Archive for November, 2011

Getting a Car Loan With Bad Credit: Three Factors Considered by Lenders

November 27th, 2011

There is a tendency for those of us with low credit ratings to become quite disheartened at the thought of applying for a loan of any type. Even when seeking a new car, the faith in the success of an application for a car loan with bad credit can be very low. But the truth is that so long as the right information is provided, approval is possible.

The fact is that lenders tend to be interested in only a handful of factors associated with an application, and the credit rating is just one of them. What is more, thanks to the arrival of online and low-interest loan providers on the market, car loans with poor credit are more easily accessible than ever before. So, there is little reason for such low expectations.

There are three principal factors that lenders look to before assessing the risks involved in lending to a particular applicant. Credit history is one of them, but so too is the employment history of the applicant and whether a cosigner is included. Car loans approved despite bad credit are only given the green light after balanced consideration of all three.

Your Credit History

The most obvious factors that lenders look at is the credit history of the applicants, though the reason that car loans with poor credit are available means it is not the most influential factor. What interests lenders with how the credit score became slow low.

For instance, is it because of a poor attitude towards their financial obligations? Or is it down to a run of bad luck, such as temporary unemployment or falling income? A car loan with poor credit can be approved if the lender believes the risk is lower that the credit history suggests.

Your Employment History

Having full-time employment and a dependable source of income is all important from the point of view of the lender. Confirming an ability to meet repayments is essential to get car loans approved despite bad credit. A lender will generally want to see at least a 6-month history with a current employer, as well as pay slips or bank statements confirming the income amount.

If the lender calculates that there is an insufficient debt-to-income ratio, with 40:60 the accepted maximum, then they will reject the application for a car loan with bad credit – even good credit scores cannot save applicants from this ratio.

A Cosigner is Included

The addition of a cosigner can make the application process a lot easier. A cosigner offers to cover the loan repayments should the borrower get into difficulties, a factor that effectively guarantees that a car loan with poor credit will be approved. The reason for this is that the risk factor associated with the loan is reduced dramatically.

However, it is important that the right person is chosen as the cosigner if an applicant is to get the car loan approved despite poor credit. Cosigners with bad credit histories are unlikely to provide the desired certainty.

Looking for the Right Lender

While it is useful to know what providers of car loans with poor credit look for, it is also necessary for the applicant to consider who they are going to apply to. Going to the local bank might seem the obvious move, but car loans from traditional lenders tend to come at high rates of interest and some very strict repayment conditions.

Online lenders tend to offer much better loan packages because they specialize on loans with poor credit. Therefore, it is easier to get a car loan approved despite bad credit online, and with manageable terms, than from more familiar lenders. Of course, the same three factors remain important as you seek approval on car loans with poor credit.

How to Reduce Your Car Loan’s APR

November 24th, 2011

Reducing the APR on your new car loan can help you save hundreds of dollars. In case you are interested in reducing the APR, there is a need for you to search for the useful ways on how to accomplish this. In order to help you, this article provides some of the useful procedures in reducing the Annual Percentage Rate of the loan and these are provided below.

1. Maintain a good credit rating

One of the most effective ways to reduce your car loan’s APR is by maintaining a good credit rating. It is also important that you possess a stable job and a steady income that you can use to pay for the monthly payments of the loan. Having a stable job and a credit rating allows you to pay lower instalments and an affordable APR. A low credit rating and unstable employment status on the other hand results to higher APR payments.

You can also establish a good credit rating by securing loans that you can afford. Try to avoid getting loans that involve higher monthly payments for this would only ruin your credit in the event that you fail to provide the premiums or default the loan. By securing loans that you can afford and by providing prompt payments you will be able to establish and maintain a good credit record.

2. Consider refinance loans

Another effective procedure to reduce your APR is by getting an auto refinance loan. An auto refinance loan reduces the monthly payments and interest rate by getting a new loan from a second lender to pay for the first one. Since the auto refinance loan involves a new contract, the payments involved are lower. Aside from the lower monthly premiums and interest rate, the loan’s APR is also reduced. You only need to maintain a good credit rating so that other lenders would be willing to provide you with auto refinancing loans that with affordable rates.

3. Consider home equity credit

You can lower the APR for your loans by getting a home equity credit. This helps you pay-off the loan with higher APR and monthly payments. You only need to pay for the amount left unpaid.

4. Pay for the loan’s principal

Paying for the loan’s principal each time you pay the monthly payments reduces the APR. This could also help you lower down the total cost and allow loan renegotiation to obtain lower rates.