 |
«A website where you can find the lowest interest rates on home loans with absolutely free quotes from multiple lenders» |
| • Home Equity Loan • Home Refinance Loan • Home Purchase Loan • Second Mortgage Loan • Debt Consolidation Loan | ||
|
 | |
| |
| Home Equity Loan Store :: Loans | |
|
|
|
Hidden Bank Loan Charges That Would Make a Pick-Pocket Envious
There can be more to a bank business loan than making interest and principal payments. Your firm may get a great rate on its new credit line or term loan but you may cry on the way home when you discover the hidden fees and charges. Even seasoned borrowers can be caught off guard. Borrowing costs can be boosted by thousands of dollars and the effective rate on the loan increased by many basis points as a result of these hidden charges. Here are some of the fees and charges that can increase your firm's costs on bank loans: Commitment fees Many banks charge commitment fees of % - 1% or more to issue a commitment to lend money. The fee is calculated on the available credit amount. Commitment fees significantly increase the effective rate on outstanding loans. These fees can be negotiated. If your firm has a strong credit profile or if the competition among banks in your area is fierce, ask for a lower commitment fee or ask to have it waived. Non-use fees These fees may be charged in lieu of or in addition to commitment fees. Non-use fees usually range from % to % of the unused credit facility. Although these fees are less onerous than commitment fees, they also increase the effective borrowing rate. As with a commitment fee, you may be able to get the non-use fee reduced or waived if your firm has a strong credit profile or if the banking environment is very competitive. Restructuring fees When your firm has reason to restructure an existing loan, you can expect your bank to charge a restructuring fee for the privilege. For example, if your company has reason to convert a short-term loan into a long-term one, it will probably be charged for this restructure. These fees can range from % to 2% or more plus any bank legal fees or out-of-pocket expenses. If your firm has been a long-term bank customer in good standing, you may be able to negotiate or eliminate the fee. But don't expect to eliminate the bank's attorney fees and out-of-pocket expenses. Bank attorney fees Attorney fees usually come into play when the bank uses an outside law firm. Making matters worst, many outside bank attorneys require a borrower to hire an outside attorney to issue an opinion letter covering the transaction. Usually, only the strongest borrowers in very competitive banking situations can totally eliminate paying bank attorney fees. However, if your firm is a valued customer, your bank may be willing to have these fees capped or reduced. Often banks have some leverage with their law firms to get a discount. Appraisal/environmental evaluation fees These fees are charged on many asset-backed loans. They usually involve bringing in an outside expert to evaluate equipment or real estate. These fees can be significant, depending on the type of appraisal or environment issue. Like attorney fees, appraisal or environment evaluation fees are almost always for the account of the borrower. Perhaps the best result one can expect is to have these fees capped or have the lender split the amount in some way. Unanticipated audit expense Many banks reserve the right to audit borrowers or to send bank personnel in for inspections. An audit may be required to review accounting procedures or to monitor collections, inventory or another aspect of your firm's operation. Also, some banks require outside audits by CPA firms in connection with extending credit. Any of these scenarios can create significant expense and involve a substantial time commitment for your firm. Before signing, review your loan agreement carefully to identify any audit or bank inspection requirement. If your bank requires an audit or inspection that you did not anticipate, try to get it eliminated or try to negotiate limits. You may be able to get a less-stringent requirement or to negotiate a less-expensive alternative to the audit or inspection required by your bank. If all else fails, try to get audit or inspection fees capped. Late charges Charges for making late payments to your bank are generally in your control. These charges can be onerous and can add significantly to your firm's borrowing cost. It is not unusual to see banks tack 300 basis points onto a customer's borrowing rate for delinquent payments. While it is worthwhile during the negotiating stage of the loan to ask for a lower late- payment charge, the best solution is to try to avoid these charges. If you can, try to get the late-payment rate knocked down to 75 to 150 basis points above your borrowing rate. Expiry of or Failure to Get a Rate-lock In a stable rate environment, many banks are willing to lock the rate on fixed-rate credit transactions. Rate-locks protect the borrower from adverse rate movements prior to closing. In most cases, rates can be held up to 60 days. Rate-locks are not uncommon in real estate loans and equipment installment loans. If your firm is negotiating a fixed-rate loan, try to negotiate a rate-lock. You may pay loan interest that is a tad higher, but a locked rate can eliminate an unpleasant interest rate swing. Once you have locked the rate, try to stay within the holding period for closing the transaction. Most banks will eagerly and aggressively pass on rate hikes in a rising rate market, if you fail to comply. Many hidden bank fees and charges can be reduced or eliminated if you plan ahead and are prepared to negotiate. You are in your strongest negotiating position before your bank issues a commitment letter and before you sign the credit agreement. Always read commitment letters and loan agreements carefully. Look for hidden fees, hidden charges and unexpected requirements. You can also ask your bank to prepare a separate list highlighting all potential fees and charges. George Parker is a Director and Executive Vice President of Leasing Technologies International, Inc. ("LTI"). He is responsible for overseeing the company's marketing and financing efforts. One of the co-founders of LTI, Mr. Parker has been involved in secured lending and equipment financing for over twenty years. Mr. Parker is an industry leader, frequent panelist and author of several articles pertaining to equipment financing. Headquartered in Wilton, CT, LTI is a leasing firm specializing nationally in direct equipment financing and vendor leasing programs for emerging growth and later-stage, venture capital backed companies. More information about LTI is available at http://www.ltileasing.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Student Loan Limits Not Keeping Up with Tuition Rates As tuition rates at many colleges continues to rise, the limits that students may borrow each year has stayed the same.Dependent undergraduates may borrow up to $2,625 their freshman year, $3,500 their sophomore year and $5,500 for each remaining year in Stafford Loans. Why Choose a Secured Personal Loan? Listed below are some of the many reasons why you should choose a secured personal loan. A secured personal loan is often referred to as a homeowner loan. A General Discussion about Unsecured Personal Loans in the UK Financial Market Personal loans are offered by lenders such as banks and building societies and are available in a variety of formats, each of which may differ in the possible size, term and purpose of the loan you need. The internet has widened the choice of lenders available supplying personal loans online. Compare Payday Loan or Cash Advance Lenders Online Before You Borrow Comparing payday loan lenders, also called cash advance lenders, online guarantees that you will find the lowest rates and best terms. Payday lenders are required by law to post their rates and terms, so making comparisons is just a matter of a few clicks of the mouse. Finding A Thin Credit Or No Credit Motorcycle Loan It is no secret that thin or no credit can hurt just like bad credit when shopping for motorcycle loans. The main reason for this is that lenders all have a variety of strategies on how to approach motorcycle loans in their loan portfolios. Are You Ready for Your Students Student Loans? Your son or daughter is a high school senior and your worried about the coming year, and more importantly, the coming student loans? College has become so important in your children's future that parents have begun to plan for it at their child's birth. But, not all of us, as new parents thought that far ahead or could afford too. No Fax Payday Loans Online for a Fast Cash Advance Loan For a fast cash advance loan, no fax payday loans are now available online. By completing your application online, you don't have to fax paycheck stubs or forms. No Income Verification Home Equity Loan A no income verification home equity loan is a second mortgage loan that does not require you to provide income documentation to qualify for the loan. This type of loan is great for homeowners who need a home equity loan but have hard to document income. How To Apply For a Business Loan Worried about how to apply for a business loan? Although it may seem like a daunting task at first, it can be made less so by careful preparation. When applying for a business loan, you must prepare a written loan proposal. A Guide to UK Secured Homeowner Loans Trying to find good UK secured homeowner loans might seem difficult at first, but once you know what you're looking for and how to search for it then it's actually quite easy.The main things that you need to know in order to find the best UK secured homeowner loans are how the loans work and the process of researching loans and loan rates in order to find the best loan for your money. Bridge Loan A buyer of a new home may find himself or herself in an awkward position when he or she is unable to come up with the promised down payment on account of the existing home not being sold before closing on the new home purchase. This puts the deal to buy the new home in jeopardy. Relax, Unwind, and Enjoy With American One Secured Personal Loans Secured Personal Loans are those loans against which you don't have to put your home or other property as security. The path of Secured Personal Loans is very easy and dependable. First Time Buyer Mortgage -Key to your First Home Living in a rented apartment since long. Ever thought of the disadvantages of staying as a tenant. A Beginners Guide to Bad Credit Secured Loans Here is a useful beginner's guide to bad credit secured loans. If your credit is less than perfect but you find yourself needing money now, you might want to look into bad credit secured loans. Become A Smarter Borrower With a nation that has in the region of a Trillion pounds of debt one could say we are serial borrowers. Before you consider borrowing money it is wise to consider a few important points. Poor Credit Car Loan - Get Approved Online Poor credit doesn't have to stop you from getting a car loan. In fact, car loans are one way of rebuilding your credit history. Guide to Personal Secured Loans Here is a useful guide to personal secured loans. A personal secured loan is the generic term for a loan. Payday Loan Qualifications - What to Expect Payday loan qualifications are different from other types of short-term loans. By establishing that you have a monthly income and meet other minimum requirements, you can receive a loan even if you have poor credit. Cash Advance Payday Loans The ads are on the radio, television, the Internet, even in the mail. They refer to payday loans - which come at a very high price. A Brief Look At Various Types of Loans Available A Brief Look At Loans "Innovative financial packaging" is how it is sometime known. Essentially what this means is that financial institutions look for more and more ways to lend to their customers - after all, charging interest on a debt is the main way that they make their money.
|
