If you want to set up or considering setting up a business of your own, you must bring one thing in mind. You must know that you will need money to make sure that the business functions as it ought to. For the purposes of this study, we shall think of business finance as all the money that will be required for the smooth functioning of the business. This will include money from a variety of sources such as loans from lending institutions, cooperatives and these loans may be acquired either on short term or on long term bases. One thing that should be borne in mind is that it is necessary for every person to understand the fundamentals of business finance. This study is not only meant for those coming into business for the first time. Keep in mind that at every stage in the business, there will be a need to finance to expand, transform or even give a new facelift to your business. The good side about this study us that it will enable you to know where you can seek for finance for your business, it will help you to better manage these finances so that you should avoid falling into debts by paying your loans and it will equally let you know what type of loan is appropriate or not for your business.

Knowing the Essentials of Business Financing

Ahead of opting for any source of finance that might be open to you as an investor, there is always an obligation for you to not only become aware, but to understand and appreciate the importance that financing has to do to your business. As of now, one of the sources of finance to your business is venture capital. Venture capital will refer to a venture group that is willing and able to pump in finance to your business. But it should be kept in mind that this is done with the intension that the venture group will become part of the business. It will have to take part in the running of the business and equally in the profits of the business. In some cases, the option of an angel financing may also be available. This is a situation in which high risk ventures will be financed for the reception of high profits. Another source of financing is corporate venture capital financing. This is almost the same thing with venture capital but the difference is that groups and not individuals will be involved into the financing. You can also think of taking a loan from a bank or any financing establishment.

If you are an experienced financier, you will realize that identifying and making use of these sources of finance is easily done if you are aware of all the essentials of business financing. This will be difficult for the novice. What has been realized is that most lending institutions have already created and developed some form of confidence with those already in business, plus the fact that they think their money will be better protected with those who already have some worth to prove.

It May Be Necessary To Integrate Your Business When Seeking For Financing

The rationale for confidence building will vary from one lender to another and will also depend on the lender’s personal conviction about the business. It is normal that every lender will want to scrutinize and make use of any former financial record of a business before it can give loans to that business. In other cases, it is known that sources of finance may be easily opened to groups of business than to individuals. This is the more reason why you must understand all the essentials of business financing before making an application for it. Sometimes, it is necessary that as a sole proprietor, you may decide letting a takeover of your business. This is to give your business a positive credit worth so that it can stand a good chance of being financed. But you must make sure that you seek expert advice in doing this. Remember that there are so many essentials in all of the above and you must be skilled enough in these before you can achieve any success.

a residential mortgage in today’s market can seem like a daunting task. The borrower can be faced with a myriad of choices. Each lending institution presents their respective claims to the enquiring borrower in an attempt to entice them to use their residential mortgage product. Each one assures the borrower that their product is the best residential mortgage that they can get.

This is not always the case. Terms for residential mortgages can vary widely between lending institutions, even for those with bad or less than perfect credit. There is also often latitude in interest rates for residential mortgages, depending again upon the lending institution and what terms the borrower is looking for.

Here are some of the considerations for borrowers looking for a residential mortgage: A loan for no more than 80% of the appraised value or purchase price of the property (whichever is less) is a conventional residential mortgage. The remaining 20% required for a purchase is referred to as the down payment and comes from your own resources. If you have to borrow more than 80% of the money you need, you’ll be applying for what is called a high-ratio residential mortgage. If you are self-employed or don’t have verifiable income, most traditional lending institutions won’t go over 75% on a conventional residential mortgage.

If high ratio, the residential mortgage must then be insured by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Genworth Financial Canada (Genworth), or AIG. The fee that the insurer will charge for this insurance will depend on the amount you are borrowing and the percentage of your own down payment. Whethor or not you are self-employed and have verifiable income or if you have a bad credit history will also determine the amount the insurer will charge. Typical fees range from 1.00% to 7% of the principal amount of your residential mortgage.

With a fixed-rate residential mortgage, your interest rate will not change throughout the entire term of your mortgage. The benefit of this is that you’ll always know exactly how much your payments will be and how much of your mortgage will be paid off at the end of your term. With a variable-rate residential mortgage, your rate will be set in relation to the prime rate at the beginning of each month. The interest rate may vary from month to month (although your payment remains the same). Historically, variable-rate residential mortgages have tended to cost less than fixed-rate residential mortgages when interest rates are fairly stable. You can potentially pay off your residential mortgage faster with a variable rate residential mortgage.

The term of a residential mortgage is the length of the current mortgage agreement. A residential mortgage typically has a term of six months to 10 years. Usually, the shorter the term, the lower the interest rate. Two years or less equals a short-term mortgage. Three years or more is usually a long term mortgage. Short-term mortgages are appropriate for buyers who believe interest rates will drop at renewal time. Long-term mortgages are suitable when current rates are reasonable and borrowers want the security of budgeting for the future. The key to choosing between short and long terms is to feel comfortable with your mortgage payments.

After a term expires, the balance of the principal owing on the mortgage can be repaid, or a new mortgage agreement can be established at the then-current interest rates. Open mortgages can be paid off at any time without penalty and are usually negotiated for a very short term. Homeowners who are planning to sell in the near future or those who want the flexibility to make large, lump-sum payments before maturity will find this type of residential mortgage helpful. Closed mortgages are commitments for specific terms. If you pay off the mortgage balance before the maturity date, you will pay a penalty for breaking the term. The good news is, refinancing a residential mortgage for a lower rate or more attractive terms can often offset any penalty incurred by breaking the term.

Residential mortgages are available through banks, mortgage companies and private lenders. Mortgage rates vary widely. Traditional banks offer some very low rates. However, due to their restrictive lending criteria, they are prevented from providing residential mortgages in many instances. Previous bankruptcy, bruised credit (bad or less than perfect credit), or even owning multiple properties can make it difficult or even impossible to obtain residential mortgages through traditional banks.

Hard money residential mortgages are available through private lenders. Unlike traditional banks, private lenders have more flexible lending criteria. Also known as hard money lenders, private residential mortgage companies focus more on a clear method of repayment and the current value of a property rather than looking exclusively on your personal financial package, which may indicate bad credit.

Private lenders are often able to fund a residential mortgage if there is a clear picture of how the loan will be paid back. When determining whether to fund a residential mortgage, private lenders will often look at the ratio of income to expenses. Unless a borrower has repeated defaults and bankruptcies, private lenders are not as concerned if the borrower has bad or less than perfect credit.

When applying for a residential mortgage, be prepared to provide your residential mortgage company, be it a bank or a hard money private residential mortgage lender, with the following:

- A completed standard residential mortgage loan application, which includes a personal balance sheet

- A description of the use of proceeds of the residential mortgage you are seeking (strictly refinance, debt consolidation, home improvements, etc.)

- A description of the property

- The current value/purchase price of the property

- An estimate of the property’s value after improvements, if any

- For a hard money loan, provide an exit strategy for the residential mortgage

- Will you refinance this mortgage with a traditional bank after making improvements or alterations to the existing property or some other scenario?

Owners considering a residential mortgage refinance will find many unique loan programs. Specialists of commercial and residential mortgage refinancing offer some of the best loan options available, most of which your local bank simply does not have. Refinancing your residential mortgage is not an act exclusively reserved for the time your residential mortgage matures. There are some great reasons for refinancing your residential mortgage prior to this. If you have selected a private hard money lender who is a good match for your loan scenario, you will be able to speak directly with the decision makers, avoiding the ‘run around’ that so many hard money borrowers fall prey to. You are told that your loan is going through, only to hear the next day that the lender has elected not to take on your hard money loan and now your loan is on another desk in yet another private lender’s office – or worse, on the desk of another broker who may know a broker who knows a lender who may want to fund your loan. Sometimes, the choice of direct lender is based more on the commission the broker will get than on your best interests.

By working with a private hard money lender, you can avoid the ‘run-around’ and may be able to close more rapidly. After all, no one knows your situation like you do, no one can explain any extenuating circumstances better than you can, and no one is as committed to your hard money loan as you are.

The advantage of working with a mortgage broker is also clear: a seasoned, well-informed, honest mortgage broker will have the knowledge of and direct access to the private hard money lenders in Ontario, Canada, and the United States. A mortgage broker will know where your loan has the best fit. A good mortgage broker will help you ‘package’ your loan to your best advantage, helping you determine how much to expect based on the equity in your property, how soon you need to close the deal, and more. A good mortgage broker will be able to assist you through the lengthy application process and submit your loan request to the best privatelenders for your situation. More often than not, working with a mortgage broker will save time. By representing you and presenting your loan request to the best private lenders, it often makes the transaction run more smoothly and take less time than if you were to take on this task yourself. This often saves you time and trouble in the long run and be well worth the cost of using a mortgage broker.

“A penny saved is a penny earned”… or so the old proverb goes. Of course, the value of a penny has changed somewhat from the time when your mother offered her wisdom on the value of keeping what you earn. Today, you could save thousands of dollars by simply making the right mortgage decision. If you’re like most Canadian homeowners, your mortgage is a goldmine of potential savings.

In the past few articles, we’ve talked about the importance of your mortgage as one of your most significant financial decisions. We’ve explored the value of seeking the advice of a mortgage professional -whether you’re buying a home or renewing an existing mortgage.

Today, let’s take a look at the bottom line: the savings you can enjoy by making the right mortgage decisions.

It is the primary role of a mortgage broker to find you the right product for your personal situation. A mortgage broker is a financial professional and – like your investment advisor – he or she will want to understand your personal situation and payment preferences. Your mortgage broker has access to a broad spectrum of lending institutions, so you can do some valuable comparison shopping for the right combination of features, rates and mortgage options.

All these choices offer you substantial opportunities to save money over the life of your mortgage.

If you are like most homeowners, you are focused -for good reason – on finding the best possible rate for your mortgage. Your mortgage broker can offer you the best range of rate options and terms. If a mortgage broker can get you one per cent off the posted rate, that could translate into more than $13,000 in interest per $100,000 borrowed over a 25-year amortization schedule. If, however, you believe that most mortgage rates are basically the same from one institution to the next, then consider the fact that even an eighth of a point difference in the rate can offer significant savings over the duration of your mortgage.

But it’s also important to look beyond the rate. There are other ways to find savings in your mortgage. Your mortgage broker is up-to-date on market trends and new opportunities… as well as some of the tried-and-true ways to save money in a mortgage.

Do you get an annual bonus in your job? You may want to use that bonus to pay down the principal of your mortgage. If you pursue this strategy consistently over the life of your mortgage, you could save thousands of dollars in interest by paying your mortgage off sooner.

Are you paid bi-weekly or bi-monthly? Consider a change from the usual monthly mortgage payment. Set up your mortgage payment schedule to coincide with your pay period. Again, you can shave years off your mortgage, and enjoy thousands of dollars in savings.

In the coming weeks, we’ll look at some of these savings opportunities in more detail. In the meantime, consider the old penny proverb again. How much is your time worth? Time savings is one of the key, unexpected benefits that clients say they have enjoyed when they choose to work with a mortgage broker. Above all, a mortgage broker is an expert in customer service, and that means that your broker looks after every detail of your mortgage research and negotiations on your behalf.

When it comes to mortgage financing, more and more Canadians are choosing to work with a professional mortgage broker. According to a recent study by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), 23 per cent of mortgages written were arranged through a broker.

Canadians are just catching up with their American neighbors, who are far less likely to simply walk into their home bank for a mortgage. In 2000, almost 70 per cent of all U.S. mortgages were arranged through mortgage brokers.

If we follow the U.S. model – and it seems that we are — then we’re in for a sea of change in the way Canadians manage their most significant personal asset. It makes sense. After all, investment returns aren’t as lucrative as they were five years ago, and investors are seeking out ways to make financial gains through avenues they may have overlooked.

There are some significant benefits to working with an independent mortgage broker. Firstly, let’s compare mortgage expertise: Most banks have one or more representatives who are specifically assigned to assist with mortgages. Their role is to develop mortgage business for the banks. A ontario mortgage broker, on the other hand, is a trained mortgage professional who has met standards for education. The comprehensive training of an independent mortgage broker may exceed the training of their counterparts at the bank. More importantly, the mortgage broker is independent. He or she is not an employee of a lending institution, but has access to rate and option information for a full spectrum of chartered banks and other lending institutions. Their role is to find the best possible mortgage rates and options for you.

Let’s also look at choice: A mortgage broker offers you access to many competitive lenders, each with a range of mortgage options. It would take weeks of research, telephoning and personal visits to recreate the range of features and options that a mortgage broker has at his or her fingertips. Rate information, mortgage options and payment schedules are up-to-the-moment, so you and your broker can make valid comparisons of the options available. The result of all this choice is a mortgage which is customized to meet your needs and to save you money.

Also consider accessibility. Your mortgage broker will be available to you before and after your mortgage closes, which will be good news for those who have spent long hours on hold or in a telephone voice answering loop.

Above all, clients have turned to mortgage brokers for better rates. Access to a broad range of lending institutions is a critical advantage for mortgage shoppers. A quarter-point difference on your mortgage rate can add up to thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage. Many mortgage brokers work inside a brokerage organization with sufficient mortgage volumes that they can negotiate the best possible rates for your situation. Canadian homeowners who have experienced the benefits of a mortgage broker are unlikely to ever return to a world in which they simply accept the best posted rate at their local bank.