While speaking to people at various events or network opportunities, every so often some one mentions about the increasing number of repossession, thanks to interest rates that have been creeping up slowly in the past year or so.

Recently some one mentioned, “do not why people let themselves into trouble”, he said,”I would just hand over the keys to the bank manager and save my credit history rather than going through repossession hell.”

Nice idea, only that this does not work in UK.

Many people I have spoken to often speak about the foreclosures and ‘how to buy these properties and also help people in trouble.’Unfortunately these people have been regarding far too many property books published for American audience. Foreclosure is a term used in the US. Law works differently in UK, and it refers to repossessions.

Same thing? Hardly!

Lets us talk about foreclosures versus repossessions first.

Myth 1: Foreclosures versus Repossessions

US housing lenders are allowed to apply to the court (and granted permission) to seize the house back, sell it and keep the whole proceeds. Normally court allows repossession but increasingly they are allowing foreclosures. This means that investors can buy the house from the company cheap and make a profit on by reselling it at full market price.

However in UK, companies are not allowed to seize the house. Courts allow them only to repossess the house to be sold at the fair market value, pay the owed amount (and expenses) from the proceeds and send the balance to the borrower.

The Building Societies Act 1997 directs companies to “take reasonable precautions to obtain the true market value of the mortgaged property.”

The true value of any property is often subjective – and depends on the opinion of a purchaser. So how can a mortgage company determine its true market value?

Auction is a route that many companies take.

However the mortgage company does not has to sell the property via auction to obtain the true market value. Courts generally accept this method as a determinant of fair value, but as long as a company can demonstrate, if questioned, that other methods were used, it is allowed.

Some companies sell the property via local estate agents without disclosing that he property is repossessed. By the way of like for like comparison, they can demonstrate that fair value was achieved.

Myth 2: Hand Over The Keys Myth

Many people believe that if they are struggling to keep up with paying the mortgage then handing over the keys to their bank manager will clear them of any further obligations of making payments – because they do not own the house, right?

Sadly this is far from the truth.

Mortgage company lends you the money (cash) and requires you to pay back the whole amount and interest in cash. If the company has to sell the house on your behalf then you are still liable for any interests incurred till all the dues are cleared.

Myth 3: Property repossession allows you to make a fresh start.

Only as long as all debts are cleared from the proceeds of your property!

If the proceeds from your property only pay back a part of the loan to your mortgage company then you are still liable to pay back the outstanding amount. These situations can happen if the property prices have crashed below the borrowing levels.

So if you are facing repossession threat then it is best to speak to some one competent about your situation. One advice is: do not ignore correspondence from your mortgage company. Second, get neutral advice as soon as you can. You do not always have to pay for the advice. Many free advice resources are listed on this link.

Remember,if property is sold via your lender (after repossession) then you not only become liable for further charges (e.g. bailiff etc), this also gets recorded against your credit score for future reference.

Many people prefer to sell the property to an investor who can buy the property fast. These investors can be located via doing a search on Internet, searching your local papers or speaking to those in the know.



Rent Back

The income is limited and the needs are endless. Money may be required for any small or big need of the common man. He may take up a loan to fulfill those needs but it has to be made sure that a lot of money is not being paid off as interest. For this, the borrower can avail UK secured loans.

To avail UK secured loans, the borrower needs to pledge an asset as collateral with the lender so that the loan money is secured. The asset should have a high equity value so that a larger sum can be borrowed and a lower rate for the loan can be obtained. The asset of the borrower is not at risk as the timely repayment of the loan gets the title of the asset back to the borrower.

UK secured loans are personal loans that can be borrowed to fulfill any needs like home improvement, debt consolidation, car purchase, vacation trip, educational funding, wedding expenses, etc.

Through UK secured loans, the borrower can take up an amount of £5000-£75000 for his needs. The borrowed amount depends upon the equity of the collateral pledged. The repayment term for UK secured loans is 5-25 years. Rate of interest for UK secured loans in one of the lowest in the market. The low rate is due to pledging of collateral which provides assurance to the lender of retrieval of the loan money.

Bad credit borrowers can also take up UK secured loans by pledging collateral. They can avail the lowest rates through UK secured loans as the risk of non-repayment is covered by the asset pledged with the lender. Online research helps the borrower in taking up UK secured loans at low rate of interest. Numerous lenders online are available who are ready to lower their rates due to stiff competition in the online market. The borrower can avail low rates by comparing these loan quotes for UK secured loans.

UK secured loans are the best way for borrowers to borrow money virtually at their own terms and conditions. This way they can maximize the loan opportunity.



Quick House Sale

The secured loan is given to borrowers after they have given some sort of security to the lenders. This security can be in the form of their houses, factories and other intangible form of assets.

An individual who wants to take a secured loan is required to follow some rules and complete some requirements. These rules and requirements are simple and do not pose much of a problem.

Secured loans are given by banks and financial institutions. Many companies also provide secured loans now. Therefore, there are many choices for the borrower in the form of numerous banks, financial institutions and companies.

Before taking the loan, there is an extremely important step which needs to be taken by the borrowers. They need to find out one simple thing. This ’simple thing’ is their eligibility for taking a secured loan.

The borrower has to be a citizen of UK and has to be at least eighteen years old. He also needs to have a permanent residence. The bank requires something in return for the money that it gives in the form of a secured loan. This is normally referred to as ‘pledging’ and is one of the primary requirements for taking a secured loan.

The basic documents that are required for taking a secured loan are also the normal ones which are generally required. The borrower needs to give an age proof, an identity proof and a copy of the relevant documents.

The UK loans sector has been one of the major examples of strength and fortitude. The current global situation is that of recession. Money is no longer a ‘freely flowing entity’ in most of the economies. However, the UK economy has been successful in keeping its lending sector relatively safe.

Hence, the borrower still has many banks and financial institutions who are giving secured loans. Entrepreneurs have also ventured into the business of secured loans. Company (loan based) is the basic medium for the borrowers. Therefore, companies of most of these entrepreneurs are also giving secured loans. This has increased the trust of the common man in the British economy.

Hence, a secured loan is still being applied for. The standard of living is quite high and the income being earned is also quite impressive. The credit rating of borrowers taking secured loans is normally very good. This has increased trust of the banks on them.

The Internet is one of the major source of information about a secured loan. There are many websites which give all the required information about secured loans. The borrower, therefore, needs to go to any of these websites in order to have a complete understanding about a secured loan.

These websites are normally the official websites of major banks and financial institutions. There are also websites of financial intermediaries giving information about secured loans.

There are also many innovative and useful applications present on most of these websites. One of them is the comparison tool. This is an application which is normally present on websites of the intermediaries.

The purpose of a comparison tool is to provide an outlook about the features of the secured loans being given. The parameters for comparison are normally the interest rate and the tenure for giving the borrowed money back.



Quick House Sale

After years picking up no press coverage companies that offer sell and rent back schemes are now under the spotlight. We have seen a flurry of activity in the press concentrating on landlords who offer to buy house’s and rent it back to the old owners. It has come to light that a few rouge operators in this market have been putting profits before being fair and ethical. A new organization has been created to tackle these sell and rent back cowboys. Founded by Mark Alexander a portfolio landlord who offers a sell and rent back service The National Association of Sell and Rent Back (NASARB) aims to tackle the issues in the industry. NASARB intends to bring together landlords, the banks, charities and local authorities to draft and enforce a code of conduct within the industry.

For most people who have sold their house and want to rent it back their most pressing concern is the security of tenure. Many sell and rent back operators offer only Assured Short hold Tenancies. The reason they do this is that there are few other tenancies which protect their rights as landlords as well. The problem with these tenancies is that once the fixed term is finished the landlord is legally allowed to ask the tenant to leave by issuing a section 21 notice. This obviously leaves the tenant vulnerable to eviction even if they wish to stay in the property. NASARB believe that all sell and rent back landlords should give up their right to serve a section 21 meaning the tenant can remain as long as they want. The landlord can still evict the tenant if they fail to adhere to other terms of the tenancy like paying the rent or looking after the property through a section 8 notice. NASARB also believes that landlords should only put the rent up a set amount per year so tenants are not forced to leave through high rents.

Sell and rent back schemes do offer an important service to those people who want to release equity, escape financial pressures, or sell quickly to emigrate or move. Consumer groups are however concerned that rouge sell and rent back operators wish to get the tenants out as fast as possible to sell the property to make quick profits. Most sell and rent back operators take a longer view and never intend to sell. For these operators having a tenant who treat the house like they did when they owned who intends to stay for a long time sell and rent back tenants are ideal as they mean few rental voids and maintenance issues. These landlords see their properties as an asset that will grow in value over the long term and as such are happy to commit to tenants who wish to stay. NASARB believes that landlords who operate these schemes should be able to prove a track record in renting property and prove they are financially solvent. One of the most talked about cases of a rouge sell and rent back operator is a case where the landlord went bust and their properties where repossessed and the tenants evicted by the banks. By proving that sell and rent back operators are solvent this should cut down these instances. So far two hundred landlords have signed up for the NASARB scheme and they should be meeting in the next few months to draft the code of conduct.

One of the first to join the scheme was the managing director of Homebuyer Financial Solutions, Andrew Wilkinson, who represents thirty sell and rent back landlords. In a statement from him he said “the sell and rent back industry has taken a battering in the press over the last few month. As always the actions of a few has spoiled the industry for many ethical sell and rent back operators. People who are looking at a sell and rent back scheme should be aware of the pitfalls and talk it through with the person who is buying their property. By asking questions like how will my tenancy be secured you will get and idea of the people you are dealing with. Ethical sell and rent back operators can also provide references from people who have taken up the sell and rent back option. At Homebuyer Financial solutions we also talk about the other options that are open to our clients. We give them all the facts and highlight the pros and cons of each option. It is then down to the client to decide which product best fits their needs.” Lets hope then that NASARB fulfils its ambitions in clearing up the sell and rent back industry.



Rent Back Fast

Thailand is quickly developing a reputation as one of the chief vacationing spots out there, and you’ll find that the city of Phuket is the gleaming gem in the crown. In terms of being a central place where you can find easy access to just about everything you need.

Whether you are considering a once in a lifetime extended getaway or you travel frequently and are tired of bunking down in the same boring hotels, it is time for you to consider the possibility of buying or renting property in Phuket; many travelers are learning that there is no better way to really absorb the beauty of Thailand than to rent or buy their own place and have it completely at their disposal.

One of the things that you will notice when you start staying in hotels a lot is that the hotel industry on a global level is becoming more standardized. A hotel in New York will often have a great deal in common to a hotel in Asia these days, and while that might be fine for people who are only interested in business or in staying in familiar surroundings, it is quite annoying for someone who is really looking to experience a different culture and lifestyle. If you are interested in really getting the most out of your visit, you’ll find that renting or even buying a Phuket residence is the way to go!

If you have to ask why you want to rent or buy a villa in Phuket specifically, then it is fairly clear that you have never been to the city itself. You’ll find that you can find diving, golfing, rainforest hikes, cruises and an extremely exciting nightlife, all in one, easy to access location. You’ll find that there is a very good reason that this city is known for its hospitality and for its excellent properties, and many people who come here once will come again and again; some of them even decide that they want to retire here or move there permanently.

When you rent or buy a property in Phuket, you’ll find that this is a lot cheaper than you might think, especially if you are planning to stay for a while. If you are traveling in a group, you’ll find that splitting the cost of the rent or the property will allow you really get your investment out of it; you can come and go as you please and never worry about the hotel that you like being overbooked. When you are looking for smooth sailing all around, you need to buy or rent property in Phuket, so take a look to see how much easier everything could really be for you!

Experienced travelers have experienced painful costly experiences, when they found themselves trapped to pay for a new lavabo or others broken furniture. The only way to avoid this is by using the services of a well established company in Phuket.



Sell and Rent Back

There are many situations when lack of the necessary cash stands in the way of your plans. Whatever those plans may be, quick house sale is often the best solution to your problem. Apparently, selling your home quickly for cash would take a miracle. In reality, the situation is a lot different.

You probably already know what selling your home in the traditional way means. Selling your home through a real estate agency may be a good option, but it certainly isn’t your best one when you need a quick house sale. Involving third parties in the process of selling your home equals more time, more expenses, and a lot more reasons for things not to go as planned. On the other hand, leaving all third parties out of the house sale process is more advantageous in terms of expenses, yet very time-ineffective. And in both situations, you always run the risk of not agreeing over the price and being forced to start the whole process all over again. You buyer may change his mind at the last minute, leaving you with no solutions. Furthermore, if you choose to use the services of a real estate agency, you must be aware of the fact that the chain of individuals who are involved in the sale process can collapse at any time. In addition, selling your home takes time, and more often than not time is something you do not have.

Fortunately, all these unpleasant situations can be avoided. The quick house sale process can be completed to your advantage. This means that you can get the amount of cash you need in a timely fashion, without having to wait for several months. Until recently, when it came to house sale, homeowners were presented with two options, namely that of selling their homes with the help of real estate agents or looking for potential buyers themselves. Recently, a far better option has been added to this list. You can now sell your home directly to investors who specialize in buying homes quickly and can offer you the amount of cash you need. And when we are talking about property buyer networks that have a property asset base worth tens of millions, you can imagine that selling your home quickly for cash is something that can be easily achieved. Selling your home no longer has to be that complex and time-consuming process. All you have to do is contact such property buyers via the Internet. Once you have provided some information about yourself, your situation and your property, you will be made an offer within forty-eight hours and the quick sale process can be completed in less than five weeks! No hassles, no potential buyers coming to your house and intruding your privacy, no chances of buyers changing their minds at the last moment, and so forth.

If your reasons for wanting a quick house sale include divorce, separation, immigration, financial difficulty, repossession, or any other situation in which you need quick cash but you don’t want to leave your home just yet, you can always opt for the sell and rent back scheme. This too is available from the same property buyers who are willing and able to buy your home quickly for cash.

For more resources about Quick house sale or even about selling your home please review this webpage http://www.24-7-cash4homes.co.uk



Rent Back

My hopes and dreams of the future consist of two things, financial security and living in Spain! Well at least one dream is possible! These days’ people opt to retire abroad or buy a property overseas; preferably in a country with lots of sun, sand and sea. However, these people also have a backup plan and if they can afford it, they tend to keep a property in their homeland too to have a stable place to come back to every now and then. One of the most popular ventures for most British people is buying a Spanish property.

The decision to uproot abroad is not an easy decision to make. There are many points to consider before deciding to move, such as your financial situation – will you be transferring from one job to another, do you have a stable pension plan, are you able to afford not to work and are you able to afford living in the country you have chosen? Spain is a country that is most popular for its relaxed environment, beautiful beaches, comfortable weather and wonderful exotic food. The Spanish property prices are affordable even for people in their early twenties to buy.

In the past few years the Spanish property prices have seen a rise to record level both in real terms in terms of average income. This in turn had sparked fears of a price crash; however, this can only be possible if the oil price was to rise rapidly making it impossible for people to buy a property and causing devastating affects on the country’s economy. The demand for a property in Spain is high due to their low interest rates and good investment opportunity for people abroad.

Though there have been speculation over a price crash, the general record has been proven that properties in Spain are fairly priced. However, due to the rising demands, more properties are being built but prices will likely to continue rising which in the short-term make it more difficult to buy. Spain is still the top choice for property investment, with its appealing culture and lifestyle it is no wonder more people are opting towards this part of Europe.

The Spanish culture is best known for its flamenco dancing, bullfights and beaches. For thousands of years Spain has been one of the cultural centres of Europe, rich in colourful trendy fashion, historical monuments and extraordinary artistic heritage. Many British people have been attracted to the friendly relaxed nature of the Spanish citizens. With all of the above in mind, renting out your property to tourist would be an unlikely issue. Buying a property in Spain would be a clever choice to make, regardless of the fear of price crashes it is still a good investment to make in the end.



Rent Back

Once the buyer signs the sales contract, you might feel the urge to relax. Don’t sit back and kick your feet up just yet.

(there is a free ebook: 101 Tips For Selling Your House,for you to download, from a link at the bottom of this page).

Your work is not complete just yet. The buyer can still back out of the deal if certain things go wrong in these last steps of the for sale by owner process.

Buyers tend to get cold feet at this point. They see other for sale by owner homes they like for a lower price. You have to take steps to make sure the buyer doesn’t back out of the deal.

After the for sale by owner sales contract has been signed, the buyer’s lender will have an appraisal done to ensure that the borrower isn’t asking for more money than your home is actually worth.

The lender will not provide a loan if the home is appraised for less than the sale price.

You can avoid this by having your own appraisal done when you are setting your price in the for sale by owner process. Alternatively, you can make sure that your price is comparable to that of similar homes sold in your neighborhood.

The lender might have your for sale by owner land surveyed to establish the property boundaries.

In most cases, this doesn’t present a problem.

If your for sale by owner property has not been surveyed in the last 50 years, has recently been subdivided between other people, or has a boundary that changes like a creek, then you should pay attention during this part of the process.

The buyer might have his own inspections done as allowed by the sales contract.

These inspections are done at the buyer’s expense and include termite, roof, and general inspection.

Be available during the inspection. Ask questions about anything you do not understand.

The for sale by owner closing date will be about 30 to 45 days from the date the sales contract is signed.

Depending on your state, your real estate attorney might handle the closing.

Alternatively, the lender’s attorney might handle it and your attorney will act as your representative.

At the for sale by owner closing, the settlement statement is reviewed. This statement details the money received.

This includes: the lender’s check for the mortgage amount, buyer’s down payment, and the buyer’s earnest money deposit.

The settlement statement also includes money that must be paid out: balance on the seller’s current mortgage, real estate agent fees (if applicable), and closing costs.

Finally, the statement will detail the amount you get to keep.

The title to the house is then transferred to the buyer and the process is complete. Your hard work has paid off.



Rent Back Fast

Every borrower aspires for a loan that seldom turns out to be a repayment burden. The borrower wants to repay loan in such a way that his or her finances are least stressed. Secured loans are one such way of borrowing a burden less finance for your personal purposes. In the UK, you will find plenty of lenders in the business of providing secured loans for specific purposes like home improvements, purchasing a new or used car, throwing a lavish wedding party, going to a long vacation tour or you can use the loan for debt consolidation. You are also free to make combined use of the loan for variety of purposes.

Secured loans UK are especially carved out for the UK people keeping their requirements and circumstances in consideration. Only those people who are capable of providing some property of good value as collateral to the lender are eligible for secured loans. Because of collateral, the borrower can drive home many advantages of the loan.

First of all, secured loans carry lower interest rate which is mainly responsible for easier repaying of the loan. Those who boast of a good credit history can find a suitable deal at reduced rate of interest as well.

You can borrow greater amount ranging up to £75000 in the UK as secured loans depending on value of collateral. What is more, such a greater loan can be repaid with ease as you have the luxury of choosing from 5 to 30 years of repaying duration as per your circumstances.

Secured loans in the UK are popular source of finance for bad credit people as well. Because of collateral, lenders have only remote risks and therefore they approve the loans for bad credit people with late payments, defaults, arrears, CCJs or IVAs without credit hurdles.

It is advisable that you avail secured loans from online lenders in the UK. Online lenders charge negligible additional fees and have lower rate of interest as compared to banks and financial institutions. Your home is at lender’s mercy, so repay the loan in timely manner.



Rent Back

Original article

After the last article on Costa del Sol bank repossessions I received an enquiry about how bank repossessions work in Spain compared to the UK as he was having trouble with his repayments. So please find below the stages that you expect should you (god forbid) have to deal with in the case of non-payments.

Arrears

The first stage would be arrears, where the borrower is unable to meet payments. The mortgage provider will be in contact asking for an explanation and start charging you a variety of penalties. The lender may also attempt to renegotiate the existing agreement.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If the borrower is are having difficulty meeting repayments, contact you mortgage lender prior to arrears as they may be willing to discuss renegotiating you agreement, off-setting payments, etc… as it is not in the banks interest to repossess your property.

90 days later

90 days after the first arrear, the debt collection department will attempt to recover the defaulted debt.

Up to 30 days after default

The borrower will receive a certified document from the lender informing you of repossession proceedings through the courts.

Further 10 days later

Legal action will be started against the borrower for outstanding repayments and to auction the property to the public to reclaim all monies owed.

Up to 16 months later after legal action

The property is put on auction to be bid upon. If there is no purchaser, the property becomes the possession of the lender for 50% of the properties value.

If lender becomes the new owner, there may be additional monies owed to the lender as in most cases the mortgage will be higher than 50% of the value of the property. Plus the additional penalties for arrears, court costs, etc… there may also be an attempt to reclaim owed monies from any guarantor on the mortgage as well.

The land registry information is then updated to confirm the new owner.

6 months later.

Eviction notice. Court officers along with police and a locksmith will evict the borrower. Although if it is the borrower’s main residence and they have children, it is far next to impossible to have the borrower evicted. The debt would remain though.

Hope this gives you a better idea of how bank repossessions work in Spain. Please note I have kept the date relatively general as they are not clear cut

Regards

Andrew Belles

Costa del Sol property



Real Estate Professionals