The Dot Com Miner

Monthly Archive

January 2009

January 19, 2009

What is an Offset Mortgage?

Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 6:47 am

An offset mortgage is very similar to a current account mortgage - but instead of having everything all in one account, all accounts are held separately.

The offset mortgage concept treats your money as one giant pot, with each element (mortgage, savings, current account etc) separate to the rest. The result is basically a giant overdraft, although it behaves differently.

Offset mortgages are where the interest on your mortgage is reduced by the funds in both your savings accounts and your current accounts. The more you have in your savings account, the less interest you pay on your mortgage, which helps you to repay your mortgage faster and more cheaply in the long term. Your part of the deal is that you don’t receive any interest on your savings or your current account.

The interest is work out by taking the state of each account separately and offsetting them against the others so that you can benefit from your savings and pay less interest. A current account mortgage allows you to benefit in the same way, except it also acts a bank account so your salary goes into the same account that your mortgage is in.

This is slightly different to the current account mortgage because your mortgage account is separate from a savings and income account that you open with the same company. Like the current account mortgage, your income and savings are offset against your mortgage, which reduces what you owe. The interest is calculated on a daily basis on that reduced balance.

Offset mortgages work by setting the money held in savings and current accounts against your mortgage debt. So instead of earning interest on your cash balances, you pay less interest on your borrowings. The idea of offsetting is that, with less interest to pay, the mortgage is paid off more quickly and as a result costs you less.

Some of these mortgages can even be linked to your other personal financial commitments and arrangements. One of the main attractions of these mortgages is the prospect of paying less interest.

All your other debts, such as your credit cards or your personal loans are also linked into the nest of products, and this allows you to repay all of your debts at the mortgage rate, which is likely to be a lot lower than your pay rate on those borrowings.

A further advantage is that the credit cards and loans remain unsecured borrowings even though they are paid off at the mortgage rate, so if you can’t keep up the repayments on those your home is not at risk.

The people that will find offset mortgages very suited to them are people with volatile incomes, such as the self-employed or people often paid in large bonuses. People with significant amounts of savings will also find offset mortgages useful.

If you do opt for an offset mortgage, especially one linked to a current account, you can maximise its benefits by keeping your cash in your account for as long as possible each month. With interest calculated daily, each day’s credit balance can make a small difference.

The rate on an offset mortgage will be higher than the cheapest rates available.

The benefit of the offsetting feature is that you can always have access to your savings if you need them. So you can make them work to pay off your mortgage, and access them when you need to.

The advantage to the offset mortgage is that the feeling of being in debt is not as all encompassing as with a current account mortgage. However an offset mortgage is quite complicated and you need to make sure that your accounts are offset in the best possible way to benefit.

You may freely reprint this article provided the author’s biography remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

January 18, 2009

Introducing Betting Establishment Games of Luck: the Games of Chance Gamester Engage in

Assuming you gaming establishment games of luck, you’re invited to learn more about it here…

Typically, a gaming hall is a building that offers games of chance. Here, guests are expected to take a risk at one armed bandits or trying out a slew of other games of luck. Betting establishment games may have numerically determined probabilities built in that promise the gambling establishment holds on to an over the betting aficionados.

A number of gaming establishment games can make you end up overly obsessed rapidly. the infamous slot machine, a cash operated gadget with 3+ cylinders which pirouette when a handle affixed to it is pulled. This contraption commonly remits in correspondence to predefined patterns of pictograms presented on the screen of the machine. Lamentably, gaming establishment games tend to push the false impression of manageability, hoodwinking the gaming aficionado — the punter is conceded options, but in actual fact these will not compensate for the customer’s disadvantage. This is induced by the casino never repaying the full wager as hoped for. This methodology can typically be seen at work in well-known casino games such as five card stud, dice games, roulette or blackjack. Seven-card stud is undeniably an incredibly popular casino pastime. The customers, studiously guarding their guarded hands, wager in the pot which is then given to the prevailing punter endowed with winning combination of cards. (Of course, the shameless bluffing hand can win as well…)

free gambling

Quite like five card stud poker, blackjack is also an incredibly popular casino game. A sizeable amount of its acceptance is a result of the mix of luck and skill & choice making, not to mention a practice identified as “counting”. This is an approach by which gamblers are in a position to dramatically bend the odds of the game to give them the upper hand both by wagering & tactical opetations based on the hands shown.

Craps is another famous pastime where punters try to foresee the throw of two dice. Guests may place their stakes on the outcome of of 1 cycle, or on a series of spins on 2 dice. Contrary to blackjack, there’s no practicable long term winning tactics punters could employ to boost the odds.

Roulette is a well-known casino based game of chance; here a croupier rotates a roulette wheel containing 37 (classical roulette) or 38 (Vegas roulette) uniquely numbered places in which a rolling pellet will settle, marking the winner When the gamester has wagered on a particular number which is successful, in other words they’ve got a lucky hand, the premium will be thirty five to one, the initial pledge itself will be paid back. Ergo in total the original bet is multiplied by thirty six.

Please take care to be very watchful nonetheless as many of betting room gambling pastimes may well be very much habit forming. Indeed an incredible number of lives may well have been wasted by uncontrolled gambling and although it seems like fun, do try to govern oneself.

Thinking of Refinancing?

Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 10:53 pm

If you are thinking of joining the thousands of Australians who are refinancing loans, there are some important issues to consider.

Reasons to consider refinancing:

Seeking a better interest rate on your mortgage.

Creating greater flexibility in your mortgage - interest-only repayments, credit cards, redraw, better service, lower fees, paying off your mortgage earlier.

Using the equity in your home to finance renovations, or cash for other investments or business capital.

Consolidating high interest debt such as credit and store cards, and personal loans into a lower interest loan such as a mortgage.

Things to consider when refinancing:

Costs associated with refinancing - for example, early discharge fees if you are in a fixed interest arrangement, application fees on new loans, mortgage insurance, stamp duty (in some states) and so on. You need to work out whether these costs outweigh the saving in interest you’ll make, or how long it will take to recoup them. For example, if you are planning to sell soon, refinancing may not be the right option for you.

Consider using a mortgage broker - they can save you time and effort by matching you with the best loan options. Brokers are paid a commission by the lender - it doesn’t cost you. Many people are concerned that advice may be swayed by the level of commissions, however independent brokers are paid a standard commission with little variation between the lenders.

Refinancing can be a considerable effort - though it should be less so if you use a broker - but at the end of the day, if your calculations show you can save money, then it’s a worthwhile exercise.

Tiffany Boys - http://www.mortgage-refinance.com.au

Tiffany is a director of Crest Simplify Pty Ltd and lives and works in Sydney, Australia.

January 16, 2009

Mortgage Calculator: Quicky Rate and Home Loan Estimator

Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 8:38 pm

If you are thinking about selling, buying or possibly refinancing your home, you’ve probably been doing a little research into mortgage rates. It is important to not only find a home in your price range, but also to obtain a loan that matches your budget. Mortgage rates vary in different parts of the country, even within a single state. The mortgage game can be a frustrating, stressful and exhausting experience. But there is something out there to help make the process of researching rates and payments a little easier for you, and it’s free!

Have you ever heard of a mortgage calculator? It’s a handy, little, online device to give you some assistance in the plight to figuring out what your mortgage payments will be. The mortgage calculator bases its estimations on percentage rates, the loan amount you are receiving, and the area where you live or hope to live. They’re simple to use and can give you a pretty accurate idea of what to expect in terms of what you will be paying out each month.

There are several websites that offer the free mortgage calculator service. One excellent online resource is Mortgage101.com. Their website has an electronic mortgage calculator that not only gives you an estimation of your monthly payment based on rates and loan amounts, but offers a total of six different ways to make this determination. Based on how you would like to pay your loan, you can calculate what the payment will be based on points, percentage rates and length of the loan. You can alter any of those numbers to get different estimations and ultimately, a really good idea of what to expect in terms of financing options. By utilizing the Monthly Payment calculator, you can enter information about your property such as value, taxes and insurance requirements to receive an even more accurate estimation of what your payment might be.

Take advantage of mortgage calculators. They are a free and easy way to get a good idea of what you can expect to pay for your new home or business property. Getting this information in advance might be one way to cut down on the stress of trying to figure out the best way to finance, and give you a little peace of mind knowing, up front, what you can or cannot afford to pay.

calculator mortgage mortgagecalculator.net tips, links and mulitple vital resources to quickly and easily figure your next home loan.

January 15, 2009

Real Estate Investing: Always Have a Back-up

Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 7:57 pm

Over the last two weeks, events have unfolded that have reminded me of an important truism in real estate investing.

“Always have a back-up!”

This was played out in dramatic form with a deal I’m closing tomorrow. A wholesaler friend of mine brought me this great little three bedroom one bath home tucked away on a dead end street where pride in ownership is alive and well. The electric and plumbing is already upgraded and this rehab is cosmetic with the exception of adding a bath.

I’m buying it for $52,500 and the as-repaired appraisal came in at $86,000. Not a bad spread. This is the kind of deal I like!

When I called my hard money broker, she was delighted and we moved quickly toward closing. I was only waiting on the closing time…

That’s when the wheels fell off.

It seems my broker’s money source decided he was only going to invest in property valued at $250,000 or more. Yikes!

So, I went to back-up hard money broker number 1.

The broker took his time…about 5 days…to finally tell me that he only wanted to loan about 60% of the as-repair value. No way. Not when I can do better (70%) with back-up hard money broker number 2.

Back-up broker number 2 is probably who I should have went with in the first place. I’ve borrowed from this source before. It took one phone call, and the money is there and I close in a couple of days. Wham-bam, the deal is arranged.

It looks like it’s time to shift around the players in my core team a bit. Back-up number 2 is now my starter. Back-up number 1 (foot-dragger, doesn’t-loan-the-70%-he-said-he-would) is benched.

I tell this story to illustrate that it’s absolutely CENTRAL to your business to have back-up plans in all aspects of the business.

I strongly recommend having two or three:

- Hard money brokers - Appraisers for quick value assessments - Rehab crew leaders - Plumbers - Electricians - Roofers - HVAC techs - Realtors

In fact, have two or three of any trade or profession lined up, ready to spring into action as a moment’s notice. Sure, I have my favorites in each of these areas, but I am striving to have 3-deep hot back-ups in each. Thing happen. Life happens! Be prepared for it.

Don’t stop there. Have back-ups when you rent or sell a property. A property isn’t rented until the rent and deposit (or lease/option fee) is paid and the keys are in the hands of the new tenant. So, encourage back-ups until the money is in your hands (in cash).

I’ve had appointments set up to sign leases, and the potential tenants never show up, no call, and they quit answering their phone. This is despite being hot for the house an hour earlier! If you are in this business long, you will learn that people will disappoint you and they will fool you. So, establish policies and make one of them “it ain’t rented until it’s paid for!”

Encourage back-up offers to purchase. Deals fall through all the time! Take as many back-up offers as you can.

Having back-ups is a mental frame of mind that fits within being a big-picture thinker portion of the Mind of the Real Estate Investor. In addition, rearranging your core team is thinking big and long term. It’s a constant process of improvement and adjustment. This approach is crucial to your business! Apply this principle and profit!

January 14, 2009

Repayment of Loans - Lessening the Bitterness of the Process

Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 9:44 am

So how have you planned the repayment? Don’t tell if you haven’t started the plannings yet. It is high time the plannings and the decisions be made regarding the repayment of the loan. The amount of loan is a sizeable figure and planning for the repayment on the D-day will only make the repayment difficult.

There are basically four different ways of paying off loans. Depending on the availability of the repayment options with the lender one has chosen to get the loan, borrowers can take up any one of the various repayment options.

The first is obviously for people who have taken loans only for a short period of time. These people normally have enough resources, but because of the urgency of the need and failure to convert assets into liquidity within the desired time make them to resort to the loan providers. However, they may discuss with the lender regarding their intention to repay the loan in full and within a very short time. If the lender allows, they can repay the loan as soon as they have the necessary resources. With the debts being repaid earlier, the borrower gets a peace of mind. The interest cost is also hugely curtailed because lesser is the term within which the loan is repaid, the lesser is the interest charged.

This method however will be suitable only for the business class of people. It is unthinkable for the common salaried people to repay the entire amount of the loan and its interest at one single go. Thus these people go for a different method of repayment. This method requires the amount of loan to be broken into a number of small installments. The calculation of the installment is done by dividing the combined value of the principal and interest by the term of repayment. This reduces the burden on the borrower. The borrower can make this payment through his/ her monthly income. A certain amount of discipline will be required when providing for the monthly repayment. There are many expenditures that we desire to make, but are not able to because of the monthly repayment taking a major share in the monthly income. However one must continue with the repayments as a bitter pill. This will lead to the full and final repayment. Besides, if you fail to pay one monthly installment, it will accrue the next month with the second month’s repayment. This will be more burdensome than the previous option.

The method discussed next has been moulded in such a manner as to lessen the harshness of the above mentioned method. This is similar to the method because the repayments are made in installments. But, the installments are much smaller than in the former. This is because only interest is repayable. The borrower is not absolved regarding the responsibility for the balance of the loan. It is repayable at the end of the term of repayment. Since repayment of the entire amount could be burdensome, borrowers are advised to start planning for the repayment from the beginning. A fund is established where the borrower invests monthly. This fund may or may not be invested in stocks and bonds. Investment in the stock market helps the fund to grow with leaps and bounds because of the good returns that the stocks fetch. However, the borrower is completely broke in case the stocks do not work well. In this case the borrower will have to repay the amount through his own resources. The pension mortgages are the best when compared to the other interest only mortgages. Borrowers pay only half the amount in the pension fund. Thus when the pension fund is being used for the repayment they are only paying half of the amount required for repayment.

Borrowers may also choose to repay the balance of the loan, after making the installments for a certain period, through a balloon payment. The balloon method of payment is also called an early repayment. However, pre-approval of the lender is necessary in order to not be penalized with an early repayment penalty. It is necessary to look out for such clauses when signing on the agreement papers to the loan. This may also be forbidden in cases where the borrower has received cash under a cash back mortgage.

Till the loan is fully repaid, there is no respite. And, this is not the case with secured loans only where some asset has been kept as collateral. People with an unsecured loan too are under the hammer as much as the holders of secured loans. Repayment decisions must not be held as trivialities. They must be thought of in conjunction with the future. There are many people who have lost their homes to the lending companies. Make sure that you do not increase the count by being irregular in the loan repayments.

Aditya has completed his masters in mass communications from Jamia University. If you need UK secured Loans, unsecured Loans, mortgages visit http://www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

January 13, 2009

Catch A Burglar, Safely And Secretly

Filed under: The Security Trail — @ 4:22 pm

In 2004 2.1 million burglary offenses occurred in the United States.
Of those less than 15% of criminals were arrested.

One reason the arrest rate is so low is because burglaries often
happen when no one is home or around to witness.

The reality is most people cannot physically monitor their home,
or office at all times without installing a monitoring system
and paying costly monitoring fees.

Monitoring companies are not a solution for everyone. The new
business owner, the business owner with high overhead or the lower income households need to save money and they can do so with the TeleSpy Intruder Alarm.

The TeleSpy is a monitoring device equipped with a motion
detection sensor and a highly sensitive amplified microphone.

It operates from any working phone jack and requires no
installation. The TeleSpy phone model is the common slim line
telephone that an intruder would not recognize as a monitoring system.

Simply enter a phone number that you can be reached at while away from the location. Cell phones work great because you can take them anywhere. If motion is detected the TeleSpy will call you automatically.

You will be able to listen in for 30 seconds through the TeleSpy’s high powered microphone. After 30 seconds the TeleSpy disconnects and instantly re-arms to detect again and again.

If you hear an intrusion call the police. Your emergency will be a
confirmed burglary in progress and treated as top priority.

You will want the best listening experience and sensor range to give the police as much details as possible. So consider a couple things when deciding a place for the TeleSpy.

The motion sensor range is in excess of 30 feet and the width is
about 20 feet, creating about a 45 degree wedge beyond the sensor.

Now think like a criminal. Where would they enter and what are
they looking for? There is a self test feature that allows you to
run trials.

If you have pets include them in the test trials. Raising the
TeleSpy or pointing it in different directions will help you
pin point your pet(s) sensitivity and eliminate interference.

The TeleSpy is ideal for apartments, small homes or offices. But
it can be a great supplement to buildings with existing systems.

The point is that if your property is being burglarized you need
the police there as soon as possible. Criminals cost Americans
five billion dollars a year and stolen property is often never
returned to the owner.

Laura Hite helps you secure your home from burglars and monitor activity from a safe, remote location using the TeleSpy Intruder Alarm. Laura works with Safety Technology, a wholesaler & manufacturer of self defense and security products.

January 10, 2009

Find Out More About Mortgages — It’s Easier Than Ever

Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 11:25 pm

For best results, it is best to disclose as much information as truthfully as possible to be

able to ascertain that each lender can present the best plan from among the types of

mortgages that are available for your particular need and is well within your paying capabilities. For the sake of fair comparison, make sure you have the same points of reference (e.g., amount of loans, terms of payment, interest rates) for all types of mortgages you want to check, and don’t forget to include inquiring after the option of obtaining an owner-financed mortgage; it is rumored to be the best win-win deal for all concerned parties.

Getting more and more popular are these types of mortgage plans: the zero-point mortgage,

the no-cost mortgage, and the super-jumbo mortgage.

A zero-point mortgage is the one where the borrower chooses to not pay points to buy the

interest rate down, yet will still pay for the base closing costs (i.e. escrow, credit

reports, documentation fees, appraisal fees, etc). What does that mean? Simply that a

borrower gets mortgage rates without having to pay out-of-pocket costs for broker’s

professional fees or other hidden fees. The lender pays for these. As a result, it leaves

the borrower with just plain, straightforward loan that he can easily refinance for a small

drop in rates after some time. The zero-point type of mortgage has no up-front expense for

the borrower that needs to be recovered, hence the very low interest rates. This type of

loan is a good deal only when the lender pays for closing costs from rebate points up front

instead of increasing the borrower’s loan amount.

On the other hand, with the no-cost mortgage, the borrower signs up for a higher interest

rate (around .25% - 375% higher than a zero-point mortgage plan, generally) but, as a

trade-off in his favor, the lender or broker ends up paying for all the non-recurring

closing costs (except interest, taxes and insurance payments). No-cost loans are not

practical for a borrower who intends to pay beyond the so-called break-even period. Simply

put, the break-even period refers to that point in time where the cost of a higher interest

rate over time merely equals paying upfront costsbeyond this point, the no-cost loan has

higher costs.

Then, there is the super-jumbo mortgage which grants loans that exceed $650,000 and has a

rate that is 25 percent higher that average mortgage plans.

As you can already gauge by now, there ARE several types of mortgage loans available out

there and shopping for the right one for you is very much like shopping for any item. It

will therefore save you a lot of money if you take the time to look around and compare

several types of mortgage payment plans first, before actually going out there and strike

the deal. Note that different lenders can offer different interest rates and mortgage fees

and the lower the interest rates, the bigger the savings for you.

Brian Shelton makes home
buying in the Dallas easy! Visit http://www.StopRentingDFW.com/

California Bad Credit Mortgage Loans - 3 Things To Avoid When Applying For Home Loan

Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 3:44 pm

If applying for a mortgage loan with poor credit, there are steps you can take to help get a better rate. Granted, if your credit score is low, the likelihood of getting a prime rate is slim. Still, reasonable rate bad credit mortgage loans are available. As a homebuyer, you must be willing to research various lenders and compare different loan programs. Moreover, homebuyers should avoid maneuvers which could hurt their chances of approval.

Avoid Late Payments When Applying for a Mortgage

Even if your credit score is good, the occasional late payment is common. If planning on buying a home, it is important to establish a good payment history with creditors - before applying for a home loan. Mortgage lenders understand that situations occur which make it difficult to pay bills on time. However, if hoping to buy a home, it is important to begin creating good credit habits.

Many lenders approve mortgage loans to people with several late payments. Yet, these persons pay higher rates. To avoid an increase in mortgage rate, attempt to submit all credit card and loan payments on time. If possible, adopt new payment habits at least twelve to six months before applying for a home loan.

Limit the Number of Credit Inquiries

A common mistake made by some homebuyers is allowing several mortgage lenders to pull their credit. Shopping around for a home loan is smart. However, if comparing three or four individual lenders, do not consent to having your credit checked. Instead, request no-obligation quotes from lenders.

Quotes do not involve credit checks. However, buyers must provide an accurate credit description. To do so, it helps to obtain a copy of your personal report online, which does not count as a credit inquiry. Once the lenders remit a quote, compare the different offers and choose the loan with the best rates and terms. Next, complete a mortgage loan application. To finalize the loan approval, the chosen lender will pull your credit.

Avoid Opening New Credit Accounts

When applying for a mortgage loan, it is important to maintain a low debt to income ratio. Obtaining new credit lines and applying for a mortgage is a bad idea. For example, if you buy a car before your mortgage loan is finalized, this will increase your debt to income ratio. This could affect whether you still qualify for the approved loan amount. To avoid the hassle of having to re-qualify for a mortgage loan, postpone opening new credit accounts until the loan closes.

Try using www.abcloanguide.com for a list of Recommended California Poor Credit Mortgage Companies online. Their recommended companies are reputable and competetive in their rates.

An Introduction to Jumbo Mortgage Loans

Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 3:31 pm

What is a Jumbo Loan or a Jumbo Mortgage

Quite simply it is a loan that does not conform to the guidelines established by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or exceeds the conventional loan limit is called a Jumbo mortgage loan. In most states, home loans that exceed $417,00 to $1,000,000 are considered Jumbo Mortgages. Jumbo Mortgages carry slightly higher interest rates than conventional home loans. This is because when any loan is sold to an investor it is packaged in bundles of several million dollars. For example an investor might purchase a loan bundle that is valued at 3 million dollars. In that bundle, lets say that there are 12 mortgages for $250,000.00 each. If one of those loans defaults, the default ratio would be 1 out of 12. When a jumbo loan bundle is sold, that 3 million dollar bundle may only contain 4-5 loans. In this case if one of those loans defaults the ratio increase to 1 out of 4. Hence the risk is greater for the investor. The greater the risk, the higher the rate.

2006 Jumbo loan limits

As with the growth of the housing market, the average median price of homes increase steadily throughout most of the United States. A home that would have been considered conventional just a few years ago now demands a higher price. Jumbo loans adjust their limits regularly to meet the demand of rising housing prices. Currently the jumbo loan limit for a one family home is 417,000. For properties in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the limits are 50 percent higher.

Why do you need to know this??

Once you know your loan is classified as Jumbo or Super Jumbo, you need to ask different questions. From the first conversation you have with your lender, you need to make certain that he or she knows you need a jumbo or super jumbo loan. You need to be prepared for having at least two appraisals on the property, and potentially providing more documentation than other loan programs. You need to make certain that your lender has the proper resources to offer you competitive jumbo and super jumbo financing.

Super Jumbo Mortgage

A loan amount over $1 Million is classified as a “super jumbo” loan. Most lenders do not offer residential mortgage financing for Super Jumbo loans, and some lenders only do Super Jumbo loans. As with a jumbo loan, documentation requirements, interest rates, and review processes are generally different and more demanding on super jumbo loans than “conforming” loans, due to the amount of money involved. This type of loan does usually require excellent credit.

Anthony Urso - EzineArticles Expert Author

Anthony Urso is a leading mortgage webmaster specializing in mortgage webdesign and mortgage marketing. For more information on Jumbo Loans, please visit http://www.jumboloanrates.net

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