All About Secured Loans
A secured loan is a loan agreement in which the borrower pledges property as surety for the loan; hence they are also known as homeowner loans. If the borrower continually defaults on loan repayments, the lender may take action to reclaim the debt including selling the property.
Advantages and disadvantages
With something as valuable as your property at stake; lenders know that you are likely to stick to the agreement. Add in the extra financial security provided by your property and it's easy to see why lenders regard you as low risk. As a result you can expect interest rates one or two points lower than with an unsecured loan, you can borrow greater amounts; anything up to 125% of the equity in your property, and you can spread the loan over a longer term.
The main disadvantage of a secured loan is the attendant risk of losing your property. You need to be absolutely sure that you understand the terms and conditions of the agreement and that you can meet loan repayments. If you find yourself in financial trouble most lenders will be sympathetic and do everything that they can to help reschedule repayments. After all, the last thing they want is to face a lengthy court case incurring hefty legal fees. However, it's important to understand that your property is at risk.
Should I take out a secured loan?
Before you take out a secured loan, think carefully about what you need it for. Secured loans can make astute financial sense in the right circumstances, for example: if you want to consolidate a number of smaller expensive debts, such as credit cards, into a single monthly payment. However, if you intend to use the loan for purchase, such as a new car or holiday, it would be wiser to start saving.
There is a convincing argument for arranging a secured loan to pay for home improvements; as this will add value to your property. However, any pay-back will be in the long-term and depends on the buoyancy of the property market.
Finding the best deals
Everybody knows that there are great loan deals available on the Internet; the difficulty lies in finding them. Unfortunately there are no real short cuts and the key is to do as much homework as possible first.
Start by getting in touch with a number of brokers (make sure they are FISA registered) and see what they can offer you. Larger brokerages can be motivated by hitting sales targets and you may find that they try to push a particular lender.
FISA regulations stipulate that lenders may not initiate contact for seven days after sending the initial loan agreement. This 'cooling off' period is to allow potential borrowers to consider their options. Use it carefully to compare brokers. Remember that you are under no obligation until you have signed the loan agreement.
Don't be fooled by unrealistic loan offers made over the phone. Unscrupulous lenders often promise unrealistic rates in the hope of getting their hands on your pay slips. Once they have your documentation; loan conditions are often then revised. If this happens to you; go elsewhere.
If you are still having difficulty finding a suitable loan; consider approaching and Independent Financial Advisor.
Michael Stepney is part of the team at First Aid Finance; one of the UK's leading secured loans brokers. For more advice or a secured loan quotation visit their website at First Aid Finance.
Latest News
 The Star-Ledger - NJ.com | General Growth gets 2-week reprieve on loans Chicago Tribune, United States - The real estate investment trust said it and the syndicate of lenders "are continuing their discussions" on a longer-term extension to the loan, ... GGP Gains Two-Week Extension on $900M Loans General Growth gets 2-week extension on $900 million in loans General Growth Properties gets loan extension |
 Wall Street Journal Blogs | Restoring the flow of credit to entrepreneurs Los Angeles Times, CA - A Treasury Department program aims to make it easier for lenders to find buyers for the loans they make. By Cyndia Zwahlen The credit crunch looks like an ... Forbes: Let the Small Business Administration work SBA Applauds Treasury Action to Bolster Secondary Market for Small ... Feds hope to unfreeze SBA, consumer lending |
 Straits Times | Government plans new credit, mortgage programs O Jornal, MA - The Fed program for consumer debt will lend up to $200 billion to the holders of securities backed by various types of consumer loans such as credit cards, ... Lenders Become Proactive Mortgage relief gets stuck Partisan blame for financial crisis not so easily affixed |
 New York Times | Turning Around the Idea of Student Loans New York Times, United States - “This is a five-year loan, and that helps ensure a certain amount of longevity for this project.” Justin said he first became interested in poverty issues ... |
 Ottawa Citizen | The Fed boosted emergency loans to banks and firms The Associated Press - The report also said investment firms borrowed an average of $52.4 billion from the Fed's emergency loan program over the week ending Wednesday, ... Fed Commercial Paper Holdings Rise to $295.1 Billion (Update2) Bailout Report Card--A Failing Grade and a Frightening Outlook for ... "Oops, We Meant $7 TRILLION!" What Hank and Ben Are Up to and How ... |
Student debt levels portend rising loan default rates Indianapolis Star, United States - They were aiming to win big so they could pay off their student loans. "If you don't try, you can't win," said Brown, a 26-year-old marketing consultant. ... |
Hedge Fund Manager Hendry Bets on Deflation With UK War Loans Bloomberg - The “Jolly Long Bond,” as Hendry calls the war loan, will be the most reactive to deflation because not having a maturity means it has long duration, ... |
Loss of college loans lender may have little effect Spartanburg Herald Journal (subscription), SC - The financial aid director for Spartanburg Community College stressed that these types of supplemental loans are separate from the Stafford Federal Student ... |
Detroit's Big 3 Will Try Again To Get Federal Loans NPR - They're going to try, again, to convince Congress to give them federal loans. They say they need the money to avoid an industry collapse. ... |
 Boston Globe | Problem-solver Boston Globe, United States - Bair's plan to systematically modify 2.2 million loans for defaulting borrowers has drawn widespread support - except from the Bush White House. ... Avoiding your own mortgage collapse Efforts are under way to head off foreclosure |
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