Smart Borrower Blog

Archive for September, 2016

Subprime Consumers Access to Credit Reaches 5-Year High

Credit card limits for those with bad to worst credit rose in the first half of 2016 to the highest level in over five years, according to new data from the Experian Market Intelligence Brief, a development that brings mixed economic signals. Total credit card limits for those with subprime or deep subprime credit scores […]

‘Shadow Lenders’ Step in Fill Financing Gap for Commercial Loans

As traditional banks face stricter federal regulation, non-traditional lenders have moved onto the scene to finance the needs of commercial real estate developers. After the financial crisis that began almost a decade ago, the federal government instituted tighter rules on banks, requiring things like higher cash reserves and more stringent lending standards for construction loans. […]

Mortgage Rates Remain Low Even as Credit Tightens

The availability of mortgage credit declined in August, according to the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association, yet mortgage interest rates remain near rock bottom levels. The MBA’s Mortgage Credit Availability Index  fell 0.4 percent last month, an indication that mortgage credit was slightly harder to come by. Conforming mortgage loan credit availability decreased […]

Survey: Saving for Kids’ Student Loans Takes Priority over Saving for Retirement

College tuition costs have risen so steeply over the past decade that many parents are now more worried about saving up for their children’s student loans than about their own retirement needs. According to a recent T-Rowe Price survey, 67 percent of all households say saving for their kids’ college education is a higher financial […]