Friday, July 31, 2009

Home Improvement Loan Tips 4

    Avoid Home Repair Scams

  1. Unfortunately, there are dishonest contractors who are seeking to take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners. Be wary of signing any type of home-loan contract with a contractor who shows up on your doorstep and claims to be able to get you a low-rate loan for repairs that he suggests. Very often, these loans are misrepresented, and the contractor is actually being paid kickback fees by the bank. Not only will you owe more than you bargained for, but the work may never be finished, as the contractor moves on to the next house after being paid his fee by the bank.
    To avoid these types of scams, always seek out your loan first, then hire a contractor. Ask for advice from friends and neighbors about who to use for home improvement loans, or call a mortgage broker you've used before or know about firsthand. A reputable Realtor may also be able to help you find a good mortgage broker. Remember: If a home improvement deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Home Improvement Loan Tips 3

    Mortgage Brokers

  1. If your home is worth more than the amount you owe for it, you have what is known as "equity" and may be eligible for a "home equity loan." Be sure to contact a reputable mortgage broker and shop around to get the best available rates. Rather than allowing several banks to run a credit check on you to give you a rate, a mortgage broker can verify your information and represent your loan needs to several banks at once, allowing you to choose the one that's most suitable for your needs. The broker will be paid by the bank, so she will have their best interest, as well as yours, in mind when arranging for the loan. Be sure to use someone you trust, preferably someone who comes highly recommended for her honesty and availability to answer your questions and who has a track record of closing on time.

Home Improvement Loan Tips 2

    203k

  1. If you want to purchase a home that is in need of repair, and you plan to live in the home right away, you will need to get a special loan called a 203k. This loan will pay off the seller and put estimated repair funds into an escrow account, where it will be doled out to the contractors a little at a time until the work is complete. The FHA-backed loan amount is based on the purchase price of the house, plus the estimated costs of repairs or renovations. Because it is federally insured and backed, lenders do not require that the property be repaired and inspected before the closing date of the loan, which is overseen by the federal Housing and Urban Development agency (HUD).
    Contact your local bank or mortgage broker to request information on the HUD 203k home repair loan.

Home Improvement Loan Tips

    Mind Your Credit

  1. In today's economic climate, banks are more reluctant than ever to provide credit to what they consider "high-risk" borrowers. Though interest rates on all types of loans are at an all-time low, and it could be a great time to borrow from your home equity, if you don't have a great credit score, you will have a tough time convincing lenders to give you a loan. The best thing you can do before looking for a loan is to monitor your own credit score, and do what you can, to increase your score before applying. Many online companies offer credit-monitoring services for a low fee, and if you have been turned down for a loan because of your credit, you may be able to receive a free copy of your credit report from one of the three credit reporting companies -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -- which most banks use to make their loan decisions.
    To get the best rates, your score will need to be in the 800-900 range, though a good credit score is generally over 700, but even if your score is as low as the mid-600s, you may be able to get a higher-rate loan from banks that specialize in high-risk loans. If your credit score is 500 or below, you will need to take action to improve your credit before applying for any loan.

Home Improvement Loan

First of all, determine the amount you need to borrow to complete your home improvements. Once this is done, call your trusted loan officer, or lender, and discuss home improvement loan options.

There are many loan options today for accessing your home’s equity and your lender should advise you on the one that will best meet your needs. Some of your options will consider whether you want to refinance your existing home mortgage, take out a home equity line of credit, or a fixed rate home equity
loan to do your home improvements. Each home improvement loan option has different benefits and should be explored to find the one that is best for you.

So what are you waiting for? You don’t need to call a realtor and sell your beautiful home, you need to call your lender and get a home Do you love your neighborhood but want more comforts out of your existing home? Is the thought of a room addition, a new kitchen, or new flooring appealing? If so, why not consider a home improvement loan instead of a new home.

Home improvement loans are a great alternative to moving. They are also a great alternative for using cash for your home improvements as the interest on a home improvement loan is tax deductible. So, what do you need to do to get started on a home improvement loan?


Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Best Home Improvement Loans

If you are willing to do a littlerefurbishment in your home and don’t have the finance for it right now, you should be looking for the best home improvement loans. By comparison these loans you are able to find out which accompany is offering the best interest rates and the mostaffordable loan.

When trying to refurbish such rooms as the kitchen or the bathroom the conveniences alone take a lot of money. The work that needs to be done is usually at a lower place the skills that most of us have and that is why it is a good idea to finance yourreconstructing using a home improvement loan. These are unsecured or assured loansthat have a fairly low interest rate and a short loan time.

All this entails that you can expect to be paying back the full add up with interests in five to ten years maximum. Depending on the amount you need, this will usually come up with an interest rate of 5-7% which is the lowest end you can find for home improvement finance. As home improvement loans are so popular there is quite a lot of rivalry between the lenders, and you can easily haggle off one or two percent of interests.

Commonly even the best home improvement loans are taken as unbarred loans, but you can also use your home equity to finance your remodelling. This means using the real market price of your house and deducting the add up that you still have a mortgage on. The amount that remains is your equity and that is the amount you can take a new loan against. Usually with home equity loans your interest rates are going to be much lower than withunbarred loans. You can be lucky and go as low as 2-3% interest.

Getting a Quote to Finance a Home Improvement Loan:

There is a lot of competition among lenders. One of the best ways of getting the best deal is to get quotes on line, which will enable the borrower to research the market and compare different lenders and interest rates.

Another way of getting the best low cost home improvement loan is to involve an reputable independent loan broker. These brokers will charge for their services but this cost can be offset by the amount they can potentially save a borrower by getting the best deal, since they are experts in their field.