Archive for July, 2009

Bobby Robson Dies

UK football legend Bobby Robson has died. The 76-year-old football manager has lost his fight with cancer. He played for Fulham and West Brom during the 1950s and 1960s, and later went on to manage Fulham, Ipswich, PSV, Sporting Lisbon, Porto, Barcelona and the club he supported as a boy, Newcastle.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation was launched in March 2008. The foundation has raised more than £1.3 million to fight cancer.

“Sir Bobby’s funeral will be private and for family members only.

Free Fantasy Football from Metro – Bigger and Better!!

<p>Ever  watch a football game and think to yourself that you could better  manage the team yourself .Well, after months of watching managers make  one mess after the other as well as following the movements of football  players during transfer season I have decided that I want to have a go  at this football coach / manager thing.</p>
<p>I then came across <a href=”http://fantasyfootball.metro.co.uk”>fantasy football</a> which is a game where you can assemble an imaginary team of real life players and score points based on those players’ actual statistical performance or their perceived contribution on the field.&nbsp; In my opinion the best fantasy football so far is from <a href=”http://www.metro.co.uk”>Metro</a>. They have recently re-launched their offer and to top it off there are tons of great prizes to be won.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s based around the Premier League and FA cup and to improve on last year&rsquo;s game =, you can now be in control of your substitute so you can really maximize your chances of&nbsp;scoring big points. You’ll also be able to choose from&nbsp;5 formations which you can switch between during the season. </p>
<p>I&rsquo;ve  signed up and can&rsquo;t say that I am disappointed. This is tons of fun and  what&rsquo;s best is I can actually win some extra dosh at the same time. </p>

Don’t Overpay for Your Home Loan




WHAT interest rate are you paying on your housing loan? If you are paying 3.5 per cent or more, you might be overpaying. With the US Federal Reserve cutting interest rates, the Singapore Inter-bank Offered Rate, or Sibor, has been on a downward trend. Sibor is the rate at which banks lend to one another. Currently, the three-month Sibor has fallen to about 1.4 per cent, down from about 2.5 per cent last year.

Banks have started lowering interest rates offered on housing loans to as low as 2.08 per cent. Thus, if you’re paying an interest rate of 3.5 per cent or more, it might make sense for you to refinance your housing loan to enjoy interest savings. If consumers hold the view that interest rates are likely to fall, choosing a housing loan package pegged to Sibor would enable them to automatically enjoy lower interest rates as Sibor moves lower.

For example, if your outstanding loan is $500,000 and you’re currently paying 3.5 per cent interest with a remaining loan period of 20 years, the total interest savings for the next three years from refinancing can work out to $13,831.38. After factoring in the cost of refinancing, the net interest saving still works out to $13,331.38. Thus, by refinancing, you can be ‘richer’ by over $10,000.

Floating rate vs Sibor/SOR pegged packages: Each bank will usually set its own board rate and after deducting a ‘discount factor’, arrive at the floating (adjustable) interest rate charged to clients. The problem is that each bank will set its own board rate arbitrarily and there might be occasions when Sibor rates fall, and banks don’t reduce the interest rates charged on floating (adjustable) rate packages. Thus, in a bid to increase the transparency, some banks have recently introduced housing loan packages with interest rates pegged to Sibor or Swap Offer Rates (SOR).

The advantage of such packages is that as and when inter-bank offer rates move up or down, your interest rate would be adjusted as well – it would not be at the bank’s discretion. Currently, Sibor/SOR have fallen below 1.4 per cent and interest rates charged on such loans can be as low as 2.08 per cent.

With the US expected to continue cutting interest rates in the next few months, Sibor is expected to remain low or even fall further in the next six to 12 months. Thus, if consumers hold the view that interest rates are likely to fall, choosing a housing loan package pegged to Sibor would enable them to automatically enjoy lower interest rates as Sibor moves lower.

Beware: Fixed rate packages typically come with lock-in periods. Some banks recently also adjusted interest rates charged on their fixed rate packages downwards to an average of 2.58 per cent for the first three years. However, such packages come with a penalty period of three years. Thus, such packages might not be suitable for consumers who intend to sell their property within the next three years, as they are liable to a penalty fee.

Should you apply for a housing loan now for properties purchased on a deferred payment scheme? You might have purchased a property on a deferred payment scheme and only need to take a loan when the project gets its Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP), which might be in 2009 or 2010. Should you apply for a housing loan now? By applying for a loan now, you eliminate the risk of loan rejection should there be any adverse change in your financial situation in future, for instance, a pay cut or job loss when the property is ready. You also eliminate the risk of banks granting a lower loan quantum should the property market turn and prices fall. To safeguard your interests, you can choose a loan package that allows you a free loan conversion so that you can switch to a better package should one be available nearer TOP.

Cash in on your property without selling it: With property prices having gone up in the past three years, you might now own a property whose value has doubled. In that case, your current debt-to-asset ratio might have fallen considerably. For instance, say you bought a $1 million property three years ago and took an 80 per cent loan, or $800,000. Currently, the loan outstanding is about $750,000, while the current value of this property might have gone up to $2 million. This means your current debt-to-asset ratio is only 37.5 per cent. How can you benefit from the rise in the property price without selling your property? You can consider taking an equity loan on the property. For instance, in the above example, subject to your credit score, banks might grant you an additional equity loan of up to $850,000. To be conservative, you can consider taking up a lower equity loan of, say, $450,000, bringing your debt-to-asset ratio to a comfortable 60 per cent. You can use the $450,000 equity loan granted by the bank to start a business, or even to invest in another property. The interest rate on equity loans in Singapore is very low and can be as low as 2.2 per cent currently.

Should you pay off or reduce your housing loan?: The Singapore government has projected the inflation rate in 2008 to be about 5 per cent. On the other hand, the interest rate on housing loans is about 2.2 per cent. Thus, we have a rare scenario of negative interest rates, that is, a person who takes a housing loan is actually ahead of someone who saves money in bank deposits because of the shrinkage of money from inflation.

On the other hand, interest rates on bank deposits have fallen to about 1.5 per cent. With inflation at 5 per cent, it means that a consumer is losing 3.5 per cent a year by putting money in bank deposits.

Instead of paying down your housing loan which charges low interest rates of less than 3 per cent, you can consider investing your cash in a stable investment that is not subject to large price fluctuations and offers higher returns than fixed deposits. One example is UK-traded endowments, which have a guaranteed cash value and generate annual returns of 6-8 per cent.

How to choose a suitable housing loan?: There are over 113 different housing loan packages available in Singapore at any one time. Each package has its own unique features, with its own pros and cons and different terms and conditions. Consumers might be confused by the wide array of choices. In the last few years, with the emergence of independent mortgage brokers in Singapore, home loan shopping and comparison have been made easier.

Basically, an independent mortgage broker who knows your requirements can help you zoom in on the most attractive home loan packages suitable to your needs. You typically do not have to pay for the service of a mortgage broker as banks pay them a fee.

In more advanced countries such as the US and Australia, people usually apply for home loans through a mortgage broker rather than go to the bank directly. In Singapore, many people are still unaware of the services and benefits of engaging a mortgage broker, but things are likely to change with public education and increasing awareness.



Establish a Business Credit Line

The benefits of a small business credit line may be a great choice for many because it can provide the most convenient financing for most businesses.

Ease and Availability

Business credit lines are generally easy to obtain and are available through many financial institutions. They provide you with the flexibility that may be needed in unexpected situations. It may also be used all the time and paid off monthly as a great way to easily manage the money going out of the company. You can use the line of credit just like cash.

Better than a Loan

Interest rates are generally better on a line of credit than with a small business loan. With a small business loan you are going to be charged interest on the entire amount of money borrowed. In comparison, with a business line of credit you are going to be charged on the amount of money you use at any given time. This is a tremendous advantage because it gives you the flexibility of having the money available but not having to use it unless necessary. You can also make payments over time in case you don’t have the money to pay off the line of credit in full.

Establish Good Credit

Maintaining a line of credit and utilizing it correctly can help your company establish a healthy business credit. This will ensure that you are able to obtain more working capital and it will also gives banks the opportunity to provide you with much lower interest rates on any money you might borrow. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should always maintain separate credit for your business than for yourself. Always make sure that you are keeping separate credit cards, lines of credit and maintaining a good record of all expenses. This will not only help you when tax time comes, it is going to much easier on you if you’ve kept good records and kept separate records.

Build the Relationship

It can be very important to build a good relationship with your bank. This will help you get better options. It will also help you understand the system of lending better if you have a relationship with someone at your financial institution that you can trust. Get involved with a lender that you can feel comfortable with and can have the flexibility with and openness to ask questions. Trust is essential when dealing with money and especially when you are going to be dealing with a lot of it. Make sure you ask the right questions and choose a lender that you are going to be able to build a professional relationship with for the long term.

Building a business can be difficult, especially when you can’t predict what the economy is going to do. However, prepare yourself and have options when it comes to money that will allow you to weather any storm that comes your way. Small businesses have a lot of options when it comes to lending; choose the one that is going to be right for your business and the one that is going to help you in the long term. Ask the right questions, do your research and choose the option that is going to benefit your company the most.

Finance Loans

Finance loans come in many different forms. Depending on your need, you will find that the finance loans you have at your fingertips come with many different terms and stipulations. Below is a list of common finance loans:

1.    Builder construction loan

2.    Commercial building loans

3.    Construction loan

1. Small business loan

Although many of their meanings are similar, they are referenced in different ways. A builder construction loan is another name for a construction loan in most cases. Finance loans, although quite significantly different in some lights, have underlying aspects that are the same.

In order to qualify for a commercial building loan, you will have to have an excellent credit score; the same applies to a construction loan as well. The bottom line is, the lenders do not want to dole out finance loans to those who are a high risk of never paying the loan back.

Securing good finance loans can sometimes be difficult and the recommendation of a broker always comes to mind. Although a business can obtain finance loans on their own, a broker makes this process easier for the business and allows it concentrate on what it does best; making money!

Although many of their meanings are similar, they are referenced in different ways. A builder construction loan is another name for a construction loan in most cases. Finance loans, although quite significantly different in some lights, have underlying aspects that are the same.

In order to qualify for a commercial building loan, you will have to have an excellent credit score; the same applies to a construction loan as well. The bottom line is, the lenders do not want to dole out finance loans to those who are a high risk of never paying the loan back.

Securing good finance loans can sometimes be difficult and the recommendation of a broker always comes to mind. Although a business can obtain finance loans on their own, a broker makes this process easier for the business and allows it concentrate on what it does best; making money!

Right Business Investment

Whether you are strategic planning to start your own business,looking forward to some profitable work from home opportunities or searching for a suitable business partner, preparing the perfect setup for a business is one of the first and most important steps that you need to take. From having the right financial capital, good networks and right kind of entrepreneurship to strategic planning and careful decision-making, establishing a business in today’s ever-growing corporate market takes a lot of careful strategic planning and intelligent investment. Once you get the precise guidance for making your business enterprise find the right place in today’s corporate world, making your enterprise proceed smoothly and gaining a cutting edge over your competitors become much easier jobs.

Starting a new business involves investment in a number of ways. One of the first and foremost decisions you have to make is what type of business you want to run, the products you want to deal with and the specific business goals you have in mind regarding the same. Next comes arranging the capital that you can invest and the strategic planning according to which you want to proceed in your commercial venture so that you get to reap the maximum amount of profit in the minimum amount of time. While for businessmen conducting their commercial enterprises for long time periods, points such as these come naturally, for entrepreneurs in their respective commercial fields, proper guidance in the respective commercial fields play a major role in giving their business venture the correct start. From starting a business and finding the right investor to selecting a venture capital and finding the right business partner, investment guidance websites guide you in almost every aspect of your commercial enterprise.

One of the primary factors for a successful business is finding the right exposure for your products and services. In order to gain the best perspective of where exactly your business stands in the current commercial market, you must have clear knowledge about the prevailing market scenario. You can gain an edge over your competitors dealing with the same line of products and/or services by properly understanding the market demands at a particular point of time and what your rivals are offering. Investment guidance websites provide you with a look into making the best business investments so that your commercial venture is able to capture the market (of the relevant product) in minimum amount of time with maximum revenue generated in your favor.

In most cases, banks play a central role in providing this financial capital to business-starters. However, as the rates of interest charged by the banks in these cases are significantly higher, businessmen often seek more affordable means of obtaining the business loans. Investment guidance websites provide you information on many other alternative sources, in addition to banks and financial companies, from where you can conveniently borrow the required amount of capital for starting your business

Business loans come in all shapes and sizes. There are lots of great reasons why you might be interested in applying for a business loan. You could be looking for startup financing just to get your business going. Or if you have an existing business, you may need to improve your production processes. Some companies need extra financing to increase their inventory at times of peak demand. Still others are looking to buy new equipment or purchase business property.

Your first step before you apply for an Australian business loan is to make sure you’re getting the right kind of business loan. Do you just need short-term financing or are you looking for long-term money? The most popular solution for short-term financing is business overdraft protection. It’s perfect for dealing with unforeseen expenses that may deplete your working capital. Your eligibility for business overdraft protection and the line of credit you can obtain depends on what security can offer and your business’s ability to repay.

Long-term financing is most often sought for business expansion, construction or equipment purchase. Most longer-term Australian business loans have a repayment period of one to five years.

You should begin by deciding what you will use the financing for and exactly how much money you need. This will help you determine the type of loan you want. Your next step will be to determine the best place to obtain financing.

To be fully prepared to apply for an Australian business loan, you’ll need to put together complete, up-to-date information about your business. Specifically you’ll need a current listing of your assets, liabilities and equity. Unless your business happens to be a one-man operation, this is something you’re going to need to get your accountant involved with. The lender probably won’t be impressed with notes on a napkin.

In addition to the standard business financial documents, you will also need to prepare cash flow projections. They communicate how money flows in and out of your business. Your cash flow projections should cover at least the next 12 months. Even if your income and expenses are variable, they normally even out over a year’s time.

Once you have all your information together, it’s time to contact your chosen lender and get an application. Depending on the lender and your location, this may involve picking up a paper application from a branch office. Many lenders now offer online applications for Australian business loans.

In most cases, the lender’s application and the business documents mentioned above will suffice. But in some instances, especially if you’re borrowing a large sum of cash or want to put it to some unusual purpose, the lender may require a more detailed loan proposal. This may be similar to proposals made what you started your business and could require an updated business plan.

If you’re self-employed and you wish to apply for an Australian business loan, special rules that make things a little easier may apply. If you or your business have an indigenous connection, or if you’re looking to finance entry into the import-export market, the Australian government provides special business loan opportunities.

Here are a few extra tips to keep in mind when you apply for an Australian business loan:

* Even though the low monthly payments might be attractive, you should avoid loans with balloon payments. There are no guarantees you’ll have this extra sum of money when it comes due at the end of the loan.

* Beware of loans with negative amortization. If you pay less interest than is being charged, your balance will actually go up.

* Never agree to a loan that includes prepayment penalties. If things go exceptionally well and you want to erase your debt, there’s no reason why you should pay extra for the privilege.

Finally, when you receive your Australian business loan, read the entire loan document before signing it and never, ever sign a document with blank lines that can be filled in later.

The health of small businesses is vital to the health of the entire economy. For this reason, lenders are generally supportive when you apply for an Australian business loan. It provides you with the cash you need and it’s profitable for the lender is well. In the end, your employees and the economy in general also benefit. It’s one of those rare situations in which everybody wins.

Need money to start your new business or expand your existing business? A Commercial loan is can help you to get the cash needed to move forward. You can apply for commercial loans through various lending centres such as banks or private lenders. In order to get this sort of loan approved, you should have a property/business in mind, well establish plan for business, good credit history, and proof of a stable financial history for your business. No matter which lender or sort of commercial loan you select.

There are certain advantages of commercial loans. Let’s take a look on some of the advantages:

Abundant Business opportunities
A commercial loan will open plenty of opportunities for you to begin or expand your business. Commercial loans can be utilized for restaurants, office buildings, repair shops, retirement homes, health care facilities, apartment complexes, hotels, condo, schools, strip malls, or even churches. It will enable you to buy an existing building, build up new building, or purchase multi-unit properties for rental purposes.

Superior than Renting
Purchasing a property is better than renting even in the business monarchy. In most of the cases, it will be beneficial for you now and in future to purchase your own property. If you own a property, you can make changes according to you and make improvement whenever you want. In some cases, renting will be the same or over more than monthly installments.

Going Out Of Business
In case of shortfall or for any reason if you need to close your business, you’ll be able to sell the property along with the business. Usually, most of the commercial loans are assumable, so a qualified buyer could take over your loan terms and payments without need to take a new loan of their own. Make sure to ask your lender or broker, whether it can take place if ever the need arises.

Modified For Your Loan Requirements
Another advantage of commercial loans is you can generally pick and select which broker, lender, or sort of mortgage you would prefer. There are private lenders and brokers are available who works with you in case of special loan requirements or if a major lender has rejected your loan down due to credit reasons.

Be it a mainstream lender or private brokers make sure to check out your online options as well. You can take commercial loan via online broker and save lots of your time as well as money.

Major Church Financing Difficulties




ng>Financing, Loans and Commercial Finance for Churches at Church-Financing.com.

Nearly all Churches necessitate the need of a commercial real estate financing. The financial sources for real and substantial estate includes: Regional banks, Private investors, Insurance companies, Saving and Loan institutions and Mortgage banking firms. First let’s touch on the obstacles that occur during the process of acquiring the church mortgage loans & church financing.

The Major Church Financing Difficulties:

(1) Church properties are unique and so, for this reason Lenders have a great apprehension regarding this matter because if the loans are not paid within a stipulated time, Lenders will be accounted for it. They have to assume ownership of the property. Owing to unique property features, it is not going to be easy to come across a new owner.

(2) For getting the hold of church loans, Lenders often entail the need of “personal guarantors” especially on account of prior observation with reference to the complexities that are involved in selling the church property again.

(3) When the church financing needs are attained, there are many objectionable terms that get exist. Such as: Minute amount of loans, low loan-to-value (LTV) of 50% to 60%, short-period time of loans and rates of high interest. By this, churches get many possibilities to face the countless financial difficulties.

(4) More than Purchasing and/or Refinancing, Church Financing, Church Construction Loans, Church Renovation and Land acquisition loans are considered as more intricate to deal with. Therefore, needed repairs are delayed for an indefinite period and new churches take lots of years to become a reality.

The Practical Solutions for the Problems which have been Issued above are:

(1) High LTV: High LTV of 75% to 85% would generate a realistic amount of about 15% to 25% that can be utilized for the purpose of down payment or non-financed portion in refinancing.(2) Long-term loans: To make the church financing more successful, rather than short-term, church financing should be of a long term, i.e. up to at least time period of 30 years.

(3) Non-Recourse Loans: Being reluctant towards individual guarantors fetches a non-traditional church lender. And than through this approach, church lending will no more rely on individual guarantors for the church financing.(4) Large sum of Loan: Ability to accommodate large church loan needs, at least of $500,000. This move would than persuade churches to finish their most business financing in one stage rather than by going through many stages.

(5) Low interest rates: Churches are being charged with the sky-scraping interest rates than it is actually required. Church financing payments can be phenomenally reduced if the payments are restricted to prime plus 1% or less than that. As a result, long-term church loan as well as decrease in overall payment will improve the church cash flow considerably.

For more detail log on to www.church-financing.com. Church Financing is a church loan division of Griffin Capital Funding offers church financing and loans with no personal guarantees, favorable rates and good terms.