A borrower with bad credit tag usually has to go through lots of hurdles from the lenders as such borrowers have risks. Some of them may even be refused a loan. so when such people want to buy a car with a bad credit they face impediments. The remedy however lays in applying for bad credit car loans that are made especially to people having a damaged credit history. All people who have in their names late payments, payment defaults, arrears or cases of county court judgments can find car loans with ease on meeting some conditions.
To cut risks the lender in offering car loans to bad credit people first of all want a security from the borrower. Home or any valued property or the very car you are buying can be pledged as collateral. Secondly the lender will take a good look at your present financial position. Your income and employment record with bank statements are looked thoroughly to ensure that you have adequate repaying ability. Secured Bad Credit Car Loans are of comparatively lower interest rate. Also you can borrow greater amount depending on value of collateral.
Unsecured bad credit loans are also available without collateral to the borrowers who do not own a property or do not want to risk it. But interest rate goes higher for such borrowers. The loan gives smaller amount. But secured or unsecured bad credit car loans are of shorter repayment duration ranging up to 5-7 years.
You are required to make down payment to the lender so that the lender is assured of your serious intentions of repaying the loan in time. Usually the practice is that you should be making 20 % of the car value as down payment. Before applying for the loan check your credit report for any errors in it and know your credit score to find a suitable loan as per your circumstances. For fast and cost free processing of the loan apply to an online lender after comparing many of them.
Link
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Bad Credit Car Loans – Buy Car Without Financial Worries
100% Remortgage – Use Home for Huge Borrowings
If you are paying high amounts each month towards existing mortgage and it is putting pressure on your finances then better opt for remortgage. A remortgage is meant for lowering your monthly outgoings so that you not only save money but repay the remortgage with ease. But at the same time you would like to borrow as much money as possible through remortgage but not each one is suited for it. it is only 100% remortgage that allows you borrowing an amount that is equal to full value of your home.
Thus 100% Remortgage is source of maximum borrowings against your home as it helps up freeing cash in your home. Know that your current home value in the market may have got a boost recently that will give you a huger amount. Such a larger amount as 100% remortgage can be put to variety of uses like renovating home; buying a new car, enjoying a holiday tour, throwing a lavish wedding party or the amount can be used for debt consolidation.
While taking 100% remortgage note that your aim is not just to borrow greater amount as per your home value but you should also search for a lower rate remortgage. Lower rate remortgage ensures that your monthly payments towards the loan installments get reduced substantially so that you repay the remortgage without delay and smoothly. So better take rate quotes of different lenders providing 100% remortgage and compare them thoroughly for finding a suitable deal for your circumstances.
Since you take 100% remortgage against you’re the same home the lenders have little risks. And so even bad credit people with various credit problems like late payments, arrears, payment defaults and CCJs are also given the remortgage. But clear the remortgage repayments in time to avoid debts and this way your credit score also will improve.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Two Big Austin Real Estate Purchases at Bull Creek
Austin based Ardent Residential and Atlanta-based Post Properties have purchased almost five acres of land in a highly desirable area for redevelopment. The two companies, working in partnership, bought up Kingswood Apartments and Bull Creek Townhomes. Bull Creek Townhomes at 4320 Bull Creek Road is a 140-unit residential community. Kingswood Apartments is a 32-unit community situated at 4318 Bull Creek Rd. The two buildings were purchased in two separate deals, apparently as part of a plan to scrape and rebuild.
The new Alexan City Lights apartment complex, a Class-A complex of homes, has been purchased by Los Angeles-based SCI Real Estate Investments LLC. The building was completed only last year by Trammell Crow Residential and Opus West Corp. According to Travis County tax records, the property at 501 East Stassney Lane has a value of $33 million. At the time of the deal, Alexan City Lights was 96% leased. According to reports, the sale was brokered by Apartment Realty Advisors.
Alexan City Lights received a great deal of press last year, when it was built near Congress Avenue in South Austin. This upscale apartment development has many amazing amenities, including remote-controlled limited entry, paved entrance, a coffee bar, a high-tech fitness center that is open 24 hours, a business in conference and center that boasts computers copiers and faxes, a resort style pool, a veranda area, a built in barbecue, and outdoor fireplace, a carport, and an attached parking garage. All common areas of the building include wireless Internet access, and most resident entries have ceramic tile. Most residences include side-by-side refrigerators, built in microwave ovens, gourmet island kitchens, designer cabinets and countertops, faux hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, crown moldings, large closets, ceiling fans, and large utility rooms. Residence units boast Satina Whirlpool appliances, private patios, linen closets, garden tubs, marble sink vanities, walk-in closets, multiple cable and phone lines, and much more. For truly comfortable urban living, Alexan City Lights certainly delivers with lots of space and a great modern style. The building is comfortable and modern and has all the amenities needed for a modern family or couple.
Lease terms for the apartments are a minimum of 12 months. This three-story building has central air-conditioning and is conveniently located close to a number of good schools, including Pleasant Hill Elementary School, Bedichek Middle School, and Crockett High School. Pets are allowed in the building with no damage deposits or fees. SCI Real Estate Investments LLC certainly brought a building with lots of potential and a good location. The low vacancy rate will only help the investors. At this time it is unknown whether any major renovations are planned, but it will certainly be interesting to see what long-term plans SCI Real Estate Investments LLC has for Alexan City Lights.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Five Points to Beware of While Working From Home
With the advancement of information technology, including the internet and telecommunication network, many people have chosen to operate their business from the comforts of their own home. Many home business entrepreneurs have created their own websites as free work at home career options, stating their business ideas, for achieving a widespread popularity in the market.
The idea of a home based business seems wonderful. It is not doubt profitable but it has its own disadvantages too. But you have to beware of five points while working from home.
· #1 Disadvantage of work at home job option - No company benefits
You have to beware of the fact that you might not enjoy the benefits given by an organization or a company when you are working independently. These benefits would include health insurance, retirement policies, perks, bonus, life insurance policies, and other facilities. If you are a family person these facilities do make a big difference in your life style. Working on your own you will have to avail these benefits by yourself which might be very expensive.
· #2 Disadvantage of work at home job option - Lack of social interaction
Absence of coworkers at your home leads to isolation. You don’t get the opportunity to share your professional ideas with your colleagues. You don’t get any support or help when you are in trouble. You have to solve your own problems. Beware of this isolation might lead to mental depression.
· #3 Disadvantage of work at home job option - Increase in expenses
The initial expenses including the cost of setting up a work space, cost of telecommuting, and the cost of suitable equipments might be beyond your reach. It is not advisable for a new entrepreneur to invest such an amount of money without being sure that his business would be successful and profitable.
· #4 Disadvantage of work at home job option - Distractions
If you have children in your family they can be the major cause of distraction while you are working. Beware of friends and other relatives who can also cause distraction. Working at home requires a lot of concentration, dedication and self discipline. If you are distracted too much you might forget to do something important. This might lead to negligence and ultimately might negatively harm your business. The cozy and relaxed atmosphere at home might hamper your concentration. If you take too many breaks while working you might not be able to complete it within the stipulated time. It is important to have a minimum work pressure for the successful completion of your work, which is totally absent in a work at home job. It is difficult to manage home chores and monitor your performance simultaneously.
· #5 Disadvantage of work at home job option - Other problems
It becomes difficult to maintain staff development. Your skills might not be upgraded with the requirements of advancing time. You can become irresponsible and lose your supervising skills while working from home. You might not get a lot of business networking opportunities if you are working from home. Shortage of space can also hamper your work atmosphere.
Home based business is not meant for everyone. It is work specific. If you are a journalist you cannot expect to do your work sitting at home. You have to beware of the conditions of the business venture choosing your work at home business option.
Virtual Shop ‘till you Drop
Nowadays it is so much easier to go shopping. And we are talking about the new way of shopping, the kind that gets you out of the crowded supermarkets and malls and brings everything at the click of your mouse: virtual shopping. Also known as B2C (business-to-consumer electronic commerce), virtual shopping is a consumer’s ability to shop from behind the screen of his\her computer via a computer network, using the internet, surfing on the www (World Wide Web).
This kind of shopping is actually thriving at the moment, as a lot of personal computers are connected to the internet, and so many more choose to get in touch with the world by using the World Wide Web. And since you wander around clicking with a certain direction, or no direction at all, why not shop a little? This is where virtual shopping comes into place and makes you use a credit card from your computer instead of wasting precious time standing in line.
There is almost no product you may desire that cannot be found on the virtual shopping specialized web sites. From small sites with a few products, to the limitless buying possibilities of a virtual shopping mall, you can browse as long as your time allows you, or you credit card can perform. With a non-stop working program and special home delivery, the online shops that allow you to do this virtual shopping are the next generation.
The virtual shopping experience is all about advantages, and if you haven’t read between the lines so far, here is a more clear approach: shopping is faster and more convenient; prices and product offers can change as you browse; you can access the special call centers that are integrated with that certain website in case you need extra information; you can buy everything you want getting the best deal out of it, since you can compare the prices from different online shops without walking around all day; you benefit from the privacy of your home all around the clock.
And this is not everything that virtual shopping has in line for you. There is a certain way of buying on the Internet that can be as interesting as the classical virtual shopping: online auctions.
Online auctions are a way of shopping in which participants bid for a certain product, or service on an online auction website. There are two types of auctions that can be found on the internet: the English auction – where the starting price is low and builds up with the bids, and the Dutch auction – where identical items are placed in the same auction, and all the bidding winners pay the same price, as high as any of the products gets.
As well as the classical virtual shopping, online auctions have plenty of advantages for their bidders: you can place a bid at any time for a certain number of days; the bidders can be located anywhere on the face of the earth, avoiding the travel costs that incurred in an ordinary auction; gambling thrills can be easily obtained since participants bid against each other, hoping they will win; the numbers of sellers is as big as the number of bidders, or even bigger, since as long as there is a desire for a certain product there will be an offer for it.
And if you come to think about all the benefits that virtual shopping and online auctions can bring, I’m sure that you will be surfing already in search of a desired product when this article is about to end. Have fun going shopping…virtual shopping.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Tax Planning for a Bigger Tax Refund in 2007
Tax Planning For A Bigger 2007 Refund
The time to start your tax planning strategies is earlier in the year rather that later.
In Canada, and from what I read in the newspapers and online, most taxpayers worldwide feel that they are paying too much tax.
And to add insult to injury, most of the taxes paid are not being put to good use.
Almost daily, we hear about the misuse of some huge amount of tax funds gathered from taxpayers.
While it seems we can do little about these transgressions, we can use effective tax planning strategies that will help us minimize our tax liabilities.
Tax planning does not involve convoluted tactics to hide or reduce income.
These will get you into big trouble with your tax collector and are not worth the effort, especially when there are legal and more beneficial ways to keep more money in your pockets and away from the Taxman.
A very effective tax planning strategy is to make charitable donations.
In Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency allows tax payers to donate up to 75% of their income.
Which means your income for taxes would be on just 25% of your earnings.
A very effective tax reduction incentive!
However, not many tax payers can realistic afford to do this.
Many Canadian tax payers do make charitable donations in an effort to be philanthropic as well as to receive the resulting tax credits.
Beware! Not all charities are created equal and some are downright suspect.
At the very least a charitable organization should be registered and have a verifiable tax ID number.
Not all charitable organizations adhere to the strict guidelines that make a good charity program effective and sustainable even when challenged by the tax collecting agencies.
When looking at tax shelter programs (this is what these tax reduction strategies are called) it is important that you inquire about how the program deals with issues of “valuation”, “advantages”, and “impoverishment”.
Valuation:
In Canada, recent legislation has established rules that prohibit tax payers from receiving a tax credit for donating property at an appraised price that is higher than the property’s purchase price. Previously, donors were allowed to acquire property at a low price and gift it to a charitable organization, receiving in exchange a donation receipt at the higher appraised value.
Under the new legislation, the value of the receipt must equal the original purchase price of the donated item provided that this amount does not exceed fair market value.
Advantage:
The value of any “advantage” (personal financial benefit) that you might receive from making your donation must now be deducted from the value of your donation receipt.
For example, those donors who purchase a $200 charity golf tournament ticket and received dinner, drinks and course fees valued at $140, would only receive a $60 donation receipt.
Impoverishment:
To claim a tax credit for a donation, donors must demonstrate they are impoverished financially after making their donation.
In other words, donors must be “out of pocket” as a result of the transaction.
To make your charitable donation effective as a tax planning ensure that any program you choose is compliant in all these aspects.
There is no point in using tax planning strategies that will not stand up to scrutiny or worse yet, have you accused of attempting to circumvent the rules of compliancy.
Loans That are Always Quick
Last month, I was in urgent need of finance. As there were not enough hands to provide me support, I decided to go for loans. But, there also path was not clear. The authorities of the finance institutions informed me that it will take at least two weeks for the loan amount to reach my wallet. It was much a higher period for me as I needed cash in three days. So, I was advised to move for loans that could get sanctioned in two days. I opted for it and I am a happy man now.
Generally, people opt for the loans as there arises an urgent need of cash. But usually, the process of availing loan is time consuming, necessitating the need for quick loans.
How to Avail Quick Loans?
Availing quick loans is a simple process. The developed financial market has large number of loan lender making it easier for the customer to choose the loan of his choice. The customers opting for personal loans, will analyse, the loans, their needs and will reach on a decision on the amount to be taken as a loan. On contacting the lenders, with not much difficulty, the borrowers are able to grab the finance.
Interest Rates
Chances of the lender charging a higher rate than ordinary personal loans are there, as these particular types of loans are less time consuming. But of course, the existence of many lenders in the loan market assures a comfortable and decent interest rate. A thorough study of the market will help the borrower in obtaining a loan with decent rate of interest.
Repayments
The borrowers of quick loans should always make it sure that the repayments are done within the prescribed period, as any failure in that will lead to legal issues, putting the customer in embarrassing situations.
Understand your Currencies
In the forex markets, it is important to understand the nature of the currencies you are trading. It is worth knowing the characteristics of the currency pairs, since each of them exhibit distinct identities. There is a fact that most of the currencies might exhibit similar movement patterns, which can help a trader confirm price movements. Trader can look at two pairs of currencies that have almost similar or completely opposite price movement patterns to get better predictions. Let take an example of the close relation between the EUR/USD & USD/CHF.
The price movements of these two currency pairs are absolute mirror images. In short, they have an inverse relationship. If EUR/USD is rallying, then USD/CHF should have downward movement, and vice-versa.
How can traders take advantage of this? The most obvious fact is that one must not trade both the currencies at the same time. If one is long the EUR/USD, logically one should not be long the USD/CHF at the same time, since the USD/CHF would have a downward movement.
Neither is it wise to take opposing trades on these two pairs, because if the trade goes wrong, then the trader would incur losses in both the trades (although the trader also might have double profit if the trade goes right, but anyway, in forex trading, we focus on how to not get loss first).
Ideally, one should trade either of the two pairs. The best way to take advantage of this fact is to cross-check a trade by looking for confirmation factors on the other pair. If a trader is planning to take a long position in the EUR/USD, he can look for a similar short setup on the USD/CHF. If such an opposite setup is present in the USD/CHF, it only adds further credence to his long EUR/USD trade. It is just a check.
There are other currency pairs also which exhibit a close relation. This fact serves as a good rule of thumb to estimate the movement of the particular currency. Thus it is worth studying these relationships to gain a higher edge in the market. As you know, sometimes a basic knowledge can also serve as a turning point between failure and success.
Investing in Troubled Times
The Enterprising Investor is always on the lookout for value and always ready to be greedy when others are fearful. Despite the fact that we feel that the current correction is far from being over, we encourage investors to make a shortlist of stocks which they would have loved to buy but just didn’t manage to do so at reasonable prices.
Once you have made this list, track these stocks and identify what price you would be comfortable paying for a share in the business: as a long-term investor, you main concern should be to buy shares at prices which you are comfortable with and not to time the bottom of the market. As Emerson said: “The great man is he who in the midst of the crowds keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
For example:
* you may have been following Goldman Sachs (GS) and kicking yourself for not having bought some shares. This is a great company with extremely solid fundamentals and a money making machine with an impeccable track record and pedigree. Do you feel the correction that Mr. Market has applied to the whole financial sector is justified for Goldman who is now trading at a multiple of under 10?
* or had you been following USG Corporation (USG) only to see it spike after news of the big position Warren Buffett had taken in the company? Despite the fact that Berkshire reduced the stake, did you know that they were buying shares all the way down to 46 USD… they might still be buying….
The bottom line is, don’t panic, keep your thinking hats on and keep on doing your homework!
The Flood of Home Insurance
Recent flooding across the UK this year has caused many people to see the importance of good home insurance. In recent months many of those affected have had no cover at all while others realised that their insurance was inadequate for damages caused by the flooding. The floods of 2007 highlighted the need for quality insurance and for those seeking to purchase insurance to pay much closer attention to the small print and make certain the policy is right for them.
In the past few years buying home and contents insurance has become easier with most insurers offering quotes and the option of purchasing online. Price comparison websites attract many people interested in finding the cheapest quote. However, the cheapest may not always be the best, as many people that suffered in the floods discovered. Many insurance policies come with a list of exclusions meaning they don't pay out in certain circumstances, such as accidental damage.
When choosing insurance it's a good idea to get a hold on the big picture of what you want and need to insure. Consider all of the potential incidences that could befall your property, such as fire and natural disasters such as flooding and storm damage. Then there is contents insurance; basic insurance for the contents of your house is likely to have exemptions, so it's best to take note of what each policy offers and more importantly if you have any possessions that are of particular importance or value. Many insurers offer special add-ons for contents policies such as sports equipment and home garden cover.
Comprehensive understanding of your insurance policy is ever more important as costs are expected to rise 10% following the recent floods. Although the flooding may have been a factor in the price hike, a spokesman for one insurer said it was due to the general increase in costs for making home repairs. Premiums have hardly risen over the past ten years so it should not come as a surprise that rates will be raised now.
With insurance rate rises imminent, many people are bound to shop around more when choosing home insurance but should always double check the exact policy details before selecting any policy.
The Environment Agency reported the floods in June and July have been the worst experienced in the past 60 years. Experts predict that the world will experience an increasing amount of severe weather events in the future which makes home insurance more important than ever.
5 Ways How Misuse of Balance Transfer Credit Cards Can Cost you Dearly
0 Intro APR credit cards are used by many people to avoid high interest rates on outstanding balances. As soon as the 0 Intro period expires - they find another credit card with 0 intro offer or low interest offer on balance transfer and switch balances. In the short term it might look as a good strategy, but it has its own drawbacks. Here are few facts, which if overlooked can cost the credit card holder dearly.
1. The credit card companies might stop approving such applications when they find that the applicant has a sustained history of balance transfer misuse.
2. Lenders like people who pay them interest, that's the main source of their income. So, if the find that when it comes to repaying your debt with interest, you simply cut corners and transfer the balance to a new credit card. They won't be interested lending to you.
3. With such repeated balance transfers, and closing old credit cards will have an impact on your credit history also. The remarks in your credit report can drive away potential lenders, and you'll have to face the music even when you apply for other type of loans like auto loan, mortgages, personal loans etc.
4. If a credit card issuer refuses one such request of balance transfer, your entire plans of getting the debt to a low interest rate can be jeopardized and you could be facing high APR's, which can land you in further trouble.
5. Balance transfer credit cards don't tolerate late payments, so if you miss out on a particular repayment all the benefit is lost and instantly the high regular APR's are applied. Again a low rate on balance transfers does not mean the overall APR's will also be low. There could be different APR's for purchases, and cash advances.
Though balance transfers are not a bad idea, but excess of everything is bad. Besides, denting your credit history, repeated balance transfers are also a bad financial habit. It is like not facing the eventual reality of repaying your debt. Balance transfers are there for good reasons and should be used as such- in that way they will benefit the credit card holders in a big way.
Continually opening new low interest credit card accounts and shifting money without attacking the overall debt could worry lenders, potentially hurting your chances for borrowing money in the future. Credit card issuers favor customers who pay interest, viewing customers who transfer debts over and over to avoid paying interest as less-than-ideal borrowers.
Such excessive balance transfer behavior can also make it tough to borrow money from other lenders outside of the credit card industry, such when shopping for a home or automobile.
Separately, should you make a misstep -- for example, by making a late credit card payment -- your credit card's regular (and undoubtedly much higher) interest rate will get triggered. That could also result in a sudden surge in the APR on your credit card debt.
Another reason to be wary of performing too many balance transfers is that the low interest rate you get with a new balance transfer credit card may just apply to the transferred balance itself. It is important to note whether the low interest rate on balance transfers also applies to purchases.
Should you need to make a new purchase with the card, the interest on your spending could be at the credit card's regular interest rate. However, certain balance transfer credit cards, like the Discover Platinum Card and the Citi Platinum Select Card, offer low introductory APR's on both balance transfers and purchases.
Meanwhile, be aware that with a balance transfer credit card, all the payments you make will likely first be applied to the 0% portion of your debt. As a result, any other credit card spending will accumulate interest until the transfer is paid off and you can then tackle the most recent charges.
However, all these warnings do not mean that a credit card balance transfer is always a bad idea. In fact, balance transfer credit cards can really work in your favor if used sparingly. If you don't go overboard with transferring balances, and pay attention to any balance transfer fees your credit card may carry, transferring your balance to a lower interest credit card can be an excellent way to save yourself some money as you pay down your debt.