasons to choose Mesa Mortgage! Additionally you'll find lower payments and rates that are always lower than the national average!

It's easier than ever to apply for a loan or refinancing at Mesa Mortgage with their online application! When you apply online you are guaranteed fast processing with the most current information. Along with the online application, you'll find that Mesa Mortgage has rates that are considerably lower than many Arizona mortgage companies and always lower than the national average!

Mesa Mortgage offers a many kinds of different loan programs, including some loan programs other Arizona mortgage companies do not offer. At Mesa Mortgage you'll find great rates on High Debt Ratio loans, Challenged Credit loans, Jumbo loans, Second investor loans, Mortgage loans and more.

Among the many kinds of loans you'll find at Mesa Mortgage, some of which other Arizona mortgage companies do not offer you'll also find Construction loans, Investor loans, FHA Mortgage loans, VA Mortgages and more. And Mesa Mortgage proudly offers the most competitive and appealing rates on all of their loans.

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Buying a Home with Reverse Mortgage WAS a Great Deal

By Veagure Vanrock

I was pleasantly surprised in November to see two things: One was a HUD mortgagee letter stating they would allow home purchases with a reverse mortgage.

Before this, refinancing the existing house was the only thing that a reverse loan could be used for.

But that's all changed. A reverse loan is now as functional as a regular loan, but the borrower does not have to repay the bank periodically. This is obviously a significant distinction to seniors.

Another part of the letter really threw me for a loop, in a very good way. HUD was allowing lenders to loan based upon the appraisal rather than the sale price. This was an amazing thing for me to read.

As it stands for reverse mortgage refinances, there are several different things the banks look at when determining loan amount, but the value of the home is number one.

When a reverse loan is used to actually buy a home the same would apply, except in this case the lower number between price and appraised worth would be the factor.

For a reverse mortgage purchase to be based upon value only sounded almost too good to be true.

Here's how it could play out. Say a borrower scrounges around and finds an amazing house really cheap. Its on the market for almost half of what it should be. In this circumstance, at closing the senior might not have to front anything out of pocket.

HUD is kind of old fashioned in their ways. Their regular loan programs are flexible and give some slack when it comes to credit, but they still want something from the senior. This something is the down payment.

It was all just a pleasant dream! The Dept. of Housing and Urban Development has seen the light and decided against continuing with this policy. Back to the old.

Its curious to me that HUD isn't faster in getting this information to us. I would expect multiple reviews by competent consultants before the final draft of these decisions becomes available, yet this isn't happening.

Not so, this particular letter was out no more than two months before revision.

So in conclusion, remember that the lower number between the price and the value will be what determines the reverse loan amount, when used for a home purchase.

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How to Maximize Your Time with a Credit Counselor

By Steve Collins

Seeking the services of a credit counselor is an intelligent way to find a solution to your financial problems. An experienced credit counselor has a full arsenal of suggestions and strategies to assist you in making the most of your income and modify your spending habits as you work towards reducing and eventually eliminating your debts.

A key to making the most of your time with a credit counselor is to have certain pieces of information in hand prior to your first meeting. Being ready will help you both avoid wasting time on activities that could have easily been done on your own such as making a list of your expenses and income.

The first thing a credit counselor will ask you is how much you make and how much you spend. The answers need to be exact so that your counselor can help you work out a budget that is actually achievable. As any good credit counselor will tell you, its easy to underestimate how much money youre actually spending every month, so dont simply estimate it. Take a moment to look over a few months worth of bank savings and checking account statements and all of your credit card and store card statements. Try to use the average of at least the last three months to get as accurate a picture of your true spending habits as possible. This is precisely the kind of information your credit counselor will rely on to give you the best help he or she can.

If your income fluctuates because youre self-employed, work on commissions, or get bonuses from time to time, find an average for the last 6-12 months. Again, this is a more accurate picture of your true income numbers, which will greatly improve your chances of maximizing your time with a credit counselor. Having this information in hand before your first meeting with the credit counselor will mean you can move on to the advice portion of the meeting much faster.

Finally, it is a good idea to write out any and all questions that you may want to ask the credit counselor the night before your meeting so that its still fresh in your mind during your session. Remember " there is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to finding ways to improve your financial situation!

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Foreclosure Investing: Unknown But Highly Profitable Method

By Tomasheus Privetsky

If you were a real estate investor watching the real estate boom of early 2000s closely, you could have predicted the foreclosure investing opportunities that would become available today in virtually every real estate market in the country.

In the last two years mortgage lenders have been reporting dramatic increases in defaults and foreclosure rates nationwide causing many sub-prime lenders to go under. Many real estate investors turned their attention to buying foreclosures. But what you may have seen is just a tip of the iceberg.

Will You Be Able to Turn a Profit with Foreclosure Investing? It seems like a simple enough proposition to just obtain a list of properties, which are in default and contact the owners of these homes. Following this, you might be able to close a deal before the bank swoops in and repossesses the home. You could do some repairs on the home and resell it, or keep the home and rent it, and thanks to the built in equity, youre making a profit from the get go, right? Well, not always.

Some people do extremely well with their foreclosure investments, making more than enough to support themselves, even being able to finance a luxurious lifestyle on their earnings. If youre not careful though, you could also lose vast amounts of money in this business.

In fact, there are only a relatively small number of investors who have managed to make their foreclosure investing profitable on a consistent basis. Many investors make the mistake of not trying hard enough to set themselves apart from others in this very competitive market.

Making Yourself Stand Out To Homeowners in Foreclosure Investing Game. Crowded and competitive is probably understating the case. Foreclosures are a very competitive sector of the real estate market. The media have been giving a lot of attention to foreclosure investing as of late, meaning there are more people getting involved in these investments. Many send out mass mailings to homeowners facing foreclosure, others even bother them with phone calls and knocks on their doors.

Any homeowner who is looking at the possibility of foreclosure is probably being deluged with offers from other investors, along with everything else theyre struggling with. Your mailings will likely be just one of many and it may be destined for the trash! That is, unless you can manage to set yourself apart from the competition; keep reading to find one way to do this.

Take An Ethical Approach To Deal with Sellers Facing Foreclosure. People who are facing foreclosure are not exactly going to be eager to speak with you about selling their home. In fact, most see real estate investors as scavengers swooping in to profit from their troubles.

So, if you want your phone to ring with people in foreclosure, contact them with an offer to keep the home.

Three-Step Highly Profitable Foreclosure Investing Strategy That Stars With An Offer To Keep Homeowners Facing Foreclosure In Their Home. First, trying to help a family in financial trouble is the ethical thing to do. You'll be preserving the American Dream.

Yet another reason is, you'll actually make money doing it. You can help them negotiate a repayment plan with their current lender (the process is called loss mitigation) and collect a fee for your service. There're several companies nationwide with an in-house list of Loss Mitigation department contacts for literally every lender in the country that will do all the work for you. So, even if you never buy a single home, with tens of thousands of foreclosures in your hometown, offering loss mitigation services could turn into a lucrative income stream by itself.

To wrap it up, this approach to investing in foreclosures is the most profitable one to use. More often than not youll end up right where you started " on your foreclosure investing track, as many homeowners will not get their repayment plan approved. Once they realize that they really have no other option but to sell, they are most likely to sell to you, the educated and considerate foreclosure investor, since you have tried to work with them to keep their home.

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Bankruptcy Assistance Advice

By Pete Thomas

The current economy isn't in a good shape, also the financial analysts are not positive about the near future, many of us have had to control our finances and make hard choices! The fact is that you may very well find yourself in financial troubles and do not have the ability to settle the debt. Many times, one of the first solutions that should come to mind is bankruptcy. Take note, though, that it is not really as simple as it may seem. When considering bankruptcy, remember that bankruptcy assistance is something that you need to look in to.

When you are thinking of bankruptcy assistance, keep in mind the idea that bankruptcy is actually not a simple procedure. There are 6 different chapters of bankruptcy that are delineated under law, and though most frequently you will find that you are in a position to file for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, there are still many areas to consider. Unless you have enough bankruptcy assistance on your side, you may fall into a trap of long term payments and be forced to move forward in much the same way; what is worse, and your credit will drop drastically too!

If you are confirming with bankruptcy procedures, note that you do not necessarily want to proceed by yourself. Many people who file without professional assistance, and in many ways, they regretted not looking for assistance. Never leave things to chance when you are looking for bankruptcy as a solution.

When you are able to get good bankruptcy assistance, you will be in a situation to stop and really consider other options. Are you able to get out from under all of your debt free and clear, or will you look at what have been setup for you in terms of the payment plans? It will make a big difference when it comes to filing, and they are all firmed up, you will find that a number of self-help guys are not in a position to make these choices by themselves.

Whether you see that bankruptcy assistance is the only way out, or you are still delaying on the idea if bankruptcy is for you, you will find that this is not a arrangement that you want to go through on your own. Getting a local expert who can make you make the right decisions at this decisive state is something that is quite necessary, and if you want to make sure that this is the result that you don't come to disappointment, it is crucial to find assistance quickly.

Finding reliable bankruptcy assistance can help you get through this difficult time and come through it at minimum risk or damage.

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Tickets: Decoding A Car Insurance Estimate Of Risk

By John Brennan

It is a sunny day. You are having a pleasant drive, perhaps singing along to your favorite song, when you hear the sirens. Looking at the speedometer, you realize you were speeding. This is your first ticket. For those of us who have experienced these unfortunate events, the first question you may ask after the initial disbelief is: How much is my car insurance going to go up? The answer to that question depends on many factors.

Insurance companies will look at your previous driving record, before the current ticket was issued. If you've managed to drive without any infractions for a long time, then your insurance may not increase too greatly. However, if you have only just begun driving, and have already picked up your first ticket, then you should expect a correspondingly larger change in your insurance rate.

Age also plays a strong role, with younger drivers taking a hit in overall cost, even if they abide by all the rules of the road. A young driver with a ticket clearly indicates to the insurance company that they are a bad risk.

Automobile insurance carriers will also take into consideration the type of violation. Speeding tickets are very common, so they will examine how fast the driver was actually going and how much the driver was going over the speed limit. If the ticket was written for another violation, the insurance company will make a decision based on the seriousness and potential for risk the violation carries.

If your driving infraction caused a serious accident, then you should not be surprised when you insurance increases a large amount. You actions have resulted in the insurance company paying out money, and it will now seek to claw it back through higher premiums. That will be the case however blameless your previous driving career has been.

Many people do not know that tickets can be dismissed and will not go on your driving record. If the violation is not too serious, the courts will dismiss the ticket in some cases and the driver will only be responsible for paying court costs. Not all tickets are dismissed and the process also varies from state to state.

Make sure you're covered. Too many Americans put themselves and others at risk by driving uninsured. Insurance is easier to arrange now that ever, with Allstate and Progressive Direct, among others, offering online and over the phone insurance options. Make sure you visit a few different sites so you can make sure you get the best deal for you. Prices will vary greatly from company to company, so don't go with the first one to give you a quote.

Nobody enjoys getting a ticket, but if you do, it may not result in an insurance increase beyond what you can afford to pay. It's a good idea to find out how your insurer handles traffic tickets when you first take out a policy, so you know what to expect once those blue flashing lights have faded into the distance.

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Personal Loans Are Great For Fast Cash

By Trinity Davidson

If you find yourself needing money quickly, fast cash personal loans can be a smart way to go. They can help you to cover unexpected bills, medical expenses, or to pay for anything else.

If you need less than $1,000 to cover your unexpected expenses, you may want to think about securing a payday loan. This can help you to float until your next paycheck and will get your expenses covered.

If you need money quickly, this is the way to go. Just be sure that you will be able to pay back the money on time and in full to avoid paying more interest than necessary. With this kind of loan, you will find out if you are approved or not very quickly. Most lending sources will let you know within a few hours if you qualify or not. If you do qualify, they will most likely be able to deposit the loan amount in full directly to your savings or checking account within one day.

If you need more money than what you can qualify for with an unsecured loan, you might still have an option. Some lending institutions will let you offer your car title as collateral allowing you to borrow more money. This can be really risky though since now your vehicle is on the line. Understand that if you fail to make payments on time and in full, you will probably lose your car.

Taking out a loan on your car or home could have consequences, so make sure that you understand how it all works. Failing to make your payments would inevitably force the bank to seize your asset which means you would lose your home or car.

Most lending sources will offer these loans on a short-term basis. Usually, you will need to pay them back within a couple of weeks. If you need a longer pay schedule, be sure to negotiate that up front. You will want to be clear on the terms and conditions so you dont inadvertently default on the loan. Now that you have the basic information, you can decide for yourself if a fast cash personal loan is the right step for you.

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