Find Online Auto Loans for Good Or Bad Credit Individuals in 7 Steps
Being on the lookout for a good ideal on an auto loan if you have questionable or bad credit can become a long waiting game. The chances of a really low rate for people with a FICO score under 600 being advertised in a newspaper or on TV are slim-to-none.A better idea is to take a more proactive approach with finding auto loan deals that work for any credit situation. By aggressively going after what you need rather than just sitting back and hoping for the best, you will have a 10 times better chance of getting it.The truth is, there are many auto loan lenders out there who specialize in working with borrowers with a full range of credit scores, from good to bad. You just have to know how to prepare yourself for finding them and then applying.If you want to find online auto loans for good or bad credit individuals, here are 7 steps to getting what you want:1. Know your limitations and choose the right car:You may have your eye on that hot new European import, American muscle car, or sleek Japanese sedan that is sitting on the dealer lot that you pass by every day. And to be sure, there are of course no rules written anywhere that say you can’t qualify for a loan to buy the car of your dreams right now.However, if your credit score is below 600, a more realistic approach for you at this point would be to set your sights on a car that is not quite so expensive. Going after a lower-priced car means a smaller auto loan amount – which will increase your chances of getting approved significantly.2. Understand your FICO score:You may not enjoy looking at your credit report, especially if you have a low FICO score. However, taking the time to look at your report now will pay off later. That’s because when you do, you will have the chance to prepare explanations regarding any particular items that a would-be lender might flag as undesirable. And, it also gives you the opportunity to spot any errors in your report that you could get removed at this point.3. Talk to a friend who is in a similar credit situation to you about their preferred lender:Think about your circle of friends: know anybody with credit problems who also owns a car? It just takes a quick phone call or e-mail to find out whether they can point you in the direction of a reputable bad-credit lender.4. Start your online search:Even if you get suggestions from your friend about a good lender, still take the time to increase your list of candidate car loan lenders by doing an online search of your own. Keep your eyes peeled for “bad credit auto lenders” and “any credit OK auto lenders.” This is how they refer to themselves, and they are looking for customers like you.5. Compile a list of 5 bad credit online auto lenders:Make sure your search yields you at least 5 solid-looking lenders. More choices means more opportunities to get approved at the lowest-possible rate for your situation.6. Contact at least 3 of them:Now, set aside an hour or so and contact at least 3 of them. If you like what you hear, go ahead and apply to all 3.7. Move on if the offer does not meet your interest rate or payment needs:Each time you get an offer, be sure to move on to the next one if you suspect you can do better in terms of the interest rate. Remember, you always have other options. No matter what, make sure to follow through in applying to all 3 lenders.Take these 7 steps to finding online auto loans for good or bad credit individuals.
Why Is a Pre-Approved Auto Loan Better Than a Traditional Loan?
Do you remember the pain of abandoning your dream car because you couldn’t get an auto loan approval? It is hard to let go the dream of buying your favorite car. However, times have changed with the easy availability of a pre-approved auto loan.With a pre-approved auto loan, you can get a clear picture of the approved loan amount. Also, the lender will give you assurance of paying money as and when required. It means that the loan program will make car buying process a piece of cake for you.Eligibility Criteria for a Pre-Approved Auto LoanYou need to submit your financial documents to the lender. He will examine your credit ratings and banking activities in detail. After inspecting your financial situation, he will provide you with an approved loan amount for buying a car.Why opt for a Pre-Approved Auto Loan?The following points justify why one should opt for a pre-approved auto loan rather than applying for a traditional loan:· Car Buying Process becomes Clear After the lender assesses your credit ratings and banking details, you will get a clear idea of the maximum loan amount that he is ready to lend you. It makes choosing a car simple and clear. If your credit ratings are good and the lender approves you for a higher loan amount, you can buy your dream car.On the other hand, if you apply for a traditional loan, you will have to choose the car first and then apply for an auto loan. And, if your credit ratings are not good, the lender may reject your loan application.· It saves TimeWhat if the lender approves for a lower loan amount than you expected? Don’t worry! You can spend time in arranging money for the down payment amount. Applying for a pre-approved auto loan gives you adequate time for taking care of issues such as the down payment amount and the co-signer. Thus, it makes buying your dream car easy. The biggest problem with a traditional loan is that it doesn’t provide you with enough time to make arrangements for the down payment amount. Also, you need to make quick decisions in choosing a co-signer. If you are unable to secure the down payment amount and the co-signer, you will have to abandon your dream of buying a car.· You can enjoy Low-Interest RatesLenders offer low-interest rates to car buyers who apply for a pre-approved auto loan. The reason is that they perform strict scrutiny on financial documents and approve loan application of people with low risk. As they are not worried about their investment, they are able to offer affordable interest rates. If you apply for a traditional loan, the interest rates will be high. It is because the loan program is not designed exclusively for you.· Luxury of TimeOnce you get a pre-approved auto loan, you get an assurance of getting money according to your requirements. Therefore, you can wait for festive offers and enjoy additional benefits or discounts.On the other hand, approval on a traditional loan requires time. There are chances that you may not be able to enjoy the festive offers and discounts because of the long duration of the loan process.· Negotiations becomes EasyGetting a pre-approved auto loan is considered as having money in your hand. The dealer understands it and so, tries to sell you a car as quickly as possible. As you have an upper hand in the negotiation process, you can negotiate with the dealer to buy the car at low price. The negotiations in a traditional loan are not effective as the dealer is aware of the fact that you do not have money to finalize the deal.· Future BenefitsA pre-approved auto loan, if repaid punctually, also provides future benefits. Applying for loans in the future becomes easy if the lender knows you well. He will provide you with special interest rates and reduce the loan approval time as well. It is because he has reviewed your documents in the past and is well-aware of your financial situation.When you apply for a pre-approved auto loan, the lender conducts intense research on your banking account and financial transactions. But once the scrutiny is over, you will get a picture of your situation and it will make the car buying process crystal clear to you. So, it is better to apply for a pre-approved auto loan than to spend time on a traditional loan.
How Asset-Based Loans From Commercial Finance Companies Differ From Traditional Bank Loans
When it comes to the different types of business loans available in the marketplace, owners and entrepreneurs can be forgiven if they sometimes get a little confused. Borrowing money for your company isn’t as simple as just walking into a bank and saying you need a small business loan.What will be the purpose of the loan? How and when will the loan be repaid? And what kind of collateral can be pledged to support the loan? These are just a few of the questions that lenders will ask in order to determine the potential creditworthiness of a business and the best type of loan for its situation.Different types of business financing are offered by different lenders and structured to meet different financing needs. Understanding the main types of business loans will go a long way toward helping you decide the best place you should start your search for financing.Banks vs. Asset-Based LendersA bank is usually the first place business owners go when they need to borrow money. After all, that’s mainly what banks do – loan money and provide other financial products and services like checking and savings accounts and merchant and treasury management services.But not all businesses will qualify for a bank loan or line of credit. In particular, banks are hesitant to lend to new start-up companies that don’t have a history of profitability, to companies that are experiencing rapid growth, and to companies that may have experienced a loss in the recent past. Where can businesses like these turn to get the financing they need? There are several options, including borrowing money from family members and friends, selling equity to venture capitalists, obtaining mezzanine financing, or obtaining an asset-based loan.Borrowing from family and friends is usually fraught with potential problems and complications, and has the potential to significantly damage close friendships and relationships. And the raising of venture capital or mezzanine financing can be time-consuming and expensive. Also, both of these options involve giving up equity in your company and perhaps even a controlling interest. Sometimes this equity can be substantial, which can end up being very costly in the long run.Asset-based lending (or ABL), however, is often an attractive financing alternative for companies that don’t qualify for a traditional bank loan or line of credit. To understand why, you need to understand the main differences between bank loans and ABL – their different structures and the different ways banks and asset-based lenders look at business lending.Cash Flow vs. Balance Sheet LendingBanks lend money based on cash flow, looking primarily at a business’ income statement to determine if it can generate sufficient cash flow in the future to service the debt. In this way, banks lend primarily based on what a business has done financially in the past, using this to gauge what it can realistically be expected to do in the future. It’s what we call “looking in the rearview mirror.”In contrast, commercial finance asset-based lenders look at a business’ balance sheet and assets – primarily, its accounts receivable and inventory. They lend money based on the liquidity of the inventory and quality of the receivables, carefully evaluating the profile of the company’s debtors and their respective concentration levels. ABL lenders will also look to the future to see what the potential impact is to accounts receivable from projected sales. We call this “looking out the windshield.”An example helps illustrate the difference: Suppose ABC Company has just landed a $12 million contract that will pay out in equal installments over the next year, resulting in $1 million of revenue per month. It will take 12 months for the full contract amount to show up on the company’s income statement and for a bank to recognize it as cash flow available to service debt. However, an asset-based lender would view this as receivables sitting on the balance sheet and consider lending against them, depending on the creditworthiness of the debtor company.In this scenario, a bank might lend on the margin generated from the contract. At a 10 percent margin, for example, a bank lending at 3x margin might loan the business $300,000. Because it looks at the trailing cash flow stream, an asset-based lender could potentially loan the business much more money – perhaps up to 80 percent of the receivables, or $800,000.The other main difference between bank loans and ABL is how banks and commercial finance asset-based lenders view the business’ assets. Banks usually only lend to businesses that can pledge hard assets as collateral – mainly real estate and equipment – hence, banks are sometimes referred to as “dirt lenders.” They prefer these assets because they are easier to control, monitor and identify. Commercial finance asset-based lenders, on the other hand, specialize in lending against assets with high velocity like inventory and accounts receivable. They are able to do so because they have the systems, knowledge, credit appetite and controls in place to monitor these assets.Apples and OrangesAs you can see, traditional bank lending and asset-based lending are really two different animals that are structured, underwritten and priced in totally different ways. Therefore, comparing banks and asset-based lenders is kind of like comparing apples and oranges.Unfortunately, many business owners (and even some bankers) don’t understand these key differences between bank loans and ABL. They try to compare them on an apples-to-apples basis, and wonder especially why ABL is so much “more expensive” than bank loans. The cost of ABL is higher than the cost of a bank loan due to the higher degree of risk involved in ABL and the fact that asset-based lenders have invested heavily in the systems and expertise required to monitor accounts receivable and manage collateral.For businesses that do not qualify for a traditional bank loan, the relevant comparison isn’t between ABL and a bank loan. Rather, it’s between ABL and one of the other financing options – friends and family, venture capital or mezzanine financing. Or, it might be between ABL and foregoing the opportunity.For example, suppose XYZ Company has an opportunity for a $3 million sale, but it needs to borrow $1 million in order to fulfill the contract. The margin on the contract is 30 percent, resulting in a $900,000 profit. The company doesn’t qualify for a bank line of credit in this amount, but it can obtain an asset-based loan at a total cost of $200,000.However, the owner tells his sales manager that he thinks the ABL is too expensive. “Expensive compared to what?” the sales manager asks him. “We can’t get a bank loan, so the alternative to ABL is not landing the contract. Are you saying it’s not worth paying $200,000 in order to earn $900,000?” In this instance, saying “no” to ABL would effectively cost the business $700,000 in profit.Look at ABL in a Different LightIf you have shied away from pursuing an asset-based loan from a commercial finance company in the past because you thought it was too expensive, it’s time to look at ABL in a different light. If you can obtain a traditional bank loan or line of credit, then you should probably go ahead and get it. But if you can’t, make sure you compare ABL to your true alternatives.When viewed in this light, an asset-based loan often becomes a very smart and cost-effective financing option.