HSBC thrown financial lifeline to those with cheap fixed rate mortgages

April 22, 2008 – 7:12 am

The HSBC has recently announced plans to throw a lifeline to homeowners that are currently on cheap fixed rate mortgages that are due to come to an end, and this move could effectively shield millions of homeowners from the impact of higher interest rates. Many of those that are on cheap fixed rate deals are currently paying around 4.25% in interest, but when their deals end they will have to look for another mortgage – which could prove extremely expensive.

Whilst the Bank of England has cut interest rates three times since December, taking the base rate down to 5%, many lenders are still charging crippling interest rates as a result of the global credit crunch. This means that many of those currently in cheap fixed rate mortgages may find themselves lumbered with a far higher rate of interest and far higher monthly repayments once the deal comes to an end.

HSBC has now stated that it will match the interest rate of those coming off cheap fixed rate mortgages. This offer is being made to both HSBC customers and those with mortgage loans elsewhere. The bank is prepared to match the interest rates of mortgage customers down to 4.54%, so many customers could enjoy a further two years fixed on a low rate. However, experts have warned consumers that they need to act quickly, as the bank is only offering the Rate Matcher deal for a five week period.

One industry official stated: ‘HSBC has thrown a lifeline to hard-pressed mortgage borrowers today with the offer of matching anyone’s fixed rate deal for another two years. You will need to have a 20% deposit and if you were lucky enough to secure a rate below 4.54% previously you won’t qualify. And the £999 fee might put some people off, particularly when cash is already tight. But the average fixed rate mortgage deal is currently around 6.2% and there are very few deals below 5%. So HSBC is in a strong position. This is a really clever move to build market share and people should flock to HSBC while the offer is out there.’

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!


Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Different Types of Roofing

April 21, 2008 – 4:05 pm

Basically there are two major types of roof construction. Sloped or pitched roofs are very common. The other type is a flat roof. While most sloped roofs are covered with individual shingles of some sort that are overlapped to prevent water from seeping in, flat roofs are basically watertight membranes that typically have only enough of a slope to allow for water to run off. David Ness: a roofing contractor who owns a roofing company in wellesley ma says the slope of your roof can actually be a major factor in how long your roofing material will last. This also depends on the type of roofing materials that you use as well as the quality of craftsmanship that goes into constructing and installing your roof, how much sunlight your roof is exposed to over the years and wear and tear from natural elements such as tree branches, snow, rain and ice. Roofs that face south and west, for instance, have a much higher wear and tear factor than those that face north or east. Roofs that have a reflective coating to block sunlight and are also expected to last longer than those that do not. Cement and slate roofs also have a much longer life expectancy than standard shingles. Although these are a more expensive approach to roofing, you do get the added convenience of not having to repair or replace your roof as often as with asphalt shingles. Other types of roofing have different life expectancies. Asphalt roll roofing, concrete or clay tiles, wood shingles and slate also have higher life expectancies than their less-expensive counterparts.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!


Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Student Loan Dir - Another Great Site

April 21, 2008 – 1:55 am

I just came across another great site the other day about, great for students who wish to find the perfect loan, without the hassle of doing all the research themselves.

Student Loan Dir is not a lender but rather a free portal for students who are seeking for a good deal on a loan, Student Loan Dir are all about finding the right loan for students and they do it by submitting your application and ask for a quote from several lenders and let them compete in order to give you a loan with the lowest possible rate and that is nothing but good news for all you students out there.

Student Loan Dir also gives guidance and details about student loan consolidation and how they can be used to merge all your current loans into one single loan from one single lender, they also offer information about Consolidate Federal Student Loans Consolidation and how these can be used to drop the interest rates on loans. And the best thing about this site is that they offer all this information and more for free.

In my opinion this portal is a must see, firstly because unlike other similar sites it’s not cramped up with advertising from credit card advertising, which makes me think whether or not they really want to help out or get you in more trouble, but I especially like this website because it’s easy to use, it’s full of useful information, they don’t ask for too much personal details and of course because it’s free.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!


Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Smaller Gadgets = More Fun

April 19, 2008 – 7:46 pm

The electronics have undergone a drastic change in the recent past. Talk about the size to capacity, everything has changed, and for the good. Electronic gadgets are the in-thing. Gadgets may not be accessories but still they add to the bling. Gone is the time when these devices were for geeks only. The time has changed, and so has the needs of people. Necessity for gadgets in today’s world speaks for itself.

Every company is launching a new product everyday. They continously upgrade the products to attract people. Smaller the gadget is, the more it sells. Many companies have adopted this funda, and it sells too. Smaller gadgets are fun and tempting. Markets and websites are flooded with such products.

Gadgets that support audio format are very popular among teens. They playback various formats like mp3, wma and wav. They might be light and small but have memories from 256 mb to 4 gb. The size may be deceptive but the internal built up is better than ever. They even record voices and some may also be able to act as radio trasmitters.

Also there are video players available that attract many. Apart from audio playback, they support videos as well. They can play avi files to mp4 files. The size being smaller, their memories are also huge. Demand of video players is incresing day by day. This is because they not only provide features of an audio player but much more. Their price is not much too.

The cost of every electric product has decreased so far. If you cannot purchase anything you desire right now, wait for a little time. The price is sure to go down. If you can’t wait, look for an alternate option like wholesale purchasing. Till then, keep keep an eye on what else you want. Surely the tech gadgets that are offered today are not to be missed out.