Mortgage terms : Term – The period of time you are under contract with a specific lender at the interest rate that they are providing for that time period. Amortization – A term used to describe the period of time over which the entire mortgage is to be paid assuming regular payments. Usually 25 or 30 years. Debt service ratio – The percentage of the borrower’s income used for monthly payments of principal, interest, taxes, heating costs, condo fees (if applicable) and debts. GDS is gross debt service – how much you spend on Principal, Interest, Taxes and Heating. TDS is total debt service – GDS plus all other debt payment obligations. Default – A homeowner is ‘in default’ when he or she breaks the terms of a mortgage agreement, usually by not making required mortgage payments or by not making payments on time. Down payment – The money that you pay up-front for a house. Down payments typically range from 5%-20% of the total value of the home, but can be anything above 5%, if you qualify. Early Discharge Penalty – A penalty you may pay your lending institution for breaking the mortgage contract early. This is usually 3 months interest or the Interest Rate Differential (IRD), whichever is larger. See below for IRD.
Paying attention to your financial situation is extremely valuable. Here are some advices regarding financial terms. While many credit cards come with the ability to transfer balances, a balance transfer credit card is one that offers a low introductory rate on balance transfers for a certain period of time. If you want to save money on a high-interest rate balance on an existing card, a balance transfer is a good way to go. Balance transfer interest rates vary – some are as low as 0 percent, but these usually have qualifiers such as a minimum of two transactions a month. The lower the promotional rate (and longer the promotional period) the more attractive the card is. However, you’ll often need good credit to qualify.
Payday Loan Interest: Payday lenders charge borrowers extremely high levels of interest that can range up to 500% in annual percentage yield (APR). Most states have usury laws that limit interest charges to less than approximately 35%; however, payday lenders fall under exemptions that allow for their high interest. Since these loans qualify for many state lending loopholes, borrowers should beware. Regulations on these loans are governed by the individual states, with some states even outlawing payday loans of any kind. In California, for example, a payday lender can charge a 14-day APR of 459% for a $100 loan. Finance charges on these loans are also a significant factor for borrowers as the fees can range up to approximately $18 per $100 of loan. More financial calculators at Home mortgage calculator.
Terms: A working capital loan is one taken to finance the everyday operations of a company. Organizations in industries that have high seasonality or cyclical sales cycles often rely on this type of loan to help tide them over during periods of reduced business activity.
Balance transfer: The movement of the amount owing from one account to another account. A credit card balance transfer, for example, involves the movement of the amount owed on one or more credit cards to another account or institution, usually for the purposes of consolidating debt and/or taking advantage of better interest rates and/or payment terms. More financial info on Best mortgage lenders.
GAAP: As a new investor, it’s important to know the distinction between like measurements because the market allows firms to advertise their numbers in ways not otherwise regulated. For instance, often companies will publicize their numbers using either GAAP or non-GAAP measures. GAAP, or Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, outlines rules and conventions for reporting financial information. It is a means to standardize financial statements and ensure consistency in reporting. When a company publicizes its earnings and includes non-GAAP figures, it means they want to provide investors with an arguably more accurate depiction of the company’s health, like removing one-time items to smooth out earnings. However, the further away a company deviates from GAAP standards, the more room is allocated for some creative accounting and manipulation (like in the case of EBITDA). When looking at a company publishing non-GAAP numbers, new investors should be careful of these pro-forma statements, as they may differ greatly from what GAAP deems acceptable.
Mortgage default insurance – Required if you are contributing between 5% and 20% of the value of the property as the down payment or to satisfy lender requirements, when necessary. More on Mortgage loan. Home Equity Line of Credit – A loan that is secured against your house, like your mortgage, but you obtain a maximum amount that you may borrow but only borrow in the amounts that are needed. You only make payments, minimum is interest only, on what you have borrowed at any given time.