There are loan products for which only those who own the property in which they live are eligible and one of these financial products are remortgages.

What a remortgage in fact is is the rearranging of the home loan taken out to buy the property in the first place, namely a mortgage.

As a remortgage is exactly like a mortgage which is the home loan need to buy a property whether as a first time buyer or for those moving home, it goes without saying that only those who own their home can apply.

Because a remortgage is secured on property the applicant must feel sure that he can meet the monthly repayment without any difficulty, the mortgage lender feels secure in the knowledge that repayments will be faithfully made.

Unfortunately due to the the credit crunch and many losing their jobs as a result of it many people have fallen behind from anything from one month to very serious arrears with their mortgage payments.

The fact of homeowners faithfully making their payments each month on time has not been a concrete fact since 2007 due to so many having been made unemployed because of the recession, and have accrued mortgage arrears for the first time in their life.

The fact that many mortgage payers have fallen behind in their repayments although many through no fault of their own has lead mortgage lenders tighten up on the granting of remortgages.

Changes such as the abolition of self certifications of income have been introduced and proof of income is required for both employed and self employed remortgage applicants.

Remortgage and mortgage applicants must also provide the mortgage lender with bank statements covering the three months prior to the remortgage application to check that all financial information.

It was a common practice when applying for a mortgage or remortgage for a person who owned his own business to declare what he earned annually and this was accepted by the mortgage lender as being a true statement of income, and the remortgage or mortgage was granted based on these earnings which often in fact were greatly over stated.

A remortgage or mortgage applicant must now provide the lender with his bank statements for the three months prior to the remortgage application to make sure that all financial information on the remortgage application form is correct.

If these checks had been made in the past perhaps the credit crunch would not have happened in the first place or at least would have been less severe.

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If you are looking for remortgages please visit Champion Finance’s site on how to choose the best remortgage for your needs.

News flash: Real estate is in a downturn. Prices are dropping. Does this mean that you should get out of Real Estate investing? No this is actually the BEST TIME to increase your property portfolio. When you are buy property it does not really matter whether the market is up or down unless you are trying to do a fast turn over. If you are holding for the long term then you have to deal with the market fluctuations with an inevitable upward trend at some point. If you can buy at the lower end of the cycle that is the best time to buy of course.

When the real estate market is experiencing a downturn it is the best time to buy. Just check the foreclosure lists and auctions. You can pick and choose and buy normally below market value. However, keep an eye on your monthly bottom line. In other words make sure your rental income (from your new investment) equals or exceeds your outgoing including mortgage repayments. If you have other income you may be able to stand an extra $100 or more per month to top up the mortgage but try to avoid it. You will sleep far better at night knowing that the mortgage payments are taken care of.

If the property market is rising you can be confident that the value of your investment is increasing. That is where your profit is and you should be able to sell if necessary. However, that was a few years ago when the market was more positive but now the reality is that the market has dropped and you need to be able to hold long term without any worries. It may take a few years before we hit healthy real estate selling conditions again, let alone a property boom.

Several investors that started during the “boom” now have to change how they are thinking about investing. This is the time when we separate “those who can from those who got lucky and made a few bucks”. Now is when the long term hold plans must start becoming the focus. This is a business. You need to do the math. Will your income from your investment cover the expenses/new mortgage?

Taking the current market woes in to consideration, the fact that now is a great time to buy and hold for the long term, goes without saying. Due diligence is the key for the next few years. Now is the time to look at buying for long term gains.

Doc Schmyz has invested all over the US. His free website shares Real estate investing information for all over the US. Find real estate information by state

With mortgage rates at all-time lows, and a huge increase in foreclosures, it is no surprise that many apartment-dwellers are ready to become homeowners. Buying your first home is very exciting, but also very scary and ripe for disaster. Before making the biggest investment of your life, use the tips below to make the process easy and error-free.

Rent or Buy: That is the age-old question. Arguments can be made for either, depending on your financial situation. The one issue that first-time buyers seem to forget is affordability. You may think you can afford the payments, but that is just one expense associated with owning a home. Maintenance and taxes can cost quite a bit more than expected. If you live in an apartment, the cost of maintenance is included in your rent, but homeowners pay out-of-pocket for repairs. Taxes are just over 1% of the assessed value of your home. That can add up to thousands each year. Still, there is one major benefit to owning a home: equity. The money you put into the home is not lost. You are adding value to your home and investing for the future. There is another nice bonus in the form of a large mortgage interest deduction on your taxes each year. This means you will get a little extra money back from your investment (or at least owe the government less).

Get educated: Ignorance may be bliss, but it is definitely not the best method for a successful home-buying experience. It may seem better to rush things and get a real estate agent right away, but what if you are not even sure what kind of home you want? Or how much you can afford? There are websites that can calculate your mortgage payments and let you see what kind of homes are in your price range. Free Internet open house searches are plentiful, and most have pictures of the interiors of the homes. You can even go to open houses on the weekends. Practically every street corner has an open house sign, and even if the home is outside your price range, seeing various houses will give you a better idea of what you want. Also, try to research the home-buying process. Find out the different types of loans available, the real estate lingo, and get an overview of the steps to owning a home. Read the Real Estate section of the newspaper, or check out some free books at the library. There is a wealth of information out there, so why not gather as much as you can?

Know Your Credit Score: The first thing any lender will do before pre-approving you is check your credit score. 650 used to be ok, but now even 700 is borderline. Before you end up with rejection staring you in the face, do your own credit self-check. As many a TV ad will tell you nowadays, you are entitled to one free credit report from each of the major credit bureaus. It may cost a few dollars to get your credit score, but it will be worth it in the long run. Once you know any weaknesses in your credit, you can develop a repair plan. Additionally, you need to take an in-depth look at your finances. Do you have enough in your savings to pay off most or all of your debt? A good debt-to-equity ratio is 40%. If you are not even sure what that ratio is, then see the tip about doing your research. For first-time buyers, there are options that might help you if your credit and finances are not exactly perfect. FHA loans only require a 3. 5% down payment, and having a close family member with good credit sign on as a co-borrower will help ensure that you get the home loan.

Don’t Let Yourself Be Bullied: A typical first-time buyer mistake is to let their lender talk them into a certain loan right off the bat. An educated buyer, however, will know about the types of loans going in (15-year vs. 30-year, ARM vs. Fixed). Never allow your lender to bully you into a financial situation that makes you uncomfortable. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Also, remember that you do not have to get your loan from the same lender who pre-approved you. Always go to more than one lender and find the best deal. Make sure your lender is familiar with first-time homebuyer programs as well. Another potential bully is your real estate agent. You might think they are working for you, but the honest truth is that they are in business for themselves. Agents make money through commissions from sales. This means that you could end up with an agent who is a little too eager to get you into a house. Never let yourself be rushed! Another sneaky trick is when an agent shows you more expensive homes first. Those houses might be a little out of your price range, but the agent is hoping you will fall in love and buy the house regardless. A good real estate agent will work to find what you want in your price range, or at least be honest if your expectations are too high.

Compare Homes: Since almost any house can seem like an upgrade from an apartment, it is easy for a first-time homebuyer to want the first house they see. This is a big mistake. Compare, compare, compare. If your agent or the seller’s agent tells you there are multiple bids on the house, it could be a tactic to get you to buy, or it could be legitimate. Talk to your agent about the consequences of making an offer. Your initial offer is never set in stone, but make sure your agent is clear about the window of time for backing out. If you are going to make an offer on a home, visit it more than once, at different times of day if possible. Even simply driving by the house at night might give you a different perspective on the neighborhood. Be sure to take pictures inside the house so that you have a reference when those nagging questions come up.

With so many wonderful homes on the market, the choices for a first-time buyer might seem overwhelming. Follow these tips and you will be ahead of the game. A house is one investment you must take seriously, but it can be truly rewarding when you finally have the keys to your dream home.

The author enjoys writing about home improvement, marketing, and health subjects. Pay a visit to his newest web site that discusses fabric roller shades and bamboo roman shades and more.