When you urgently need money for a significant expense, you might be tempted to clear out a credit card or borrow from a shylock. But there are myriad finance options that you can explore without hurting your credit rating.
Collateral is something of value that helps secure a loan. This is what a lender uses to protect themselves when they agree to lend you cash. If you fail to repay the loan, they can sell the asset to recover their money. If you are considering taking on a secured loan, it’s essential to understand how collateral loans work.
Types of Collateral
The collateral required depends on the amount you want to borrow and the loan type. So, what can be used as collateral?
- Real estate: Using home equity as collateral when applying for a small loan is a standard feature. That commonality, primarily to lenders, trickles down to a few key aspects: Real estate assets are valuable, they retain value over time, and are widely available.
- Savings: Lenders also prefer savings as collateral. And you can easily understand why- a bundle of cash ensures that the shylock can regain losses while avoiding the hassle that comes with selling a real asset.
- Invoices: If you have loyal customers and they are slow to pay up, you’re bound to hit a snag when conducting daily business operations. Lenders can help you keep your business afloat through a collateral loan solely based on outstanding invoice balances.
Other Examples of Secured Loans
Other secured loans can include:
- Personal loans: They are used by consumers to service existing debts, finance everyday expenses or build credit rating.
- Auto loans and mortgages: These two are the most common types of collateral loans utilized by customers. Most lenders demand that these assets be estimated to gauge the real value of the collateral.
Repossession
If you don’t pay up the loan within the agreed period, the repossession company will use different repossession strategies to get the collateral returned. What you didn’t know is that repossession may leave a dent on your credit finance history. However, the impact lessens over time such that your delinquency can be erased seven years after loan defaulting.
There are a few repossession strategies that your lender is likely to employ. They can repossess the asset with or without court notice, based on terms outlined on the collateral agreement. Technically, they can shift to gear as soon as you miss making payment.
Borrowing Without Collateral
If you are not willing to pledge collateral, you may as well look for a lender that will render you cash based on your signature, or another person’s name. Options include online loans (the amount is limited), getting a co-guarantor to apply the loan for you, or merely going for unsecured loans like credit cards.
Ultimately, acquiring a collateral loan is a brilliant idea if you are sure that you’re going to pay it back. It’s a great way to get lower interest rates than unsecured debt can offer. Take advantage of it and you could save yourself a lot of money!
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