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Our portfolio management is guided by the key idea that every investor has unique requirements that necessarily inform their investment decisions.  To meet these ends, our managers have these goals:

  • ongoing monitoring of accounts
  • active rebalancing
  • monthly income distribution
  • detailed reporting
  • high availability for in depth discussion

 

Types of Mortgage Products

You can’t be too careful when it comes to selecting the type of mortgage insurance that will bring you the best value. Situations such as these call for research and an understanding of the types of mortgage products that are available. Some of the most common types of mortgages include –

Adjustable Rate Mortgages

ARMs (or Adjustable Rate Mortgages) may lower your initial monthly payments since they start with lower interest rates. Unlike Fixed Rate mortgages, the interest from your Adjustable Rate Mortgage will fluctuate on a periodic basis. How much it changes will depend on the state of interest rates in the financial market. For example, your monthly payments will increase if the interest rates are up.

Also known as Variable Rate mortgage, an ARM can prove to be a good choice for potential home owners provided that they know the risks involved. You do not want to end up with an ARM that is not suited to your particular situation or mortgage requirements.

Fixed Rate Mortgages

Fixed Rate Mortgages are one of the most common types of mortgage products that people go for and it is easy to see why. This particular mortgage product ensures that your interest rate never changes. In addition, the interest payment and monthly principle remains constant for the entire term of the loan.

In addition, a Fixed Rate mortgage also allows you to predict your monthly housing costs more efficiently no matter whether you opt for a 20, 15 or 30 year loan. In fact, most borrowers choose this particular option since potential decreases in interest rates will not affect them. In case such a thing does happen, a homeowner can easily decide whether refinancing his mortgage is a good idea or get a better interest rate. Fixed Rate Mortgages are also favored by certain government programs such as the VA and FHA.

FHA Loans

Speaking of government programs, you can also acquire a housing loan from the FHA (Federal Housing Administration). The FHA is a part of the HUD (Housing and Urban Development) and can insure home loans that may include lower down payments.

RHS Loans

RHS (Rural Housing Service) loans are designed to make it convenient for low income individuals to afford homes in rural areas. The funds that are acquired from the loan can also be used by borrowers to renovate, repair or to purchase sites.

VA Loans

As the name implies, the purpose of VA (Veterans Affairs) loans is to make housing affordable for eligible US veterans. Another major benefit of VA home loans is that they do not require any PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance). In fact, the loan also prohibits lenders from requiring PMIs. In addition, VA loans do not necessitate down payments either.

A home is the single most important asset you will ever invest in. Needless to say, planning for the investment might seem like a daunting task at first. However, once you choose the right type of mortgage product for your situation you won’t have a problem acquiring a home for you and your family.

The Six Factors that determine the Cost of Auto Insurance

Car insurance is one of those necessary bills that no one likes to pay; however, since basic coverage is mandatory in Canada everyone who drives their own car has to pay this bill. Auto insurance comes in one of two forms. Basic coverage pays for repairs and injuries to other parties that you may cause if you are involved in an accident where you are fault. Comprehensive insurance includes basic insurance and adds coverage for any loses that you may incur in the event of an accident where you are at fault; and it covers loss in the event of theft.

So what determines how much you pay for auto insurance?

The first factor is you place of residence; if you live in a crowded or congested area where accidents are more likely to occur, you will pay more than if you live in a rural area. In addition, if you live in an area where crime is high you will also pay more.

The second factor is your age. Auto insurance rates for those people under 25 are higher than for those people 25 and older. This is because insurance company studies show that those people under 25 tend to take more risks than those over 25.

Third, how far you drive on a yearly basis. Those people who drive more kilometers yearly will pay more than those who drive very little. This is due to the fact that the more you drive the more chance you have for an accident.

The next factor is the type of car you drive. The newer and more expensive car you drive, the higher your auto insurance premium will be.

The fifth factor affecting your premium cost is the type of insurance you want to carry. Since comprehensive insurance provides more coverage than basic insurance, it costs more.

Finally, the last factor that affects insurance rates is your driving record. If you have traffic violations or previous accidents, insurance companies will see you as a risk. Therefore, you will pay more for insurance than someone who has a clean driving record.

Interestingly, while gender was a factor in insurance rates, it is no longer. Good news if you’re a man, bad news if you’re a woman, but overall better for society.

These are the factors that affect auto insurance costs. Knowing this information will allow you to make an informed decision when selecting your auto insurance coverage.

Ways to Cope with Having Distractions in your Life

It can be a real challenge when you are trying to get things done and there are distractions all over the place. It’s important to be able to learn ways that you can deal with these distractions that are keeping you from getting things done.

The first thing that you should do is tell yourself how bad things are going to turn out or could turn out if you allow the distractions to get in your way. Make up a major catastrophe in your mind that will be very strong that will help you to ignore the distractions. The next time you are distracted by something, break it down into its different parts. Don’t look at it as a whole thing. Imagine it as a variety of small parts that make up nothing to you.

The next thing that you should do is remove things that distract you from the area you will be working in. If you have a hard time staying off of the computer, go to a room that has no computer in it. Put positive, pleasant things in your work place that will help you to remain focused on the work that is at hand. these tips should help you deal with distractions.

Not-So-Upfront House Alarm Sales Agents

One of the most popular products that’s being sold by salesmen over the last few years is home alarm systems. These sales agents are usually so persuasive that most families end up buying the alarm for a fraction of the cost advertised. What’s not being advertised is the hidden costs associated with the home system. These scams are so pervasive that the FTC has issued an urgent warning about them so this is a real problem.

These salesmen are usually part- time college students looking to earn something over the next few months. They are usually lured in with promises of big commissions and bonuses, and are readily convinced to undergo the training process. Their training usually consists of a script designed to ensure that no homeowner says no to their product.

They then sell the product by advertising it for free, saying that the company is only looking for homeowners willing to have signs put up on their lawn. They might also find an excuse for the homeowner to sign some innocent looking paperwork in the guise of accounting stuff.

What the unsuspecting customer doesn’t know is that they’ve signed up for a monthly subscription with some of the highest rates of any product. The homeowner might not know it, but every month he is billed for an alarm system that he really doesn’t know anything about. The best move for those looking into a good security system is to stay away from these shady salesmen.

Tips to Eliminate Your Credit Card Debt

As a result of the widespread use of credit cards, people have developed the habit of spending money lavishly. Spending money beyond your means puts you in heavy debt. Once you are in debts, it is quite difficult to eliminate them. But if you have the will and take the following steps, eliminating your debts is not as difficult as you think.

Destroy Your Credit Cards

As long as you have the cards, you will go on buying things on credit. So the best way to curtail your spending and to get rid of your debts is to destroy the the cards. For some time, it will be difficult for you to live without the the cards but you will gradually learn how to live frugally. However remember to clear all your dues on time so that your credit score will not be affected.

Pay Off Your Lightest Debts First

If you go on paying the minimum repayment on every credit card, it will take a very long time to pay off all of them fully. Select some of your lighter debts and pay them fully with whatever resources you have. This will protect your credit rating and will make it easy for you to manage the remaining debts.

Consolidate Your Debts

Credit card loans carry a very high rate of interest and if possible, so close all of them with a debt consolidation loan which carries a lower rate of interest. Remember that most of the money you pay as your minimum monthly repayment goes towards interest on your credit card debts. Once you pay off all your debts with a debt consolidation loan, you will have a single loan in the place of many.

Eliminating your card debt is not a very difficult thing if you are prepared to take some drastic decisions and live an austere life.