Five Reasons to Consider a Remortgage

By: Nicholas Hunt

Gone are the days when we took out a mortgage and stuck with it for life, until the debt had been completely repaid. The remortgage market is big business these days, and taking a look at the options available could considerably improve your finances. What are some of the reasons for considering switching your mortgage?
1) Get a better deal: Are you sure that your current mortgage is the best one you can get? The market is very competitive and mortgage providers are desperate to attract new business, usually by offering special deals to people who switch their mortgage over to them. As well as aiming for a lower interest rate and lower monthly repayments, remortgaging could net you other benefits such as cash back, free home insurance, or other valuable extras depending on the deal.
2) Lock in a low rate: Interest rates are at historic lows, even taking into account the recent rise. Many experts are predicting that rates will begin to rise again over the next few months and years, leading to more expensive mortgages. By replacing your variable rate mortgage with one that has a rate fixed for a few years, you can protect yourself against future rises in the interest rate.
3) Release equity: As house prices have gone through the roof over the last decade or so, many people find that they are sitting on a large amount of equity in their home - the difference between how much their house is worth and what the outstanding mortgage balance is. Taking out a remortgage that will pay off your current mortgage and also give you some extra funds is an effective way of unlocking some of this stored wealth, providing you with the funds you need for home improvements, a holiday or wedding, or any other large expense. It is often cheaper to raise the money with a remortgage than by, for example, taking out a personal loan.
4) Debt consolidation: It's well known that the public as a whole are in debt to a level never seen before, with easy access to relatively cheap credit providing the temptation to 'live now and pay later'. Nonetheless, the money has to be repaid at some time, and credit cards and the like aren't an ideal way of obtaining long term credit. Taking out a remortgage large enough to cover both your mortgage and your other debts will simplify your finances, leaving you with a single monthly repayment to make, which will usually be for a smaller amount than your total repayments at the moment.
5) Change your mortgage type: People's circumstances change over time, and what might have been an ideal mortgage a few years ago when you took it out might not be the most suitable for your current needs. Maybe you want to switch from an interest-only mortgage to a capital repayment one, or you might want to take advantage of some of the more recent features of mortgages such as flexible payments or offsetting - a remortgage can give you the chance to get a deal more in tune with your current circumstances.Bearing all the above in mind, a remortgage might seem like an ideal way forward for restructuring your finances. It's important to remember though that the decision to remortgage is not to be taken lightly, as you could potentially be putting your home at risk if you get it wrong, and so it's essential to seek the advice of a properly qualified mortgage advisor if you are in any doubt.
Article Source: http://www.approvedarticles.com/
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5 Ways To Raise Credit Score

It's not as hard as you think to raise credit score. It's a well known fact that lenders will give people with higher credit scores lower interest rates on mortgages, car loans and credit cards. If your credit score falls under 620 just getting loans and credit cards with reasonable terms is difficult.
There are more than 30 million people in the United States that have credit scores under 620 and if you're probably wondering what you can do to raise credit score for you.

Here are five simple tips that you can use to raise credit score.
1. Get a copy of your credit report
Obtaining a copy of your credit report is a good idea because if there is something on your report that is incorrect, you will raise credit score once it is removed. Make sure you contact the bureau immediately to remove any incorrect information.
Your credit report should come from the three major bureaus: Experian, Trans Union and Equifax. It's important to know that each service will give you a different credit score.

2. Pay Your Bills On Time
Your payment history makes up 35% of your total credit score. Your recent payment history will carry much more weight than what happened five years ago.
Missing just one months payment on anything can knock 50 to 100 points off of your credit score.
Paying your bills on time is a single best way to start rebuilding your credit rating and raise credit score for you.

3. Pay Down Your Debt
Your credit card issuer reports your outstanding balance once a month to the credit bureaus. It doesn't matter whether you pay off that balance a few days later or whether you carry it from month to month.
Most people don't realize that credit bureaus don't distinguish between those who carry a balance on their cards and those who don't. So by charging less you can raise credit score even if you pay off your credit cards every month.
Lenders also like to see a lot of of room between the amount of debt on your credit cards and your total credit limits. So the more debt you pay off, the wider that gap and the better your credit score.

4. Don't Close Old Accounts
In the past people were told to close old accounts they weren't using. But with today's current scoring methods that could actually hurt your credit score.
Closing old or paid off credit accounts lowers the total credit available to you and makes any balances you have appear larger in credit score calculations. Closing your oldest accounts can actually shorten the length of your credit history and to a lender it makes you less credit worthy.
If you are trying to minimize identity theft and it's worth the peace of mind for you to close your old or paid off accounts, the good news is it will only lower you score a minimal amount. But just by keeping those old accounts open you can raise credit score for you.

5. Stay Out Of Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is the single worst thing that will destroy your credit score. Bankruptcy will lower your credit score by 200 points or more and is very difficult to come back from.
Once your credit score falls below 620, any loan you get will be far more expensive. A bankruptcy on your credit record is reported for up to 10 years.
The reality of a bankruptcy is it will limit you to high-interest lenders that will squeeze out high interest rate payments from you for years.
It is better to get credit counseling to help you with your bills and avoid bankruptcy at all costs. By getting credit counseling instead of declaring bankruptcy you can raise credit score over a much shorter period of time.
http://www.amortgage4you.co.uk/article-raise-credit-score.html