Sunday, November 8, 2009

How to Improve your Chances to Get a Yacht Loan


By Tom Hardy

1.Two years ago getting a boat loan was substantially easier than it is now, however is is not impossible to get one now. Following these seven tips should increase your chances at qualifying and getting your dream yacht.

1. Run your credit, with all three agencies. As Equifax, Experian, and Transunion may all come up with different results. You want to check to make sure that all the information is correct and that you opened every account that appears. If you find one that you didn't open, you will need to submit forms to all three to dispute the creation of the accounts or the charges.

2. Focus on your FICO score, which is the measurement of your financial stability and your ability to repay the loan. You can improve your score by paying down debt, having accounts with zero balances, and always paying your bills on time.

3. Put some "skin in the game." Lenders like to see that you have financial motivation to keep from defaulting on the loan. By putting down 20%, the bank sees that you have a motivation to keep repaying the loan, and if you are able to put down more than 20% many times lenders will be able to give you better terms.

4. Banks take more than just credit score and income into the criteria they use to assess risk. Previous boat loan experience is a positive, or at least comparable borrowing experience. They will also look into your employment history, previous payment history, and cash reserves.

5. Gather your financial documents. In order to qualify for a loan, a lender will want to verify that you have the means to both pay back the loan and take care of the boat, including maintenance, insurance, dockage, and fuel, while you own it. In order to prove your financial status, you will need to provide the lender with two years of tax returns, current year to date income, and a balance sheet of current investments, cash, stocks, annuities, IRA's, 401k's, etc. Also, remember that many lenders will require you to insure the boat until you have paid off the loan, even if your state does not require insurance.

6. Understand how bank look at your debt and income. A bank will want to see that your monthly debt payments are not greater than 40% of your monthly earnings.

7. Find a broker that you can trust and who has good relationships with banks. Having more than one agent or broker does not help you get a better loan, as most brokers can deal with all the banks that provide yacht loans (there are only a few). The main criteria you should use when determining a boat loan broker is your ability to trust them and their relationship with the banks.

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