This year, Americans are expected to borrow $1.33 trillion in acquiring 7.4 million houses, condominiums and co-ops. Before you do any real estate financing, if you have bad credit because of consumer debt like credit cards or personal loans, you’ll want to try to eliminate or reduce this debt since it will affect your ability to qualify for a commercial or home mortgage and make the estimated monthly payment. If you have monthly obligations like car payments, credit card payments, personal loan payments, student loan payments, etc., be sure to take these into account when you are determining your bottom-line affordability figure.

If rates in the current market are high, you’ll probably get a better price with an adjustable-rate loan. A fixed-rate mortgage means that the interest rate and principal payments remain the same for the life of the loan but the taxes may change. Loan programs for down payments of 20% or less require that you purchase Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).

Interest rates may go up if a rosy picture is painted that the economy is flourishing – like more jobs being available; this can lead to inflation which will send the rates up. You’ll also need to consider closing costs and the escrow account for your taxes and insurance. Also keep in mind when you’re financing or refinancing that most people move or refinance within seven years.

Most of all you’ll need to decide what you can afford to buy. And if a loan application isn’t approved for the first time, it can always be resubmitted after modifying it, for example, like raising the amount of the down payment. If you’re a first-time home-buyer it is possible that you may qualify for a lower down payment or lower interest rate; check with mortgage brokers, online mortgage companies, your county housing department or your employer to see if they know of any programs like this available.

Revealing a FICO credit score is not a requirement for most conventional or government loans like FHA loans or VA loans. Thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages offer consistent monthly payments for all of the 30 years you have the mortgage; if the market is good, you can benefit from locking in a lower rate for the full term of the loan. 15-year mortgages are an ideal option if you can handle the higher payments and if you’d like to have the loan paid off in a shorter period of time, for example, if you plan to retire.

A 20-year fixed rate mortgage term will mean higher payments, when compared to the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. If you’ve applied to other lenders, when you finally do select a good lender you may have to explain why there are other inquiries from lending institutions on your credit report. Check with your CPA or accounting professional; you may be able to deduct the interest you pay on the mortgage loan and some of the financing costs of the home, like points, on your income tax return.

Be careful when working on your real estate financing; if you make too many loan inquiries, with applications, it may look like you’re shopping for credit; this can be a red flag for many lenders. Keep in mind that adjustable rate mortgages are best for homeowners who aren’t planning on staying with a property for a very long period of time.

Collect a few of the local home guides you see stacked up at the local grocery stores or supermarkets and look at a few of the ads in the real estate section of your Sunday newspaper for houses you might consider buying. Get lots of advice about real estate financing, mortgages, interest rates, mortgage rates, mortgage refinance, bad credit mortgages, etc., from many different sources, don’t rely on one source, and think about what makes sense to you. And thinking positive about real estate financing is important but so is being realistic.

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – (November 11, 2008) Despite what you hear on the news about money being tight there are still plenty of ways to finance a franchise purchase, said Jeff Elgin, CEO of FranChoice, Inc., a national consultant company that helps individuals find their ideal fit in a franchise business. “Financing will always be a crucial part of the process of becoming a franchisee and what you can afford – or borrow – will determine which businesses you focus your research on,” said Elgin. “The more you know about the various sources for finance help, the better decision you will make when it comes time to buy your business.”

The current economic situation has impacted the franchise financing process in a number of ways. “One change we are seeing,” said Elgin, “is that it can take longer to process your financing. For that reason, we recommend to our franchisee candidates that they being the process even before they start looking at individual business to buy.” Another change is that lenders, once they approve you for a loan, want you to move on it more quickly. “Lenders are not going to leave credit commitments out there for weeks or longer. If you don’t take the money, they will lend it to someone else,” said Elgin.

Elgin suggests these tips for navigating the turbulent financial waters of the current economy:

Home equity financing, which was once a popular source of franchise lending, is more difficult to obtain these days. With home values falling, your lending institution may not be willing to loan you the money you need. It’s still worth checking, particularly if you have a good relationship with your bank. Also, check out The Small Business Association (SBA) which guarantees loans for qualified individuals. One of their terms is that you must have some of your own money to invest.

You may also consider investing some of your retirement savings. An IRA or 401K account can often be used without incurring penalties. If you consider this as an investment in yourself, one you have control over, and compare it to what your retirement account is currently earning, this may be a good option.

If you are an honorably discharged military veteran, there are programs that may help you financially. VetFran is a program started by the International Franchise Association as a way to give back to those who have served in the military. More than 300 franchise companies participate and will offer substantial discounts on fees and expenses to those who served our country. Also, there’s a government-established program called the Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative, whose purpose is to guarantee up to 85 percent of a loan made by a lending institution to a veteran or someone currently in the military and close to retirement. (Check the SBA website for eligibility requirements.)

MinorityFran offers incentives such as fee reductions to assist members interested in increasing the number of minorities in franchising. Check out the IFA website for more information at www.franchise.org.

Another financing option is to work with a company that specializes in facilitating franchise financing, such as Guidant  and FranFund . They can help you decide between a number of options or combine them into one loan package.

Keep in mind that your credit score is likely to be scrutinized even more carefully in the current economic environment. You’ll probably need a credit score above 700 so if that’s not the case, try to improve your score before trying to finance your business.

No matter which type of loan you use to finance your business, you’ll be required to pay a part of the costs in cash. This can come from savings or perhaps severance pay from a corporate job.

The best advice for planning for your franchise financing, according to Elgin, is to be very organized and prepared before you begin the process. Lenders will want to see your loan proposal including how and what the loan will be used for and why it is needed. You will need to provide information about yourself and information about your company’s products and the market you will serve. The more research you have done, the better prepared you will be to find financing for your new franchise opportunity.

About FranChoice

FranChoice is a national network of consultants dedicated to helping consumers find their ideal match in a franchise business. Since 2000, FranChoice consultants have helped over 40,000 people identify and investigate the perfect franchise for them through their free service. For more information, go to www.franchoice.com.

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10. Not having a plan in case of emergency

A lot of people cut their budgets very close.  If you have you money portioned out precisely for your regular expenditures and you haven’t left anything in the budget for emergencies, how will you pay for repairs if your car breaks down?  If your house suddenly needs repair?  If you have emergency medical bills not covered by your insurance?  It is important to make sure you have a plan to cover emergency spending.  If that means cutting things out of your regular budget that may not really be necessary, make sure you do that.

9.  Spending money on luxury items you don’t need

This one should be obvious, but a lot of us violate this simple rule anyway.  When you see a new car, an article of brand-name clothing or piece of electronics equipment, ask yourself a couple of questions.  1) Is there money in my budget for this? And 2) Do I really need this?  If it’s an impulse buy, odds are first answer is no.  The second answer is probably no in any event.  Think about whether you’d rather have the item or financial stability.  

8.  Buying extravagant gifts for friends and family

This is basically the same as the previous item on this list.  The difference is that some people have a problem not with buying things for themselves, but with buying things for others.  Selflessness is commendable, but it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might be making it.  It’s not going to do your friends and family any good for you to go bankrupt buying them extravagant birthday presents.

7.  Letting small expenditures add up

If your money is disappearing every month and you can’t figure out where it’s going, odds are you’re not keeping track of minor expenditures.  Say you take a trip to the grocery store to pick up a gallon of milk for three dollars.  While you’re there you pick up some ice cream, maybe a twelve pack of soda.  You spend three dollars on candy for the kids in the checkout line.  Swing through a drive-through on the way home to get some food.  Why not get the large for only a few cents more?   Each of these items individually may not be very significant, but by the time you get home, you may have spent $30-$40 during you trip out for some milk.  If these sound like the kind of expenditures you might make without keeping track, that’s probably where your money is going.

6.  Not saving money

If despite your best efforts you find yourself owing more money than you expected, it can be a huge relief to realize you have some money saved up that can help gt you out of trouble.  Try putting a percentage of every paycheck into a savings account you never touch.  If something you didn’t expect rears up and you have to pay a lot of money, you may find that you can take care of it without declaring bankruptcy.

5.  Not keeping track of your funds

How much money do you currently have in your checking account?  How about your savings?  What have you put on your credit card in the past week?  If you don’t know the answer to all three of these questions, you’re probably going to wind up overspending.

4. Putting too much on your credit card

Credit card debt is a serious problem in this country.  One main reason is that people treat them as free money without really planning how they will pay off the money they put on them.  Another is that people don’t think about the interest rate they will have to pay on purchases on their credit card.  If you are making a purchase on credit that you could pay in cash, it may be better to use cash than to risk interest rates running away from you.

3. Letting late fees build up

Almost everyone is late with a bill from time to time.  What can really kill you is being late with your bills so often that late fees and surcharges start to build up.  Before long, the late fees you pay every month may be as large as any of your other bills.

2.  Ignoring bills

This should be obvious, but some people simply don’t take action.  If you don’t pay your creditors, they are within their rights to take collection action against you.  Most of them, however are willing to be lenient if you will simply talk to them.  A lot of companies will allow you extensions if you need them as long as you talk to them in time.  Give it a try.

1.  Spending more than you earn

Everything else on this list is derived from this one simple rule:  Know how much you make, and spend less than that.  It’s sounds simple, but it can fell complicated.  Once you start keeping track of you earnings and expenses, however, you’ll probably be surprised at how easy it becomes.

Debt Settlement / Debt Consolidation Help / Debt Settlement Services

Interest rate is one of the most important considerations for a home mortgage loan. Recent trends indicate show that interest rates not only have increased slightly, but will continue to increase over the years.

When it comes time to buy your home, it’s only natural to be a little concerned about interest rates and whether the rates will increase before a home loan closes. Fortunately, there are some steps prospective home owners can take to prevent your home interest rate from skyrocketing and keep your monthly payment from becoming a shock situation.

When you first make an offer on a home, the mortgage loan officer will ask whether you’d like to “lock in” your interest rate. There are lots of options for locking in the interest rate, and the whole premise can seem a bit confusing. What exactly does lock in mean, how much will it cost you and what how long should you lock in?

A rate lock is an agreement you make with the lender to keep the interest rate fixed over a period of time while you loan documentation is processed. Standard lock in periods are 30, 45, 60, or more days. When you lock in an interest rate, you are paying a fee to guarantee the interest rate. The longer period of time you lock into, the higher the fee.

Buyers experience anxiety when they try to figure out if they should lock in, and for how long. There’s no way to guarantee what will happen with interest rates, either short term or long term. In general, when interest rates have been increasing, instead of staying flat or decreasing, it’s better to lock in.

Lock in fees are calculated as a percentage of the house sales price. These fees are called “points”. One point is one percent of the purchase price of the home. As an example, a lender may charge a quarter or half-point to lock in an interest rate for 30 days (actual fees will vary).

If you’ve worked with a mortgage broker prior to finding a home, chances are you are either prequalified or preapproved. When you let the mortgage company do the work before hand, the loan will probably close faster. Your agent or broker can give you an estimate on the amount of time you’ll need to close, and help you determine how long to lock the loan in for.

There’s no reason to feel anxiety about the interest process in home financing. Interest rates are still quite low, and simply by locking into your interest rate you can keep guarantee that the loan will close with the interest rate you want.