Refinancing Real Estate Investments

Why should you consider refinancing real estate investments instead of selling them? Maybe you've owned a rental property for years, you've paid down the mortgage, the value is up, and you want to cash in on that equity. You will do better to refinance. Here's why.

There are two problems with selling. First, selling means paying a large capital gains tax. You can avoid this if you reinvest through a 1031 exchange, but then the point is that you want your money, right? Second, you'll be giving up your inflation-indexed retirement plan. A good rental property generates more income as rents go up.

Refinancing Real Estate Investments Is Better

If you refinance, you can get much of your gain out of the property, without paying a penny in taxes. You see, borrowing money is not a taxable event. Take your loan proceeds and spend them however you want, and still keep your rentals. Doesn't that sound better than losing a big chunk of your equity to taxes?

Now, let's look at an example. We'll suppose you have owned a small apartment building for several years. Let's say you bought it for $340,000, with a down payment of $80,000. Interest rates at the time were at 9.5%, giving you a payment of $2,106 monthly on the balance of $260,00 (30 year amortization).

The property is now worth $560,000, and you owe $220,000. Your cash flow is around $2000/month. Now, how do you get at some of that equity? If you sell, you will give up the income, AND pay a big part of the profit in taxes. What happens if you refinance?

If a bank will loan you 70% of the value, that would be $392,000. Pay off the first mortgage, and you are left with $172,000. You can spend it any way you want, and no taxes are due.

It gets even better, especially when interest rates are low. If the new interest rate is 6.5%, your new payment will be $2295. In other words, you get $172,000 to spend any way you want, and you still have over $1,800 cash flow each month, from an inflation-indexed retirement plan.

Here is an even better scenario: Spend $50,000 of the loan for high-return upgrades to the property, such as carports and a laundry room, and raise the rents. You could have $122,000 left over to spend any way you want, AND have higher cash flow than before! Isn't that sound better than selling your retirement plan? When you want that cash, consider refinancing real estate investments.

---

About the Author: Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. To learn more, get a free real estate investing course, and see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com

Read More

Start Again with Mortgage Refinancing

If you are interested in optimizing your monthly payments on debt, or simply looking to stretch your income a little further each month, you might want to consider refinancing your mortgage.

There are two very basic ways to go about this. First, you might consider switching from a fixed rate home loan, to an adjustable rate home loan. A fixed rate home loan is a loan in which your interest rate is “locked in” and does not change from year to year. An adjustable rate home loan is a loan in which your interest rate is dictated by the market.

The other option is referred to as a “cashout” refinance, in which all your old loans are paid and new ones taken out. This is a sensible option, because the interest you are paying on the original loans is compounded and you eventually start paying interest on interest. A new loan can provide you with the fresh start you need.

When a lender is considering your mortgage refinance application they take into consideration a number of factors including current balance, monthly payment, and the remaining number of months on your current mortgage. Your household income and your debt-to-asset ration will also be considered.

If you are looking to consolidate your debt load or to simply maximize your disposable income, mortgage refinancing might well be your solution. There are few potential drawbacks to consider, mind you. Many lenders will charge extra fees for early or unscheduled payments, so be sure to ask your lender as many questions as you can.

In the case of mortgage refinancing, you may want to consider consulting a mortgage broker. A broker works for you, and not for any particular financial institution. He can take your application, and shop it around to various lenders. This will give you the freedom to determine, to some degree, the terms of your mortgage. It can often result in major cost savings, because you essentially pit one lender against the other for your business. It is definitely something worth looking into, if you are serious about saving some money. If you aren’t serious about saving money, you should be.

---

About the Author: Seymore Hennigan has worked in finance for many years. When he is not crunching numbers or advising his family and friends on investments, he writes freelance articles for http://www.mortgageguide101.com – an independent mortgage guide filled with extensive information about bad credit mortgage refinancing, Countrywide mortgage, reverse mortgages and more.

Read More

Mortgage - Harvesting Time for Consumers

Mortgages are for a lifetime today and there is absolutely no trend of savings and ‘burning the mortgage’ party. Your home equity is more than enough to pay your expenses from. It is one bankable asset. Mortgages help you attain the home and also
teaches you how to live by it. With mortgage rates plummeting down the roller coaster, the mortgage applications are rising.
The refinance boom is still at large and the fear of being a bubble is slowly vanishing. Mortgage is the best secured loan and the cheapest option for financing.


Mortgage types : There is something for every one.


There is a jungle of mortgages in the market. Conventional mortgages have made way for hybrids. Lenders are continuously expanding their markets by following the mix- and- match policy and churning out customized mortgages with various terms and payment methods to match the borrowers’ needs. With such rapid expansion and more mortgages types debuting, the home buyer has his hands full of choices-so many ways to that perfect dream home!


Mortgage refinancing : This is one option which helps you tap the equity in your home and also lock in the current record low
rates. The best part is you can shift other debts to tax deductible housing debt. Refinancing can not only reduce your monthly cost but also you can draw out additional funds for other expenses.
Say, your house is worth $500,000 and your mortgage is locked at 6% interest rate. If you refinance it at 5%, earlier you used to pay $3000 every month now you will be paying only $2500 thus saving $500 every month. (http://www.mortgagefit.com/refinance-mortgage.html)


Reverse mortgage : For those above 62 years, no income qualification involved, this mortgage helps you with monthly expenses and mainly medical bills which mount during these golden years. You don’t have to make any repayments and you get a monthly income which is tax deductible.


Mortgages are for all seasons and all times. According to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumers, the mortgage debt from households headed by age 65-74 has grown up to 47% from 24.74% on 1995. This is mainly attributed to the huge popularity of reverse mortgages. (http://www.mortgagefit.com/reverse.html)


Remortgage : Your financial conditions may not remain the same forever. A remortgage allows you to switch to a new deal and lock in lower interest rates and also better servicing from a new lender. According to a survey conducted by the Homeowner Show, 72.8% of property investors are considering a remortgage this year compared to 62.8 % who opted for it last year. Credit card loans and other personal loans which have interest rates as high as 18-30% can easily be paid off using remortgages with rates as low as 6%. (http://www.mortgagefit.com/remortgage.html)


Mortgage Rates : You can either opt for a fixed rate or an adjustable interest rate. While the former as the name suggests remain fixed through the full term of the loan, the latter is adjusted according to the market rate annually or semiannually (according to what is agreed on).


After the recession in 2001 the ARMs ( http://www.mortgagefit.com/arm.html
) have lost a bit of their popularity because certainty and security have become no. 1 on the priority list of the US. Yet the 1 year ARM has fallen drastically to 4.11% from 4.23 the previous week.


While other loans especially credit card loans have rates as high as 18% while mortgage rates hardly rise above 9%.Mortgages
are being increasingly used to pay off credit card debts. You can even consolidate your debts and pay them off using second mortgages. These are also called home equity loan. The value of your home can be converted into liquid assets and you can use them any way you like- for education, home improvement (thus building home equity), meeting expenses, investing, etc.
( http://www.mortgagefit.com/fixed-rates.html )

Mortgage - the Next Track
Mortgages have held the US economy together even during trying times. Its robust growth has only the internet business as competitor. It has realized the dream of thousands of low income and minority groups to have home of their own. Though the new purchases have lean market, investors still prefer to put their money into mortgage backed securities which fund the entire housing industry.

Read More

Business Credit Cards Guide

Business credit cards are a helping hand for those entrepreneurs who are running their own businesses. A business credit card not only acts as a line of credit but can also help to provide you enough control in managing your companys finances and cash. When business credit cards were first introduced it was mainly aimed towards corporate executives. However, this trend has changed and nowadays even small business owners can acquire business credit cards fairly easily. Business credit cards have become a versatile tool which allows business owners to utilize effectively over time as their business needs change.

A majority of the business credit cards come with a wide range of features including cash advances, cash rewards, airline miles, one-call emergency service, and insurance coverage. The features included in a business credit card vary from one card provider to the other, but most of the credit card companies offer an attractive introductory rate for the first few months from the date of opening your account. After that initial period the customer will be required to pay a higher ongoing APR and the card also might require an annual membership fee.

One of the major advantages of a business credit card is that it provides a significant increase in financial control. The cards allow you to simplify and manage your business expenses well, eliminating the need to use a personal credit card for business expenses. Another most important feature of a business credit card is that small business owners can make use of these little pieces of plastic to provide financing or emergency "bridge loans" for their business when stuck in cash flow shortages. And even thought it is not explicitly stated in the business card features, business owners have made use of business credit cards for start-up funding as well.

Nowadays, there are myriad small and medium sized companies which make use of business credit cards as an efficient financing tool. There is a wide variety of credit card issuers that offer business credit cards with various schemes and features. Because of the many opportunities available, it is highly recommended to thoroughly contrast and compare business credit cards to select the ideal card best suited to your specific business needs.

Tips for Choosing a Business Credit Card

Before you apply for a credit limit on a business credit, make an estimate of your monthly business expenses and your history of repayment. Make sure that you apply for a credit limit that you know is within the bounds of your expense limitations, but equally important, will also take into account the growing needs of your business.

If you have several employees working under you, you need to determine how many cards your business may need and which employees will require cards for business expenses. Obviously, before you issue cards to any employees make absolutely sure that they are trustworthy.

Also, make sure that during this process that you determine your business requirements for ancillary services. That is, if you or your employee has to travel regularly for business needs, then it is a good idea to find out those business credit card issuers who offer free air miles, travel insurance, and hotel discounts.

Be careful about the introductory interest rates offered by business credit card issuers. Most of these offers are designed to entice new customers and after an initial period of six months to one year, the interest rates will increase substantially. So when comparing business credit cards, one of the most important things to check is the regular interest rate versus the introductory APR and which card compares favorably in that regard.

So if you are planning to start a new business venture, try to utilize the entire suite of benefits that a business credit card offers that can fund, track and reward your business activities.

---

About the Author: For more on business credit cards, Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com

Read More

Apply For Home Mortgage Loan Online With Bad Credit - Things To Consider

So, you’ve found the perfect home. You’ve already decided where to place each piece of your furniture inside the home, and in your mind, all of your family photographs are hanging alongside the stairwell. But wait—do you know that even if you believe that your credit report is spotless, it could negatively affect your chances of getting that home mortgage approval?

The credit bureaus handle hundreds of thousands of credit reports, and it’s only logical that they will make mistakes. In fact, studies show us that there are some types of errors on at least 50 percent of all credit reports.

Could an error be lurking on your report?

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to ensure that your credit report reflects exactly what it should.

Step One: Avoid a Bad Credit Report by Requesting a Copy of It

Under the law, you are entitled to a copy of your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies. You should simply submit a request in writing or visit their web sites and request a copy.

Step Two: Check the Personal Information

Maybe your name is Jane Smith, but the agencies have you listed as Jayne Smith. If you don’t think that it matters, you’d better think again. If the agencies have a miss-spelling in your name, the wrong address, reversed digits on your social security number, or even wrong employer information, it could mean bad news for your report. If the person who they have you confused with makes a late payment, then it will appear on your report. What’s worse, if they file for bankruptcy or default on a car loan, it will take some time to sort out the erroneous information once it’s found its way onto your report. Avoid all of this, and report any bad information now.

Step Three: The Credit Information

It may be too late, and you may find that there are loans or other items on your report that you’ve never taken out. In addition, you may find that late payments are on your credit report when you’re sure that you made them on time. If you find such erroneous information, then you’ll need to send the credit reporting agencies a letter explaining the error, along with any proof or documents that you have that will back up your claim. They are required to investigate your complaint and report back to you with their findings.

It’s important to do all of this before you apply for a home mortgage. It will not only reduce the amount of time that it takes to get an approval, but it could positively affect the interest rate that you end up with.

To view our recommended sources for bad credit mortgage lenders, visit this page: Recommended Bad Credit Mortgage Lenders.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

By Carrie Reeder

Read More