<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- generator="wordpress/2.3.3" -->
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>The Mind Traveler</title>
	<link>http://mindtraveler.info</link>
	<description></description>
	<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:01:42 +0000</pubDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3</generator>
	<language>en</language>
			<item>
		<title>Secrets Your Banker Won&#8217;t  Tell You - Which Loan is Best for You?</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/secrets-your-banker-wont-tell-you-which-loan-is-best-for-you/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/secrets-your-banker-wont-tell-you-which-loan-is-best-for-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:01:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/secrets-your-banker-wont-tell-you-which-loan-is-best-for-you/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Recently I was driving in my Car and I heard an Ad for a Mortgage lender who claimed they would help you find the Best Loan out of over 400 Different Loan Types.  400 Different Loan Types now that has to be confusing.  How do you find the Best loan for you.  [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Recently I was driving in my Car and I heard an Ad for a Mortgage lender who claimed they would help you find the Best Loan out of over 400 Different Loan Types.  400 Different Loan Types now that has to be confusing.  How do you find the Best loan for you.  <b>Clearly the Best loan for you is not the Not the best loan for your bank.</b>  Learn the Secrets your Banker doesn&#8217;t want you to Know.</p>
<p><b>Some Questions to ask when Choosing a Loan.</b>
<ul></p>
<p>
<li>How Long will you keep the Loan?</p>
<p>
<li>How Long will you keep the House?</p>
<p>
<li>How much profit is the Bank Making on this Loan?</ul>
</p>
<p><b>The Average Homeowner</b> will get a New Loan every seven years.  If you are going to move or refinance in the Next 7 Years is a 30 Year Fixed rate loan Really Best for You. A 30 Year Fixed rate loan is certainly Best for the banks.  A Typical in Force 30 Year Fixed rate Loan in force today has an Interest Rate of between 5 and 6%.  The Average cost of Funds for a Bank is about 1% (How much interest do they pay you own your checking account,Your Saving account).  This means on a 30 Year Fixed rate Mortgage the bank Earns about 4% to 5%.  If you keep your loan less then 7 Years why get a 30 Year Fixed rate Loan.</p>
<p>Some Lenders are offering loans with Payments Fixed for 5 Years based on a 1.95% Interest rate.  If you look at a standard 200,000 Loan at 5% the Monthly Payment would be $1073 the same Loan at 1.95% would have a Monthly payment of $734. $339 a Month Less. $4068  a Year Less.  If you were to invest this 4068 at the end of 5 years with a 5% Return you would have over $22,700.</p>
<p>Using Equity Indexed Annuities that Pay a 10% Bonus for all payments made in the first 5 years a 5% Return is very reasonable. Equity Indexed Annuities have another advantage in that they accumulate tax free. So now which is the best loan for you?</p>
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: white; background-color: white"><img height="60" width="39" src="http://ezinearticles.com/members/mem_pics/Mike-Makler_8777.jpg" border="0" alt="EzineArticles Expert Author Mike Makler"></div>
<p><b>About the Author</b></p>
<p>Mike Makler is a Financial Consultant in the St Louis Missouri Area Specializing in Real Estate Loans and Annuities.  To Learn More <b>Call Mike at 314 398-5547 </b> or Visit Mike&#8217;s Web Page: <a href="http://ewguru.com/finance" rel="nofollow">http://ewguru.com/finance</a></p>
<p>Get Mike&#8217;s Newsletter Here <a href="http://ewguru.com/fin-news" rel="nofollow">http://ewguru.com/fin-news</a></p>
<p>Copyright &#169; 2005-2006 Mike Makler</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/secrets-your-banker-wont-tell-you-which-loan-is-best-for-you/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Get Paid to Do Online Surveys &#124; Free Surveys + Get Paid</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/get-paid-to-do-online-surveys-free-surveys-get-paid/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/get-paid-to-do-online-surveys-free-surveys-get-paid/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false"></guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Free Paid Survey List: Yet this is far away from the truth it is somewhat similar to all of the get rich promotions we get flooded with everyday in our e-mail]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<style type="text/css">
<!--
.style1 {color: #999999}
-->
</style>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
.style1 {color: #990000}
.style2 {font-weight: bold}
.style4 {font-weight: bold}
.style5 {
	color: #FF0000;
	font-weight: bold;
}
-->
</style>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
.style3 {color: #000000}
-->
</style>
<div align="center">
<p><img src="http://www.top-paidsurveys.org/images/topsurveybanner3.jpg" width="410" height="134"></p>
<p><span class="style5">Get Access To Top 7 Paid To Survey Networks, FREE!<br />
  Get Paid $5 - $295/Survey! Unlimited Surveys Available </span></p>
<table width="300" border="0" align="center">
<tr>
<td>
<div align="center"><!-- GetResponse subscription form | start --></p>
<form action="http://www.getresponse.com/cgi-bin/add.cgi" method="post" id="GRSubscribeForm" accept-charset="UTF-8">
<fieldset></p>
<table>
<tr>
<td>
<label for="GRCategory2">Name</label></td>
<td>
<input type="text" name="category2" size="18" id="GRCategory2" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><label for="GRCategory3">E-Mail</label></td>
<td>
<input type="text" name="category3" size="18" id="GRCategory3" /></td>
</tr>
</table>
<input type="submit" value="$25-$75/Survey (Free List!)" />
<br />
<span class="style1">USA/Canada/UK Only</span><br />
</fieldset></p>
<input type="hidden" name="category1" value="toppaidsurveysorg" />
<input type="hidden" name="confirmation" value="http://www.top-paidsurveys.org/topsurveysite.html"/>
<input type="hidden" name="error_page" value="http://www.top-paidsurveys.org/topsurveysite.html"/>
<input type="hidden" name="ref" value="20L" />
<input type="hidden" name="getpostdata" value="get" />
<style>
<!--
/* form box */
#GRSubscribeForm fieldset {
width: 260px; 
border: 0;
}</p>
<p>/* comment about GetResponse */
#GRSubscribeForm p {
font-size: x-small;
}</p>
<p>/* table used to position form elements */
#GRSubscribeForm table {
border: 0;
}</p>
<p>-->
</style>
<p><!-- GetResponse subscription form | end --><br />
</form>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p></p>
<div align="center"><strong>Multinational Participating Companies: Microsoft, IBM, Apple, Nokia, Sony, Consumer Research, Panasonic, WallMart, Sears, Gucci, Guess, Dell, and thousands more! </strong></p></div>
</div>
<p>As no business will pay for an unfinished survey, the market research companies running the surveys will stipulate to you that if you fail to properly complete any surveys, you will not be paid. Besides getting paid, you will also be eligible for more survey invitations this way, proving yourself reliable. And the larger the number of surveys you complete, the more money you will earn. Getting Get Paid To Do Online Surveys is simple. For those who wish to make some extra income they can also do this work easily and make quick money In the present times many companies are ready to pay to get feedback from their customers so that they may improve and customize their products and services, read on more about Get Paid To Do Online Surveys. Sure you can find tons of websites to make money filling out surveys. Also see Get Paid To Take Surveys Playstation Cash4Allonline. Five: You control your schedule you get paid to offer your opinion on things. </p>
<p>Not duplicating information should be taken note of as it is one of the more important guidelines for writing effective surveys. Customer data should never be repeated. Avoid posting questions that have been asked previously - to avoid annoying your customers. Read on to find out more about Get Paid To Do Online Surveys. Once completed they are then paid via whichever payment option they selected. Find out more about Get Paid To Do Online Surveys and Get Paid To Take Surveys Playstation Cash4Allonline. Yet this is far away from the truth it is somewhat similar to all of the get rich promotions we get flooded with everyday in our e-mail.<br />
Join for Free now at <a href="http://www.top-paidsurveys.org" target="_blank"><strong>http://www.Top-PaidSurveys.org</strong></a></p>
<p>As a matter of fact you can even use their search function to pull up a boat load of past topics on the subject which comes in very handy. More about Get Paid To Do Online Surveys and Get Paid To Take Surveys Playstation Cash4Allonline at our website.  Get all the info on Get Paid To Do Online Surveys from our homepage. Let&#8217;s say you see an offer to take a survey that shouldn&#8217;t take more than 10 minutes. Get paid survey network list absolutely FREE from our website! Absolutely no charge for joining the industry&#8217;s TOP 7 paying survey networks from www.top-paidsurveys.org</p>
<p><span class="style4"></p>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
.style1 {
	color: #990000;
	font-weight: bold;
}
-->
</style>
<p><span class="style1">Apply To Take Surveys (and Get Paid!)<br />
AND to View 100% of Survey Results of Your Choice From EVERY Industry! </span></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/6c66gv30v2IMLPMLRJIKJOQQMPR?sid=20L" target="_blank" onMouseOver="window.status='https://register.i-say.com/research/links/475/index.php?AID=3263280';return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=' ';return true;"><br />
  <img src="http://www.awltovhc.com/7p121kpthnl6A9DA9F7687CEEADF" alt="Join the Ipsos Survey Panel" border="0"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/m865ox52x4KONRONTLKMLPQMRQL?sid=20L" target="_blank" onMouseOver="window.status='http://www.synovate.com';return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=' ';return true;"><br />
<img src="http://www.awltovhc.com/5d66m-3sywHLKOLKQIHJIMNJONI" alt="" border="0"/></a></p>
<p align="left" class="style1 style2">From personal experience, each of these consumer survey networks contains thousands of high paying multinational companies, ready to pay you $10-$300 for every survey done! Absolutely FREE to join. <br />Good Luck! </p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/get-paid-to-do-online-surveys-free-surveys-get-paid/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Down Payment Scams - The IRS is Hunting</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/down-payment-scams-the-irs-is-hunting/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/down-payment-scams-the-irs-is-hunting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:08:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/down-payment-scams-the-irs-is-hunting/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Coming up with the down payment for a home purchase can be a big hurdle. If you are straining to get the money together, be careful because the IRS is targeting down payment scams. 
Down Payment Scams - The IRS is Hunting
Charitable organizations do not pay taxes. This occurs when an organization is qualified by [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Coming up with the down payment for a home purchase can be a big hurdle. If you are straining to get the money together, be careful because the IRS is targeting down payment scams. </p>
<p>Down Payment Scams - The IRS is Hunting</p>
<p>Charitable organizations do not pay taxes. This occurs when an organization is qualified by the IRS as an exempt charity under section 501c3 of the tax revenue code. While most charitable organizations are legitimate, some are really just business that have strained and bent the rules to gain the tax exempt status. The IRS frowns upon such organizations and usually moves to shut them down. </p>
<p>Currently, the IRS is looking at over 180 tax exempt organizations that provide down payment assistance to homebuyers. Specifically, the IRS is looking at a seller financing strategy that it deems to be questionable. The strategy works where a buyer does not have enough money to make the required down payment demanded by a lender. The seller agrees to give the money to a charitable organization in exchange for a tax deduction. The organization then makes a loan to the buyer for the amount required to fund the down payment. Specific strategies vary, but this is the basic idea.</p>
<p>The IRS views this strategy as an abuse of the charitable donation laws. It also appears to be working with HUD and lenders to identify such transactions because lenders are complaining the strategy is fraudulent. If the lenders knew that the buyer could not meet the down payment threshold, they supposedly would not be issuing the loan. With both the IRS and lender agencies unhappy, this strategy should be avoided at all costs. </p>
<p>At this time, it is unclear how the government agencies will treat the seller and buyer in such a transaction. The IRS appears to be primarily interested in the organizations acting as charitable middlemen. Undoubtedly, sellers will eventually be stripped of relevant tax deduction claims and face a higher audit risk. Any ramifications to the buyer are unclear, but the lenders may look to call loans or demand further security. Any way you cut it, these seller financed down payment strategies should be avoided.</p>
<p class="articletext">
<p class="articletext">
Dan Lewis is with Great Western Mortgage - San Diego mortgage brokers.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/05/down-payment-scams-the-irs-is-hunting/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Think You Can&#8217;t Get a Mortgage?</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/04/think-you-cant-get-a-mortgage/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/04/think-you-cant-get-a-mortgage/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:26:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/04/think-you-cant-get-a-mortgage/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You&#8217;ve finally found that dream home that you have always been searching for, but you are afraid to apply for a mortgage because you have bad credit or less than perfect credit.
Before you give up entirely, there are many mortgage programs that are geared towards people just like you. Here&#8217;s a short guide to finding [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You&#8217;ve finally found that dream home that you have always been searching for, but you are afraid to apply for a mortgage because you have bad credit or less than perfect credit.</p>
<p>Before you give up entirely, there are many mortgage programs that are geared towards people just like you. Here&#8217;s a short guide to finding the best one.</p>
<p>The first step in getting a home loan is to find out what your actual credit score is.  This will help to protect you against lenders taking advantage of you because of your poor score. Some companies may try to charge a higher interest rate than the applicant&#8217;s score actually warrants, so being prepared is very important. There are many services to help you find and manage your score, so take advantage of them.</p>
<p>Once you know your score, you can then begin to look around for the best mortgage program. Generally speaking, lending agencies categorize credit scores based upon a ranking system.  The A- category is for those with the best credit; the D-category is for those with the worst credit history.  But even if you fall into the last group, you should be able to find a mortgage scheme.</p>
<p>There are companies that will work with you, regardless of whether you have tax liens, judgements, charge-offs or collections.  Many of these companies will probably assign you a higher interest rate than those with good credit, and perhaps even require you to put down a larger deposit on your home.   On average, those with poor credit histories are only able to finance approximately 80% of the total asking price, so you will be required to put down the difference.</p>
<p>Even if you have a history of bad credit, or county court judgements levied against you,  you should find a mortgage lender who will be sympathetic towards your individual situation.</p>
<div style="float: right; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: white; background-color: white"></div>
<p>Mark Lambie is the founder of The Loan House a website that allows consumers to quickly and easily get mortgage refinance mortgage information.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/04/think-you-cant-get-a-mortgage/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Home Mortgage Buyers</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/home-mortgage-buyers/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/home-mortgage-buyers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:56:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/home-mortgage-buyers/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Surf the net and you will find innumerable companies offering mortgages for financing your homes. While this may seem tempting especially if you are in desperate need to buy a house, a thorough study of the loan programs available in the market will stand you in good stead. This means you should study the pros [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Surf the net and you will find innumerable companies offering mortgages for financing your homes. While this may seem tempting especially if you are in desperate need to buy a house, a thorough study of the loan programs available in the market will stand you in good stead. This means you should study the pros and cons of each program. Also, you should decide upon the locality that suits your requirements and drive down the neighborhood to get a first hand idea of the prevalent rates. This can be possible by interacting with people who have recently bought property there.</p>
<p>Three programs are available for home loans. The first involves monthly installments spread over a period of 30 years, meaning that you&#8217;ll have to pay 360 installments in all to pay off the loan. Another option is the 15 years program, which means 180 monthly installments to be paid over a period of 15 years.</p>
<p>The third is the adjustable rate loan program, which involves an initial low rate of interest for a specific period and then adjusted as per the market rate. Deciding upon the right loan program is not the only feature you need to consider while opting for home loans. You have to consider your own financial situation because you can get home loan up to 80%. This means you have to make a down payment of 20% of the price of the property.</p>
<p>Yet, there is a way out for this also. If you don&#8217;t have the required 20% you can buy private mortgage insurance or PMI as it is generally called. But, if you buy PMIs, you will again have to make a small down payment and small monthly installments till the amount is paid off.</p>
<p>You must remember that before approving a loan, an independent appraiser will survey the property and provide you an estimate of the property and its current value. This is because lenders will lend up to a certain percentage of the property. Moreover the financing company will also run a check on your assets and income in order to ensure your ability to pay back the loan. Also, they will study your credit card report to know your credit history and your financial status before approving your loan.</p>
<div style="float: right; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: white; background-color: white"></div>
<p>Mortgage Buyers provides detailed information about mortgage buyers, first time mortgage buyer advice, first time mortgage buyers and more. Mortgage Buyers is affiliated with Home Equity Loans.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/home-mortgage-buyers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chess Strategy</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/chess-strategy/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/chess-strategy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:02:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Cheats + Games]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/chess-strategy/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  Chess is such a great game to play. It is a one on one game that requires a lot of thought and strategy. You can&#8217;t ever predict with one hundred percent certainty what your opponent is going to do, so you have to plan on what they might do, which move they might [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>  Chess is such a great game to play. It is a one on one game that requires a lot of thought and strategy. You can&#8217;t ever predict with one hundred percent certainty what your opponent is going to do, so you have to plan on what they might do, which move they might make. It is possible to see all of their options and plan according to what they might do, but you can never know for certain. Chess requires a game plan and a strategy, you have to ask yourself &#8220;What is my plan with this game?&#8221;. This means you could be aggressive with your game and make strong and bold moves, or you could play on the defense and let the other person be aggressive. It is such a mental game and if you lose focus while playing you could let the other person take control of the game and beat you. Chess is not a game that requires physical exercise, so you might want to <a href="http://acceletrim.blogspot.com">supplement with Acceletrim</a> and get your exercise in before you play. Chess requires mental focus and eating healthy is important to keep you focused when you play. Chess is best played under a time limit per move because if the person you play takes forever to make a move, it could take hours upon hours to finish a game.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/chess-strategy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Home Mortgage Rate Shopping - Why Some Shoppers Give Up And Others Don&#8217;t</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/home-mortgage-rate-shopping-why-some-shoppers-give-up-and-others-dont/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/home-mortgage-rate-shopping-why-some-shoppers-give-up-and-others-dont/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2009 07:25:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/home-mortgage-rate-shopping-why-some-shoppers-give-up-and-others-dont/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[About 29% of current homeowners and a much larger percent of consumers with income levels above $50,000 feel it best to stay as far away from offers to finance or refinancing their home as possible. And this seemly for good reason.  Trying to get a great deal on a mortgage loan or shopping for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>About 29% of current homeowners and a much larger percent of consumers with income levels above $50,000 feel it best to stay as far away from offers to finance or refinancing their home as possible. And this seemly for good reason.  Trying to get a great deal on a mortgage loan or shopping for low rate refinancing can be a pain in the neck and a complete and total hassle for most of us.  What&#8217;s worse, when we think we&#8217;ve found a great offer we&#8217;re made to feel like a heel when we start asking questions about rates, points and fees.<br />
But of course their making us feel like a heel is all a part of the game, right?</p>
<p>The fact is many large transactions make it to the closing table under duress, an urgent need to relocate or the pressure to relieve oneself of heavy debt obligations.  Aside from these factors most of us just aren&#8217;t motivated to make changes on a financial basis even if means risking sustaining our present way of life.</p>
<p><b>Ignorance Is Bliss Until&#8230;</b><br />
Often the real reason behind not being motivated to make major home improvements or lower ones mortgage rates to something more reasonable may very well be the bliss of ignorance.  That is to say the bliss of simply not knowing how.  Not knowing how to finding the right loan. Not knowing how to find the right lender. Not knowing how to lower ones rates or how to eliminate all the unnecessary red tape. Not knowing how to tell a predatory lender from a lender who actually has your best interest reflected in his closing documents.   Not knowing how to accelerate the loan process. It&#8217;s no wonder we don&#8217;t know how to approach these issues, most of the news articles and periodical we read don&#8217;t address these needs and issues with enough depth to achieve the desired results.</p>
<p>The sad thing is when we finally decided to look into doing something about it all we get fed is a bunch of hot air from folks who can&#8217;t wait to get their grimy hands on our money or worse hour home.  So we sit and we wait until the pretence that we are protecting our assets runs thin.  While we wait and do nothing we are confronted with the fact that while everyone else&#8217;s home is appreciating ours may actually be depreciating not to mention the need to address all the mounting credit card debt and those bills that seem to be piling up daily. Yes ignorance is bliss until the roof caves in or the termites take a bite out of that untreated deck.</p>
<p><b>Knowing Is The Best Motivator</b><br />
We must admit at some point in time that protecting our assets can be better accomplished when we know exactly who and what we&#8217;re protecting them from in the first place.  And that would be our creditors, the termites and above all ignorance itself.</p>
<p>Getting to know our financial situation better as well as our options for improvement may actually help us protect and maintain what we value most - our way of life.</p>
<p><b>From Borrower To Investor</b><br />
According to The Mortgage Loan Search Network, an online informational resource at <a href="http://www.bcpl.net/~ibcnet" rel="nofollow">www.bcpl.net/~ibcnet</a> the key to protecting our assets is allowing their value to reach it&#8217;s full potential. That is to say, when our money and other assets increase in value and start to make money we are in a better position to maintain what we&#8217;ve worked so hard to acquire.</p>
<p>That said, when one must opt for a home equity loan or cash out refinance loan in order to make necessary improvements in the home or invest in a business or pay college tuition costs the borrower in fact becomes an investor.  The money borrowed is being used to bring in a greater return.  With that in mind a site called LowMortgageRates at <a href="http://www.lowmortgagerates.cc." rel="nofollow">www.lowmortgagerates.cc.</a> lists a number of ways to borrow cash, reduce mortgage rates while lowering mortgage payments, increasing ones home value and creating an income stream to offset debt and eventually eliminate most if not all debt over a shorter period of time.</p>
<p><b>Getting To The Bargaining Table</b><br />
Still the questions looms, how do you find the right loan, the right lender, lower your mortgage rates, eliminate unnecessary red tape, avert predatory lending schemes and accelerate the loan process? According to one mortgage rate shopping site much of this can be handled in the following ways:</p>
<p>1. Work with your current lender. All your loan documents are already on file accelerating the loan process.</p>
<p>2. Get recommendations of good, reputable, credible lenders from respected trusted sources such as family members, friends and co-workers.</p>
<p>3.  Ask recommended lender for references from satisfied customers.</p>
<p>4. Get several low mortgage rate quotes using online tools.</p>
<p>The low mortgage rates network at <a href="http://www.lowmortgagerates.cc" rel="nofollow">www.lowmortgagerates.cc</a> presents foolproof methods of screening lenders and getting the rates you want quickly and painlessly. For example, the site suggests that when you&#8217;re ready to step over to your current lenders bargaining table bring along low mortgage rate offers from other lenders such as those found online. This will motivate your current lender to meet or beat your best offer.</p>
<p>Ignorance is only bliss until the unforeseen overtakes us. After that we either kick ourselves for not knowing or we smile warmly and proudly for having taken the time to learn how to protect our valued assets and way of life.</p>
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: white; background-color: white"></div>
<p>Mark Askew is the founder of the LowMortgageRates Network, a mortgage and home refinancing information resource for low mortgage rate shoppers located on the web at <a href="http://www.lowmortgagerates.cc" rel="nofollow">http://www.lowmortgagerates.cc</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/03/home-mortgage-rate-shopping-why-some-shoppers-give-up-and-others-dont/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Barely 37 Kilometres Trip from Santiago in Chile Main Airport Is Great Snowboarding</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/01/barely-37-kilometres-trip-from-santiago-in-chile-main-airport-is-great-snowboarding/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/01/barely-37-kilometres-trip-from-santiago-in-chile-main-airport-is-great-snowboarding/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:32:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Better Recreation]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Travel Parlor]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/01/barely-37-kilometres-trip-from-santiago-in-chile-main-airport-is-great-snowboarding/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Snowboarding holidays in Chile? What type of strange destination is that? Isn&#8217;t S. America primarily about jungles than about skiing? Surprisingly no. South America is a continent that stretches from the equator all the way to Tierra del Fuego close to the n. of Antarctica. On the spine of South America are the Andes. It&#8217;s [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
Snowboarding holidays in Chile? What type of strange destination is that? Isn&#8217;t S. America primarily about jungles than about skiing? Surprisingly no. South America is a continent that stretches from the equator all the way to Tierra del Fuego close to the n. of Antarctica. On the spine of South America are the Andes. It&#8217;s amongst the most grand mountain range in the globe and when range passes through the tropical zone, the peaks are amazingly snow capped.
</p>
<p>
S. America&#8217;s finest  skiing places are to be found in Argentina and Chile with awesome <a href="http://www.chalet1802.co.uk">skiing deals</a>. Amongst the central regions of of Chile and Argentiuna one can locate many skiing fields. The most far-famed skiing resort in South America is named by a few Little Suisse and whenever one travel there you&#8217;ll think that you&#8217;re in Switzerland with the aesthetic Swiss cottages. The skiing town has catered chalets, a bowling alley, shops, and all that you need to insure a great skiing vacation. The most famous snowboarding mountain in S America is in Chile. Placed scarcely 34 miles from the Santiago&#8217;s airport one is able to reach it on a easy ride having flown in non-stop from lots major towns not forgetting Frankfurt, Zurich, Rome, Lyon and Stockholm.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/01/barely-37-kilometres-trip-from-santiago-in-chile-main-airport-is-great-snowboarding/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Discount Points May Be Wise When Purchasing a Home</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/01/discount-points-may-be-wise-when-purchasing-a-home/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/01/discount-points-may-be-wise-when-purchasing-a-home/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:12:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/01/discount-points-may-be-wise-when-purchasing-a-home/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are many expenses one must pay when closing on a mortgage.  Some of these include taxes, a down payment, loan origination fees, and miscellaneous fees for couriers, copying or other office expenses.  No one likes paying these costs, but they are part of the process of taking out a loan.  There [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There are many expenses one must pay when closing on a mortgage.  Some of these include taxes, a down payment, loan origination fees, and miscellaneous fees for couriers, copying or other office expenses.  No one likes paying these costs, but they are part of the process of taking out a loan.  There is one item that can be paid for at closing that may be worthwhile, however, and that is something known as &#8220;discount points.&#8221;</p>
<p>Discount points are a fee paid to the lender in order to reduce the interest rate on the mortgage.  A &#8220;point&#8221; is one percent of the loan amount; in exchange for paying one or more points, the interest rate on the mortgage may be reduced by an agreed upon amount.  Since this fee can easily run in the thousands of dollars, it would make sense to first determine if it is a good idea to pay the lender to reduce the interest rate.</p>
<p>The key to this equation consists of two parts - how much the monthly payment will be reduced if you pay the points and how long you will keep the mortgage.  Most people have some notion of how long they intend to remain in the house they are buying, but it is more difficult to determine how loan you will keep the loan.  After all, if interest rates drop dramatically, you may elect to refinance the mortgage, which would retire the existing one.</p>
<p>When closing approaches, and you are considering &#8220;locking in&#8221; your interest rate, ask your lender if you can reduce the rate by paying points.  After he or she outlines the available options, ask them how much the monthly payment would be reduced if you paid the points.  After that, divide the cost in points by the monthly savings.  The answer will be the number of months that you will have t keep the loan to break even.  If you think you will keep the mortgage for that long or longer, then you should probably pay to reduce the interest rate if you can afford to do so.</p>
<p>Even a savings of $20-30 per month can add up over the life of a 30 year mortgage, so it is well worth your while to see if you can lower the payments.  Why pay more than you have to?</p>
<div style="float: right; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: white; background-color: white"><img height="90" width="72" src="http://ezinearticles.com/members/mem_pics/Charles-Essmeier_5188.jpg" border="0" alt="Charles Essmeier - EzineArticles Expert Author"></div>
<p>&#169;Copyright 2006 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including HomeEquityHelp.com, a site devoted to information regarding mortgages and home equity loans.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2009/01/01/discount-points-may-be-wise-when-purchasing-a-home/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Secured Loans / Second Mortgages</title>
		<link>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2008/12/30/secured-loans-second-mortgages/</link>
		<comments>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2008/12/30/secured-loans-second-mortgages/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:22:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2008/12/30/secured-loans-second-mortgages/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[During the past five years lenders have seen a boom in the demand for second mortgages as borrowers look to capitalise on the equity in their home. The low cost of borrowing coupled with the spiralling value of homes in the UK has led to a substantial strengthening of the equity position of many a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>During the past five years lenders have seen a boom in the demand for second mortgages as borrowers look to capitalise on the equity in their home. The low cost of borrowing coupled with the spiralling value of homes in the UK has led to a substantial strengthening of the equity position of many a homeowner. The equity position of some homeowners is in fact so strong that they now find themselves in the fortunate position of having more equity in their home than they have debts secured against their home on first mortgages and other loans.</p>
<p>Buoyed by the healthy state of positive property equity confidence is running high when it comes to homeowners committing to further borrowing. Many are taking the opportunity to secure second and even third charge loans against the equity in their property in order to release cash funds. Even the more conservative borrowers are now beginning to see the light, despite experts predicting of an imminent slowdown in the housing market. </p>
<p>If you&#8217;re thinking about releasing equity in your home through a second mortgage, here are some things you&#8217;ll need to consider before you take the plunge: -</p>
<p>Interest rates on second mortgages</p>
<p>The interest rates charged on second mortgages are often higher than those that are levied on first mortgages. This is because lenders see second mortgages as a higher risk than first mortgages and so compensate for this risk through fixing higher interest rates on second mortgages. </p>
<p>The increased risk factor on a second mortgage is down to the fact that these types of mortgages are a second charge on the property. That is to say that in the event of you defaulting on repayment to the point that your home is repossessed, the first mortgage lender legally gets first bite of the cherry when it comes to recovery of the loan. For second loans secured against the property, the lender has to wait its turn, running the risk that it may recover only part of the loan advanced or in some cases none of the loan advanced. </p>
<p>Lending criteria</p>
<p>Different lenders have different lending criteria for second charge mortgages. Whilst all lenders are likely to assess applicants for a second mortgage on the value of their home, their ability to repay the loan and their current income to debt ratio, not all lenders will give the same weight to these factors in the final analysis. This is why you may be rejected by one lender but accepted by another on an almost identical second mortgage offer. </p>
<p>Can you afford the repayments?</p>
<p>For a lender to be convinced that you are able to meet the repayments on a second mortgage, you&#8217;ll need to be sure how you&#8217;re going to repay the loan. You should never take on a second mortgage without first planning how you will pay the money back. </p>
<p>Different types of second charge mortgages</p>
<p>There are several different types of second charge mortgages to choose from. Be sure to get information on all your options and select the type of second mortgage that is most suitable for your circumstances. It is advisable to never borrow more than the current equity value in your home.</p>
<p class="articletext">
<p class="articletext">
Matt Bourne is currently working for 1 Track Secured Loans</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mindtraveler.info/archives/2008/12/30/secured-loans-second-mortgages/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
