http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/finance/investing/why-use-an-investment-discount-broker.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/investing/why-use-an-investment-discount-broker.html Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Many people are wary of financial advisers but the majority of advisers are on your side and they not only want your business but they want you to be a client for the long term so it is in their interests to do a good job.

The best place for financial investment advice is an Independent Financial Adviser. Don't bother going to a bank or the local insurance guy. Seek out proper independent financial advice and make sure the firm has the necessary experience to deal with your particular set of circumstances and needs. Be upfront and ask them if they can help you.

Now obviously the independent financial adviser will expect to be paid for his work. It is a business with bills to pay. You could be given an option to pay by commission or by fee. The option is really up to you. Some people are confortable if the broker is paid by the investment company some are not. However it is agreed, the independent financial adviser will need to be paid for his time and expertise.

Now if you bought some investment products through the adviser such as ISAs or unit trusts then these come with built in charges and commission. You could negotiate the amount of commission the IFA receives if it is a very large sum of money.

Supposing you were unhappy with this situation and wanted to deal directly with the ISA investment company. Surely you could strike a deal and get a discount for going direct? Not so fast. These investment products are not designed for people to go directly to the investment house, they are designed for financial advisers and brokers and so have inbuilt charges and commission. If you go direct you will not normally benefit and will pay the full charge.

This may not seem a fair situation but there is a simple way around it so that you can benefit from discounted investment charges. Just contact an investment discount broker. These brokers specialise in offering discounted investment products on an execution only basis. They won't provide you with any advice but if you know what you want they can arrange large discounts to reduce the initial charges on the investment products you buy.

Most commonly an investment discount broker will offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISA), unit trusts, investment bonds and sometimes pensions.

Savings are related to the amount you invest so this could add up to a tidy saving. Many investment discount broker now offer some kind of online service where you can buy your ISA or unit trust online and then be able to log in for valuation or to switch funds, all with discounted charges.

So if you know what investment product you need, contact an investment discount broker and start saving today.

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Steve Wright is Managing Director of Wrightway Financial Consultants Ltd who are IFAs and investment discount brokers

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/running-a-successful-accommodation-business-legally.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/running-a-successful-accommodation-business-legally.html Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600
By keeping up to date with legislation changes you can avoid claims, prosecution and fines.

Most people will have some basic knowledge of the rules that apply. Some of the most obvious ones would be to do with health and safety, hygiene and more recently changes to smoking in public places. But these are just the tip of the iceberg, there are a whole host of rules that need to be followed when running a successful business in tourism accommodation.

Lets look at the premises as an example. You need to consider whether business rates apply to your property. This can depend on how many people you will allow to stay at any one time and for how long. It is also calculated on how much of the property is used for business purposes. You need to consider what licences you need for your premises; if you have installed TV's then you will need to obtain a TV licence. If you play any copyright music in public on your premises you need to obtain a Performing Right Society Licence (although many people do not do this). There are a variety of regulations and permissions required for premise signage. You will obviously want to promote your business effectively and many people will have illuminated building signs on or beside the property. The need for consent from the planning authority depends on whether signs are fully, partially or non-illuminated and where they are situated.

Health and safety aspects are probably the most prominent rules that business owners are aware of. Get these wrong and you could be in big trouble. Fire safety in hotels and guesthouses is governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This requires the 'responsible person' in virtually all workplaces, including hotels, guesthouses and similar premises, to adopt a self assessment approach to fire safety in the workplace. The regulations apply to all accommodation premises including self-catering accommodation.

The list of rules to comply with is extensive and will include:

Planning and building
Signs for your premises
Fire Safety
Health and safety at work
Hazards in the workplace
Smoking in public places
Food safety and hygiene
Liquor licensing
Bookings, cancellations
Pricing and charging
Data protection
Discrimination
Tax, VAT

By coming to terms with how these apply to your business you can be confident that you have a well run and legal business. You, your staff and guests will also be a lot safer and more comfortable. Further information on this topic can be found on the Holiday Let Mortgages website at http://www.holidayletmortgages.co.uk/accommodationknowhow.htm where you will also find a special offer reduced subscription to the Accommodation Know-How website run by VisitBritain, Englands national tourism agency.









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Sean Horton is a Director of Holiday Let Mortgages who are a holiday home mortgage broker.

Discount subscriptions can be found at
http://www.holidayletmortgages.co.uk/accommodationknowhow.htm

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/looking-for-a-mortgage-broker-kent.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/looking-for-a-mortgage-broker-kent.html Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500
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Sean Horton is a Director of Enhanced Wealth Limited who are a specialist mortgage broker in Kent

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/options-for-mortgage-brokers-in-kent.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/options-for-mortgage-brokers-in-kent.html Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Independent mortgage brokers in Kent will offer you mortgages from the whole market and they also need to offer you the choice of paying by a fee only.

Whole of market mortgage brokers in Kent will also offer you mortgages from the whole market. This means they have the widest choice of mortgage companies to choose from. Whole of market mortgage brokers in Kent do not have to offer you a fee only option. They will be paid by the mortgage company but may also charge you a fee for their advice and help.

In choosing a mortgage broker in Kent you need to be happy that they have the right level of experience and expertise for the mortgage you need. Don't be shy, ask them for the experience and why you should use them instead of another kent mortgage broker. All mortgage brokers should have the minimum level of qualifications to do their job but many will only specialise in a few types of mortgage.

Kent has a very large number of mortgage brokers for you to choose from so you should be able to find one near where you live or work. Searching on the internet for mortgage brokers kent or kent mortgage broker will bring up a list of those you can contact. These brokers will be actively seeking local people to do business with.

So, a few minutes on the internet will give you some kent mortgage brokers to contact. Ask them a few simple questions to make sure they can do what you want and then arrange to meet them. Some kent mortgage brokers will be happy to arrange your mortgage over the phone and post so you do not need to take time out to see them.

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Sean Horton is a Director of Enhanced Wealth Limited who are a specialist mortgage broker in Kent

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/loans/property-development-finance-why-use-a-broker.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/loans/property-development-finance-why-use-a-broker.html Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500
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Sean Horton is a Director of Enhanced Wealth Limited who offer a specialist service for property development finance

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/loans/propert-development-finance-is-it-like-any-other-finance.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/loans/propert-development-finance-is-it-like-any-other-finance.html Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500
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Sean Horton is a Director of Enhanced Wealth Limited who offer a specialist service for property development finance

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/property-development-finance-what-are-your-options.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/property-development-finance-what-are-your-options.html Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500 property development finance is usually available from banks at a reasonable rate. A large deposit will be required, especially if you are a newcomer – in this case the loan will almost certainly be restricted to 50/50 (50% of purchase price plus 50% of development costs). If you are more experienced, the banks may provide 70/70 finance. • Specialist lenders. There are increasing numbers of specialist lenders of property development finance coming into the market. These lenders will often provide higher loan-to-value amounts – i.e. higher than the 50/50 or 70/70 respectively. However the rates on finance from these lenders will be anything from 1-2 per cent higher than from the banks. • 100% lending with extra security. If you are in a position to provide additional security for your property development finance (i.e. other property) you may be able to get 100 per cent finance. Lenders will have to satisfy themselves that the other property is unencumbered – i.e. free of other loans or charges secured on it – and the onus is on you to decide whether you are willing and able to take this sort of risk. You need to be very sure of the viability of your project. • Gross Development Lending (GDV). This means obtaining your property development finance on the basis of a forecast of the ultimate value of the project when the development is complete. Again, this way you could get 100% finance. Obviously the forecast needs to come from a professional valuer or surveyor. • Mezzanine and equity finance. Experienced professionals can often find additional means of financing a project – for instance, attracting funds from investors willing to take a high risk for a high return. One way of doing this is by issuing preference shares. This is a possible way of financing a project without using your own money, but it is not for the novice. When looking for your property development finance, you need to start by working out what funds are already at your disposal. Then talk to a broker or an independent financial adviser, who will help you decide which option is the best for you.

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Sean Horton is a Director of Enhanced Wealth Limited who offer a specialist service for property development finance

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/loans/property-development-finance-what-is-it-for.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/loans/property-development-finance-what-is-it-for.html Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500 property development finance might be required. They can range from a modest idea by a private individual, to a multi-million project for a large company. Whatever the size of your project, there will be a property development finance lender who will consider it – ask a broker who will help you find the right one.

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Sean Horton is a Director of Enhanced Wealth Limited who offer a specialist service for property development finance

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/loans/how-to-find-property-development-finance.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/loans/how-to-find-property-development-finance.html Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500 property development finance, time is crucial. If there is a delay in agreeing the finance, you could lose the site to a competitor, or costs could have escalated. The more efficiently you can do your work, the more it will help you obtain the right level of finance for your project.

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Sean Horton is a Director of Enhanced Wealth Limited who offer a specialist service for property development finance

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/mortgage-calculator-how-do-i-use-one.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/mortgage-calculator-how-do-i-use-one.html Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Before you start using the mortgage calculator, you need to collect together all the information you will require. This includes your monthly income from all sources – salaries, interest payments on investments, etc.

Then make a list of all your essential monthly outgoings – gas, electricity, insurance, credit card payments and payments on any other loans. If you have a car, work out how much it costs you over a year – in petrol, servicing, tax disc, insurance and, if possible, in depreciation.

If you have an endowment mortgage and you want to use the mortgage calculator to predict whether the endowment policy will pay out enough to cover your mortgage, there is additional information you will need. This includes the maturity date of your policy; the bonus rate; the current sum assured; and the date of your last bonus declaration.

When you start using the mortgage calculator, there are two ways you can go about it.
1. If you have seen a particular property and want to know whether you can afford to buy it, you can enter the amount you want to borrow and the period of time over which you would like to borrow it, and the calculator will tell you how much the repayments will be. Obviously you will have to look at this in the light of your income and outgoings.
2. Maybe you haven’t seen a property yet, but you want to know what price bracket you are looking at. In this case you can enter your total income and the mortgage calculator will tell you how much you can borrow. Some calculators will look at your gross income, others at your net income, which obviously helps you decide whether you can actually afford it or not. Some mortgage calculators will even allow you to enter your outgoings which is even more helpful.

Whichever of these two options you use, all you have to do is enter the information in the boxes when prompted on the screen. The you just click on “Calculate” and the mortgage calculator will instantly produce the information you require.

If you are looking for information on your endowment policy, the process is the same. You enter all the information required and click on “Calculate”. The mortgage calculator will then predict the final value of your policy.

The term “mortgage calculator” sounds a bit alarming. However, once you try it, you will find it really simple! And you will be amazed at the amount of work it saves you.

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Sean Horton is a Director of Enhanced Wealth Limited who are a specialist mortgage broker with an online mortgage calculator

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>