If you go in search of a mortgage calculator on the Internet you will find an abundance of them. The trick is to find a mortgage calculator that provides you not only with simple repayment calculations but also allows you to compare repayments on different mortgages. While some sites have just one basic repayment mortgage calculator, others offer a range of them. More importantly a few sites provide some education and helpful hints along the way.
When looking for a mortgage calculator check the site you visit to see what else it offers with the mortgage calculator. Most sites simply provide a list of the mortgage calculators offered and leave you to guess which might be the most appropriate and then to input the data required to calculate repayments. Better sites will provide you with a brief explanation of the functions of each mortgage calculator and may prompt you with some questions, the answers to which can have a significant impact on your monthly mortgage repayments. As an example a client of mine recently checked out a number of sites and found one or two that actually provided detailed explanations of the different data sought and the reasons why it was required. The search for a mortgage calculator not only resulted in her learning quite a lot about different mortgage terms but also gave her a clearer idea on how she would need to manage her cash flow if she were to proceed with her planned property purchase.
One site she visited provided her with the standard repayment mortgage calculator as well as a comparison mortgage calculator, which enabled her to check the rates of her preferred lender with those of another one that had been recommended to her. Another mortgage calculator prompted her to consider a 100% offset loan. She had not heard of 100% offset loans but a brief explanation of the product and how it worked was provided and she decided to compare a standard mortgage with one that also offered a 100% offset.
Using the mortgage calculator she entered the loan amount ($250,000) and interest rates – 7.95% p.a. for both mortgages. She then included an amount of $20,000 which she had available to put into in an “offset account". At the time the $20,000 was in a savings account with her Credit Union earning her around 3.5% p.a. and the interest she earned on it was taxable as income. Under the proposed 100% offset mortgage, by shifting the $20,000 to an offset account she could obtain the same interest rate of 7.95% p.a. that she was paying on her mortgage, on the deposited funds. Furthermore because of tax concessions available with this sort of structure she was not taxed on the interest. While the interest rates on both loans were the same, the mortgage calculator clearly demonstrated the much better cash flow position that resulted with the 100% offset mortgage facility.
Her standard interest only monthly repayment on $250,000 @ 7.95% was $1656.25 or $19,875 per annum.
Put simply; under a 100% offset account the monthly interest is calculated against the outstanding loan balance under the mortgage less the amount deposited in the offset account. In this example $250,000 less $20,000 = $230,000 @ 7.95% = $1523.75 per month or $18,285 p.a. Monthly saving under the offset loan = $132.25 or $1590 per annum.
My client paid $18,285 annual interest on her loan of $250,000, which reflected an interest rate of 7.32% p.a. - quite a significant improvement on the standard rate of 7.95% p.a.
You can learn a lot when looking for a mortgage calculator particularly if you visit sites that not only offer mortgage calculators but also give you an on-the-spot education about a variety of mortgages available
When launching an Internet Search Engine Optimization campaign it's very tempting to jump in tuning meta tags and altering text. But first you need to come up with an effective marketing strategy identifying the target audience and the ways to reach them. Just like a conventional advertising campaign involves careful survey of the demographic target group, Internet Search Engine Optimization efforts are impossible without correct selection of keywords and search terms.
Start Right - Have Success
Far too often people fail because they fail to plan ahead. Go in the wrong direction at the start by targeting keywords that have no search value or Return on your investment, and your project may result in top placements for valueless rankings for phrases that aren't searched by anyone. SEO Best Practices used for ensuring campaign success start with performing the initial keyword analysis. Jump ahead and you wish you hadn't after you discover the time you have wasted.
When starting a business, no one acts in a stubborn manner pressing ahead their products without having tested the market first in order to find out if there is a demand. The same approach holds true for Search Engine Optimization. You need to brainstorm all possible search terms that are likely to be used by your potential clients. Make up a short list of search terms related to your products and services that would represent your company best.
I've got my short list of key phrases now what?
Once you've compiled your initial list of keywords you can start expanding it. At this stage you need to find out which of the keywords you have identified are most often used by the searchers. There are a number of useful tools such as Overture Search Suggestion Tool and Google AdWords Keyword Tool that you can employ for this purpose. All you've got to do is just type your search terms into the suggestion box and you will have them rated according to their popularity with the number of searches per month.
Study your Competitors!
For the next step of your Internet Search Engine Optimization (SEO) campaign you should research the level of competition for your keywords in order to determine just how hard (or easy) it will be to win top rankings for them. Although it can be very attractive to target only the most popular search terms, the reality is that your initial success with the top search terms may be very limited. So you need to establish incremental goals. The competitiveness for the most desirable keywords can be overwhelming that targeting them may be unrealistic. Competitive intelligence reports from professional providers can often take the guess work out of this type of research.
After you've researched and analyzed your keywords, it will be much easier to narrow down the list to the core search terms that you will target in your Internet Search Engine Optimization campaign. Bear in mind that you shouldn't target every keyword on the index page of your website. While it is the main page it has the biggest potential of winning top placement which should be used rationally. Choose up to 10 of your most important search phrases and place them on the index page.
Good Plan - Now Execute
If you thoroughly prepare for Internet Search Engine Optimization this investment is sure to pay off saving you a lot of time and money afterwards.
Both Vicky Edema & Ken Knorr are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Vicky Edema has sinced written about articles on various topics from Debts Loans, Mortgage and Finances. Vicky Edema has been the Managing Director of Austral Corporation since 1992, the company provides an easy to use