First Mortgage Trust have developed a number of diverse calculators over the years not only to improve the quality of their clients online experience but also in response to client, consumer and third party requests. Among the calculators are Mortgage Payment Protection, Bridging Loans, Secured Loans, Buy To Let Rental and Mortgage Calculator, Affordability and budget, How much can I borrow, monthly mortgage payments for both interest only and repayment, flexible mortgage calculator and three conveyancing calculators for purchase, sale and purchase and remortgage.
The benefit of online mortgage related calculators are many and varied. First Mortgage Trust's extensive collection of online calculators allow client retention and leaves them in complete control. not only to compare current outgoings but also for anticipated costs and savings. Every cost associated with selling, purchasing and remortgaging is available and for the client to interact with. Mortgage calculators help to create a sticky website.
Calculators are of benefit to solicitors, Independent Financial Advisers, mortgage brokers and those involved in residential and commercial real Estate. The calculators can be used both online and offline for ease of reference to professionals. Other benefits are client and consumer retention as website visitors no longer have to leave a professionals site to confirm or check figures.
For Financial services web designers, webmasters and search engine optimization this becomes invaluable keyword rich content and is an essential must have for any associated site. With around 500,000 searches every month in the US & UK for 'mortgage calculator' this confirms the demand for information required by online clients.

First Mortgage Trust's conveyancing purchase and sale & purchase calculators include a database of approximately three hundred and seventy local authority search fees. First Mortgage Trust update this database annually. Although local search indemnity insurance is now popular amongst conveyancing solicitors it must be remembered that not all lenders will allow this and may well insist on a local authority search. Clients can also work out stamp duty, another substantial cost in the home buying process along with many other functions.
With the ever changing landscape of lending and underwriting criteria it is important that the consumer have calculators available to them. Many lenders have now increased income multiples to as much as 5.6 joint for high credit score, high earners. Before a client proceeds with a mortgage it is important that they have an idea of borrowing capacity, after establishing borrowing capacity they can further confirm monthly figures to confirm affordability.
It is also important that any calculator placed on a financial services website not only carries disclaimers but also keeps pace and reflects changes with legislation from a regulatory perspective. The Financial Services Authority have expressed some concern over the self certification mortgage. A non status mortgage whereby income is not verified by the lender. Therefore a mortgage budget and affordability calculator is essential along with hints as to why the consumer is self certifying their income, this is in accordance with responsible lending practices.
With rising property prices diminishing rental yields a buy to let mortgage and rental calculator also proves exceptionally popular. Where the amount of mortgage available can be reduced substantially by a valuers comments or rental assessment it is important that the client is forearmed.
Mortgage-Loan-UK is a premier resource for personal finance information along with an extensive collection of mortgage related calculators. For more information visit the mortgage calculator page. First Mortgage Trust are also commercial bridging loan specialists.


How to buy property in Spain
Miles of white sandy beaches, lively resorts, and a thriving expatriate community - Costa Blanca is a fantastic proposition for foreigners buying properties in Spain.
The Costa Blanca, or the White Coast, takes its name from the magnificent beaches that edge its 200km Mediterranean coastline. The region is part of the province of Alicante and this, along with Benidorm, is its principal town. The area is well-loved by holidaymakers and home to many of the expats who come to Spain every year seeking a Mediterranean lifestyle and year-round sun. If you’re looking to buy property in Spain, the Costa Blanca is a fantastic choice and expert Spanish Estate Agents can help you find the right one for you.
There’s something for everyone here. Costa Blanca is not only a heaven for holidaymakers seeking sun, sea and quality beaches, it’s a haven for wildlife too. The region has an impressive eleven natural parks, ranging from spectacular mountainous terrain to unspoilt coastal wetlands to marine reserves. In short, the Costa Blanca is a nature lover’s paradise.
For shopping, nightlife and amenities the coastal towns of Alicante and Benidorm offer everything you could need, while Valencia, Spain’s third largest city, is just an hour and a half’s drive north of Alicante. Elsewhere in the region, between the beautiful beaches, jutting headlands and intimate rocky coves, you’ll find lively smaller towns and sleepy fishing villages.
The thriving Costa Blanca real estate market means your property choices are excellent too - from new resort developments to luxury villas, townhouses to traditional fincas. Here are just a few popular and lesser-known locations for Costa Blanca property buyers to consider.
Costa Blanca Locations
Alicante
Cosmopolitan Alicante is one of the leading Mediterranean cities and offers an enviable choice of lifestyles to its residents. You’ll find designer boutiques, stylish restaurants and great bars, as well as a young and trendy vibe, thanks to the town’s university. Water sports are popular and well-served, while the old town offers numerous cultural delights.
Benidorm
Costa Blanca’s other main town was originally a fishing village and retains much of its traditional charm. Today, it enjoys year-round popularity as a leading holiday resort, with a thriving expat community drawn by its famously crescent-shaped beaches and excellent shopping and nightlife.
Benissa
Benissa has much to offer the Spanish property buyer, not least its established expat community. The area is surrounded by fabulous beaches, dramatic mountains and verdant countryside, while the town has many notable historic sites, including handsome 17th and 18th century townhouses and pretty narrow streets.
Finestrat
A town with a unique character, Finestrat is said to represent both sea and mountain and has dual economies too. Agriculture and tourism work side-by-side here, which helps to retain the town’s the traditional Mediterranean feel, while offering excellent facilities for visitors and expats alike.
Denia
If you’re looking for a modern, coastal town, with sandy beaches and a wealth of things to do, Denia is ideal. Enclosed by ancient city walls, the historic centre boasts a castle and a 17th century shipyard, while the thriving port area, with its yacht club and brightly painted restaurants, is a great place to hang out - or catch a ferry to the neighbouring Balearics.
Moraira
Michelin-starred restaurants, a superb marina, and excellent Blue Flag beaches may explain why Moraira has come to be known as a millionaires’ playground. The harbourside bars ooze Mediterranean charm, while a unique micro-climate ensures cool breezes in summer and average winter temperatures of a balmy 64ºF.
Pego
With its pretty church square and houses that have been built into the original town walls, Pego has retained much of its medieval heritage. Nightlife is centred around the square, with restaurants and bars serving excellent seafood and tapas, including paellas made with rice picked from local paddy fields.
Author's information: VIVA Estates is the number one property agent in southern Spain. Not only do they list more properties and see more customers every day than any other agent, but their sales commissions are the lowest in Spain. VIVA agents pride themselves on experience, professionalism and a friendly approach and have helped thousands of people to find their perfect property since opening their doors in 1998. Today, they have offices in 17 locations throughout the region and one in the UK.


A Roadmap for Commercial Real Estate Syndication, Part 1
HOW TO DO YOUR OWN SYNDICATIONS, Part 1
One of the most important requirements for purchasing commercial property is having enough down payment money, called “equity,” to complete the transaction. A very popular method of raising these funds when you don’t have it yourself is by forming a group of people who pool enough capital to let you close the transaction. They get a portion of the income and appreciation for their funds, you get the rest for finding, analyzing, purchasing, and managing the property.
When you decide to take the step to form groups of investors through the process called “syndication,” you run into a situation where the law may require you take on a specific duty to fully inform your co-investors of all aspects of the property and the investment. Most people getting involved in group investments are usually under-informed or inexperienced with regard to the following group-investment concepts:
• The legal aspects of the co-ownership of real estate.
• Factors that affect the value of commercial real estate.
• The process and responsibilities involved in commercial property management.
• The fair compensation to the group manager or “syndicator,” who later becomes the property manager.
When you take on the role of syndicator, you actually create an “agency duty” to your co-investors. You have a higher responsibility to disclose all of the aspects that can affect a particular commercial property investment, both good and bad. So when you form a group for investment, it’s very helpful to have checklist for all of the things you need to do so that you meet your responsibilities to your partners. Part of that check list includes:
1. Researching the available commercial rental property in a particular neighborhood and choosing one to purchase.
2. Preparing a preliminary analysis of the investment. This would include its operating history, status of title, proximity to any environmental or natural hazards, the neighborhood, the local and national economies, and finally, the physical condition of the property.
3. Next, you have to get control of the property in your name with the ability to assign it to a successor entity through a purchase contract or option.
4. Once you gain control, escrow needs to be opened with your name as the purchaser, not that of the entity! You’ll assign your purchase rights to the entity before you close.
5. Then you complete an analysis of the income and expenses, and confirm the Seller’s disclosures regarding the condition of the property, including its improvements, location, title, and operations.
6. You’ll also apply for new debt financing (or assume the existing), depending upon what you indicated in the purchase contract. This obviously won’t apply if you’re buying your commercial building all cash!
7. At this point in the process, you will want to review your plans for forming and operating your ownership entity (most likely a Limited Liability Company) with experienced accounting and legal advisors. Getting this part correct at the outset will save you major of headaches in the future.
8. Now you get really busy. You’ll prepare the investment circular, subscription agreement, Articles of Organization and Operating Agreement for the LLC, pertinent exhibits, and addenda. The syndicator (you) is named as the Manager of the LLC in these documents.
9. You now can use the investment circular to solicit investors to fund your purchase, through the LLC.
10. Once you’ve chosen your investors (there will be a whole article devoted to this subject), you need to get their signatures on the Subscription Agreement and the Operating Agreement of the LLC. You’ll also want to deliver their funds to escrow for the close.

That takes you up to completing the purchase. As you can see, there’s quite a bit for a sydicator to do just to get the property purchased. We still have to detail the on-going operation of the property. I’ll complete your roadmap in the next article and then we can move on to the individual steps in greater detail.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: ’Craig Higdon, “The Investment Property Insider,” works as a commercial mortgage broker. He publishes the weekly “Investment Property Insider” e-zine and blog, www.InvestmentPropertyInsider.com. Visit the blog and get a complimentary report on commercial financing techniques.’