Santa Cruz, California based Mortgage Broker Jim Leonard reveals mortgage refinancing secrets at a new web site that is full of free reports, a home buying guide and free mortgage calculators. The site is designed to give California residents all the facts about mortgage refinancing so they can make an educated decision when obtaining a mortgage.

Santa Cruz, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/15/2010 -- It seems like everyone in California is jumping on the mortgage refinancing bandwagon. Maybe you're thinking about it yourself? After all, with rates as low as they are, the promise of lowering your monthly payments, sometimes significantly, is a great attraction for many homeowners.

But before you sign on the dotted line, there are a few things you should know about the way refinancing works so you don't make a mistake that could wind up costing you big time.

"With refinancing as popular as it is right now, California residents have to be even more careful about shopping for the best loan," says Jim Leonard, a Santa Cruz, California based mortgage consultant. "Even the most attractive offer can wind up being a disaster once you realize how much the loan is really costing you."

Leonard offers these tips when considering refinancing:

* You should get a significantly lower rate for refinancing to make sense. Don't rush to refinance unless it's truly worth your while. If you're working with a mortgage broker rather than going it alone, you can be assured that they're bringing you the best offers out there. If you're going it alone, you'll have to do the legwork for yourself.

* Consolidating unsecured debt with a refinance loan can be a dangerous idea. You may not be in financial trouble now, but if in a few years things change, instead of simply missing a credit card payment or two, you'll now be in danger of losing your home as well.

* Your credit score counts... big time. If you've had credit problems in the past like a bankruptcy, it might make sense to wait a while for your credit score to recover before trying to refinance. Most lenders make it hard for people with less than perfect credit to get the best deals. But, again, if you choose to let an expert like a mortgage broker get involved in the process, they can often find loan options that most homeowners didn't even know existed - which can save you thousands over the long haul.

Santa Cruz, California - based mortgage expert Jim Leonard specializes in providing mortgage information to California residents that allows them to make informed decisions about their mortgage financing options and learn the insider secrets that can save them thousands of dollars over the life of their loan.

Jim Leonard is available for interviews and will welcome all your mortgage related questions.

Call 831-461-8024 for a Free No-Obligation Consultation or visit http://jimleonardsmtg.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Santa Cruz, California based Mortgage Broker Jim Leonard reveals mortgage secrets at a new web site that is full of free reports, a home buying guide and free mortgage calculators. The site is designed to give the self-employed and other California residents all the facts so they can make an educated decision when obtaining a mortgage.

Santa Cruz, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/26/2010 -- Second homes aren't just for the rich and famous anymore. More and more middle-class California residents are finding that buying their dream vacation homes is easier than they thought.

"This is one of the best times in the last five years to go ahead and invest in a second home," says Jim Leonard, a Santa Cruz, California based mortgage consultant. "They're becoming much more attainable now, thanks to low interest rates and a variety of other factors than benefit buyers."

In fact, Jim Leonard is seeing this trend first hand in his own business and now works with investors who are looking to earn rental income, as well as those who simply want a gathering place for family vacations or weekend getaways, practically every day.

If you've been thinking about investing in a second home, here are some things to remember:

* The IRS has rules that can affect whether or not the interest on a mortgage for a second home is tax deductible. A financial advisor can explain these details to you. You don't want to get hit with an unexpected tax bill simply because you didn't know the rules.

* Consider the rental market. If you won't be visiting the vacation home more than a few times a year, you might want to consider renting the property during times when you won't be using it. This can help offset the cost of the new mortgage.

* Shop for the best rates. You wouldn't make any other major purchase without first shopping around, so there's no reason why you shouldn't do the same thing when looking at your financing options for your vacation home. This is also where a trained mortgage broker can help. Mortgage brokers have access to dozens of lenders and mortgage products many people don't even know exist, and can be a great choice for people who want expert advice on making the right financing choices.

Santa Cruz, California - based mortgage expert Jim Leonard specializes in providing information to California residents that allows them to make informed decisions about their mortgage financing options and learn the insider secrets that can save them thousands of dollars over the life of their loan – even second home and vacation home loans.

Jim Leonard is available for interviews and will welcome all your mortgage related questions.

Call 831-461-8024 for a Free No-Obligation Consultation or visit

http://jimleonardsmtg.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Santa Cruz, California based Mortgage Broker Jim Leonard reveals 3 things you should watch out for when shopping for home-finance products on the Internet.

Santa Cruz, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/18/2010 -- Santa Cruz, California Based Mortgage Broker Reveals 3 Things Lenders Don't Want You to Know About Shopping for a Mortgage Online

Anyone who's even remotely interested in shopping for a home loan has probably paid attention to all those commercials on TV touting the ease of using any of a variety of Internet services to compare mortgage offers from the comfort of your home. You may even have tried a couple of them yourself. But Jim Leonard, a Loan Officer with Jim Leonard's Mortgage Connection, Inc., says Santa Cruz, California residents need to watch out when trying to use the Internet to do the heavy lifting for them.

"Sometimes, these Internet services might work fairly well for certain people." "But the one-size-fits-all approach they offer is going to leave a lot of people with loans that aren't the best for them, or even worse, they may be shut out of the process altogether."

Jim Leonard says the problem with these services is that they never really get to know anything about your financial situation other than your credit history and income level. "So basically what winds up happening is that you're reduced to a number to them. And if they don't like whatever that number is, you're out of luck."

Here are three things you should watch out for when shopping for home-finance products on the Internet – things most online mortgage sites hope you ignore:

*Do they take the time to find out about your unique situation, or are you just a cyber-borrower in their eyes? Most of these sites simply don't have the manpower to individually work with every borrower. So a lot of times you wind up with a bad loan simply because there was no one to check if they could have gotten you a better deal.

*What do they offer people in special financial circumstances – such as the self-employed or people with damaged credit? Most of these sites don't even want to work with you unless you meet their stringent criteria.

*Do they provide advice to help when choosing between loan products? Most sites simply gather offers, throw them in your lap, and pressure you to choose between them. Unless you're a pretty experienced mortgage pro, deciding on the best offer can be difficult, if not impossible.

So, what's the solution? Use the Internet to educate yourself and then work with a real human being. You may not have thought about "old-fashioned" methods of finding the best deal, such as working with a mortgage broker. "But for anyone who values a real person sitting down with you and working through the process, there's no better option," says Leonard.

Santa Cruz, California - based mortgage expert Jim Leonard specializes in providing information to California residents that allows them to make informed decisions about their mortgage financing options and learn the insider secrets that can save them thousands of dollars over the life of their loan.

Jim Leonard is available for interviews and will welcome all your mortgage related questions.

Call 831-461-8024 for a Free No-Obligation Consultation or visit:

http://jimleonardsmtg.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Santa Cruz, California Based Mortgage Lender Jim Leonard reveals mortgage secrets at a new web site that is full of free reports, a home buying guide and free mortgage calculators. The site is designed to give consumers all the facts so they can make an educated decision when obtaining a mortgage.

Santa Cruz, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/08/2010 -- Santa Cruz California based Mortgage Expert finally reveals the secrets at a brand new website

http://www.jimleonardsmtg.com

This site is loaded with FREE REPORTS, an informative home buying guide, mortgage calculators consumers can use to run various loan scenarios and home buying resources you can use to save time and money before and after you purchase your home.

If you're planning to buy your next home, your first home, that dream home, a condo, vacation home, investment property or looking to refinance in California or the surrounding areas, you will find that this site is a complete resource full of insider secrets that will allow you to choose the loan program best suited to your financial needs.

Here is just a small sample of the secrets revealed on this site...

*Little Known Secrets That Will Show You How To Improve Your Credit Score

*Important Terms You Must Know BEFORE Obtaining A Mortgage

*Tested and Proven Strategies For Building A Better Credit Record Faster and Easier

*The Top Mortgage Questions Borrowers Must Ask Before Applying For A Mortgage

*How To Finally Stop Renting And Own A Home Of Your Own

*How To Own A Home With Low Interest Rates And A Low Down Payment, Regardless Of Your Credit

*7 Things You Should NOT Do When Applying For A Home Loan

*12 Secrets To Lowering Your Homeowners Insurance Cost Your Agent Doesn't Want You To Know

Santa Cruz, California - based mortgage expert Jim Leonard specializes in providing information to consumers that allows them to make informed decisions about their mortgage financing options and learn the insider secrets that can save them thousands of dollars over the life of their loan.

Jim Leonard is available for interviews and will welcome all your mortgage related questions.

Call 831-461-8024 for a Free No-Obligation Consultation or visit

http://www.jimleonardsmtg.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm