Offer Opens on : Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Offer Closes on : Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Offer Type : Close-ended
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If attempting to get a bad credit mortgage, using a mortgage broker is wise. Some people contact traditional lenders when applying for a home loan. However, if your credit is less than perfect, these lenders may be unable to assist you. On the other hand, some traditional mortgage lenders have begun offering bad credit mortgages. Still, for a wide selection of lenders, a mortgage broker is the way to go.

Who Are Mortgage Brokers?

When choosing a good mortgage, brokers operate as the middleman. It is important to compare lender offers before accepting a mortgage. Unfortunately, many homebuyers skip this step. Comparing lenders is tedious and time consuming. Thus, those in a rush to purchase a home make the mistake of submitting one loan application and accepting the first offer.
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If your credit is less than perfect, you may think that home ownership is just a dream. But, actually, it’s possible to get a mortgage loan even if you have a low credit score. You’ll have to make a few trade-offs, but you can get approved for a mortgage loan–even with poor credit–if you:

Choose a “special” loan

Certain mortgage loans–like FHA loans or VA loans–are specifically designed to help Americans achieve the dream of home ownership. Because of this, they have lower down payment requirements and more lenient criteria for approval, so even those with a shaky credit history can obtain one of these loans. You’ll have to meet certain criteria–such as Veteran status or income restrictions–and you may have to pay a little extra on your interest and fees, too. Most mortgage lenders will be able to help you find one of these loans.

Save a bigger down payment

In general, the more you borrow, the higher risk you are to the lender. So if you have poor credit, it’s a smart idea to save as much as possible for your down payment, even if this means waiting a few years to buy a home. If, for example, you want to buy a $150,000 home and you only have $10,000 as a down payment, you’ll need to borrow a whopping $140,000 from your lender! But if you have $50,000 as a down payment, you’ll only need to borrow $100,000. From a lender’s point of view, that larger down payment makes you a more attractive borrower, which means you’re more likely to get approved for the mortgage loan.
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In the last article we looked at a few of the things you should consider before leasing that first office or storefront for your business. To recap, you should not only consider the old standard “location, location, location,” but also consider things like sufficient parking, the number of employees who will be working onsite, and future growth projections. I stressed that it was important not to get caught up in the moment. You should take your time to find the space best suited for your business for the long haul, not just for today.

This week we’ll discuss the most important aspect of the process: signing a commercial lease (insert dramatic music here). One of the biggest mistakes many entrepreneurs make when leasing commercial space is not reading the lease. Forget reading the fine print. When it comes to a lease its ALL fine print.

Don’t believe me? Let me tell you the true story of my friend, Homer, whose name I have changed to protect the ignorant. Homer signed a two year lease on a suite of offices for his business. As the owner of the business Homer signed on the dotted line and agreed to personally guarantee payment of the lease and to abide by its terms. Homer moved in and it was business as usual until the end of the two year lease term drew near. It was then that Homer discovered that failing to read the lease was going to be a very costly mistake.

Toward the end of the two year lease period Homer decided to relocate, but when he gave the landlord what he thought was the customary 30 day notice, he discovered that the lease had automatically renewed for another two year term at the 60 day notice point. In other words, Homer didn’t realize that the lease required a minimum of 60 days notice to let the landlord know that the lease would not be renewed. Because Homer did not know that he was required to give at least 60 days notice of his intent to vacate, the lease automatically renewed for another two years. And there was not a darn thing Homer could do about it but reach around and slap himself in the back of the head for not taking the time to read the lease.

What was the landlord’s position when Homer pointed out that he had not read the lease and therefore was not aware of the 60 day notice? The landlord, while sympathetic to Homer’s plight, stuck to his guns and told Homer that he would have to honor the lease, which meant that even if Homer moved out as planned, he was still on the hook for paying the rent for another two years.
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