What is a Loan?

John Mussi A loan is money that you borrow and agree to pay back over a set period of time with interest. The amount of money you borrow is called principal, and interest is the cost for borrowing the money. The length of time set to pay back the loan is known as the term.

It is best to get a loan only for very large purchases or in an emergency. Getting a large loan or getting many loans that you can't pay back can cause huge financial problems, because it can get very difficult to pay them back each month.

There are many benefits to getting a loan. A loan gives you the money you need to pay for something big like a house, a car, college tuition, or major home repairs when you don't have the cash to cover the purchase. Most people could not afford to do these things without loans.

Loans come in a variety of shapes and sizes each performing a different function and having different interest rates. Loan rates are variable, depending on status.

Loan repayments will depend on the amount borrowed and term. Loans are taken out with selected, reputable institutional money lenders.

Depending on the type of loan chosen you can borrow anywhere from £500 to £1,000,000 and can repay it over a period of between six months and twenty-five years.

Nowadays, it is quite easy for most people to qualify for a loan of one sort or another even if they have a bad credit history. Loans can be applied for in person, by telephone or more commonly now, over the Internet.

Loans can be used for any purpose. A loan can help you with home improvements such as a new kitchen or bathroom, that once-in-a-lifetime holiday, your dream car or repaying debts to reduce your monthly outgoings to a more manageable amount.

One of the most common types of loan is a secured loan. A secured loan is a loan which is backed by assets belonging to the borrower in order to decrease the risk assumed by the lender. The assets may be forfeited to the lender if the borrower fails to make the necessary payments. The number one asset is property which could be your home, your office, your farm or your factory.

A secured loan uses your home as security. It is suitable if you want to raise a large amount; are having problems getting an unsecured loan; or have a poor credit history. Lenders are more flexible with their underwriting, making a secured Loan possible when you may have been turned down for an unsecured loan.

A secured Loan is a loan that a lender provides on the understanding that a property is secured against the loan. This type of loan is usually provided with a lower interest rate than an unsecured loan because you will have secured your property against it.

A secured loan enables homeowners to borrow capital and offset the risk against the value of their property. This means that anyone taking out a secured loan is effectively using their property to guarantee the loan. If the borrower fails with the repayments, there could be a possibility their home is at risk.

Secured loans are normally quicker to arrange because the lender has some security to offset against the loan should you default on the repayments. In most cases this is the cheapest type of loan with interest rates on the loan a few percentage points above base rate.

The only problem with loans in general, is that they will have to be paid back.

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About the Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.