Finance Articles

You may have noticed an increase in your health insurance premium recently. Here we examine some of the possible reasons for this and look into ways of combating them. According to the market-research group Datamonitor, medical inflation is the reason for yearly increases of 8% in health insurance premiums. The steady progress in the development of new drugs, therapies and equipment used to diagnose medical conditions and the resulting costs are an obvious reason for this....

The Council of Mortgage Lenders? figures are showing a growing trend in interest only mortgages. From January to March 2002, 9% of new mortgages were interest only. Now take the period from October to December 2005, and the amount of new interest only mortgages has risen to 23%. In the same timeframe, the number of first time buyers choosing interest only mortgages has increased from 6% to 15%. There?s a good reason for this upturn, and that?s because the monthly payments ...

There are some new types of home loans coming onto the market which are being advertised at present. Several of the mortgage companies are offering variation of them and they are being marketed as ?lifetime? loans. So might this be the end of the short-term mortgage? Not necessarily so, it appears that there are still bargains out there for those prepared to shop around. Mortgage brokers usually advise discounted short term mortgages and advise clients to regularly shop ar...

Whatever stage of the mortgage game you?re at, unless you happen to be a qualified financial advisor, solicitor and broker all rolled into one, you?ll need professional help to find and arrange your loan. This guide presents some basic information on mortgages, but you?ll need to take specialist advice for your individual circumstances. Having a general awareness of the processes involved and an idea of what?s available to you should help you to make the right decision whe...

Ever dreamed of running away to live in the sun? Whereas people used to aspire to a second home in a seaside resort, thousands are now looking further afield to find their dream lifestyle. It?s a seductive image ? sunny weather, relatively cheap property, and with low-cost flights running several direct flights a day from the UK and easy to get to. You may want to retire to the Med, or you may want a holiday home with sunshine virtually guaranteed. Either way, the market i...

It?s becoming more popular to remortgage your house these days ? all this means is switching to a different mortgage and sometimes a different lender to take advantage of a better deal. If your circumstances have changed since you first took out your mortgage, you may find you want to switch to a new mortgage that better suits you. Likewise, if you chose a mortgage with a special rate for the first few years, once it reverts you?re paying more than other mortgages. So it c...

If you are a homeowner and in need of some extra cash, one possibility you could consider is taking out a second mortgage. If the present value of your house exceeds the amount you paid for it (your mortgage total), then you have equity that can be used to borrow more money. This is basically a loan that is secured on your house ? and is sometimes termed a further advance. Finding Another Lender? You can approach your existing lender for a second mortgage, or shop aroun...

With the housing market is now showing marked signs of recovery, especially in the South and London, the number of homeowners mortgaging for more than £500,00 is increasing. (Also see Latest Market Facts at the end of this article.) Previously, prospective borrowers for these mega mortgages have experienced a mixed reception from the lenders ? sometimes the lenders would provide the facility but viewed them as higher risk. For that reason lenders typically charged a premiu...

Does the thought of negotiating a property deal in Spanish bring you out in a cold sweat? The complexities of mortgages are confusing enough; let alone considering a different language and legal system. Never fear though, as there are experts who can guide you through the process and do the negotiating on your behalf. Most will speak fluent English, and have a thorough knowledge of the Spanish market and house-buying process. As it has become more and more popular to buy a...

The boom in online banking and the success of some of the bigger online banks looks likely to revolutionise the way we manage our finances. Mortgages are no exception ? now that virtually all lenders have an online presence and many will allow you to access your account on the web, new innovations are making mortgages ever more flexible and can offer fantastic deals for borrowers. Finding information on the web is one of the easiest ways to compare mortgages. A good source...