For most Canadians, buying a home is the largest financial decision they will make in their lifetime. Yet, consumers across the country are more likely to painstakingly review dozens of investment possibilities for their portfolios than to scrutinize their mortgage choices. The mortgage world – like the investment world – can sometimes be confusing. There is a vast array of choices – open, closed, fixed, floating, long or short amortization, prepayment options, portability… and of course, the rate itself.
Making the right mortgage decision can have a huge financial impact over the long term. Many Canadians have an investment advisor to help them sort through their choices. Now, Canadians are also beginning to turn to mortgage brokers to help them make better mortgage decisions. Canadians are just now catching up with their counterparts south of the border, where mortgage brokers already arrange approximately 70 per cent of mortgages for U.S. properties.
So what is a mortgage broker? The role of a mortgage broker is to understand your mortgage needs, seek out the best options for your situation, and guide you through the lending process. A mortgage broker does not work for any individual institution or lender, but is independent, and has up-to-the-minute loan rates for a wide array of banks and other lending institutions.
There was a time when the banks exercised the view that they “owned” their customers, and mortgage brokers were perceived only as a last resort for home buyers with poor credit history. But times have changed, and home buyers in every bracket are learning they can benefit from the professional advice of a mortgage broker.
A good investment advisor can make you thousands of dollars. But a good mortgage broker will SAVE you thousands of dollars. Whether you are buying a home or renewing a mortgage, consider making a mortgage broker part of your financial plan this year.
Archive for July, 2008
Make a Mortgage Broker Part of your Financial Plan
Author:Jul 31
Unsecured Business Loans – solid financial foundation
Author:Jul 28
Unsecured Business Loans are monetary loans that are not secured against the borrower’s assets. These kind of loans have higher interest rate and do not offer collateral terms against the business loan. These loans fulfill the financial needs of small business owners easily and quickly. They are flexible and easily available without any need of collateral security. The rate of interest depends upon the degree of risk involved in the whole activity. Unsecured business loans are much cheaper and contain less risk terms to the borrowers. Unsecured business loans can be used to commence a new business as well as to expand an existing one. Prospective business plan helps to win the confidence of the lender. Unsecured business loans are meant for individuals, who need funds to their business without facing any of their assets on risk. It is one of the best options for self employed people working for other enterprises. You can extend your business domain at any point of time. Unsecured business loans are configured in such a way, that if any business who has no regular source of income, can avail this kind of loans. These loans put a close view on all the requirements of the business. It is quite true that all kinds of unsecured loans are becoming more preferred choice to everyone, as these offer hassle free finance at affordable rates. With these loans a business owner can easily arrange the financial needs to fulfill all the external requirements of the business.
Some of the major benefits of unsecured business loans are:-
1. These loans do not require any kinds of collateral or security.
2. One may use these loans for personal, educational or even holiday purposes.
3. The payment period is up to a maximum of 60 months.
4. Simple and flexible process: This process provides you easiest way to expand your business successfully and helps to make your business more flexible.
5. It offers more security and reliable alternative to traditional businesses.
6. It provides fast track to successful business.
7. Fast Approvals : the approval process is very fast and efficient. It provides more flexibility to your decision making.
8. Easy application process: the paper work is very less.
9. You are free to utilize the funds received for any purpose.
10. It helps to gaining experiencing rapid growth easily
11. Risk: Risk term find out the probability of occurring any event and loses included. Risk defined as qualitatively as well as quantitatively. It is an issue which leads to negative results. In case of unsecured business loans the chances of Risk are very rare.
If your business is facing any major or minor problems in smooth running just because of finance, than unsecured business loans are the best option for you. These loans are available for each industry type, it means business owners from every level of corporate world can apply for them. Well established business owners can also prefer business loan to meet the ever-increasing requirements of their business organizations.
Maximize Your Credit Card Services with Small Business Loans
Author:Jul 19
Since June 15, 2009, the United States Small Business Administration has been processing deferred payment small business loans of as much as $35,000 to be given out to 10,000 small businesses. This is covered by the SBA’s America’s Recovery Capital (ARC) Loan Program.
To qualify, companies should be private enterprises that are for-profit. They should have up to five hundred employees only and should be at least two years old. Furthermore, they should be able to prove financial need with a twenty percent decrease in sales, revenue or working capital. On the other hand, they should be able to prove that one of their two years in business has been profitable, and that with the infusion of cash they will be able to meet their existing and future debt obligations. This means positive cash flow projections. The ARC small business loans are intended to be used to pay outstanding debt such as payables to vendors.
For this batch of small business loans, there are no fees or costs involved, except if the borrower defaults on the loan later. In that case the SBA-approved lender can charge costs for securing and liquidating collateral.
The ARC small business loans also do not charge interest. Actually, the SBA pays the interest for the borrowers. Disbursement of the loan can take as much as six months but payment of the principal is also deferred for the next 12 months. After that, the borrower has five years to repay the loan principal.
Each small business can only avail of one ARC loan. SBA-approved lenders will offer the loans until September 30, 2010 or until available funds run out, whichever comes first.
There are, however, an estimated 30 million small businesses in the United States and only 10,000 of them can avail of the government’s small business loans. What if you do not happen to be among the 10,000 lucky recipients? How will your small business survive?
There are even doubts being raised on whether as much as 10,000 businesses can indeed avail of the ARC loans. There are fears that there may not be enough lenders willing or able to participate in the program. Lenders will have to advance the full amount of the loan, will not receive payment on principal for a full year, and will not be able to charge any fees, thereby absorbing all administrative costs. This may be too steep for many lenders. They may not be able to afford to participate at all.
This is where you as a small business owner can and should maximize your credit card services. We are not talking about your personal credit card services here. Instead, we are referring to the merchant services that enable your small business to receive credit card and debit card payments. Surely, any business these days avails of these types of credit card services. After all, more people pay by credit card or debit card rather than cash.
Most credit card services offer small business cash advances that can be as substantial as small business loans. These small business loans do not require any collateral because they are secured by your company’s future credit card receivables. This is even more convenient for your business because repayment is also built into those receivables. Credit card services automatically deduct a percentage from your income to go toward loan repayment. For as long as you have incoming sales, you can support your loan. Interest rates are often quite affordable considering how the loan can help your business.
Small businesses should therefore look into maximizing these credit card services for small business loans. The survival of your business could hinge on this.