Homeowners have seemingly limitless choices to tap in to the equity in their homes. Many folks choose to refinance for cash out at closing, others are looking also for the benefits of a lower interest rate on their loan and cash out for repairs, unexpected expenses and other of life’s little surprises.

A home equity loan is a secured loan where you borrow against the equity in your property. Even with poor credit, a home equity loan is not difficult to qualify for. This is because unlike a personal loan, the risk to the lender is not all that great. Your loan is secured by the equity (or owned value) in your home.

Home equity loans are most commonly used for the purpose of consolidating debt and eliminating high interest credit card loans. The biggest advantage to home equity loans is that you can pay off your debt at a low fixed rate over a set period of time. This is a major advantage over revolving lines of credit, such as credit cards.

Home equity financing is also useful for covering incidental expenses such as home repairs and maintenance. Have a child heading off to college? You can get a home equity loan to cover the cost of college. Are unexpected medical bills a problem? A home equity loan can be used to pay off medical bills at a fixed rate over a long term. As you can see, the uses for home equity financing are many.

Home equity financing is the same as taking out a second mortgage loan on your property. This also means that because the home equity loan is secured by your property, you can loose your home in the event of a default on the loan. It is for this reason that you should take home equity loans seriously and take care not to overextend yourself or strain your monthly budget.

Every situation is unique but in many cases home equity loans can be a benefit to your finances. They can also you harm if you overextend yourself. Whether or not a home equity loan is right for you is something only you can decide. If you do decide to seek a home equity loan, there are numerous resources available for you to compare offers and apply for the financing.

By : Josh Spaulding

Your home equity is the appraised value remaining in your home after you subtract the remaining balance you owe on your existing home mortgage(s). It can be thought of as the part of the home you actually own instead of the bank: the part you’ve paid for so far.

It isn’t difficult to build equity in your home, and chances are if you’ve owned your home for a while and have been making your regular mortgage payments, you probably have built a considerable amount of home equity already. Though the housing market rises and falls in cycles, the overall tendency is consistently upward. In other words, property values tend to rise over the long term.

How Can Home Equity Be Used?

Once you have equity in your home, you can start to use it to fund nearly anything you want or need. Having equity in your home puts you in a powerful position, as you can use that equity to qualify for credit and borrow money. Buy a new car, take that dream vacation, fund a college education, make renovations and improvements to your home. Whether to pay for an emergency or finance a dream, there are two primary ways to tap into the wellspring that is your home equity: a home equity loan and a home equity line of credit.

What Are Home Equity Interest Rates Like?
A good question to ask before borrowing money from any source is: how much is it going to cost in the long run? Because your home is being used as collateral on the home equity loan or home equity line of credit, the risk for the lender is considerably lower, and therefore interest rates on home equity loans and home equity lines of credit are usually lower than the average interest rate on a credit card.

Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit are, however, usually higher than the interest rate on the average fixed rate mortgage. And in general, home equity loans usually have lower interest rates than home equity lines of credit.

What Are Some of the Other Benefits of Home Equity?
As if borrowing money weren’t advantage enough, home equity offers a bevy of other benefits as well, including:

* tax advantages (in many cases, interest paid on home equity loans and lines of credit are tax deductible)

* you can use equity to build more equity (if you tap into home equity to make improvements to your home, you raise your home’s value, thereby building more equity)

* debt consolidation (you can use it to pay off higher priced loans or debt)

By : Somerset Mortgage Lenders

Research result shows that credit card debt is the main debt problem for most of debtors. Credit card carries high interest rate, if you continue delay your credit card payment or continue to pay only the minimum due amount, it will quickly roll up the total debt and drag you into a serious debt trap. Hence, credit card debt must be resolved fast to avoid making your debt situation worse. If you have build up your home equity, you are at a good position to get your debt issue resolve by consolidating your credit card debt and other high interest debt with your home equity.

Why consolidate debt using your home equity?

There are at least 3 good reasons to consolidate all your debt with home equity:

1. Lower interest rate. As compare to other loan, home equity loan is comparatively much lower that other loans, which make it easier to be paid off. If you continue repay the same amount you pay now and the interest rate has been lower, meaning that you pay more toward the principal and making your debt to be paid off faster.

2. The interest of your home equity loan is tax-deductible; you save on interest pay for home equity loan from the tax-deduction.

3. Lower monthly payment. If you find hardship repaying your current debt repayment, then selecting longer repayment term with a home equity loan will help to lower the monthly payment so a level that is affordable by your current financial situation. Be aware that by taking long period of loan term, you will be paying more in total interest.

Consolidation Debt Using Home Equity

There are three ways to consolidation debt using home equity: Cash-out Refinance, Home Equity Loan and Home Equity Line Of Credit.

Cash-out Refinance

In this method, you are getting a new mortgage with the amount high than your current mortgage and use it to pay off your current mortgage and have enough balance to clear your credit card debt. For example, your existing mortgage still remains $100,000 and you owe credit card debt of $12,000; you will need to refinance your existing mortgage to get $112,000 of new loan to pay off your existing mortgage plus the credit card debt.

Home Equity Loan

Home equity loan is a second mortgage which you use you home equity to pledge for a loan. For example, your home market value is $150,000 and you still owe for a mortgage of $100,000; this means you have a home equity equal to $50,000. You can apply for a home equity loan up to the value of home equity, in this case is $50,000. But normally, lenders will only approve a home equity loan up to 80-85% of your home equity.

Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)

Credit card has credit limit so do the home equity line of credit, the difference between these two is home equity line of credit use your home equity as the revolving line of credit. Based on your home equity, lenders will pre-approves you with a credit limit where you can withdraw the amount up to that credit limit. . In the home equity line of credit, interest only count on the amount being draws out.

What You Should Not Do With Your Home Equity

Although home equity is a good option to resolve your debt issue, but you will put your home at risk if you default the home equity loan repayment. Hence, don't get the loan up to the maximum value of you home equity can provide you because you are adding more debt into your account by doing that. Use your home equity to apply for loan that enough to repay your consolidated debt. And remember to repay the home equity loan on time so that you won't lose you home because of foreclosure.

In Summary

You can always convert home equity to pay off your consolidated high interest debts and save with lower interest and lower monthly repayment. But be aware for the risk of losing your home if you fail to make repayment. Hence, you need to put your repayment plan in place to ensure you won't miss any repayment schedule of your home equity loan.

By : Cornie Herring

With real estate prices ever on the rise, first-time home buyers are facing more difficulties in buying a home. Who ever thought they'd buy a $500,000 starter home?

Mortgage lenders have acknowledged the problem by creating new and innovative mortgage products, mostly designed to lower the borrowers' payments in the first few years of the mortgage. Many of these products allow borrowers to buy homes that they traditionally couldn't afford, but they aren't without risk.

The latest and most exotic mortgages out there include:

1. The 40-Year Mortgage
2. The Portable Mortgage
3. The Interest-Only Mortgage
4. The Negative Amortization Mortgage
5. The Flex-ARM Mortgage
6. The Piggy Back Mortgage
7. 103s and 107s
8. Home Equity Line of Credit
9. Loan Modification Mortgage
10. Short-Term Hybrids

1. The 40-Year Mortgage

This is similar to a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, except the payment is being stretched over an extra 10 years. The lender will charge a slightly higher interest rate, as much as half a percentage point.

A 40-year mortgage gives you lower monthly payments than a 30-year loan, while allowing you to lock in today's interest rate. If you buy a $300,000 mortgage at a 6.25% interest rate, you could be saving $95 each month in payment.

But by extending the length of the mortgage, you are increasing the amount of interest paid on the loan. For a $300,000 mortgage, a home buyer will spend an additional $170,030 in interest with a 40-year mortgage.

These mortgages are best suited for first-time home owners who don't plan to live in the home for more than a few years. If they can't afford the higher payment of a 30-year mortgage, the 40-year may give a good start to home ownership.

2. The Portable Mortgage

E*Trade has a program called Mortgage on the Move. It allows a home buyer to lock in a low interest rate and then take the rate with them to their next home in a few years. A second mortgage can be used if the buyer needs to borrow more money for the new home.

When interest rates are low - and looking to rise - locking in a rate for the next 30 years is attractive.

But interest rates for portable and second mortgages are higher than for standard loans. You may be looking at paying ½ to ¾ a percentage point more than on a typical 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

This product is good for those who know they will move in a few years, but still want to lock in a low rate.

3. The Interest-Only Mortgage

With an interest-only mortgage, the lender allows the borrower to pay only the interest for the first so many years of a mortgage. After the grace period, the loan essentially becomes a new mortgage with the interest and principal being stretched only the remaining years. For example, you may pay no principal for the first ten years, and then pay the principal and interest for 20 years.

This gives you a smaller monthly payment during the interest-only repayment period, and during this time, all the money being paid is tax deductible.

But if home prices don't rise, your equity won't build during the interest-only years. When your principal-payment period begins, the monthly payments will jump significantly. Most of these loans feature variable interest rate, which puts you at risk for even higher monthly obligations.

This type of mortgage is great if you know for sure that your income will rise significantly in the next few years. Interest-only loans are also a good fit for professionals who receive large bonuses as part of their pay. They can pay interest during most of the year and then put the bonus towards the principal.

4. The Negative Amortization Mortgage

This interest-only type of mortgage allows a buyer to pay less than the full amount of interest. The difference between the full interest payment and the amount actually paid is added to the balance of the loan.

This gives you the option of a much smaller monthly payment during the first years of a loan.

But, this is probably the most risky mortgage available. If the value of your home falls, you will easily be upside down in your load. You would owe more money on the house than it is worth.

These loans are great for those with large cash reserves who need to make lower payments during certain parts of the year, but can pay off the difference in large chunks at other times.

5. The Flex-ARM Mortgage

This is a cross between a hybrid ARM, which offers a low fixed interest rate for the first five to seven years and then adjusts annually, and a negative amortization loan. Each month you receive a coupon that gives you four possible payment options: negative amortization, interest-only payment, 30-year fixed and 20-year fixed. The homeowner decides how much he wants to pay.

The bank handles all of the calculations for you. But if not used wisely, you could owe more on your mortgage than your home is worth.

A Flex-ARM is good for those who prefer to have options. The borrower should have large cash reserves for when the mortgage payments enter the later part of the loan. Like interest-only loans, they are great for those who receive bonuses during the year.

6. The Piggy-back Mortgage

This is actually two mortgages, one on top of the other. The first mortgage covers 80% of the property's value. The second covers the remaining balance at a slightly higher interest rate.

In most cases, borrowers choose a piggy-back mortgage because it allows them to put less than 20% down and still avoid paying private mortgage insurance. The money that would be used towards private mortgage insurance is now tax deductible as interest paid.

Homeowners should expect to pay a higher interest rate on a second mortgage. The rates you pay vary greatly depending on your credit score. Since the borrower has very little equity in the home, there is the fear of the home losing value and the borrower owing more than they can sell it for.

Piggy-back mortgages are a good fit for young professionals with reasonably high salaries, but no savings.

7. 103s and 107s

You may not need to save for a down payment at all. You could borrow 3% or 7% more than your home is even worth.

These loans give you the option of borrowing money needed for closing costs and moving costs. You can include it all in the mortgage.

The interest rates for these mortgages are high. You run the risk of negative equity if your home loses value.

If you have large cash reserves that work better for you in the stock market than in investing in your home, you may want to look at this type of mortgage.

8. Home Equity Line of Credit

These aren't just for those who own a home! They are commonly known as HELOCs, and they can finance an original home purchase using a credit line instead of a traditional mortgage. HELOCs are variable-rate mortgages tied to the prime rate. If you use this mortgage as your first mortgage, all of the interest is tax deductible. You simply make a down payment, and the HELOC pays the remainder. You can usually use one for up to 90% of the home's appraisal value. For a higher interest rate, you may qualify for 100%.

HELOCs can offer more attractive interest rates. You can also use the equity you build in your home at any time.

HELOCs are usually structured for 10 to 20 years, instead of 30. The interest rate is variable, which means that your payment can rise at any time.

If you want to pay off your home quickly, but need the ability to access your equity at any time, you might consider a HELOC as your primary mortgage.

9. Loan Modification Mortgage

This mortgage allows you to change your terms whenever you want, all you have to pay is a $1,000 closing cost for every million dollars borrowed. No paperwork is necessary; all you have to do is make a phone call.

You can expect to pay about 3/8th of a percentage point higher interest rate.

People who like to follow interest rates can call and have their rate changed when interest rates are down. But borrower's must take into consideration the closing fees charged each time they modify their mortgage. Many customers with this type of mortgage have financial planners who manage the mortgage.

10. Short-Term Hybrids

These mortgages are much like traditional hybrid ARMs with fixed-rate periods and then interest rate that floats. But the fixed portion on a short-term hybrid is for a very limited time, for example, six months to a year. Lenders offer very competitive rates on these mortgages.

The interest rates are very low for the fixed portion of the loan, making the initial monthly payments relatively small.

But six months or a year is not a very long period of time, but rates can change dramatically in just that amount of time.

People who plan to flip a house or move in a very short period of time are good candidates for a short-term hybrid ARM.

By : Martin Lukac

When you need finance for a home improvement project, you’ve many options at your reach. However, one that is not often considered and can turn out to be a very cheap source of founds is to take a second mortgage on the same property you are planning to improve. Home equity loans or second mortgages are the right tool for financing home improvements.

The fact that these loans are based on equity and that you are planning to improve the property that is guaranteeing them has several implications that need to be taken into account. Both the lender and the borrower will benefit from the fact that the loan will be used to improve the asset that is guaranteeing the loan.

Home Equity Loans (Second Mortgages)

Home equity loans or second mortgages are based on the remaining equity on your home. Basically, equity is the difference between the home value of your property and the outstanding debt guaranteed by that property. Home equity loans use this equity as collateral to guarantee the loan just like home loans use the property as collateral.

This implies that the risk involved for the lender is reduced due to the guarantee and thus, the interest rate charged is low. These loans along with home loans are probably the lowest rate loans of the private financial market. This in turn, implies also low monthly payments which are perfect for financing home improvements so you don’t have to pay high lump sums every month.

Also, since these loans are guaranteed, the lender is willing to offer higher loan amounts. However, the loan amount will be limited by the equity left on your home. Higher loan amounts are also very useful for home improvements because generally, home improvements are rather expensive and an important amount of funds are needed to undertake home improvement projects.

An Alternative: Home Equity Lines of Credit for Home Improvements

These lines of credit are revolving sources of funds that are also guaranteed with your home equity. Instead of a fixed loan amount, what you are offered when requesting a home equity line of credit, is a flexible source of funds with certain credit limit. Up to this limit you can request as much money as you need and repay it the way you want. Generally, the minimum payment is the interests charged for the money you withdraw.

Once you repay the principal, you can withdraw it again as many times as you want as long as you don’t exceed the credit limit. This tool provides a lot of flexibility that comes in very handy when making home improvements that have costs that you can’t always predict and thus having a fixed amount can seriously limit your project.

The main difference as regards the terms of home equity loans and lines of credit is that home equity lines of credit always carry a variable interest rate that is altered every three months according to market conditions, while home equity loans can carry either a variable rate or a fixed interest rate that will remain the same all through the life of the loan.

By : Amanda Hash

Real estate prices across the country have skyrocketed in the last five or six years. Low interest rates, combined with a lack of trust in the stock market has led to a tremendous inflow of capital into real estate. To put that in perspective, take into account the median household income, which is a little over 44,000,dollars and compare that with the national median home price of 216,000 dollars, a very high multiple. Of course, in many metropolitan areas (http://www.ixs.net ) where a large fraction of the nation’s population lives, the rise has been even more spectacular. San Francisco has seen the median home price rise from 395,000 dollars in 2000 to 713,000 dollars in early 2005

For those who did not get in at the right time, the situation is lamentable, many others, on the other hand, find themselves sitting on potential gold mines – in many cases they have witnessed the doubling, trebling or even quadrupling of their investments in a matter of a few years. Walking and sleeping on land that has appreciated under your eyes is a satisfying experience, and some people are quite happy to count their chickens without wanting to cash-in on their gains. Others, for whatever reasons want to enjoy their newfound wealth. Home equity loans offer an opportunity to do just that.

The fact that property prices have risen means that more Americans than ever before are eligible for home equity loans. Let me illustrate that by an example – say you bought a home for 300,000 dollars five years ago, putting down 20% (60,000 dollars) at that time. If you have a typical thirty-year fixed mortgage then you have not made a significant dent in the principal (in this case the loan principal is 240,000 dollars) in the first five years. Now suppose, quite realistically in many cases, that the house value has appreciated from 300,000 dollar five years ago to 500,000 dollar today. In this case your equity in the house would have jumped from 60,000 dollars (your down payment) to 260,000 dollars (down payment plus unrealized capital gains). You would be eligible to take a loan against that increased equity. Most institutions are willing to extend home equity credit for upwards of 50% of total equity in the home.

Now that we have established that a rising real estate market has produced many more potential candidates for home equity lines of credit, let us show why this is a financially savvy way of consolidating loans or of securing financing. Whether the reasons are personal, such as Ferrari you have been drooling over, or for your home business, home equity loans are usually the best first option for obtaining liquidity. First, home equity loans take advantage of tax breaks that the federal and state governments give all homeowners – all interest payments made to service the loan are tax exempt.

This advantage alone warrants serious consideration – a family in the 30% federal income tax bracket will stand to save a substantial amount on a typical home equity loan. The implications of the tax advantage are such that many people with no need for additional credit take out home equity loans and invest elsewhere just so they can take advantage of Uncle Sam’s generous handout. Second, home mortgages are handled a little differently from other consumer loans because of two reasons. First, the loan is “secured” by a tangible asset (i.e. the house, comprising of the value of the land and the material with which the house is constructed) and second, there is a huge industry that deals exclusively with home mortgages and home loans, resulting in a fiercely competitive environment. To the consumer, this results in significantly lower interest rates on home loans.

So, let us recap the win-win situation for a home equity line of credit. Rising real estate prices have made more people eligible for bigger loans, in many cases significantly bigger loans than ever before. Relatively low interest rates, thanks to the Fed and a competitive home mortgage industry has kept the cost of borrowing low. And finally federal and state tax breaks on home loans further reduce the cost of borrowing.
If you are thinking of borrowing money and you are a homeowner, be sure to consider a home equity line of credit before pursuing alternative methods of financing.

By : -

SPRINGFIELD - There were two cars parked in front of 144-146 Prospect St. Friday morning; one of those cars sported a bright red banner that said "AUCTION."

"The property isn't foreclosed until I say 'Sold,'" said auctioneer Paul J. Traverse of Traverse Real Estate in Milton.

And that's exactly what happened about 90 seconds after the auction began without even the clap of a falling gavel. There was a single bidder at the sale.

The mortgage holder, LaSalle Bank NA, purchased the three-family home on a residential street a few blocks from Mercy Medical Center for $101,250.
"They need to protect their interest," said Ronald J. Marcella, an auctioneer from Dalton who represented LaSalle at the sale.

According to records at the Hampden County Registry of Deeds, the now-former owner, Moses Njenga, of Lowell, took an $184,000 mortgage on the property in 2005 when he bought it for $230,000. Njenga didn't return a call for comment in the wake of the foreclosure auction.

Nearly 3,000 Massachusetts homeowners had their property foreclosed in the first quarter of 2008, according to a study released Thursday by the Warren Group, a provider of real-estate data for New England. There were 1,167 foreclosure deeds filed across the state in March, more than twice the number - 486 - recorded a year ago. It was also up from the number recorded this February, which was 860.

"The number of people losing their homes to foreclosures shows no sign of abating," said Timothy Warren Jr., chief executive officer of the Warren Group. "The last time more than 1,000 foreclosure deeds were filed during one month was in August 2007 when 1,018 were filed," Warren said.

"We hope that represented something of a peak, but March's numbers have shown us that Massachusetts' foreclosure problems continue to worsen. With steady increases in petitions, I don't see this problem going away any time soon."

There were 560 foreclosure auction announcements in Hampden County through March, representing a 77.8 percent increase during the same three-month period a year before. In Hampshire County, there were 24 foreclosure auctions, down six from the first quarter of 2007. Franklin County bucked the trend with 11 auctions in the first three months of 2008, down from 39 auctions in the same period a year before, also according to the Warren Group which also publishes Banker & Tradesman.

"I have 50 auctions scheduled in May," said Traverse, who works around the state. He said he used to see one property owner with several investment or business properties go into foreclosure on several properties.

Attorney David W. Young, of Agawam, said he's watched the numbers of foreclosures rise. "The courts are backed up because of the volume," he said.

Young, who also handles some foreclosures as an auctioneer, said he's not busier because he handles foreclosure sales for just a few local and regional banks. Instead, the increase is really coming from out-of-area lenders who offered a lot of mortgages to borrowers who didn't have the means to pay them back, Young said.

Owners are typically three or more months in arrears before the lender starts the foreclosure process, according to Young.

Mary R. Pennicooke, of Springfield, said she got a foreclosure letter from her lender in February. Pennicooke said she bought a house in Springfield two years ago with $18,000 down. Since then, she's lost her job and the payments on her adjustable-rate mortgage have gone from $1,200 a month to $1,600. "I wasn't earning $1,600 a month," she said.

Hina S. Sheikh, a head organizer with ACORN Housing Corp. in Springfield, said she's seen people's adjustable-rate mortgage payments go from $400 a month to $1,600. "They came in with these low teaser rates," Sheikh said. "A lot of people didn't know what they were getting into."

ACORN, a local branch of a national organization, helps consumers refinance their loans and avoid foreclosure.

Shepard D. Rainie, executive vice president and chief risk officer for Berkshire Bank, said his bank has no pending foreclosures in the Pioneer Valley. But, he noted, foreclosures might occur as economic conditions deteriorate, particularly if people lose jobs. High energy prices have also added to the economic pressures facing homeowners, Rainie said.

Traverse said some people come to foreclosure sales looking for places to live. But, he cautioned, it can be a tricky way to buy a home. For one thing, lots of auctions get canceled at the last moment because the borrower sells, refinances, declares bankruptcy or finds another way to halt the foreclosure.

Also, buyers at auctions don't typically go inside before the sale nor does anyone get a chance to make an inspection.

The buyer must put up a deposit, typically $10,000, and if they can't come up with the rest of the money or can't get a mortgage within 30 days, the deposit is gone. Buyers at auctions also "inherit" the tenants that come with multi-family homes, if there are any along with any back taxes, water and sewer bills.

"I tell people to check everything out at town or city hall," Traverse said. "Look at when the mortgage was dated. If that's two years ago, figure two years of back taxes. If they aren't paying the bank, they aren't paying the city."

Banks that buy back the property at sale will typically work with a real estate agent to sell the property conventionally after having it cleaned and hopefully at a higher price, Traverse said.

Warren M. Schreiber, owner of Biff-Way Auctions Inc. in Belchertown said foreclosed properties can range from deplorable to move-in condition.

"That's often a case where it was on the market with a real-estate agent," Schreiber said. "They just ran out of time."

By : JIM KINNEY

Often heralded as a fortress of strength in a weak housing market, upper-end home prices in North County's posh neighborhoods have started to show some cracks.

North County homeowners selling $1 million homes are now more likely to drop prices than they were a year ago. The gap between the original asking price and the final sales price has grown by 25 percent when compared with similar-priced homes during the same time a year ago, according to data from Sandicor, a service that tracks San Diego home listings.

An increased willingness to lower prices on expensive homes appears to be the result of high inventories.

In Rancho Santa Fe, mostly composed of custom homes with price tags above $2 million, it would take about 20 months to sell off all the active listings, based on three-month averages of listings and sales.

Several housing analysts have said higher-end neighborhoods tend to host more homeowners with deep pockets, a cause for strength in home prices despite a dearth of buyers. They argue: If homeowners want to sell a second home but do not need to, then they can wait for the housing market to recover and get the price they want.

But the law of supply and demand appears to have started to take its toll on some well-heeled borrowers who need to move from their primary residence.

"Sure, if it's a second home and you don't need to move, absolutely, you should wait it out," said Kris Berg, a real estate agent who specializes in Scripps Ranch, a high-end neighborhood near Poway. "But if a move is in your future in the next three to five years, then yesterday was the best day to sell. And tomorrow will be a little worse than today."

After holding fairly steady in prices while less expensive home prices plummeted, the high-end market is starting to feel the downturn, according to Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Considered by some as the most accurate price indicator because it compares the cost of homes with its previous sales price, the index's most recent data is January.

In the Case-Shiller data, San Diego County's upper-end homes, defined as those priced more than $629,470, had maintained a year-over-year decline of about 5 percent or less through September while the rest of the market took double-digit percent declines.

Then the upper-end homes started to take its lumps as well, with prices dropping 6.5 percent in just three months.

And when February Case-Shiller data comes out next week, listings data indicate the high-end market could show another large decline.

"I think people are just getting scared," said Diana Williams, a real estate agent who specializes in Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe. "They will set the house at a lower price so they can be sure they're going to get rid of it."

Further, the percentage of homes that sold at more than 20 percent below the original asking price has grown by 46 percent.

Discounts on high-end homes are not just hitting Rancho Santa Fe, which is farther inland than North County's vaunted coastal communities.

Many homes in Del Mar and Carlsbad have sold for 20 percent under the original asking price, with several sellers willing to let their homes go for $1 million or more below the asking price. For example, one Del Mar home sold for $2.5 million after originally posting a $4.7 million list price.

Houses sold are also down, falling to 250 $1 million-plus homes sold so far this year, down from 409 homes for the same time period a year ago.

And the number of active listings for upper-end homes remains high: There are 1,224 $1 million-and-up homes for sale in North County. With just 222 first-quarter sales in that sector, it would take 16 months to sell off all North County high-end homes based on current sales rates.

For the general housing market, it would take 12 months to sell all active North County listings.

Williams and other agents stress that the decline in prices for high-end homes represents a small portion of the upper-end market. And most of the price declines Williams has seen come from homes priced between $750,000 and $1.5 million ---- not in homes more than $2 million.

She said borrowers with houses under $1.5 million are more likely to have negative-amortizing loans, mortgages where borrowers can pay less than the accumulated interest, meaning the amount they owe each month grows.

Once the products hit a certain level, such as 15 percent above the home's value, they reset to fully amortizing loans, forcing the borrower to pay off interest and some principal each month. The reset often doubles the mortgage payment.

Fear of running into that reset has caused some high-end homeowners to dump their second homes before payments jump, Williams said.

Therefore, while foreclosures are still rare in the high-end market, the downturn in the overall housing market appears to have created some downward pressure on prices there as well. In a stable housing market, well-heeled borrowers probably would have been able to refinance out of the negative-amortizing loans before they reset.

But without the glut of foreclosures that have plagued Escondido and Oceanside, price declines in places such as Rancho Santa Fe and Del Mar will probably remain more mild, analysts said.

Still, oversupply and just a sprinkling of buyers in certain high-end neighborhoods mean those who have to sell will need to lower the price.

"There are some on the market six, seven, eight months with no sale. Others are selling in a week. It's kind of a hit-and-miss product on the high end," said Lyle Anderson, a real estate agent in Poway. "It's not a foregone conclusion that just because you have a big, fancy home with a big, fancy price tag that it's going to sell right away."

By : ZACH FOX

With the current “mortgage meltdown” we hear so much about these days, your average consumer thinks that the days of 100% financing have gone by the wayside. True, you are hard pressed these days to find a bank or lender that will want to carry a second mortgage that combined with a first mortgage adds up to 100% financing. That’s because if there is a default, sitting in second lien position is particularly dicey. Too much risk is involved. And since, in recent history, that scenario of the 80/20 combo was the most common 100% financing vehicle available to a certain group of consumers (non first time homebuyers), there’s a misconception out there that 100% options are all but dried up.

But, a-ha! There is hope for someone who has great credit but prefers to invest his/her assets elsewhere when rates are so low. It’s called the Flex 100. And it can apply to purchases and refinance transactions.

I heard an analyst mention on television the other day that mortgage money is so cheap right now it’s like a sale at Macy’s. That made me chuckle, but it’s true. In which case, why not invest your money elsewhere if you qualify for 100% financing. After all, the homes are still appreciating in most areas, but not at the stellar rate we saw in the past.

The Flex 100 requires you to invest $500 of your own cash towards the transaction, so I guess it’s technically not 100% financing, but it’s pretty darn close. And no, you don’t have to be buying your first home to get this deal. You can actually have owned a home in the past three years! However, it does apply to financing your primary residence only. You can’t get this deal for that nice cabin in Gatlinburg you want to use on the weekends or for that great rental down the street you think you can get a good deal on. You’ve got to live in the house to qualify for this financing.

But you can do a refinance, as long as it’s not a “cash-out,” meaning you’re not paying off debt or taking equity out of the property. It must be a rate term refinance only. However, you can pay off that second mortgage or home equity line of credit you hate, IF you obtained that 2nd lien mortgage when you got your first mortgage (a piggy back closing, we call it). Or to make it clearer, you originally had that 80/20 combo mentioned earlier. If you got that home equity mortgage a month or two after your initial closing to build a deck or payoff a credit card, than it that won’t work for a Flex 100 refinance.

What about your credit score? Well, it will affect the price you get, but there is no “minimum” credit score required for this program. You just have to get an approval through the automated underwriting system required. But be realistic – if you’ve got “iffy” credit, you probably won’t get an approval. A borrower with a credit score below a 620 would probably have to have a low loan to value or debt to income ratio for a chance of an approval.

A Flex 100 may or may not make sense for you. But hey, at least you know it’s an option. Your lender should be able to help you determine if this opportunity to flex your mortgage muscle makes sense for you.

By : Kristin Abouelata

"In order to promote the production of more affordable new housing units for very low, low and moderate income individuals and families in the state, to promote the preservation and rehabilitation of existing housing units for such persons, and to bring greater stability to the residential construction industry and related industries so as to assure a steady flow of production of new housing units…"

Many times, people have heard of THDA and are confused, thinking that THDA is a certain loan type. In fact, it’s lending agency. All THDA mortgages must be insured by private mortgage insurance, FHA, VA or RECD And as these loans are intended for low to moderate income families or individuals, there is a income limit and acquisition cost limit. Also, you must be a first time homebuyer unless your home is in a targeted area.

Why is THDA so fantastic for a first time homebuyer? Well, it comes down to money. THDA offers a below market rate and will allow up to 100% financing. Have you been reading the papers lately? It’s not so easy to find 100% financing these days. Unless, that is, you’re a first time homebuyer. It also has programs that allow for down payment assistance via grants from certain approved agencies (if your loan type requires a down payment). If you have satisfactory credit and the home you wish to buy meets THDA’s standards, then you’re in business.

All THDA mortgages are 30 year fixed rate loans, so you needn’t worry about finding yourself with an ARM loan (adjustable rate mortgage) and a new payment you can’t afford in 3 years. And THDA allows lenders to only charge customers a standard 1% origination and .25% discount fee. It also closely monitors fees associated with the loan. THDA really looks out for the best interest of the first time homebuyer. If you are eligible for a THDA loan, you can feel pretty certain that an unscrupulous lender can’t take advantage of you because THDA won’t let them. For so many people, buying a home is pretty intimidating. THDA takes away the uncertainties a buyer faces with its guidelines and lending practices.

If you do apply for a THDA loan, be prepared to document your credit worthiness. THDA loans require slightly more documentation than your average loans because of the uniqueness of its product. In order to offer more, THDA asks for more – ensuring you qualify for its pretty awesome program. Sounds like a fair trade, if you ask me.

What are the disadvantages of a THDA loan? Not many. They do have a federal recapture tax if you sell your home within the first nine years of owning it. But it sounds scarier than it really is. I’ve heard that only about 1% of THDA customers actually pay this tax. That’s because a bunch of really great things have to happen to you in order for it to actually apply to you. And if those great things happen to you, paying the recapture tax won’t matter much to you anyway. I’ve been in the business for 16 years and have only heard of one person actually having to pay one. He graduated from medical school and his income when through the roof. His property was sold above market value than for the area because it was adjacent to some property that a huge retailer wanted to purchase. Again, good things have to happen to pay the recapture tax. So, you shouldn’t be afraid of it.

More people need to hear about and take advantage of the THDA loan programs. It’s such a great product and really helps the community and the housing industry. If you’re a first time homebuyer or think you’re in a targeted area, make sure you ask about THDA to see if you would qualify for a loan. You won’t regret it!

By : Kristin Abouelata

In the mid 1990’s, the mortgage industry saw the credit score and its predictive power to assess a borrower’s ability to repay a mortgage step into the limelight as one of the most indicative factors for loan approval. After conducting statistical test after statistical test, Fannie, Freddie and Ginnie, the 3 big lending institutions, mandated that the credit score should be used in conjunction with manual underwriting to assess loan approval. Not too long after, automated underwriting systems (AUS) were developed that expedited and streamlined the underwriting process even further for lenders. A loan officer today simply inputs a borrower’s key information into the preferred underwriting automatic engine, such as his/her credit score, income, amount being borrowed, cash reserves, employment and housing history, and the value of the property. A response is returned by the underwriting engine recommending approval or denial for the loan.

If your loan receives a denial from an AUS, the buck doesn’t necessarily stop there. Life happens to people, and oftentimes it’s going to take a real live person understanding the nuances of a file to make an underwriting decision. That’s when your lender may suggest submitting your file to underwriting for a manual review. After all, not everything in life can be automatic, right?

A perfect scenario for a manually underwritten file would be someone who has no credit scores. No credit scores? Yes, it is possible. I’ve had customers who, being old school and always having paid for everything in cash, had never established traditional credit lines that reported to credit reporting bureaus. In a case such as this one, I had to submit non-traditional lines of credit to underwriting, something a machine can’t assess. This means I had my customer bring in bills he had paid on time for the past year to create a credit history. Typical ones used are car insurance, utility bills, cell phone bills and cable bills. You can expect to have to provide 3-4 different trade lines if you haven’t established a traditional credit history and score.

“The most typical reason we see a file submitted to us for manual underwriting is for either no credit score or an error reported on a credit report,” reflects Patricia Haynes, onsite Government Underwriter at Mortgage Investors Group. “For instance a judgement that doesn’t really belong to the borrower. Maybe it’s really Dad’s judgement reflected on the son’s report because Junior and Dad have the same name. That’s when I can overwrite an AUS decision because I have the documentation to support my decision to do so in front of me.”

Another very common reason to submit a loan for a manual underwrite is when your customer’s credit score is below 620 and gets an AUS denial. If this is the case with your loan, be prepared to provide more than average documentation about your credit history, as well as written explanations as to why your credit score has suffered recently. Maybe two years ago you had a financial meltdown due to a medical illness, but in the last twelve months, you can prove you are back on your game and have been repaying debt. However, your credit scores haven’t exactly caught up with your actions. An underwriter is going to piece together the different aspects of your file and see if it makes sense. Your home lender should be able to review your file and guide you as to what documentation an underwriter will want from you to grant you loan approval.

Naturally, if your credit score is really low and you have very little explanation for your state of credit affairs other than you failed to pay your bills on time, don’t hold your breath for loan approval. An underwriter can see through smoke and mirrors. After looking at files as long as they have, they can basically sniff out a loan that has merit from the ones that are too risky.

So, even as our world gets more and more automated every day, it’s nice to know that you can’t replace genuine common sense, even in the mortgage industry. And it’s nice to know that you can plead your case for credit worthiness to a real live human being.

By : Kristin Abouelata

The housing market has halved in a year, according to a series of reports.

It emerged yesterday that house sales through estate agents are down 50 per cent and the number of Britons taking out a mortgage has collapsed by 46 per cent.

The National Association of Estate Agents said its firms sold an average of seven homes in March, compared to 14 last year.

One firm, from Essex, said: "Agents in the county are using comments such as 'dire', 'apathy' and 'miserable'.

"There are now clear signs of redundancies and offices closing together with a strong feeling that this market is similar to 1989 (the last crash)."

At the same time, just 35,417 Britons got a loan to buy a house, the lowest monthly level since records began.

At the height of the boom in 2002, more than 3,000 loans were handed out every day - today it has plunged to 1,100.

Analysts at Capital Economics said it is a sign that lenders are "effectively closing their doors to all but the most credit-worthy borrowers".

A third warning signal came from the Bank of England which claimed the number of people pulling out of buying homes because they cannot get a loan, or because they lose their nerve, had jumped.

About 75 per cent of cheap loans have disappeared since last summer and lenders are also making it more difficult to get a loan.

More than 60 per cent of them have still not cut their standard variable rate, nearly two weeks after the Bank of England's base rate cut.

Many more have not passed on the full 0.25 per cent cut, according to the financial information firm Moneyfacts.

Among the worst offenders is the Leicestershire-based Earl Shilton Building Society, whose SVR is down just 0.05 per cent.

Howard Archer, chief UK economist at the consultancy Global Insight, said: "Mortgage activity is being pummelled by a toxic combination of stretched affordability and very tight lending conditions."

Yesterday Yorkshire Building Society became the first lender to cut its "income multiple".

It used to lend up to five times' of an applicant's salary if they earned £55,000 or more. Now it is only prepared to lend 4.5 times of £40,000 or more.

The society, which is one of the country's major lenders, is also insisting on a minimum deposit of 10 per cent, rather than five.

All the figures point to a housing market which is in crisis, largely fuelled by a mortgage market which has changed beyond recognition.

The Bank of England's 'Summary of Business Conditions' report said sellers are having to accept 'sizeable' discounts on asking prices, often having to accept two cuts.

The website Property Snake, which tracks falling asking prices, says some homeowners are cutting up to 44 per cent off the original asking price. Overall, the National Association of Estate Agents said the number of sales falling through jumped to one in ten last month, compared to one in 12 in February.

The association said the figures were 'depressingly low', at what is usually one of its busiest times of the year.

It warned: "The current cloud of external pressures is having an unsettling effect on would be purchasers causing them to remain in their current home or to continue renting."

One of Britain's biggest firm of independent estate agents, Movewithus, warned recently one in three of Britain's 12,000 estate agents could close over the next year.

The most likely victims will be small, independent firms which opened in the boom.

House prices are predicted to fall about 20 per cent over the next two years.

And while this means many may finally be able to afford a new property or move up the chain, the big losers will be those who bought a home in the last couple of years who could be plunged into negative equity.

By : -

Today Governor Sonny Perdue announced the approval of four Georgia Land Conservation Program (GLCP) grants and two low-interest loans. Harris, Grady and Dougherty Counties and the city of Sandy Springs received land conservation grants. Harris and Decatur Counties received low interest land conservation loans.

"This program and its shared funding represent a collaborative approach to land conservation," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "I'm pleased that these natural and cultural resources will be preserved and enjoyed for generations to come."

In Harris County, property owned by the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation will be permanently protected through the purchase of a conservation easement to be held by the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC). The 2,080-acre tract is located along the ridge and slopes of scenic and undeveloped Pine Mountain. An additional 150 acres will be purchased by Harris County. The property is adjacent to both a 2,507-acre tract already protected with a GFC conservation easement as well as to the 9,049-acre F.D. Roosevelt State Park, owned and managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The property contains examples of the rare montane longleaf pine ecosystem and public access and use will be accommodated.

The GLCP is contributing a $2,000,000 grant and providing a $2,000,000 low interest loan to Harris County. Additional funding is being provided by Harris County and through a deeply discounted sale of the easement by the landowner.

South of Albany, Georgia, in the Flint River Greenway, two tracts totaling 397 acres with one and a half miles of riverfront will be preserved. The project borders Radium Springs, which is the largest natural spring in Georgia and provides a critical freshwater resource and important cold-water habitat for fish such as the Striped Bass.
It also provides habitat for rare cave-dwelling species such as the Georgia Blind Salamander.

The GLCP is contributing a $721,000 grant. Funding partners include Dougherty County and the Georgia Wetlands Trust Fund.

A wildflower site along Wolf Creek in Grady County in the southwest corner of Georgia, will be acquired and permanently protected.
The140-acre tract is known for having one of the largest and most dense populations of trout lilies (a species typically found in mountainous North Georgia) and is home to several other wildflowers of special concern. The property will be owned by Grady County and managed through a partnership of organizations to provide environmental education programs.

The GLCP is contributing a $342,000 grant. Matching funds are being provided by a variety of private conservation organizations and a discounted sale of the property by the landowner.

In the city of Sandy Springs and in the heart of metro Atlanta, an undeveloped property with a forest more than 100 years old will be preserved. The same family has owned the 24-acre property since the early 1900's. The land will now be protected in perpetuity. The property consists of a mature pine and mixed hardwood forest and contains a clear creek that feeds into the nearby Chattahoochee River. The city will eventually use the site as a passive educational and recreational park.

The GLCP is contributing a $250,000 grant. Other funds and project support are being provided by the city of Sandy Springs, The Trust for Public Land, and other private conservation organizations as well as a deeply discounted sale of the property by the landowner.

Decatur County is being awarded a $3,000,000 low interest loan to help complete phase two of the new Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area project which protects 8,430 acres of native longleaf pine forest and wetlands located along Lake Seminole and the Flint River in southwest Georgia. The tract contains abundant wildlife, 19 active groups of federally threatened red cockaded woodpeckers and other rare species. The state acquired approximately 3,900 acres of the property during phase one of the project in December 2007. During phase two of the project, the state plans to acquire another portion of the property. Funding partners for phase two include Decatur County, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation.

About the Georgia Land Conservation Program

The GLCP is managed by the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority
(GEFA) and projects are approved by the Georgia Land Conservation Council. The program offers grants for fee title or conservation easement purchases from the Georgia Land Conservation Trust Fund. GLCP also provides low-interest loans for fee title or conservation easement purchases from the Georgia Land Conservation Revolving Fund. Tax incentives are available for donations or discounted sales of conservation lands or conservation easements. Since the program's inception, 49 projects totaling 64,005 acres have been approved by the Council.

Conservation lands are permanently protected lands that are undeveloped and meet one or more of the goals of the Georgia Land Conservation Act. The goals include water quality protection, flood protection, wetlands protection, reduction of erosion, protection of riparian buffers and areas that provide natural habitat and corridors for native plant and animal species. The goals also include the protection of prime agricultural and forestry lands, cultural and historic sites, areas of scenic importance, recreational areas (boating, hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting) and the connection of areas contributing to these goals.

Governor Perdue introduced the Georgia Land Conservation Act to encourage the long-term conservation and protection of the state's natural, cultural and historic resources during the 2004 session of the General Assembly. The Georgia Land Conservation Act passed with broad bipartisan support and Governor Perdue signed it into law on April 14, 2005.

By : BAINBRIDGE

Man from the dawn of civilization has an unavoidable trait of dreaming and he wants to fulfill those dreams as sometimes the requirements are so expensive that, existing income can not afford it. Hence, to fulfill these desires, people used to borrow. When finances are required,loans can be taken up from the UK loan market at competitive rate of interest.

There are two basic factors which decide the loan availability. One is the security pledging capacity and the second is the credit score. lenders offer loan plans against the immovable property of the borrower at a competitive rate of interest. Credit score is the past credit behavior of the borrower and signifies his credit worthiness. Better the credit scores, better is the chance of loan availability.

The first criteria of loan availability can not be met by all loan applicants as everyone does not own a home to pledge as security. Students, self-employed professionals, tenants and unemployeds can not avail loan against the immovable property. In order to make their loan search easier, lenders in the UK loan market offer unsecured loans or the loan without any security. These loans do not demand any valuable against the loan amount and offer a risk free borrowing option. But the borrower has to pay a comparatively higher rate of interest and the repayment pattern is squeezed between 1-10 years. As these loans are without any security, there is no risk like repossession.

Unsecured personal loans can be available for any purpose until the reason of borrowing is correct according to the law of the land. It signifies that, no lender will offer you these loans for any illegal activities. Be it home renovation, holidaying, debt consolidation or paying credit card bills, these loans suit the purpose ideally. The amount one can borrow for these reasons has a maximum limit of 25,000 pounds.

The availability of unsecured personal loans has been made easier due to the advent of online applications. Now, the borrower can access scores of loan plans and lenders online. Usually the loan quotes are free from obligations and the borrower can fill them within few minutes. As soon as the loan applicant fills the application form, the loan processing starts. Definitely good credit borrowers get these loans at a borrower friendly term, but bad credit applicants can also avail these loans at a competitive rate of interest if they make proper online research.

By : Aisha Cristal

Calif. — The Home Builders Association of Northern California (HBANC), committed to housing for people of all income levels, wants consumers to know that applying for a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan may be the best option for home ownership. Higher FHA loan limits, less stringent credit qualifying criteria, and a 3% down payment requirement have made these affordable, federally insured loans very attractive in Northern California. As a signatory to the Federal Housing Administration's Voluntary Affirmative Marketing Agreement (VAMA), HBANC member builder communities qualify under FHA fair housing marketing requirements, making FHA loan approvals that much easier.

"Now consumers have a simple path to home loans," said Joseph Perkins, HBANC President & CEO, "and a better way to secure a loan when they buy a home built by an HBANC member. New FHA loan ceilings - increased significantly on December 14, 2007 to the new conforming loan limit of $729,750 in the Bay Area - make them a viable lending option for Northern California homebuyers. Our members can now direct potential buyers to consider those loans."

FHA loans allow the borrower who has had a few credit problems or those without a credit history to buy a home. An FHA underwriter will require a reasonable explanation of these derogatories, but will approach a person's credit history with common sense credit underwriting. An FHA loan is also more forgiving of a past bankruptcy, and allows a cash-strapped borrower to have their down payment gifted.

Federal law requires any builders attempting to sell more than five homes using financing through the FHA to submit a fair housing marketing plan. VAMA, an affirmative marketing plan created by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National Association of Home Builders - HBANC's parent organization - allows member builders to drastically reduce the red tape required for FHA financing of their communities.

HBANC members do have obligations if they elect to benefit by the VAMA marketing pact. They need to document what they're doing to affirmatively market housing to attract potential homebuyers from all minority and non-minority groups regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or family status.

"With stricter underwriting requirements being imposed by big banks and lending institutions as a result of the subprime mortgage meltdown, there's been a resurgence of consumer interest in FHA financing here in Northern California," said Perkins. "We want to remind our members to actively market their VAMA compliance. Access to competitively positioned FHA mortgages offers real hope for people buying their first home, or saddled with blemished credit."

About the Home Builders Association of Northern California

The Home Builders Association of Northern California is a non-profit association whose membership comprises nearly 1,000 homebuilders, trade contractors, suppliers and industry professionals in the Bay Area. HBANC links the individual member to the entire industry by providing information, educational and technical services, as well as networking opportunities through meetings and special events. Responding to the varied specialties within the home building industry, HBANC also has individual councils and committees that address issues from our members' unique perspectives. The organization represents 14 counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma.

President & CEO Joseph Perkins oversees a staff of 15 professionals in three offices. HBANC's board of directors and officers is elected annually. The 2008 Chairwoman is Cheryl O'Connor of SummerHill Homes.

By : SAN RAMON

Foreclosure proceedings against California homeowners jumped by more than 140 percent in the first quarter compared to a year ago, the result of risky loans during boom times, a real estate research firm said Tuesday.

Most loans that went into default originated between August 2005 and October 2006, according to DataQuick Information Systems, which said the market was shaking off its "'loans-gone-wild' activity" during that time.

The median age of a defaulted loan was 23 months.

Lenders sent homeowners 113,676 default notices from January through March, up 143.1 percent from 46,760 during the same period of 2007 and up 39.4 percent from 81,550 during the last three months of 2007.

The first quarter numbers marked the highest foreclosure level since DataQuick began keeping track in 1992.

Default notices hit their highest levels in nearly all of California's 58 counties, but Los Angeles County was just shy of its peak in the first quarter of 1996, DataQuick said.

One of every three resale homes sold in California from January through March had been foreclosed at some point during the previous year, up from 3.2 percent a year earlier, DataQuick said.

In San Joaquin County, foreclosures accounted for two of every three homes that were resold. In San Francisco County, they made up only 5.1 percent.

Mortgages were most likely to go into default in the central California counties of San Joaquin, Merced and Stanislaus, DataQuick said. They were least likely to go into default in the San Francisco Bay area counties of San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo.

Many homes were financed with multiple loans. As a result, the 113,676 default notices sent in the first quarter were recorded on 110,392 residences.

Default notices mark the first step in the foreclosure process.

Trustee deeds _ which represent loss of a home to foreclosure _ totaled 47,171 during the first quarter, up 327.6 percent from 11,032 during the same period of 2007 and up 48.9 percent from 31,676 during the previous three months.

It marked the highest level of trustee deeds since DataQuick began keeping track in 1998 and was more three triple the number during the nadir of the previous cycle in 1996.

By : ELLIOT SPAGAT

Foreclosure proceedings against California homeowners jumped by more than 140 percent in the first quarter, the result of risky loans during boom times, a real estate research firm said Tuesday.

At the same time, the number of homes lost to foreclosure also reached levels not seen since at least the 1980s, according to DataQuick Information Systems.

Lenders sent homeowners 113,676 default notices from January through March, up 143.1 percent from 46,760 during the same period of 2007 and up 39.4 percent from 81,550 during the last three months of 2007.

The first quarter numbers marked the highest foreclosure level since DataQuick began keeping track in 1992.

Default notices mark the first step in the foreclosure process.

Trustee deeds — which represent loss of a home to foreclosure — totaled 47,171 during the first quarter, up 327.6 percent from 11,032 during the same period of 2007 and up 48.9 percent from 31,676 during the previous three months.

It marked the highest level of trustee deeds since DataQuick began keeping track in 1988 and was more than triple the number during the nadir of the previous cycle in 1996.

The foreclosure activity also reflects a drop in home values as owners in a financial pinch were unable to sell properties to cover payments, DataQuick analyst Andrew LePage said.

Most loans that went into default originated between August 2005 and October 2006, according to DataQuick, which said the market was shaking off its "'loans-gone-wild' activity" during that time.

The median age of a defaulted loan was 23 months.

Default notices hit their highest levels in nearly all of California's 58 counties, but Los Angeles County was just shy of its peak in the first quarter of 1996, DataQuick said.

Homeowners in default are now more likely to lose their homes, according to DataQuick. Only 32 percent receiving default notices prevented foreclosure by catching up on payments. A year earlier, 52 percent of those in default were able to avoid foreclosure.

Many homes were financed with multiple loans, which makes it more difficult for homeowners to escape foreclosure. As a result, the 113,676 default notices sent in the first quarter were recorded on 110,392 residences.

The numbers are the latest indication of how badly California has been hit by foreclosures, a result of many homeowners taking loans that their incomes could not afford. The state ranks only behind Nevada — and just ahead of Florida, Arizona and Colorado — in the percentage of households in foreclosure in March, according to RealtyTrac, a research firm.

The foreclosure glut has depressed housing prices overall. Some analysts expect it will worsen as low, introductory interest rates expire on other loans that originated in 2005 and 2006.

One of every three resale homes sold in California from January through March had been foreclosed at some point during the previous year, up from 3.2 percent a year earlier, DataQuick said.

In San Joaquin County, foreclosures accounted for two of every three homes that were resold. In San Francisco County, they made up only 5.1 percent.

Mortgages were most likely to go into default in the central California counties of San Joaquin, Merced and Stanislaus, DataQuick said. They were least likely to go into default in the San Francisco Bay area counties of San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo.

By : ELLIOT SPAGAT

When you are looking around for a low cost loan, one of the option that may come catch your attention is secured home equity loan. However, these loans will carry low cost on certain conditions. You must be aware of various aspects of these loans, before approaching a lender.

As is clear from the term, these loans are made available on the basis of the equity in the home. Equity is the amount that you can arrive at by subtracting your outstanding payments towards the home, from its current market value. This will be the amount that the lender will approve.

In other words, through taking out these loans, you are releasing the equity in your home. This extra money can be put to variety of uses like home improvements, paying off the debts, paying for the child’s tuition fee, clearing expenses towards holiday tour or you can use the loan for purchasing a car as well.

The borrowed amount comes against the home, pledged as collateral. This means that you are putting the property at stake, and you will loose it to the lender, if you default on the payment. The advantage is that the borrowed amount comes at low rate of interest because the risks for the lenders are remote.

Because of fewer risks, the lenders, usually, have no hesitation in approving the equity based loans for the people whose credit history has faults like late payments, defaults, arrears and CCJs.

Make sure that you have made an extensive comparison of different lenders, who are in the business of providing secured home equity loans. The comparison will lead you to a suitable offer, which is of lower interest rate. You should compare the additional charges as well. You must repay the loan installments on time for avoiding repossession of your home.

By : Johns Tiel

Homeowner has a special place in the eyes of the lending institutions. The homeowners can now easily borrow lump sum amount of loan to meet their personal demands. The only thing should be done is apply for homeowner secured personal loans. As holds the features of secured form, so applicants should pledge collateral. Applicants can use any asset as collateral like land, car, estate, home, valuable documents that carry monetary value in the market. Pledging of home does not mean that the owner have to move the house. The amount that one can borrow ranges from £ 5,000 to £ 75,000 with repayment period of 10-25 years. This amount can be utilized in executing miscellaneous ends like buying a car, going for holidays, decoration and improvement of the house, meeting expenses the education of children, consolidation of debts are many more.

The benefits of this loan can be subscribed irrespective of poor credit or no credit status. Bad credit issues like defaults, arrears, late-payments, county court judgment, bankruptcy and such can also be dissolved.

As you are ready to provide collateral, so the lenders also offer the amount at cut down charges. It is because of this reason that such loans are available at cheap and low interest rates. If you are interested in more suitable rates then compare the various available loan quotes. While seeking for a reasonable interest figure taking the help of loan calculator is always helpful and rewarding. It gives you an approximate result of the monthly instalment when inserted the loan amount, years and other required information.

The quickest way to approve the loan is by applying through the online application form. It is simple and intelligible. You can apply from anywhere of the world with the aid of e-service. So, you are free from all the shortfalls of the paper-work.

Homeowners can now easily execute their long awaited material desires and the homeowner secured personal loans makes it simple.

By : Johns Tiel

Nowadays, the use of home is not only limited for dwelling purposes, it is also being used to raise finances to fill the cash void. In fact most of the people who own a home is availing secured home loans to avail bigger amount of finances at a comparatively low interest rate.

These are collateral based loans. To avail these loans, a borrower is needed to attach his valuable home as collateral against the loan amount. The presence of collateral acts as an assurance and the lender can take relief from the fact that in case of non repayment, he can recover the amount by repossessing it. The amount obtained under these loans can be used for a number of purposes such as consolidating debts, purchasing a car, meeting wedding expenses, family vacation, education financing and many more.

The amount approved under these loans is based on the equity value present in the collateral. This means a home with a higher equity will ensure a bigger amount. Usually borrower can avail amount in the range of £5000-£75000 with a repayment duration that last for a period of 5- 25 years. Since the amount is secured against a valuable asset, interest rates are kept very low. With an extendable repayment period and a low interest rate makes it easy for the borrower to repay the entire amount, without any threat towards the asset.

Individual borrowers with a history of bad credit such problems such as IVA, CCJs, etc can avail these loans effortlessly. It is possible because lenders have an asset to bank upon. However the interest rate will be slightly higher.

To obtain favorable terms and conditions on the loans, borrower can use the online mode. The online lenders process the loans without taking any extra fee. Besides by comparing the free quotes, borrower can select lenders which suit their conditions best.

Since its inception in the loan market, secured home loans are proving to be the best loan option to avail finances at optimal rates.

By : Johns Tiel

If you are a homeowner, you can use that home as an easy way of getting secured home loan. You can avail this loan that comes with host of advantages and makes the loan repayment a burden less affair

Borrowers can be able to get large amount of money through this kind of loan. The money will be borrowed at very low rate of interest. It is the asset of the borrower that is pledged and which actually decides how much amount can be borrowed by the asset-owner. The borrower can get the money in the range of £5000-£75000 for their needs. It depends on the value of the asset. The borrowed amount can be even bigger if higher equity collateral is pledged. The term of repayment for these loans is 5-25 years based on the loan amount.

The good thing about secured home loan is that it is offered with lower interest rate. Because of the security provided this type of loan comes with low interest.

Borrowers are free to use the loan amount for their various purposes. Car purchase, home improvements, wedding expenses, travel expenses, debt consolidation, medical procedures can all be financed and fulfilled easily with the money borrowed through these loans.

A secured home loan is a perfect medium to utilize your home equity. These loans are available for bad credit holders. They can solve their financial worries through homeowners’ loan. The borrower just needs to own a home property to keep against the loan amount. No matter whether your credit score is good or not, you can avail the best benefits as any other borrower.

Secured home loan can be availed from banks, financial companies but online lenders are best opted for a fast and cost free processing of the loan and they approve the loan in time.

Through secured home loans, the borrowers can get easy money for their needs at low rates. The asset pledged by the borrowers helps them in getting the money easily.

Pamella Scott is an author who can certainly identify your kind of loan. A loans borrower/user demands for timely, reliable, accessible, comprehensive, relevant and consistent loan service. To find Secured Home Loans, secured loans, secured personal loans, secured debt consolidation loans, secured home improvement loans that best suits your need visit http://www.easyfinance4u.com

Credit By : Pamella Scott

Just because you have negative items on your credit report doesn't mean you can't obtain a home mortgage loan. There are options for you. Bad credit is not the end of the world. It's true that getting a bad credit mortgage loan is not always the easiest or fastest mortgage loan out there, but you can still buy your own home even with bad credit.

Bad credit shouldn’t stop you from getting a home loan. There are credit repair options. Most mortgage brokers will do everything they can to get your credit in good shape for your home loan. They work with you on finding the mortgage loan option that's right for you. You can get a home loan, even if you’ve had a bankruptcy or a foreclosure.

There are several bad credit mortgage loan options available for the credit challenged and even people with no credit at all, such as:
• Sub-Prime Mortgage Home Loans
• Stated Income Mortgages
• No Money Down Home Loans
• Jumbo Loans
• Adjustable Rate Mortgages

Step One: Know Your True Credit Score

Perhaps you’ve already been turned down for a mortgage because of a negative credit report or having no credit at all. Perhaps you’ve filed for bankruptcy. Whatever the case may be—You know your credit is bad.

But do you know how bad?

Are you sure your credit report is accurate? Eighty percent of credit reports have mistakes. At Mortgage-Loan-Advantage.com we help you find out if your credit is really as bad as you think it is. Here's what we can help you do:
• Get a copy of your credit report.
• Verify the items listed on your credit report.
• Take steps to repair any errors on your credit report.
• Take steps to remove errors on your credit report.
• Monitor your credit regularly.

Step Two: Consider Your Options

You really have two options, once you know what your credit score is. You can contact a bad credit mortgage lender and accept that for a while you must pay a higher interest rate than you would if your credit was perfect.

Or you can wait and try to fix your credit and bring up your credit score before you buy a home.

If your credit history is not that bad, you might want to take some time to bring up your score. To improve your credit score:
• Pay off as much debt as you can.
• Pay your bills regularly and on time.
• Don’t apply for too much credit.

If you absolutely must get into a home now, or it looks like it would take too long to bring up your credit score significantly, contact a bad credit mortgage lender. Be prepared to pay a higher interest rate and more “points”—which are a percentage of the loan.

Step Three: Prepare Yourself with the Facts

Before you approach a bad credit mortgage lender, prepare.

Assess your financial situation. Do you have the income to add a mortgage to your debt load? Have you made as many lifestyle changes as possible to reduce your debt? Have you done all you can to bring up your credit score?

If the adverse credit items on your credit report occurred because of some reasons beyond your control, for instance, illness, job layoff, marital problems or other temporary setbacks, you must provide a written explanation of your circumstances to the bad mortgage loan officer. This can be provided with the loan application or at some other point in the loan process. If you have had sufficient time to regain financial stability since the problems occurred and to demonstrate prompt payment, the lender may offer some consideration on the rates.

About the Author

Horace Hawkins is the President of Mortgage-Loan-Advantage.com and HoraceHawkins.com. As a mortgage loan broker, Horace serves the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex with superior home mortgage loan services.

Credit By : Horace Hawkins

The home loans are offered by different type of lenders like commercial banks, credit unions, mortgage companies and thrift institutions. To get the best price it is necessary to contact the lenders and get their quotations. Mortgage brokers also help in arranging a lender. Broker’s access to the lender with the homeowner’s application gives wider scope for selection of the loan products and terms to choose from. A broker need not find a best deal for the applicant until a contract is offered between both to act as an agent. So like banks and thrift institutions, many brokers have to be contacted as it gives better deals to the applicant.

Brokers fee is always exempted from the total cost spent for a home loan and compensation will be in ‘points’ paid as add-on to the interest rate. Negotiation is essential with both the brokers and the lenders. All information pertaining to home loans have to be obtained from the lenders. The amounts of down payment affordable by the applicant and the costs involved have to be given importance than the monthly payments and the rates of interest. Information obtained from different sources has to be analyzed on loan amount, terms and loan types.

Regarding the rates, the information is important like prevailing mortgage rate of interest and whether the rate quoted is low for that week. Whether the loan amount is fixed is to be identified because if the loan is on adjustable–rate then the rate of interest increases and so also monthly payment. Comparison of variation of the rate offered and payment of loan including whether any loan payment reduction possible if there is a reduction in rates is to be made. Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of the loan is to be clearly known as it includes points, fees of the broker, credit charges payment if required which is expressed in yearly rate other than interest rate.

The ‘Points’ that are payable as fees to either the lender or the broker towards the loan are always linked with interest rates. Generally if the interest rate is lower then more Points are offered as payment. Local newspapers have to be checked about current Points offered. Point quotes should be in dollar amount than Point numbers so that judgment could be made easily relating to how much to pay.

Fees involved in home loan are loan originations also referred as underwriting fees, fee to the broker and transaction, closing and settlement costs. Most of the above-mentioned are negotiable fees and any lender or broker can estimate the fee. Fees paid during applying are application fee, appraisal fee and closing fee. In certain cases money can be borrowed including the fee payment but this will increase the total costs of the loan amount. Loans that are “no cost” are also available with high rate of interest.

Most of the lenders insist in down payment of 20 % of the price of home purchased but there are lenders who offer less than 20 percent and at times 5% for conventional loans. Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is insisted for buyers of down payment of less than 20% to protect the lender from default payment. In case PMI is required for the loan, then the insurance total cost, monthly payment including PMI premium and the duration of PMI have to be clearly known.
The home loans are offered by different type of lenders like commercial banks, credit unions, mortgage companies and thrift institutions. To get the best price it is necessary to contact the lenders and get their quotations. Mortgage brokers also help in arranging a lender. Broker’s access to the lender with the homeowner’s application gives wider scope for selection of the loan products and terms to choose from. A broker need not find a best deal for the applicant until a contract is offered between both to act as an agent. So like banks and thrift institutions, many brokers have to be contacted as it gives better deals to the applicant.

Brokers fee is always exempted from the total cost spent for a home loan and compensation will be in ‘points’ paid as add-on to the interest rate. Negotiation is essential with both the brokers and the lenders. All information pertaining to home loans have to be obtained from the lenders. The amounts of down payment affordable by the applicant and the costs involved have to be given importance than the monthly payments and the rates of interest. Information obtained from different sources has to be analyzed on loan amount, terms and loan types.

Regarding the rates, the information is important like prevailing mortgage rate of interest and whether the rate quoted is low for that week. Whether the loan amount is fixed is to be identified because if the loan is on adjustable–rate then the rate of interest increases and so also monthly payment. Comparison of variation of the rate offered and payment of loan including whether any loan payment reduction possible if there is a reduction in rates is to be made. Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of the loan is to be clearly known as it includes points, fees of the broker, credit charges payment if required which is expressed in yearly rate other than interest rate.

The ‘Points’ that are payable as fees to either the lender or the broker towards the loan are always linked with interest rates. Generally if the interest rate is lower then more Points are offered as payment. Local newspapers have to be checked about current Points offered. Point quotes should be in dollar amount than Point numbers so that judgment could be made easily relating to how much to pay.

Fees involved in home loan are loan originations also referred as underwriting fees, fee to the broker and transaction, closing and settlement costs. Most of the above-mentioned are negotiable fees and any lender or broker can estimate the fee. Fees paid during applying are application fee, appraisal fee and closing fee. In certain cases money can be borrowed including the fee payment but this will increase the total costs of the loan amount. Loans that are “no cost” are also available with high rate of interest.

Most of the lenders insist in down payment of 20 % of the price of home purchased but there are lenders who offer less than 20 percent and at times 5% for conventional loans. Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is insisted for buyers of down payment of less than 20% to protect the lender from default payment. In case PMI is required for the loan, then the insurance total cost, monthly payment including PMI premium and the duration of PMI have to be clearly known.

For Government assisted programs like Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Veteran Administration (VA) and rural development services, the down payment is substantially smaller.

For Government assisted programs like Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Veteran Administration (VA) and rural development services, the down payment is substantially smaller.

Lesley Lyon is an expert in dealing with finance related matters. He has written several informative articles on topics like credit card, debt consolidation, building a good credit score, mortgage, home refinancing, loan and insurance. He regularly contributes articles to web guides on mortgage and home refinancing http://www.fundsleader.info and http://www.financialdeals.info

Credit By : Lesley Lyon

You have seen them on the corner and in the poorer parts of town with names like "Quick Cash", "Quick Loan", "Payday Loans", "Car Title Loans". They are starting to sprout up all over the country and will soon rival Starbucks for sheer number of locations.

They are the new trend in predatory lending practices but still manage to fly under the radar of regulation in most states. They don' t charge interest, they charge a "fee".

But it sounds like the ultimate in convenience. Need some quick cash - stop by and in just five minutes you can be out the door with $100, $500 even $1000 dollars. But what is the true cost of this "convenience"?

How It Works

A cash advance or payday/paycheck loan is usually secured by a personal check. Some companies want your bank account or credit card information in addition to or instead of a check.

You write a check to be cashed or agree to have an amount withdrawn from your bank account sometime in the future; usually 14 days (the standard payroll period).

After completing the agreement/contract you are given an amount that is less than what you have agreed to pay. The difference is the "fee" for the loan service. And you have got your cash!

Why It Works

Why is the company willing to loan you money like this? Simple, because loaning out money for these "fees" really amounts to a huge profit at your expense.

For example, say you borrow $200 and the lender charges a "fee" $15 for each $100. Within 14 days you will have to pay $230 for borrowing $200. Now if the $200 keeps you from having to pay a $100 late fee or penalty on something it is probably worth it. But if you just want the money today, you are paying a high price.

You are paying 15% interest for a 14 day loan. That amounts to 3785% compounded interest yearly! No wonder lenders are happy to loan you this money. If they loan you $100 and you pay them back with an extra $15 in two weeks and they loan out the $100 again along with the $15 extra you paid, and they keep doing this for one year, they will turn their $100 into $3785 by the end of the year!

Maybe you should be loaning your money to them rather than borrowing from them.

What To Watch Out For

• Early repayment fees. Pay off your loan early and they sock you with another fee.
• Late repayment fees. You may have to pay the entire fee again if you miss the payment date.
• "Membership" fees. Some companies charge you to become their customer along with charging you as their customer.
• Giving lenders access to directly debit your bank account. Just hand them your wallet, it's quicker.
• Fine print (as in all contracts). Know what you are signing or don't sign it.
• Bounced check or debit fees. Make sure you have money in your bank account or you get to pay your bank a fee as well.
• "Collateral" requirements such as a car title. Miss your payment and you may be missing your car - permanently.

There Is A Better Way

The root problem here could be that you are getting strangled by your debt payments. Credit cards, store accounts, installment payments and such can eat up your income quickly. Ite may be time to visit a non-profit credit counseling service or create a debt reduction plan for yourself.

Or it could be that you are just spending more than you make. You may need to spend a few minutes each week and write down your expenses. Then categorize and total them to see where your money is going. Then record your income for the same time period and make sure that you are not spending more than you make.

Sure, everyone gets behind occasionally. But you need enough room in your budget (this means spending less than what you make) to accommodate the "budget busters" and surprise expenses that may come up. It may mean cutting back on cable, magazine subscriptions or eating out. But last time I checked, McDonalds did not charge a $15 "fee" for making your food.

Credit By : David Berky