All articles by Mike Hamel

  1. The Right Time for Mortgage Refinancing by Mike Hamel

    If interest rates have dropped by a percentage point or more since you got your first mortgage, refinancing could save you big bucks. And if you have enough equity so that your new mortgage is for less than 80% of your home's value, you'll be able to stop paying Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), which will save you even more.

  2. Second Mortgage a Good First Step by Mike Hamel

    A second mortgage can be the first step to climbing out of debt, especially for homeowners who have bad credit. A second mortgage is a loan taken out in "second position" on a property that already has a mortgage. There are fixed-rate loans, adjustable-rate loans and home equity lines of credit (also known as HELOCs). Fixed-dollar-amount mortgages are the way to go when you need all the money at once. A HELOC is a credit line

  3. Tips on Buying Your Next Car by Mike Hamel

    When shopping for a car, new or used, start by asking yourself a few questions:

  4. The Three Biggest Questions When Buying a Car by Mike Hamel

    The biggest question in the car buying process is whether to buy new or used.

  5. Auto Financing Online by Mike Hamel

    More and more consumers are getting their auto financing online instead of from the dealerships where they buy their vehicles. Getting auto financing from a dealership has some benefits: