Archive for October 30th, 2008

Financial Rebirth Through Remortgage

Seldom in ones life do we get a chance to alter the mistakes we made in the past. Remortgage offers a once in a life time opportunity to change from a mortgage to another that is more desirable.

So what are the mistakes that
Remortgage will help cure? With the interest rates falling, mortgages taken years ago will appear to be excessively charged. Mortgagors vie for the new rates of interest by taking the new mortgage.

But there is little guarantee that the rate of interest will be constant at this point or will not fall beyond this level. So, mortgagees always have a scope of business by helping people transfer their original mortgage. Thus, remortgages benefit both the borrower and the mortgage provider.

Remortgages are also taken for reasons other than improving interest rate. Many a times people opt for remortgage only to extend the term of repayment. This is more visible in case of interest only mortgages. Interest only mortgages, as we know, require monthly payment of interest on the mortgage and a full and final payment at the end of the term of repayment.

Refinancing the former mortgage will postpone the repayment of the mortgage. The new mortgage will have a new term of repayment. The new mortgage deal pays off the former deal. The borrower could have been at risk of losing his home had he been required to make a prompt repayment at that point of time. Borrowers get time to plan the repayment of the new mortgage deal.

However, we must not ignore the other side of the picture. The borrower is burdened with the debt for an extended period. More is the time involved in the mortgage, more is the interest cost.

Specialized mortgages have a limited benefit period, after which they become more of a burden. First time buyer mortgages for instance, offer discounted rates in the initial few years. After that the first time buyers will have to pay according to the rates prevalent in the mortgage market. By refinancing the first time buyer mortgage, borrowers can escape the high interest rates or unfavourable terms.

Full points to you if you guessed that remortgages function as a debt consolidation tool. In fact these are regularly used in order to settle debts a.k.a mortgages. Remortgage offers a new mortgage through a new lender who agrees to settle all debts through a combined mortgage deal. This may be advantageous for the borrowers since savings generally result in the deal. The entire value of the mortgage remaining along with the interest is paid as an early repayment. The savings are the result of the negotiation process. The more skilled is a person in the negotiation skills, the more will the savings be.

However, some lenders explicitly forbid a remortgage by incorporating a clause to the effect in the terms and conditions. Some mortgagees may freeze the right to remortgage for a certain time period. For instance cash back mortgages where the borrower gets cash at the beginning of the mortgage prohibit outright the right to remortgage for a period. The period may differ with the lenders. This may severely impede the borrowers’ freedom to change to a new deal. It will thus be important to closely look for such clauses when signing on the dotted line. Having agreed to the terms once there is no looking back again. May be there is no second chance for a remortgage.

ADITYA THAKUR
Aditya has completed his masters in mass communications from Jamia University. If you need UK Personal Loans, secured Loans, unsecured loans visit http://www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

Published in: Property | on October 30th, 2008 | Comments Off

What is a Buy To Let Mortgage?

A buy to let mortgage is a mortgage on a property which is to be let out or rented, rather than occupied by the owner. A buy to let mortgage is exactly as it sounds - a mortgage that allows you to buy a property in order to let if out to a tenant.

This type of mortgage is similar to most others however the buy to let mortgage is designed for people who buy a property with the intention of letting it out.

Buy to let is purchasing a property, letting it to tenants and using the income from their rent to pay your mortgage. Essentially you have someone paying your mortgage for you, but the huge positive aspect is that at the end of the mortgage you have a valuable property and you have had someone buying the property for you with their rent. In summary a buy to let mortgage is simply a mortgage that allows you to purchase a property that you intend to let out.

A buy to let property can therefore been seen by many as an investment. The principle is simple: buy a property, let it to a tenant, and this money should pay the mortgage, perhaps with a little left over each month.

Buy to let mortgages are becoming increasingly more popular as in recent years the property market has proven to be a good investment. However, a buy to let mortgage is not so simple. First, you must be able to raise a significant deposit. Second, the rates on the buy to let mortgage may not be the most attractive on the market, although the market is competitive and there are many decent options available.

Normally people looking for a buy to let mortgage are looking to use their existing property to secure a mortgage on a second property.

A buy to let mortgage is a way to enable you to invest in property. The criteria for lending is worked out differently to a standard mortgage, however there is no limit on the number of properties you may buy to let.

The difference is that the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) is usually lower, meaning that a larger deposit is required. Other restrictions may also apply, such as minimum letting terms and rental income.

Lenders will normally incorporate a proportion of the rental income when calculating how much money they are willing to lend you. With a residential mortgage, the total mortgage repayments are based on the applicant’s salary. However, since a buy to let mortgage is used to finance the buying of a property for rental purposes, the borrower must prove that the rental income will cover the buy to let mortgage.

The big difference compared to a standard home loan is that most lenders won’t just take your salary into account when assessing eligibility. Potential rental income from the property is normally the most important factor in assessing affordability. Another important difference is that a minimum deposit of 15% is required.

Buy to let investors should also consider the downsides. Will you be able to let the property? Will you be able to let the property all year round? Prudence dictates that in calculating whether you are able to afford a buy to let mortgage, you should see whether you would have enough income to support the second mortgage payments when you are unable to secure a tenant.

You may freely reprint this article provided the author’s biography remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Published in: Property | on October 30th, 2008 | Comments Off