Used Auto Loans

About the Author

Randy McClure is a web site publisher of http://www.EasyAccessClub.com. EasyAccess Club is an eCommerce resource for discount shoppers, small businesses, and churches. We feature discount online store reviews, hundreds of discount stores, e-commerce news, and resources for doing business online. Visit our other sites: Small Business Online - http://biz.easyaccessclub.com and Church Online - http://www.access-jesus.com.

Because of the huge variety of different types of credit cards and loans, you need a really big web site to find out about all of them. If you go off in search of a new credit card, how do you know you're getting the best deal or even the best type of card for your lifestyle? Sure, you want a card that offers you some sort of a reward, but if you are a soccer mom, do you really need airline miles, or would a card that provides discounts on gas be a better deal for you?

Maybe you are a business owner and your cash flow is getting a little bit tight. You might have thought your only recourse was to get a lousy rate on yet another business credit card. Have you considered one of the many types of factoring that can provide you with quick cash at reasonable rates? What about venture capital to take your business to the next level?

No matter what sort of money you are looking for, you owe it to yourself to get educated on the possibilities and the caveats for that particular type of loan or credit. At http://www.creditcards-and-loans.com, we have all the info and all the offers you are looking for...and perhaps quite a few you never thought of.

About the Author

Jeff Pritchard is a successful online entrepreneur with several successful websites. His most recent site provides tons of information for those in search of credit cards and loans: Credit Cards And Loans

Here are our Top 10 most important things to consider when shopping for a Home Loan, Equity Line of Credit, or Refinance, courtesy of LoanResources.Net: Down-Payment Fixed Versus Adjustable Rate APR Loan Types Loan Amount Qualification, Income Loan Amount Qualification, Expenses Employment and Credit History Points Sub-Prime Loans Short-Forms

1. Down-Payment - As a general rule of thumb, lenders will be seeking contribution from you of around 3% to 6% of the total loan value. This can be negotiable, and there are many loan packages available.

2. Fixed versus Adjustable – The two most common loan products available for home mortgages are fixed rate versus adjustable rate.

Fixed rate means that you agree on an APR annual percentage rate that does not change through the life of the loan, whereas, an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, better known as an ARM, means that rates and monthly payments can change, often tied to the U.S. Government Treasury Bills or some other form of “index”, with the frequency of change dependent upon the terms of the loan.

Deciding on which way to go involves many variables. We suggest that you start by examining the fixed rate products available on the market. They are by far the most popular, and arguably with the least amount of risk. After evaluating several preliminary loan offers quotes for fixed rate mortgages, you can then venture into the world of ARM’s to see if one of these products may be right for you. But, proceed with caution, and understand all the risks, alongside any potential benefits.

3. APR – APR, better known as the annual percentage rate, aka: “rate”, is arguably the most important consideration you must examine when looking for a loan. The APR includes principle, interest, “points”, fees, PMI Mortgage insurance, and other costs associated with the loan. While all costs and terms are significant and affect the bottom line, we suggest that shopping rate is a very good starting point.

4. Loan Types: There are several standard loan products to look for, including 30 year fixed, 15 year fixed, bi-weekly mortgages, 1 month ARM’s, 5 year fixed ARM’s, 2nd Fixed, ARM’s with a provision to convert after 5 years, lender buydowns, and discounted mortgages.

We think the best place to start, is to obtain quotes for a 30 year fixed rate loan, and then go from there. 30 year fixed rate loans generally produce the lowest monthly payments for fixed rate products, and they are relatively safe. Once you know where you stand with a 30 year fixed, after obtaining quotes from several lending institutions, then you can consider the possibility of exploring more exotic loan products. At this juncture, you will want to consult with those you trust, for good, solid advice and feedback on risk versus reward.

5. Loan Amount Qualification, Income: This can vary widely depending on you, your lender, and many other variables. However, as a rule of thumb, look at 2 to 2 ½ times your current household income, as a baseline to determine how much you can afford to borrow.

6. Loan Amount Qualification, Expenses: This is another broad category that varies from one lending institution to the next. However, there are two general factors to look at, and they are Housing Expenses such as mortgage, property taxes, and insurance, and long-term debt which can include credit cards, auto loans, etc..

First, add all your expenses together. As a rule of thumb, you will want your expenses to not exceed 33% to 36% of your gross household income.

Second, examine your housing expenses only. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want these expenses to not exceed 25% to 28% of your gross household income. 7. Employment and Credit History: Lenders generally want to take a look at your employment history so that they can see a pattern of stability and income. Lenders generally also want to take a look at your credit history, so that they can see a pattern of borrowing and repayment in your past. Lenders cannot discriminate and must use this information solely for the purpose of considering your ability to repay a loan. Also, many loan products are available for all kinds of customers, with varied financial backgrounds and histories.

8. Points: Points are one of the primary fees charged on the loan, and they represent the profit earned by the lending institution. One point represents one percent of the total loan amount, and points are usually tax-deductible along with the interest paid on the loan. They are broken down into two basic types:

Origination Points – Origination Points are the fees charged by the lender, and represents their gross profit.

Discount Points – Discount Points are most often charged in association with a lowered interest rate. In other words, the Discount Points represents a dollar amount, as a fee for giving the borrower a lowered APR lower than what the lender might otherwise charge.

9. Sub-Prime Loans: Sub-Prime Loans consist of loan products designed for customers with challenging credit and financial backgrounds, or, customers that are looking to re-establish credit. They can be significantly higher then the prime lending rate, with less favorable terms Often times, the loans are for the short-term, such as 2 to 3 years. However, they do offer a venue for certain individuals, and they can allow customers to re-establish credit, or buy new homes prior to cleaning up a credit history, etc.

For some of you, this avenue may offer exactly what you’re looking for. It’s important to know that lenders who specialize in sub-prime loans are out there and want to earn your business. However, we advise that you proceed with caution. Be sure to gather sound advice from trusted friends and professionals, and understand all the risks versus rewards, prior to signing on the dotted line.

10. Short-Forms: The most important thing you can do as a consumer of loan products is to shop around and get several preliminary loan quotes for your consideration.

These are no risk, no obligation, preliminary loan offers. They take 30 seconds to 2 minutes to complete, they require no personal or confidential disclosure on your part, and they require no commitment from you.

We suggest that you obtain 3 or 4 offers. You can then examine and compare the terms, rate, fees, and all other pertinent information about the loan product, and the lender, at your leisure and in the comfort of your own home.

LoanResources.Net has categorized hundreds of online services that you can explore. You can also go to any search engine and find them from there. Look for a “privacy policy” on their website, as well as short, simple application forms that make sense and are relatively easy and quick for you to complete.

Also, take a quick look at the current interest rate for 30 year fixed loans, as well as the 6 month trend graph. We have set up a free webpage with this information, or you can find many graphs and charts via your favorite search engine.

We’ve enjoyed providing this information to you, and we wish you the best of luck in your pursuits. Remember to always seek out good advice from those you trust, but never turn your back on your own common sense.

Sincerely, Webmaster Tom Levine info@loanresources.net http://loanresources.net

Copyright 2004, by LoanResources.Net

This article may be freely distributed so long as the copyright, author’s information and an active link where possible are included. For more information about mortgages, debt consolidation, credit repair, and all other forms of consumer loan, credit, and debt products, please visit our website at http://loanresources.net .

Tom Levine is the webmaster of http://loanresources.net , and he can be reached at info@loanresources.net

Disclaimer: Statements and opinions expressed in the articles, reviews and other materials herein are those of the authors. While every care has been taken in the compilation of this information and every attempt made to present up-to-date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that inaccuracies will not occur. The author will not be held responsible for any claim, loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of any information within these pages or any information accessed through this site.

About The Author

Webmaster Tom Levine has been involved in insurance and finance for over 14 years, and provides a solid, common sense approach to solving problems and answering questions relating to consumer loan products. His website seeks to provide free online resources for the consumer, including rate-watch, tips and articles, financial communication, and links to products and services. You can check out Toms website here: http://loanresources.net, or you can email Tom at info@loanresources.net

Over recent years, personal loans have become a popular solution for many consumers looking to raise finance for a variety of purposes. You can get personal loans for all sorts of things, from debt consolidation to holidays, cars and other purchases. It is far easier these days to get a great deal on finance, with cheap personal loans available from a variety of competitive lenders.

When looking into personal loans, you should consider a number of factors. Comparing the interest rates and terms on a selection of deals will ensure that you get access to cheap personal loans so you can enjoy lower monthly repayments. And if you go online to browse deals and apply personal loans lenders can offer instant quotes as well as really competitive rates of interest.

It is always advisable to compare a number of quotes and deals on personal loans, as you can then make an informed decision with regards to which finance package offers the best rates and terms for your needs and your budget. This will help to ensure that you enjoy cheap personal loans and low repayments, and you could even find additional benefits such as payment breaks.

The Internet has fast become the leading source of cheap personal loans. Many financial consumers that are looking for personal loans for a variety of reasons tend to go online to get a great deal. Not only can you check out the various deals on personal loans online, but you can also apply for personal loans online as well. This can help to speed up the process and can result in an instant decision in principle in many cases.

About The Author

Christos Margetis is the president of www.Clickgofind.com. Christos is available for interviews and public speaking. The tips in this article were extracted from Chriss award- winning website http://www.clickgofind.com/personal_loan_reviews/personal_loans_reviews.htm. ClickGoFind offers best information and reviews for personal loans, loans and financial resources information. This article is copyright c 2004 by Chris Margetis, and may be reprinted in its entirety as long as this byline and copyright statement is included.

christos@margetis.com

Borrowing money has become more and more popular in the UK over recent years, and this is partly due to the fact that it has become far easier to borrow money. The rising popularity of consumer finance has also been aided by the wide variety of deals and the low interest rates available these days. Secured loans have become very popular with those that own property, and this type of finance deal offers affordability and excellent value for money. Secured loans are available from a wide pool of lenders, which means that consumers have plenty of choice when it comes to selecting and applying for secure loans.

The amount available to borrow with secured loans is dependant upon the amount of equity available in your property, which means the amount of the market value minus any loans or mortgage outstanding on it. There are many benefits available with secured loans, and you will find that this type of finance is one of the most cost effective options available. With secured loans you can look forward to far lower interest rates than most standard, unsecured loans, and this is because there is less of a risk to the lender since the loan is secured against an asset.

Secured loans also offer far high borrowing levels than unsecured loans, although the amount available to borrow will depend in your equity. However, you could find yourself eligible to borrow tens of thousands of pounds with secured loans, which could prove invaluable if you are looking to raise a large amount of finance for just about any purpose. The repayment period with secured loans is also far longer than with unsecured loans, which means that your monthly repayments will be far lower.

The other great thing about secured loans is that they are far more easily accessible to those with poor credit than a standard, unsecured loan. This is because the lender has to take less of a risk with secured loans, as they are secured against an asset, and the lender is therefore usually more willing to consider those with bad credit for this type of finance. Bad credit secured loans are available at really reasonable rates, which means that you can enjoy lower repayment terms even if your have a tarnished credit history.

One of the most common reasons for taking out secured loans is to consolidate other loans and credit. Many people pay out a fortune each month on a selection of high credit loans and cards. With secure loans you can wrap up all of that expensive credit in to one convenient loan, and you can then pay just one lot of interest and make just one repayment each month. You can use bad credit secured loans to wrap up your other more costly credit, and even to pay of some debts, and this can go some way toward improving and repairing your credit.

Secure loans are widely available online, and by browsing and booking via the Internet you can quickly ascertain which of these secured loans best suits you in terms of conditions and interest rates. It is always wise to compare the various deals available on secured loans in order to check that you are getting a competitive deal and rate.

Whatever you are looking to fund or purchase, secured loans make it more affordable and more achievable. If you are using a secure loan in order to consolidate your other loans and credit, you can look forward to far lower repayments each month as well as an overall reduction in the amount of interest you pay. Finding, comparing and applying for secured loans is simple when you harness the power of the Internet, and you can rally speed up the process as well as benefit from total convenience and ease. You are also more likely to find really competitive deals on secured loans when you look online, giving you an even better chance of getting great value on your borrowing.

If you find yourself in need of a fairly large sum of money and you have equity in your property, it makes sense to look into the range of secured loans available. With secured loans you dont have to worry about unmanageable repayments, because the lower interest rates and longer repayment periods on offer mean that your monthly repayments will be far lower than those of an unsecured loan. Most secured loans can be processed quite quickly these days, and when you apply online you can complete your secured loan application from the comfort of your own home.

With such great deals on offer when it comes to secured loans, this is by far the most cost effective option open to property owners. With many people sitting on large sums of money that is tied up in their property, paying extortionate fees on some unsecured loans makes little sense when you could enjoy far better rates with secured loans, which simply enable you to unlock the money that would otherwise be tied up in your property.

About The Author

Christos Margetis is the president of http://www.Clickgofind.com. Christos is available for interviews and public speaking. The tips in this article were extracted from Chriss award-winning website http://www.clickgofind.com/personal_loan_reviews/personal_loans_reviews.htm. ClickGoFind offers best information and reviews for personal loans, secured loans and financial resources information.

The ads are on the radio, television, the Internet, even in the mail. They refer to payday loans - which come at a very high price.

Check cashers, finance companies and others are making small, short-term, high-rate loans that go by a variety of names: payday loans, cash advance loans, check advance loans, post-dated check loans or deferred deposit check loans.

Usually, a borrower writes a personal check payable to the lender for the amount he or she wishes to borrow plus a fee. The company gives the borrower the amount of the check minus the fee. Fees charged for payday loans are usually a percentage of the face value of the check or a fee charged per amount borrowed - say, for every $50 or $100 loaned. And, if you extend or "roll-over" the loan - say for another two weeks - you will pay the fees for each extension.

Under the Truth in Lending Act, the cost of payday loans - like other types of credit - must be disclosed. Among other information, you must receive, in writing, the finance charge a dollar amount and the annual percentage rate or APR the cost of credit on a yearly basis.

A cash advance loan secured by a personal check - such as a payday loan - is very expensive credit. Lets say you write a personal check for $115 to borrow $100 for up to 14 days. The check casher or payday lender agrees to hold the check until your next payday. At that time, depending on the particular plan, the lender deposits the check, you redeem the check by paying the $115 in cash, or you roll-over the check by paying a fee to extend the loan for another two weeks. In this example, the cost of the initial loan is a $15 finance charge and 391 percent APR. If you roll-over the loan three times, the finance charge would climb to $60 to borrow $100.

About The Author

Dave Myers http://www.us-cash.com

PLUS Loans – its never too late to subsidize your child’s education cost

Rising. Soaring. Skyrocketing. These are the words that seem to begin every article about college tuition costs – and they are words guaranteed to make every parent cringe. According to the College Board, costs for the 2004-2005 school year at four-year private colleges are up 6%, while costs at four-year public colleges are up 10.5%. Scary Yes. Impossible to handle No!

The good news is that there is more financial aid available than ever before. One of the most interesting financial aid options is the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students, or PLUS Loan.

What is a PLUS Loan

PLUS Loans are federal loans taken out by parents to help pay their children’s college costs. PLUS Loans offer several advantages: Interest rates are adjusted each year, but are consistently kept low. For the 2004-2005 school year, the interest rate is 4.17%. It is capped to never exceed 9%. Financial need is not a determining factor in receiving a PLUS Loan. No collateral is required. There is no penalty for early repayment. Loans can be consolidated. If you are eligible, up to $2000 in interest may be tax-deductible under the Hope Education Tax Credit.

Who is eligible for a PLUS Loan

If you are a parent with dependent students attending college at least part-time, you are eligible to receive a PLUS Loan. You do need to have a good credit history. The following credit issues will reduce your chances of getting a PLUS Loan: Bankruptcies Defaulted loans Payments overdue by 90 days or more High debt-to-income ratio

If you are turned down for a PLUS Loan because of poor credit history, you can find someone to co-sign the loan with you and then apply again.

How much can I borrow with a PLUS Loan

You can borrow up to the total cost of undergraduate education expenses, minus other financial aid already received. Expenses can include tuition, room and board, supplies, lab expenses, and travel.

How do I apply for a PLUS Loan

You can apply for a PLUS Loan through the Federal Family Education Loan FFEL Program or through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Direct Loan Program. FFEL loans come from private lenders or loan servicers, such as your bank. PLUS Loan applications are available from your school or your lender. To apply for an FFEL PLUS Loan, you complete the application and then submit it to your school. The school completes its portion of the application and sends it to the lender for approval.

Direct loans come from the U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Loan Servicing Center. To apply for a Direct PLUS Loan, you complete a Direct PLUS Loan application and promissory note and submit it to your school’s financial aid office. This form is available from your school’s Financial Aid Office.

You can take out one loan per enrollment period for each eligible student in your family.

PLUS Loans do require an application fee of up 4% of the principal of the loan. These fees are deducted from the loan principal, so no up-front money is required. The fee includes a 3% origination fee charged by the federal government and a guarantee fee of up to 1% charged by the guarantee agency. However, most guarantors waive the guarantee fee.

How are PLUS Loan funds disbursed

Funds are sent directly to the school’s financial aid office for scheduled payments over the course of the academic year. As with other federal loans, there are usually at least two disbursements, one for each school term.

The funds are first applied to tuition, fees, room and board, and other school charges. If any money remains, you can receive it as a check or you can put it in your student’s school account. This remaining money must be used for education expenses.

When do I repay PLUS Loans

You start paying back PLUS Loans 60 days after the final disbursement of the school year. So, if the final disbursement is made in January, as is typical, repayment generally begins in late February or early March. PLUS Loans are the financial responsibility of the parents, not the student. If the student agrees to make payments on the PLUS Loan but fails to make the payments on time, the parents are held responsible.

What is the difference between PLUS Loans and other student loans

The other student loan generally available to students is the Stafford Loan. The table below illustrates the similarities and differences between these two loan programs:

PLUS Loan

Federally guaranteed

Made to parents of dependent students

Interest rate is low, but not as low as a Stafford currently 4.17%

Repayment begins 60 days after final disbursement for the academic year

Loan borrowing can be up to 100% of college education costs

Stafford Loan

Federally guaranteed

Made to students themselves

Interest rate is lowest available currently 3.37%

Repayment begins six months after graduation or leaving school

Loan borrowing is capped: $2,625 for first-year undergraduates $3,500 for second-year undergraduates $5,500 for third- and fourth-year undergraduates

Loan can be needs-based and requires a FAFSA

Interest charges do not begin until repayment begins, after graduation

This article is distributed by NextStudent. At NextStudent, we believe that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and were dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding as easy as possible. We invite you to learn more about PLUS Loans at http://www.NextStudent.com.

About The Author

Vanessa McHooley My goal is to help every student succeed - education is one of hte most important things a person can have, so I have made it my personal mission to help every student pay for their education. Aside from that, I am just a pretty average girl from SD.

http://www.nextstudent.com/

Lawsuit Loans which are also known as pre settlement cash advances allow a financially strapped plaintiff to access a portion of their future legal settlement to pay today’s necessary living expenses. Personal Injury and worker compensation lawsuits can take years to resolve and large insurance companies have the financial strength to legally delay the process which can financial ruin an injured claimant who is looking for a fair settlement offer.

Companies like Global Financial http://www.glofin.com offer cash advances against all types of Personal Injury & Worker Compensation claims. It works like this: Global Financial will review the merits of an applicant’s legal claim and determine the chance & size of a financial recovery. They then offer the claimant a small percentage of the total value of their claim in return for an assignment of a portion of the potential future proceeds in the claim. If there is no financial recovery from the claim then the funding company receives nothing. This makes lawsuit loans very risky and actually a venture capital investment rather than an actual loan as the names suggests.

The fees charge by lawsuit loan companies can vary dramatically but it is usually best to stick with the larger companies, like Global Financial http://www.glofin.com because they work on larger volumes and lower pricing. Usually a funding company will charge either a monthly fee or a flat fee depending on the risk associate with the claim.

It is my personal opinion that a claimant should ask themselves one question before applying for a cash advance against their pending claim. Will the advance that I receive pay immediate and necessary living expense If the answer is yes then you should accept a cash advance and continue with your legal claim. If the answer is no then it might be wise to hold off and wait before applying for a lawsuit loan or cash advance against your pending claim. In addition, a lawsuit loan may be a very important tool when the defendant’s insurance carrier decides to make a low ball offer for settlement in the claim. You can then use a lawsuit loan as a financial tool to say no to the low ball offer and have the financial strength to wait for a higher and fairer settlement.

Lawsuit Loans have been trademarked by Global Financial as "Lawsuit Insurance" because they offer insurance like protection to plaintiffs in the event that their claim is unsuccessful. If a plaintiff takes a cash advance against their pending legal claim and their claim is unsuccessful then they get to keep the money that was advanced to them. Thus the cash advance guarantees that their claim will be financially successful either by way of the cash advance or by way of settlement or judgment.

About The Author

Wensley McKenney is a graduate of Tulane University and has 15 years of experience in the financial and legal fields.

Lawsuit Insurance is a trademark of Global Financial Credit, LLC, http://www.glofin.com

wensley@glofin.com

Home equity loans are one of the most common types of financing for doing improvements on your house. These loans are not necessary used for home improvements but can also be used to simply obtain extra cash. It is essentially a standard loan, based on the equity you have in your house. This is as opposed to mortgage loans which are the loans used to purchase a home. Equity is the value that you have paid on your mortgage loan.

If you are planning on building a house, it may be advisable to obtain a construction loan. These loans are available at most banks or lenders online. Home loans in general are available online. If you are looking for more information on loans that are available, try checking online.

By doing a simple search using any search engine, like Yahoo or Google, you will undoubtedly receive hundreds of pages of websites that offer information or loans themselves. These companies, while there are many, may not all offer the same things. On value in doing this type of research is the ability to compare and contrast the different types of loans and different lenders available. You can save a lot of money by doing some basic research. Countrywide Home Loans, is one such lender that uses the Internet as a tool in providing potential customers with updated information.

Things to consider when looking at different loans include interest rates and terms of the loans. The interest rate, while dependent on the rate on the current market, may differ between lenders. Terms and conditions can be dependent on length of loan, flexibility of interest rate and credit standing. You may be able to find online lenders that will pre-approve you online within minutes of sending them your information.

All in all, there are many different financing options depending on if you are buying, building, or in need of extra cash. Home equity loans and home mortgage loans can be found through lenders at your local bank or online. Doing the proper amount of research will afford you the best deal out there.

About The Author

Mike Yeager Publisher http://www.a1-loans-4u.com/ mjy610@hotmail.com

About the Author

©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to debt consolidation and credit counseling, and StructuredSettlementHelp.com, a site devoted to information regarding structured settlements.

About the Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.cashbazar.com. Please visit http://www.cashbazar.com/loans.shtml to learn about the loans that suits you best.

About the Author

For a wide range of personal finance articles, loans, credit cards, and debt reduction resources, visit http://www.ReliefLoans.com.

About the Author

My goal is to help every student succeed - education is one of the most important things a person can have, so I have made it my personal mission to help every student pay for their education. Aside from that, I am just a pretty average girl from SD.

About the Author

My goal is to help every student succeed - education is one of hte most important things a person can have, so I have made it my personal mission to help every student pay for their education. Aside from that, I am just a pretty average girl from SD.

FHA mortgage insurance programs assist low and moderate income families become homeowners by lowering some of the costs of their mortgage loans. FHA loans encourage mortgage companies to make loans to otherwise creditworthy borrowers and projects that might not be able to meet conventional underwriting requirements by protecting the mortgage company against loan default on mortgages for properties that meet certain minimum requirements.

Today’s FHA program is the adaptation of the very same program which has helped save homeowners from default since the 1930s. Today, One to Four Family Mortgage Insurance is still an important tool allowed by the federal government to expand home ownership opportunities for first time homebuyers and other borrowers who would not otherwise qualify for conventional loans on affordable terms.

Several amendments have been made to the FHS in the nearly eighty years it has been a part of United States federal policy. Most notable to these changes is evident in the 203(b) clause added in the 1980s which allows numerous advantages to the first time and disadvantaged home buyer.

In contrast to conventional mortgage products, which frequently require down payments of 10% or more of the purchase price of the home, single family mortgages insured by FHA under Section 203(b) make it possible to reduce down payments to as little as 3% . This is because FHA insurance allows borrowers to finance approximately 97 percent of the value of their home purchase through their mortgage, in some cases.

With most conventional loans, the borrower must pay, at the time of purchase, closing costs (the many fees and charges associated with buying a home) equivalent to 2-3 percent of the price of the home. This program allows the borrower to finance many of these charges, thus reducing the up front cost of buying a home. FHA mortgage insurance is not free: borrowers pay an up front insurance premium (which may be financed) at the time of purchase, as well as monthly premiums that are not financed, but instead are added to the regular mortgage payment.

Finally, FHA rules impose limits on some of the fees that mortgage companies may charge in making a loan. For example, the loan origination fee charged by the mortgage company for the administrative cost of processing the loan may not exceed one percent of the amount of the mortgage.

Along with a renovation of the FHA regulations during the 1980s to accommodate for an ever-evolving real estate market, the federal government adapted what’s known as a ‘streamline’ refinancing program. This refers only to the amount of documentation and underwriting that needs to be performed by the mortgage company, and does not mean that there are no costs involved in the transaction.

There are a few basic requirements to qualify for the streamline option. The mortgage must already be insured by FHA, the mortgage to be renewed must be current and paid on time to date, the refinance is to result in a lowering of the borrower’s monthly principal and interest payments, and no cash may be taken out on mortgages refinanced using the streamline refinance process.

Companies may offer streamline refinances in several ways. Some offer “no cost” refinances (actually, no out of pocket expenses to the borrower) by charging a higher rate of interest on the new loan than if the borrower financed or paid the closing costs in cash. From this premium, the company pays any closing costs that are incurred on the transaction.

Also, companies may offer streamline refinances and include the closing costs into the new mortgage amount. This can only be done if there is sufficient equity in the property, as determined by an appraisal. Streamline refinances can also be done without appraisals, but the new loan amount cannot exceed what is currently owed, i.e., closing costs may not be added to the new mortgage with those costs either paid in cash or through the premium rate as described above. Investment properties (properties in which the borrower does not reside in as his or her principal residence) may only be refinanced without an appraisal and, thus, closing costs may not be included in the new mortgage amount.

Once you do, or if you have ever fully paid off a home backed by FHA, you may be owed back compensation from the government. About 1 in 10 FHA borrowers leave money in their escrow accounts when they pay off their loans. The average refund for each borrower is about $700.

In addition to the more standard mortgages available in this program, the federal government has also allowed for more creative forms of home owners who could qualify, at least in part, from FHA funding. For example, FHA’s energy efficient mortgage program provides mortgage insurance for a person to purchase or refinance a principal residence and incorporate the cost of energy efficient improvements into the mortgage. The mortgage loan is funded by a lending institution, such as a mortgage company, bank, savings and loan association and the mortgage is insured by HUD.

One of the most enjoyed benefits of the FHA, though, is that the down payment for an FHA mortgage can be 100% gift funds. Verification of the source of gift money is not required to benefit from this particular aspect of the legislation. However, it is necessary that the gift funds be deposited in the borrower's bank or savings account, or in an escrow account, prior to underwriting approval. Gift donors are restricted primarily to a relative of the borrower. They can also be certain organizations, such as a labor union or charitable organization. Contact your local branch for complete information. Additionally, proof of initial deposit is required.

The Federal Housing Administration is one of the most successful government programs in American history and over the decades during which the program has been in existence, thousands upon thousands of home owners have been able to procure the home of their dreams when it may not have been possible otherwise.

About The Author

Gary Carraghan is a successful author and regular contributor to www.super-mortgages.com who provides money-saving tips on mortgages. More of his relevant work may be found at http://super-mortgages.com/First-Time-Home-Buyer and http://super-mortgages.com/Residential-Mortgage-Loans where he discusses several viable options for future homeowners including first time home buyers.

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About the Author

Paul Jesse is a retired government employee and author of numerous financial and home business articles. For more informative articles visit his site. http://www.sheamarketing.com/Firsttime-Home-Buyer-Loans