Personal Finance, Loans & Insurance

After buying your own home, one of the most expensive purchases you will decide on is buying a car. Along with the car, car-related expenses, like fuel, maintenance and insurance, even accessories, can get a big chunk from your budget.

Sure, you will be kicking a few tires but that will only be half of the battle. Know your limitations even before looking for that new car. If you would be paying for all car-related expenses, don’t forget to spend no more than 10% of your total earnings.

When negotiating for the price of your car, decide first on a price range and how much your down payment will be. Should you choose a long arrangement under a car finance loan, your down payment would be at the minimum. If you decide to trade the car within the first year, you will realize that you actually owe more than your car is worth. As a general rule, never apply for a car finance loan that is more than 80% of the price of the car, as indicated in the dealer’s invoice. Try to pay in cash or have equity for the car which is about 20% of the car’s true cost.

Usually, your car dealer will send you to their in-house financing department for a car finance loan. Dealers may have less-restrictive requirements than banks, however, they could insist on cut-rate car financing loans for you to apply for. Such car finance loans have 3% interest rates that could be attractive for the unsuspecting customer. Unfortunately, these low interest rates only apply only to certain models or short term car finance loans of 12 months tops. You’ll be surprised at how dealers make a lot of money on car finance loans, even when it’s done through the manufacturer.

As a good rule of thumb, always negotiate the price before you reveal that you are thinking about applying for a car finance loan. If they know ahead of time that you plan on wrapping up the deal with a car finance loan, they will frequently try to create a dilemma for you by giving you a lower rate on a higher price or a lower price at a higher finance rate. If you do decide on a car finance loan through the dealer, you can negotiate the interest rate. Dealerships usually have several loan sources, including local banks and the manufacturer’s credit company. Each source sets their rates to the dealer.

It is important to investigate other sources for a car finance loan, such as your bank or credit union, before you sign your name. Choose from several sources for car finance loan options. Find out from banks or credit unions if they have any special deals on car finance loans right now. Use a Car Finance Loan Worksheet to compare various sources.

With so many choices for a car finance loan, you need to learn so much. Always consider your financing carefully. Open your door to several possibilities while weighing your choices with caution. Come up with a shopping list of what you are looking for in a car finance loan deal. When you become well-informed, chances are, you will be saving more money and get the right car for your budget.

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The early process of reviewing business financing alternatives is likely to be confusing for investors most familiar with residential financing requirements. The outcome should be less stressful and more successful by analyzing this article as well as related commercial mortgage and business opportunity financing articles.

There are many critical differences between residential real estate investing and commercial real estate investing. There are over 25 business financing differences, and they will not all be addressed in this business finance article.

With the increasingly chaotic investment climate for residential financing in the United States, more residential real estate investors are exploring commercial real estate and business finance opportunities. It is important for prospective commercial property owners, business owners and business investors to educate themselves about options for the business loan and commercial mortgage environment they will be facing.

Personal Guarantors for Business Opportunity Financing and Commercial Loan -

Even though a business is held under corporate ownership, a personal guarantee from the principal owners is routinely required for a commercial mortgage or business loan. This also means that credit scores of the individual business owners will be used as one of the factors to qualify for a commercial loan. Typically a personal guarantee for a commercial loan is required for owners with over a 20% ownership interest.

Down Payment Requirements for Business Financing -

To purchase a business will typically require a business loan down payment varying from 10% to 25% (more in some cases). The type of business, credit scores and business experience will have an impact on the amount required for a down payment.

Stated Income Business Finance Possibilities -

Stated income business loan options will eliminate the need for a borrower to provide personal tax returns. However the stated income business finance approach will not eliminate the need to document income for the business being purchased or refinanced. Unlike residential financing, no documentation (no doc) loans are not available for a commercial mortgage.

Commercial Mortgage and Business Opportunity Financing: Size Limitations -

It is very difficult to obtain a commercial mortgage less than 0,000. A normal maximum for a stated income business loan and SBA loan situations is million. A number of other business finance programs are limited to million.

Appraisals for a Commercial Mortgage or Business Opportunity Financing -

Commercial real estate appraisals are much more expensive and complex than residential appraisals and typically take several weeks to complete. Commercial mortgage and business loan value is based primarily on income rather than comparison with other properties that is so common with residential financing.

Business Financing Interest Rates -

Interest rates for a business loan are generally higher than residential financing and rates up to 13% and even higher are possible. Investors will find both variable and fixed interest rates available from many commercial mortgage sources. Business opportunity financing typically has interest rates 1-3% higher than a comparable commercial real estate loan situation.

Other Important Business Finance Differences -

As noted previously, there are too many differences between residential financing and business finance situations to describe adequately in one article. Some of the critical issues discussed in separate reports are how to avoid common business loan problems, SBA loan financing, balloon and recall provisions for a commercial mortgage, business opportunity financing and special purpose commercial properties.

Are you considering buying a new car or truck? Here’s a valuable tip on car financing. Today most everyone buying a new vehicle will need some form of auto financing and if you find your personal finances or credit are less than perfect, you can still get very affordable and cost effective auto financing if you know good from bad and what car financing you should try and avoid like the plague.

An informed car buyer is a smart car buyer. When you know your auto financing options ahead of time and you’re all ready pre-approved, you can walk into any car dealership you want and negotiate a great money saving deal on your terms.

If you know that you have certain credit challenges, you should understand the differences between bad credit car loans and guaranteed auto financing.

Bad Credit Car Loans Facts…

Bad Credit Car Loans typically have been available through some new car dealerships on the purchase of a new car or a pre-owned certified used vehicle. The actual auto loan financing paper-work is handled at the dealership but in general, the bad credit car loan finance contract is typically sold off to another lender within weeks. That lender will maintain and service your loan. These loans typically have a term of 24 months up to 60 months.

The downsides to a bad credit car loan are that many franchise car dealerships are not set up to arrange these type loans in-house, interest rates and cost can vary widely and limit your car or truck purchase choices.

Many larger dealerships and franchise dealerships prefer strictly A paper credit borrowers. Even when new car dealerships offer sub prime car financing, you can expect to take a beating with much higher interest rates and limited flexibility with terms.

Guaranteed Auto Financing…

Guaranteed Auto Financing differs from a bad credit car loan primarily in that this type financing is offered directly by smaller or independent auto facilities and car lots. Your finance contract is provided by the actual auto wholesale dealer and the loan is paid directly to the auto dealer that sold you the car. In other words, you would be financing your car purchase from the company that owns it and sold you the vehicle.

Guaranteed auto financing is used typically for the purchase of used vehicles and rarely if ever for purchasing a brand new car, truck or sport utility. Loan terms are shorter than more conventional auto loans and they rarely offer terms over 36 months. Most vehicles you’ll find, will have high mileage and no extended factory warranties offered. Many of these cars and trucks are either repossessions or wholesaled out from regional car auctions.

The advantage to guaranteed auto financing is that often no credit check is required to obtain this financing. Payments are normally made weekly and sometimes in person. The major disadvantages to this type of auto loan financing is that many car dealers providing guaranteed auto financing will never report your credit to the credit bureaus. So if you’re making payments regularly and establishing an excellent payment history, this will not be reflected in improving your personal credit profile or your credit score. Because there’s no credit check often required, you can pretty much expect outrageously higher interest rates.

You’d be wise to avoid this type of car loan and purchase if at all possible because the disadvantages to you far outweigh any benefits.

Lower Cost Car Loan Options…

Your best approach would be to start now and see what auto loan financing options are available for you online. Then get yourself pre-qualified or approved online for a loan first, before you start negotiating your deal. There are excellent specialized auto financing services available online today that offer affordable bad car loan programs throughout the US and Canada for car buyers who have special financial credit issues to overcome. These companies have access to large networks of dealerships and major finance companies and they can usually overcome all types of credit issues and still offer more affordable car loan programs with less hassle for you.

Even though longer-term business finance techniques might be appropriate for many circumstances, there are some important short-term business loan options that will be less costly in producing improved credit card processing and commercial mortgage results for business owners. Short-term business financing choices can be misunderstood because of a preference by many business owners for long-term commercial real estate loan and commercial loan programs.

Two Important Short-Term Business Finance Options

Two of the most overlooked short-term working capital business loan strategies are short-term commercial mortgage loan programs and business cash advance programs in conjunction with credit card processing. Both of these business finance options are relevant for most business owners but are frequently misunderstood.

Short-term Programs for Commercial Real Estate Investment Financing

A long-term business loan is appropriate for many businesses that own commercial real estate investment property. Business properties should normally be financed with a combination of short-term and long-term business finance funds. When a longer-term commercial mortgage is viable, it is preferable to secure long-term business financing, preferably for 30 years.

However there will be many commercial mortgage loan situations in which longer-term real estate business financing is not appropriate for the business owner. In such circumstances it is important for a business owner to realize that there are viable short-term working capital management options.

When a Short-Term Commercial Mortgage is Appropriate

If a business owner plans to sell or refinance their business within a few years, it is preferable to explore short-term business finance options. The best short-term business loan will have minimal prepayment penalties in comparison to terms commonly included with long-term commercial real estate investment property financing.

The avoidance of business finance prepayment fees and lockout fees fees in some short-term business financing programs is an important benefit of these short-term commercial mortgage approaches. The absence of these potential fees could produce a savings of up to 20% or more if the business property is sold during the period which would have involved lockout fees in a longer-term commercial loan.

Short-Term Commercial Real Estate Investment Property Financing Limitations

There are some trade-offs that need to be understood if a business owner chooses shorter-term business financing even though prepayment fees will usually be avoided with a short-term business loan. When short-term commercial real estate financing is a realistic option, the loan-to-value will usually be no higher than 70%, the commercial mortgage will not be readily available for special purpose business investment properties such as golf courses and the interest rate will frequently be in the range of about 12%.

Best Investing Possibilities for a Short-Term Commercial Mortgage Loan

Warehouse, multi-family, office, mixed-use and retail business properties are the best possibilities for short-term business financing. Business owners should be comfortable with a time period of less than three years for a typical short-term business loan.

Fewer Mortgage Lenders for a Short-Term Commercial Real Estate Loan

There will typically be a very small number of commercial real estate investment property lenders who are effective at implementing the short-term commercial mortgage loan strategy properly. There are also a number of problems to be avoided with a short-term commercial real estate loan, so choosing an appropriate provider is extremely important to any business owner considering a short-term business finance program.

Credit Card Processing and Business Cash Advance Programs

For any business that accepts credit cards as a method of payment, a business cash advance is a critical working capital management tool that is often overlooked. Even thriving businesses frequently need more working capital than they can borrow. One of the least-known business finance strategies for successful businesses is potentially the single best working capital loan strategy for obtaining needed cash for growing their business: the use of a merchant cash advance or business cash advance program.

Primary possibilities to take advantage of this business financing program are service and retail businesses. This credit card processing and credit card financing strategy uses credit card receivables to determine the amount of a merchant cash advance.

Working Capital Management: Credit Card Financing and Credit Card Processing

This business financing technique is called credit card financing or credit card factoring. Some business owners might have used a business finance technique referred to as receivables factoring to sell future receivables at a discount and receive immediate cash.

Many service and retail businesses cannot document business receivables to obtain a business loan. Businesses such as bars and restaurants do not typically have receivables to use for business financing.

What these businesses do have in many cases is documented sales volume and documented credit card sales activity. It is this documented level of sales volume and credit card sales activity that becomes a financial asset to the business and its business finance strategies. Business cash advances from ,000 to 0,000 can usually be obtained based on a merchant’s sales volume and future credit card sales.

A business financing merchant cash advance must usually be paid back in less than 12 months. For business owners that want to renew the working capital cash advance program, it is typically possible to get more working capital after payback of the initial advance.

Limitations and Problems to Avoid with Credit Card Processing and Merchant Cash Advance Programs

As with any successful business finance strategy, there will typically be only a small number of commercial lenders who are effective at implementing this working capital management strategy properly. There are also a number of problems to be avoided with business cash advance programs, so choosing the appropriate provider of this commercial financing service is extremely important to any business owner considering a credit card financing program.