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Wed 29th Jul, 2009
Posted in Consumer Credit at 8:52 am by Jennifer Ryans
by Jennifer Ryans
With the amount of debt going down but delinquencies going up, it is safe to say that many Americans are in over their head when it comes to their finances. If this is the case, a no credit check credit card may help the consumer who is starting the process of rebuilding.
While many desperately look for ways to make a significant dent in the money they owe, many find it virtually impossible and because of that, find themselves in bankruptcy, or with accounts in collection or even worse, a court judgment against them.
When this happens, your scores plummet and as a result, qualifying for any loan becomes much more difficult. There are a few options for those that have made mistakes with their finances. One of those is a no credit check credit card. These come in two forms: prepaid and secured.
The concept behind a prepaid account is quite simple. Since there is no money loaned, there is no need to check your past. You will receive a card in the mail that looks exactly like a major Visa. It can be used anywhere you see the logo displayed.
Whatever you first deposit is equal to your spending limit. You can’t carry a balance which means there is never interest or over the limit fees. You can fund it by direct deposit or by bank transfer or sending a check. Direct deposit is the preferred way since it doesn’t come with any fees.
Most of us know of unsecured accounts. This means that a bank is loaning you the money with terms that require you to pay it back.
A secured account is the opposite. This is often no credit check and this requires you to make a deposit in a separate account before you are issued a card. What you have to do is open an account with the issuing bank and keep a balance in the account at all times.
The amount of money that you keep in your newly opened account is equal to the limit. If you want more buying power, you can deposit more in your account.
One reason to get this is because it will report to the three major bureaus. Simply by paying your monthly bill on time you will create a record of positive payment history.
This is very important when your score is being calculated. Experts claim this piece of information accounts for up to 40% of your credit score.
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Wed 15th Oct, 2008
Posted in Borrowing, Consumer Credit, Financial news, Financial products, Homeowner Loans, Homeowners, House buying, Housing news, Property, Secured loans, UK Finance, mortgages at 12:58 pm by Steve Smith
A report into home information packs (HIPs) by Birmingham Trading Standards has reached pretty damning results.
The packs have not only been slammed as useless, misleading and uninformative, they have also been credited with worsening the housing market situation. Many believe that the added cost of the packs is putting off both buyers and sellers in a market already rocked by the credit crunch.
Many of the packs examined had fundamental errors which could lead to house sales falling through or purchasers only discovering too late down the line that they had been misled.
Omissions were made in areas such as planning permissions and planning history and whether houses were in conservation areas. Whether these errors were made by poor training of HIPs officers or by fundamental flaws in the system was not explained by the report, but neither makes comfortable reading for homeowners or potential buyers.
In a market already suffering due to the lack of home loan availability and with many worried about falling house prices, lack of confidence in HIPs creates a further burden for those buying and selling.
It is unfair to homeowners who are trying to sell that they are unwittingly attempting to sell their home on a false basis and equally wrong that those who are both investing equity and saddling themselves with a massive loan for are buying something that is not what they were led to believe.
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Thu 9th Oct, 2008
Posted in Borrowing, Consumer Credit, Credit Card, Credit record, Financial news, Financial products, First time buyers, Homeowner Loans, Homeowners, House buying, Housing news, Personal loans, Property, Remortgaging, Secured loans, UK Finance, mortgages at 1:27 pm by Steve Smith
The house price crash is proving to be a boon for many potential first time buyers. Those who have waited for years, ever-frustrated as house prices have rocketed beyond their reach are at last seeing a chance to buy.
With house prices having fallen eleven months in a row (according to figures from Nationwide), buyers poised to step on that first rung are waiting in the wings. So what are market conditions really like?
Well, according to the financial papers, prices are set to still fall, which is why many potential buyers are still holding back.
This may be bad news for those desperate to sell, but for those looking to finally be handed the keys to their own home, the news is great.
Many of these would-be purchasers have been saving up for years, watching prices soar further and further beyond their reach. Provided that they haven’t given up and dipped into their funds, they could be on track to buying their dream home in the next year.
One of the only dampeners that buyers should be aware of is the difficulty right now in getting a loan. Existing home loan borrowers have an easier time, should they find a buyer, as they have a proven credit record on their side and probably a chunk of equity in their property.
Lenders are now asking for as much as 25% deposit – compared to the 100% or even 125% loans that were being offered when prices were still rocketing. Unless you have a good credit record and a hefty chunk of savings, your dream property might not be as close as you think.
So, potential buyers could be wise to use their credit cards and take out cheap personal loans – provided always that they make repayments promptly. By building up a good credit record before they look at getting their home loan, they stand a great chance of getting that mortgage approval they need.
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Wed 10th Sep, 2008
Posted in Bad Credit, Borrowing, Consumer Credit, Consumer debt, Credit Card, Credit record, Debt management, Homeowner Loans, Missed payments, Personal debt, Personal loans, Property, Secured loans, Tenant loans, UK Finance, Unsecured loans, interest rates at 1:34 pm by Steve Smith
There’s a lot of confusion about credit ratings amongst people seeking personal loans and other forms of credit.
Many people believe – wrongly – that a credit record shows whether a lender has refused credit. This is not the case. Every time you apply for credit a ‘footprint’ is created on your credit record to show other financiers what you have been up to, but no record is immediately made as to whether you took up an offer, or whether it was refused.
One thing that varies from lender to lender is ‘how much is too many?’ Most of us are familiar with the concept that lenders looking at a credit record showing multiple applications may – quite rightly – view this as a sign of someone desperately seeking credit. As this is rarely the sign of a good potential client, many lenders will turn this applicant down on principal.
But how much is ‘too many’ when it comes to applications. Lenders will obviously vary, according to their criteria, but a flag usually goes up if more than four applications have been made at any one time. If the applications are spread across a period of months, the lender will be more lenient.
Another factor that people misunderstand about their credit rating is how much stability affects their core rating.
When you apply for credit – be it a mortgage, a credit card or a personal loan – the lender wants to know more than anything that you will be able to repay. The greater the risk perceived, the higher the interest rate charged, which is why bad credit loans can be so expensive.
Factors affecting this can be whether you are married – a sign of committment – whether you are registered as a voter, how many times you have moved house and even how many times you have moved job.
Someone who is seen as high risk is not necessarily someone with a history of missed repayments and ccjs, but maybe someone who has jumped from job to job, moved house or town many times and generally shown a lack of stability.
So, if you’re wondering why you weren’t offered the best rates available on the loan you wanted, you may need to look deeper than you thought.
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Mon 8th Sep, 2008
Posted in Bad Credit, Banking, Bankruptcy, Borrowing, Consumer Credit, Consumer debt, Financial news, Homeowner Loans, Homeowners, House repossession, Housing news, Missed payments, Personal debt, Personal loans, Property, Secured loans, UK Finance, Unsecured loans, mortgages at 11:39 am by Steve Smith
In surprise news this morning, the US government has announced that it will bail out America’s two largest lenders, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Whilst this may seem far removed from the daily grind of most people’s lives, the effect of this action will have far-reaching implications around the globe and already has seen a positive affect on global stock markets.
Most UK homeowners will have never heard of either company, but together they are the largest holders of home loans in the world and as the saying goes, ‘when America sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold’. In the last year they had been suffering unsustainable losses, as the American home loans market went into freefall and this was a large part of the credit crunch being felt by all.
Once confidence was lost in America, Asian backers stopped investing funds and the resulting lack of liquidity on the loans market has meant that everything from business loans to small personal loans has been affected by a lack of funds to be lent.
With this move – long overdue according to finance pundits – investment into America is likely to restart from healthier financial markets which experts hope will begin to halt the recession which is threatening to sweep the world.
What does this mean to the average borrower? Well, funds are unlikely to rush into the market instantly, but finance is a fast moving beast and so hopes are high that relief will be imminent for Western business and individuals. Particularly in America where an estimated 9% of homeowners are behind in loan repayments, risking repossession, bankruptcy and long term bad credit.
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Thu 4th Sep, 2008
Posted in Bad Credit, Borrowing, Consumer Credit, Consumer debt, Credit Card, Debt management, Financial news, Homeowner Loans, Homeowners, Housing news, Missed payments, Personal debt, Personal loans, Property, Secured loans, UK Finance, Unsecured loans, mortgages at 1:46 pm by Steve Smith
Yesterday the government announced what were intended to be some sweeping measures designed to rescue both the housing market from its freefall.
The measures included helping out beleaguered homeowners who had fell behind on loan repayments; offering equity loans to buyers and giving a stamp duty holiday under a new threshold.
So far most commentators on the new schemes have been singularly unimpressed, particularly financial advice site, Moneysupermarket.com.
“The Government plans are certainly high on rhetoric, but lacking in fundamental help,” claimed Louise Cuming, head of mortgages at moneysupermarket.com.
Cuming states that some factors of the scheme are not just unworkable, they also encourage financial irresponsibility by bailing out homeowners who have dragged themselves into debt.
The view that the ‘British Debt Mountain’ is the fault of irresponsible lenders is a popular one in some quarters. Many have claimed that the vast amount of personal loan and credit card debt is due to lenders pushing ‘easy credit’ at borrowers who had little chance of repaying.
Cuming also points out that the plan for offering buyers 30% equity loans is also unrealistic: “this is simply a rehash of the tired old share equity story,” she says.
“This will inevitably only help a fortunate minority as it is co-funded by government and developers, and thus only available on an insignificant number of properties.”
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Tue 2nd Sep, 2008
Posted in Bad Credit, Borrowing, Consumer Credit, Consumer debt, Debt management, Financial news, Financial products, Personal debt, Personal loans, Secured loans, UK Finance, Unsecured loans at 11:27 am by Steve Smith
One of the most common questions asked here at Interfinancial is “Do you charge a fee?” Many customers come looking for a personal loan but are – quite rightly – wary of paying a Finder Fee before they see the goods.
So, what are these fees and why is it so hard to find a loan these days without stumping up hard cash first?
For many customers, the loan is their lifeline: They have a limited income that seems to either being going out faster than it comes in, or they need cash ASAP to cover an unexpected bill. The last thing they can afford is yet another outgoing.
Believe us, brokers do understand that when you need money, you’re not looking to spend it. However, it’s not just customers who have had to adapt to the global credit crisis; the loans market has changed a lot too.
With fewer loan products available and lenders getting increasingly picky over borrower criteria, we’re working harder than ever to find you that loan. We spend alot of our time checking paperwork, answering questions and searching the market – which increasingly means checking the small print – just to get you quotes.
With so many customers shopping around to get the cheapest loan deal, we’ve always had to stay competitive, but we can only offer the deals that are out there. Many customers have unrealistic ideas about the deals they can get – especially when they are seeking a bad credit loan.
Whilst we don’t expect every enquirer to take us up on our quotes, we do find that we’re spending a lot of time looking for loans for people who don’t realise that cheap bad credit loans are not available from every lender like they used to be.
So, we hope you’ll understand that these fees are not just about us taking your hard-earned cash. We just want to make sure that you’re as serious about loans as we are.
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Mon 1st Sep, 2008
Posted in Banking, Borrowing, Consumer Credit, Financial products, Homeowner Loans, Homeowners, Property, Remortgaging, Secured loans, UK Finance, interest rates, mortgages at 11:52 am by Steve Smith
In these days of the credit crunch many lenders are looking to ways to recoup on losses incurred in the last year. If you are looking to get a mortgage look out for the following catches that many lenders slap on in an effort to boost profits.
First of all many mortgages come with exit fees. If you decide to switch loans to another lender or even if you try to pay your home loan off early your lender will charge you an exit fee in order to cover the administrative costs of the mortgage.
These fees have been traditionally around £50 to £100 however many lenders have been including small print in the mortgage agreement which state that exit fees are variable. If you find you have been charged what seems an excessive fee, it is worth checking out. Use the documentation you have to make sure you are being charged the stated amount and if your lender refuses to co-operate go directly to the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
Another thing to consider when agreeing to a mortgage is the standard variable rate (SVR). The SVR is the lenders’ fluctuating rate for borrowing and in general is around 2% higher than the Bank of England base rate. If you are on a fixed rate mortgage for instance, once the deal expires you will automatically be moved onto the SVR.
It is always wise to be aware of when your loan rate is due to change well in advance to give yourself time to shop around. Although your lender should notify you to discuss your options, it is better for you if you are aware of the market, rather than accepting the first rate you are offered.
The financial climate is rather rocky right now, so it is better to have all your facts than to stumble along and find that you have switched from a great deal to one that leaves you considerably worse off each month.
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Fri 29th Aug, 2008
Posted in Borrowing, Car finance, Consumer Credit, Financial news, Financial products, Home Improvements, Homeowner Loans, Homeowners, Housing news, Personal loans, Property, Savings, Secured loans, Spending, UK Finance, Unsecured loans at 12:47 pm by Steve Smith
Reports of a new study done by the Halifax building society puts paid to the idea that Britain is a nation of spend-now, think-tomorrow shoppers, forever borrowing to fund their lifestyle.
The annual Halifax Home Improvement Survey is part of a series of studies undertaken by the Halifax over the last 17 years. This year’s results show that only 5% of people looking to improve their home are taking out a loan to do it.
This may come as a surprise to lenders and brokers, as Home Improvements is the top reason given for taking out a loan. So are many applicants lying?
People are not obliged to use their borrowings for the purpose stated when taking out a personal loan (unless it is for specific finance, like a house or car), so it’s possible that applicants feel that they will be more likely to get the cash if they sound responsible.
The figures show that more people in the 18-34 age group were likely to take out a loan (12%) than the national average, and regional differences come into play too. Despite being the biggest savers, people in Northern Ireland were more likely to take out a loan than those living in London, who saved the least.
As many as 43% of homeowners questioned believed that their improvements would add at least £5000 to the value of their home, and a further 12% believed that the value added would be from £10,000 to £25,000. Homeowners clearly feel that they are using their savings wisely, a picture contrary to the one painted by much of today’s media.
Tony Wilcox at the Halifax commented: “This research contradicts the buy now pay later culture which is so often thought to be prevalent in the UK. The fact that the vast majority of people have saved in advance of spending is extremely encouraging. Using savings for such improvements means savers are really seeing the benefits of putting money aside.”
However, whether these figures paint an acurate picture of Britain today or just an acurate picture of those using the Halifax is another thing. There is no doubt amongst the lenders and loan brokers of Britain that the home improvement loan is as popular as ever.
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Thu 28th Aug, 2008
Posted in Bad Credit, Borrowing, Consumer Credit, Consumer debt, Debt Consolidation, Debt management, Financial news, Financial products, Homeowner Loans, Homeowners, House repossession, Housing news, Missed payments, Personal loans, Property, Remortgaging, Secured loans, UK Finance, Unsecured loans, mortgages at 12:29 pm by Steve Smith
An increasing number of households owned on bad credit mortgages are facing repossession as they make late loan repayments.
According to figures out from Standard & Poor, nearly a quarter of all bad credit home loans are now in arrears – many by as much as 90 days. This is up from 22% in the last quarter surveyed and now officially at a record level.
Comparison website Moneysupermarket have commented that this situation is of course attributable to the credit crunch, as nearly all homeowners have been faced with increased interest rates. For families who were already on a higher than average rate, a price rise can make it impossible for repayments to be met.
Additionally, the tighter lender criteria now in place across the loans market has made it nearly impossible for families to find cheap loans when a fixed rate deal comes to an end.
With fewer loan products on the market and many lenders pulling out of the sub-prime loans market, borrowers are having real difficulty in finding a bad credit loan at a price they can afford.
With reports on an increasing number of repossessions taking place and uncertainty in the jobs market, UK debt charties are bracing themselves for floods of enquiries. As colder weather sets in and fuel requirements rise, more families are likely to be plunged into the cyle of bad debt.
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