Where to take out a small personal loan

A secured loan is a loan that is secured by some assets. The asset is actually the security for the loan. Security is necessary because the amount in the case of a secured loan is usually high. The security helps the creditor to remain secured in the process of repaying the money owed. And that is why it is called a secured loan. Because of the fact that the creditor is secured, he or she may rest assured about the funds, even if the amount is huge. As a result, an interest rate for secured loans is much lower than for unsecured ones.

A non recourse loan is a secured loan (in which the collateral is most often real estate) which has a very important feature. If the borrower fails to fulfill his obligations under the loan agreement, he is liable to the lender only to the extent of the collateral, even if its value is less than the amount of the borrower's obligations to the lender.

Personal loan is a loan granted directly to individuals for the purchase of consumer goods. Such loans are taken not only for long-term purchases of expensive goods (cars, furniture), but also for everyday products, such as cell home appliances or even food. It comes in the form of either the sale of goods with deferred payment or a bank loan for consumer purposes, including through credit cards. It charges a fairly high interest rate. Usually, personal loans are accompanied by additional fees and charges, which increase the real cost of credit and form the so-called hidden interest rate. This is why choosing a loan from one bank or another based on the advertised interest rate on the loan may not always be the best choice. In this case you should be guided by the calculation of the full cost of credit.

There are several classifications of loans, so let's consider the most common one. According to it, there are three loan categories: bank, commercial and state. In its turn, bank loans are divided into personal, mortgage, loan on overdraft, factoring, forfeiting and intrabank loans. Commercial loans may be of the following types: signature, trade and advance. Finally, the state category is subdivided into state loan, subventions, grants, transfers and state tax loan.

You can check the status of the loan using specific tools offered by the financial institution you choose. As a rule, the most common tools to check the loan status are a call to the hotline, SMS request, request via messengers (Viber, Whatsapp, Telegram) or logging into a personal account on the website.

In the case of FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loans the minimum acceptable credit score is directly related to the amount of the down payment. If we are talking about a minimum down payment of 3.5% of the property value, your credit score must be 580 or higher. However, if you can make a 10% down payment, the credit score requirement goes down to 500.

A loan to value ratio is an indicator determined by dividing a loan amount by the value of the assets or property for the purchase of which the loan is taken. In simple terms, a loan to value ratio (LTV) shows what share in the cost of the property to be purchased on credit represents the loan. LTV exceeding 80% is considered to be one that is associated with higher risks, so lenders usually force the borrower to insure such a loan.

The main difference is that with a conventional loan the borrower is required to pay mortgage insurance only if the down payment is less than 20%, and with FHA (Federal Housing Administration) mortgage insurance is paid regardless of the size of the down payment. There is also a difference in the maximum loan amount.

The key difference between secured and unsecured loans lies in their very name. Secured loans are guaranteed by the borrower's property or assets, which protects the lender to a much greater extent. Unsecured loans do not require collateral, so there is more risk for the lender. These risks need to be compensated somehow, so the terms and requirements in unsecured loans are tougher than in secured loans.

In order to qualify for a FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loan you must meet certain requirements. First of all, you must have a sustainable income. Then, you should have at least 3.5% of the total cost of the house as a down payment. Your FICO score should be no less than 580. Finally, your credit history must be normal and the house you are going to buy should cost no more than the amount you applying for.

A loan pre-approval is an agreement in principle by a particular lender to lend a specified amount to a particular borrower on exact terms and conditions. In fact, a loan pre-approval is a preliminary stage prior to the lender's final approval and signing of the loan agreement.

A monthly payment consists of a payment of principal and accrued interest. The principal to interest ratio may vary. If a borrower is delinquent, penalties and late payment charges may be added to the payment. There are two ways to calculate a loan: annuity and differential. To calculate the approximate amount of the payment before the loan is taken out, all you need to know is the loan amount, the interest rate and the term of the loan. It is important to consider that in fact the loan may include a number of other payments, such as for insurance or informing about the transactions. This will be specified in the loan agreement. And in general to calculate the monthly payment you can always use a loan calculator.

In lending industry, subprime loan means lending to individuals who have difficulties with meeting repayment schedules or other key terms of the loan agreement. Borrowers with a FICO score below 600 are usually considered subprime, although this threshold changes over time and other criteria are added to it.