Monday, December 31, 2007
Peer-to-peer lending the 'eBay of loans'
With peer-to-peer lending, individuals, some of them with little or no collateral, seek loans from ordinary people looking to lend. Lenders compete with each other to make loans, often resulting in lower rates for borrowers -- averaging 10 percent to 16 percent -- than are available on unsecured bank loans.
Typical loan amounts range from $8,000 to $20,000; on some sites, multiple lenders may fund a loan, each offering to lend $25 to $200 to a borrower.
The market for the loans is still relatively small but growing fast, according to Celent, a research firm. Celent projects that $5.8 billion in peer-to-peer loans will be made in the U.S. by 2010, an 800 percent leap from the amount this year.
Lenders on the sites usually decide whether to lend money to a particular borrower -- and at what rate -- based on the borrower's credit score and existing debt. Yet unlike with a bank or credit card loan, the decision is sometimes based on social factors, too: how compelling the borrower's reason is for a loan or whether he or she shares hobbies with the lender, says Christine Barry of Aite Group, a consulting firm.
"When you're dealing with a large financial institution, it may be difficult to tell your story and get people to understand," says Douglas Dolton, CEO of Zopa, one of the peer-to-peer lenders.
The more established players -- such as Prosper and CircleLending, which sold a majority stake in the company and rebranded itself Virgin Money US this year -- dominate the business. But more rivals are entering the industry at a time when even people with good credit are finding it harder and costlier to borrow from traditional sources.
In December, Zopa opened up shop in the U.S. Also this month, Lending Club, which began as a service for Facebook members, expanded nationwide.
"It seems that the credit crunch is accelerating our growth," says Renaud Laplanche, CEO of Lending Club.
Peer-to-peer sites profit not from a loan's interest rate but from fees they charge borrowers and lenders to make and service the loan. They also check borrowers' credit and contract with third parties to collect on bad loans.
Default rates are lower for peer-to-peer loans than for other consumer loans.
source:http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071231/BUSINESS/712310322/1003
Friday, December 28, 2007
Least risk loan options
Financial deficits are part and parcel of life. The economics of life sets numerous examples of this fact. Every person at certain juncture of life has encountered monetary deficits. Even the billionaires of the globe are not exceptions. The right lessons can teach us to take these deficits easily, which can make life smooth and tension free.
How to keep calm during the financial constraints, even if you are risk averse? You can take loans for any legally correct purpose and find means to meet your needs. Financial market in the UK is now offering loans for all purposes. Hence, you need not to be worried when stalked by tough situations related to finance.
Unsecured loans are the loans available for any purpose without a residential property security. The word unsecured means absence of security from the borrower’s side. The lenders of these loans do not demand for security. Hence, the borrower is at the safer end. There is no repossession issue in case of default related to these loans. Therefore these loans are also called the risk-free loans.
Unsecured loans are specially designed for students tenants and self-employed professionals who find difficulty to avail the loans against residential property security.
The spending pattern of the loan amount depends upon the will of the borrower. However, it should be legally correct. The amount you can borrow depends upon your credit rating. If you have a fair credit score, you can avail a maximum amount of 25,000 pounds.
E-lending has made unsecured loans hassle free. You can fill loan application form on the Internet. You have to offer other required documents with the application form. Then the processing begins at the lender's end. As there is no requirement of property evaluation, the processing takes less time. Hence, apply for the loans today and fulfill your requirements without any obstacle.
Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=122307_least_risk_loans.htm
Unsecured Loans – Finance Your Business Projects
A businessman can borrow against the goodwill of his business. The past records show that how regular you have been in repayments. There are two ways to raise credit from the open market. You can pledge your assets like business premises or stock and obtain loan from lenders.
It is, however, a risky proposition and your business goodwill may receive a setback from the market. The other way is to obtain unsecured loans from the lenders. This can be done without involving any business assets in the loan transaction and is a safer way of borrowing money.
Lenders provide unsecured loans to the business houses as well as for your personal use. The loan amount differs in both the cases. Businessmen generally have larger financial requirements; whereas a common man would apply for limited loan amount only. Businessmen can use unsecured loans to expand their businesses or to recover from a bad financial phase.
Unsecured personal loans are used by the consumers for various reasons like purchasing a car, going on holidays, education, home improvement, etc. All types of unsecured loans are available on the internet. These loans are quickly available as they do not require any security. However, a bad credit rating may create problems in obtaining such loans. Lenders normally ignore one or two minor delays in repayment but if your record is consistently bad then you might have to apply with sub-prime lenders who specially deal with people having bad credit.
Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=122307_unsecured_loans.htm
Up Your Chances Of Getting A Loan
I mentioned this idea once before, in an article with seven tips in it. Unaccountably, I called it Six Great Tips For Getting A Personal Loan. As I'm a personal finance writer who appears to be unable to count, I guess it's lucky that this idea is quite simple.
It's been just four months since I first suggested this, yet in that short time it has become even more relevant. It's got significantly harder to take out a loan. Being realistic, most borrowers won't get the best interest rates, which are currently around 6.5% APR to 7% APR. So people who have missed payments, had a CCJ, or have borrowed too much or too little*, will have to set their sights a bit lower to increase their chances of a successful application.
What you shouldn't do in this situation is simply try your luck on the cheapest loan first. The odds of you getting it are very low to non-existent, and it'll cause problems. Firstly, you'll feel disheartened. Secondly, you'll be miffed. Thirdly, you'll have delayed getting a loan. Fourthly, and most importantly, it'll add a mark to your credit record; the more applications you make for loans and credit cards, the worse your record looks.
To that end, I've made a table that will hopefully help you choose a loan you're more likely to get:
Missed payments Suggested interest rate you go for1 in the past year and none in the past 3 monthsAround 8% APR2 in the past year and none in the past 3 monthsAround 9% APR2 in the past year and 1 in the past 3 months, or 2 each year for the past 2 yearsAround 10% APR I can't cover every single scenario, but hopefully you can see roughly where you fit in and make a judgement call.
If you've missed two payments in the past three months or three or more in the past year, or if you have a CCJ on your record or some other mark that's worse than a missed payment, I don't think you should try to get a loan without first getting someone else to take a proper look at your finances. I also don't think that anyone should be applying for loans over, say, 10% APR (at today's interest rates, anyway) without first checking if there are better options, because there's a good chance that there is.
My recommendations are educated, rough estimates of what you might be able to get. You're not guaranteed to get them. Each lender has different criteria, which they keep to themselves. This means that one lender offering 8% APR might accept your application whilst another doesn't. Even if you have what you think is a perfect record, a lender might not find that you fit the profile it's looking for.
More tips
To help you get the right loan, here are some extra tips:
Check the TAR as well as the APR
Remember that the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is just a rough guide to how cheap a loan is, because it can be manipulated. A loan offering 8.5% APR could actually be more expensive than another loan offering 9% APR. Therefore, you can't just use the APR. You should also find out what the 'total amount repayable' (TAR) is. This is the total cost, including interest and charges, that you'll pay by the time the loan is cleared.
To compare loans using the TAR with The Fool's search engine, click 'View Unsecured Loans' and then click on 'Total Amount Repayable' at the top of the results table to sort by that column, rather than by APR. This way, you know the cheapest loan will be listed first.
Look (Frankfurt: 867225 - news) for additional benefits
Taking a loan with a higher interest rate may play into your hands in the long run, because they can offer you additional benefits. Look for loans that have no early-repayment charges and that allow you to make overpayments. When you have extra cash, you can use it to pay off the loan earlier, which reduces the interest you pay.
Find those hidden tickboxes
If a lender rejects your application you might, shortly after, receive a call, letter or email from another company, offering you a secured loan. Do NOT take out this loan. You can avoid this 'offer' altogether by ticking (or unticking) the appropriate box in the application form, which forbids the lender from passing your details to other companies. These boxes can be very well hidden, so be thorough. (As you always should be when reading small print.) It'll be there somewhere!
Consider alternatives to loans
Finally, I said earlier that people with poor credit records should seek guidance before taking out a loan. However, if you have any debts it's always worth asking for more opinions, because there could easily be a better option for you. It's amazing how many options we have, actually.
You can read our guidance, How To Get Out Of Debt, and you can get tailored advice anonymously from the debtors, former debtors and debt experts in our friendly Dealing with Debt community.
If you've hardly borrowed anything, you'll find it harder to get the cheapest credit, because the lender has no history to see how reliable you are at repaying. Lots of things can affect your rating; read Why You Can't Get Credit for more.
Source:http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/19122007/35/chances-loan.html
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Unsecured loans – Unemployment does not matter
A lender normally requires you to reveal a source from which repayment would be made. It is the main issue that comes up when you apply for a loan as an unemployed person. If you are able to address this legitimate concern of the lender, your loan application may be sanctioned.
Being an unemployed person, you can increase your chances of getting an unsecured loan by involving a co-signer in the loan agreement. This way you can increase your bargaining power against the lender. Unsecured loans for unemployed people are special loans and they may attract a higher interest rate than normal. These loans do not require any security and are solely based on your repayment capability and financial standing.
When you take a loan that does not require any security, the loan processing is normally fast so that your financial requirement may be met as early as possible. Absence of security means that there are very few formalities involved in the loan transaction and documentation is also less. This expedites the entire loan process and you are able to get loan quickly.
Being a UK resident, you have the option to apply online for unsecured loans. Almost all the lenders in the UK have online presence. Lenders include building societies, high street banks, private lenders and sub-prime lenders. There are more than 59 building societies in the UK and you can apply with them for any financial assistance. It is better to apply with several lenders and then compare their loan quotes so that you may get a competitive loan deal.
source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=122307_student_loans.htm
Bad Credit Card Debt Consolidation Advice - When To Go For It
So it is better that you keep your credit score good. For that it is better to go for debt consolidation especially if you already have bad credit score. Just seeing any credit card debt counselor online for credit card debt counseling will not do the trick; it is better that you research well before taking any consolidation loan.
Look Before You Leap
First and foremost assess your situation. If the situation is such that you cannot manage it on your own anymore, then only go for the best bad credit card debt help, if possible. So look for a company that has a great reputation in the market. Remember there are always scrupulous people who try to fleece even the ones trying to grasp the last straw!
What Is The Best Bad Credit Card Debt Help?
That should be the next part of your query for the perfect bad debt recovery program. There are two ways to settle your bad credit: one you can consolidate your entire loan by taking a loan and then paying that single loan at a much lower interest rate. This loan can be both secured and unsecured loan. If you do not want to go for another loan or if your debt amount is too large, you can hire a company that will negotiate on your behalf with the creditors and bring down your total amount due as well as the interest rate. But they will charge you a fee for that. What kind of program you will have to take will be clear when you sit down with your credit card debt online counselor and discuss your situation freely and frankly.
Your bad credit card debt consolidation advice should be working in your favor and not the other way round. So read every minute detail of the documents that you sign with the company. Much of your future financial state will rely on this advice; be very cautious before taking it.
source:http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=46665
Friday, December 14, 2007
Personal Loans - For Luxury As Well As Necessity
There are loans available for every section of the society. If you are a student and want to pursue higher studies, education loans are available. Similarly, homeowners, tenants, self-employed professionals, etc., can apply for different types of loans. There is a loan for every requirement as long as it is legal.
Personal loans mean that you can easily overcome your financial difficulty. You can use these loans to undergo a cosmetic surgery, buy expensive gifts, go on vacations, celebrate your birthday in a luxury hotel, etc. These loans do not require any security and you are free to use them for any purpose. The formalities are very few in case of these loans and that is why lenders take very less time in processing your loan application. This results in a quick disbursal of loan amount.
Some lenders call personal loan as unsecured loans because these loans do not require any security. When judged from the perspective of a lender, unsecured loans carry higher risk than those loans where a home is offered as security for the loan amount. The lenders offset the higher risk by charging more interest from the consumers in case of unsecured loans. Despite high interest rates, these loans are very popular. Some people opt for these loans because they fear that their home might be repossessed by the lender should they make any default in repayment.
Personal loans are appropriate for your short term needs. The lenders provide upto £20,000 depending upon your credit rating, repayment capability and monthly income.
Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=121307_low_interest_personal_loans.htm
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Unsecured Personal Loans - Turn the table to your side
UK loan market offers you scores of loan plans to get rid of the financial deficits. ‘Fulfill your current requirements and repay in easy monthly installments’ is the basic feature of these loan plans. It is a fact that the homeowners are in a more advantageous position as they can pledge their home as security to avail the loan. UK loan market is not oblivious of the borrowers who are not homeowners.
There are numbers of personal loans plans available in UK loan market. These loans can be available for any legally correct purpose. Tenants, students, self-employed professional and also the homeowners unwilling to risk their property can avail these loans. The rate of interest is lower than credit cards and overdraft and there is no hidden cost.
Unsecured personal loans are those loans that are available without a residential property security. The maximum borrowing amount is 25,000 pounds. You can repay the borrowed amount with interest in easy monthly installments. The payback period can be extended up to ten years.
As the unsecured personal loans do not require the property evaluation, the loan processing is fast. The bad credit history holders can also avail these loans. You have to fill the online loan application form and provide the required documents to avail the loans. So apply for the personal loans today and get rid of the financial problems in the safest way.
Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=120407_unsecured_personal_loans.htm
Home improvement loans are the best way to find out funding for renovating your house
You can avail either secured or non secured loans for the purpose of remodelling your house. Collateral security is a must for taking secured home improvement loan. The property can be given as the collateral security but it must be owned by the person applying for a loan. Normally banking institutions will offer funding on favourable terms for secured home improvement loans as the equity in the house will normally be increased with the renovation of the house. Generally the time required for getting approval for this type of loans will also be lesser when compared to unsecured loans.
You can also go for an unsecured or personal loan for the purpose of your home improvement requirements. But normally unsecured loans will not be long term loans. They are more ideal for minor home repairing works. If you are intending to do any major constructions, it is better to go for a secured loan. Another advantage of secured home improvement loans is the low interest rate that is offers. The main attractions of secured loans, so far as a home improvement plan is concerned, are its low interest rate, optimum loan value, and adjustable repayment term and trouble free approval process.
Before you go for a home improvement loan does enough home work to find out the best available loan for home improvement. Prepare a proper budget of the project including the cash in your hand. This will help you to find out the exact amount of loan that you require for home improvement project. Being over expensive will be a risky affair. Compare the loans and the interest rates offered by different financial institutions thoroughly. Generally banks offer five to thirty years time to repay the loans. Long term fixed rate payments will be a viable choice for home improvement plans.
Every financial institution or bank has its on terms and conditions and payment mode for these types of loans. To find out the best, check out the different home improvement loans offered by different financing institutions. Compare the interest rate of each of these institutions. For that you can either visit them personally or collect the information from the websites maintained by these institutions. Get the quotes of these banks and compare them to find out the best offer that suits your need.
Though easy to get loans on collateral security, do not forget that you are pledging your property to the bank. Failure to make timely repayment of the loan amount may end up in losing your house. So be careful about the repayment of the loan amount.
Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=120707_low_cost_home_improvement_loan.htm
Friday, December 7, 2007
Loans for all purpose
UK loan market is flooded with loan plans. It is up to the borrower to choose the plan that suits the purpose. Before applying for a loan you should analyze its various aspects. Comparison of various loan plans offers you the cheapest one. Every loan plan has its own advantages and shortcomings. So analysis of different sides of a certain loan plan definitely gives you the leading edge.
Personal loans do not require a residential property security. This makes the loan processing faster. Students, tenants and self-employed professional do not face any problem to avail these loans. Homeowners can also apply for this loan. The borrower is more secured here. He does not risk his residential property.
Loans without home security are also known as the any purpose loans. The borrowed amount is spent according to the borrower’s wish. The loans cover any legally correct requirement. Loans are available for holidaying, debt consolidation and home renovation, purchase of a new car and expansion of business. The primary criterion is the borrower should be a Briton and above eighteen year age.
Credit rating plays a vital role in deciding the loan amount. Borrowers with good credit rating avail more amount as any purpose loans. The loan amount has the maximum limit of £25,000. The personal loans charge lower interest compared to the credit cards. The repayment pattern is also flexible and borrower friendly. Loan application is available on the Internet.
The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. She has done her masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting Loans-Bazaar as a finance specialist.
Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=120607_personal_loan.htm
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Is a secured loan an effective way to consolidation debt?
Firstly, you end up paying high levels of interest to many different creditors, especially if you have debts such as credit cards and store cards, which usually have very high interest rates.
Another problem that comes with having to deal with a large number of debts is that financial management can get confusing and difficult, and this can lead to you missing repayments and making regular late repayments.
This can have a knock on effect in that it can seriously damage your credit history and rating, which can then make your financial future increasingly difficult.
Finally, you may find that having to make repayments on many high interest debts means that your monthly outgoings are sky high, which could leave you with little or no disposable income each month.
There are some solutions available to those that want to rid themselves of the hassles of high debt repayments and a whole bunch of creditors to deal with, and one of the most effective solutions is a debt consolidation loan, which is a loan that can be used to repay all of your smaller debts.
Consolidation loans are available on either a secured or an unsecured basis, but if you have a high level of debt you may find that the unsecured consolidation loan may not prove effective. This is because the borrowing power with unsecured loans is far lower than with secured loans, which means that you may not be able to borrow enough to repay all of your existing debts.
In addition to this the repayments periods are usually much shorter, which means that your monthly repayments will be higher and you may not really make much of a saving on your monthly outgoings. You will also need good credit to qualify for an unsecured consolidation loan.
For those with poor credit or those with very high levels of debt one of the most effective solutions is to opt for a secured consolidation loan. These loans are available to homeowners with a certain level of equity in their properties, and can make a real different to your debt problems.
A secured consolidation loan is secured against the equity in your home, and this means that before you make any commitment you must ensure that you can comfortably afford the repayments, as otherwise you could risk losing your home.
Also, another risk to consider is that you could fall into negative equity if house prices fall and you have borrowed against the full amount of your equity. It is therefore advisable to borrow up to a percentage of your equity giving leeway for house prices to fall without putting you into negative equity right away.
When you take out a secured consolidation loan you will have to meet the lender's eligibility criteria in terms of financial and employment status, equity levels, income and outgoings, credit rating, etc.
You will find that there are a number of lenders that offer secured loans, and it is therefore important that you compare different deals from different lenders in order to get the most competitive consolidation loan package for your needs.
Interest rates, terms, and repayments periods can vary from lender to lender, and by comparing these areas you can ensure that you get the best loan for your needs and your pocket.
Once you have found the right secured consolidation loan and have been accepted you can get all of your existing smaller debts paid off through your new loan, effectively closing all of your existing credit card, store card, loan, etc. accounts.
You will then need to start making monthly repayments on your new consolidation loan. However, if you find a low rate, good value consolidation loan you will find that the competitive interest rates and longer repayment periods could mean that your monthly repayment is far lower than on your previous debts.
Also, bear in mind that based on your equity levels you can usually enjoy far greater borrowing power with a secured consolidation loan, and this means that you can cover all of your existing smaller debts, so that there are no debts left straggling behind because you cannot borrow enough money to pay them all off. Once you have done this you will find that financial management is far easier and your debt repayment is far more affordable.
Source:http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/money/122007/is-a-secured-loan-an-effective-way-to-consolidation-debt.html
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Unsecured Small Business Loans To Empower Your Home Business
An unsecured business loan is offered to businesses who either do not have any asset which they can render as security. This is difficult for new businesses since they do not yet have any commercial collateral. Even for those that do, they may not wish to risk it with a secured loan. Many business owners, having no other choice, end up using their personal assets as collateral when seeking unsecured small business loan financing. This is hazardous and jeopardizes their hard earned assets for their hopes at a business venture.
These days unsecured small business loans are made available for businesses with bad credit. An unsecured small business loan is ideal for businesses with bad credit. A bad credit unsecured small business loan is a lifeline to businesses with bad credit as it provides the small business owner the opportunity of making a fresh start.
Small entrepreneurs, who do not have collateral to offer, find unsecured small business loans as an alternative, which help them expand their business to new horizons. They are only required to make regular repayments to the creditor without any apprehension of their business assets being repossessed by the lender in case of defaults. At the same time, small businessmen who opt for unsecured small business loans should be prepared to pay a little higher interest as compared to other credit options. However, interest rates may vary depending upon the credit history of the businessmen.
For successfully getting an unsecured small business loan, the loan proposal needs to be properly drafted and presented so as to convince the lender about the genuine requirements of the borrower. Since there is no collateral involved, the lender perceives the future returns of the concerned business along with the credit worthiness and reputation of the businessman who is seeking the loan. These factors go a long way in determining the success of the loan proposal. A good loan proposal must convince the lender that his advances would be placed in the safe hands of a visionary and expert business entrepreneur.
Applying for unsecured small business loan is easy, all the business owner need to do is just go on line and submit their loan details. Then the lenders will refer back to you with the loan decision in a few days.
Source:http://www.powerhomebiz.com/
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Personal Loans - Making Things Easier For You
The loan amount that can be sanctioned to you depends on many things. A lender first verifies your credentials and then takes his decision after considering many aspects. Your creditworthiness is checked from credit reference agencies. These agencies keep a record of every loan transaction and also provide individual credit ratings. You need to pay a little fee to get your credit rating. It will help you in the loan process if you know your credit rating in advance.
Many types of loans are available in the market. For a limited loan amount, personal loans are ideal. These loans do not require any security and you can still get up to 25,000 pounds. Many people opt for this type of loan for their various financial requirements. In Christmas season, people opt for these loans to go on vacations, buy gifts for family and friends and decorate their homes. In case your requirement cannot be fulfilled with personal loans, you can pledge your home to get a big loan amount.
Secured personal loans find application where big amount of money is required. It can be a home improvement on large scale or buying another home or buying an expensive vehicle. The rate of interest is also low and the repayment period tends to be longer than personal loans. Secured personal loans are available with high street banks, online lenders and building societies in the UK. You have to be above 18 years of age and a UK resident to apply for any type of loan. Since there are many lenders, it will be better if you compare loans offered by them before signing any particular loan deal.
Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=113007_personal_loans_life_easier.htm