Sunday, June 7, 2009

Secured loans Vs. Unsecured loans

By Rhonda Brown

One of the important characteristics of human beings is their survival instinct. We face many problems day in and day out, but we have the ability to see opportunities in these problems. Problems and opportunities are two sides of the same coin. When there is an imbalance between our earnings and expenses, one of the options available to us is to go in for loans.

It is not always the people who have financial problems who go in for loans. People who want to expand their dwellings, or who want to live a sensational and adventurous life by traveling far and wide, and even those who just want to consolidate their liabilities, all look for loans.

There are two types of loans. One is secured and the other - unsecured. In a secured loan, the borrower is expected to give an asset as a collateral for the loan. The asset may be a home, a car, stocks or any other high-value item. If there is a failure in repayment of the loan, the lender has the right to sell the asset and that's how they will recover their dues.

Advantages of a secured loan are that the money lent is usually more than in the case of an unsecured loan. Also, the repayment period is longer. The lender also feels safe as the loan has the back-up of an asset. Therefore the interest rates are also comparatively cheaper. Even if the borrower has a weak credit history, a secured loan may be considered since it has the back-up of an asset.

In the case of an unsecured loan, the lender does not insist on any asset to back up the loan. He or she considers the track-record of the borrower and assess his credit-worthiness. Based on this assessment, the amount of the loan and the rates of interest are determined. But the lender will always have a recovery plan to recover the loan in case of default by the borrower. This recovery plan could be asking for a guarantor to sign the required documents to the effect that in case of defaults by the borrower, the guarantor is liable to repay the loan. In the case of an unsecured loan - the amount lent is also much less than in the case of a secured loan, and the repayment period will also be shorter.

The borrower need not possess any asset for taking the loan in the case of an unsecured loan. Hence there is no fear of losing any asset in case he or she fails to repay, though they may face a civil suit for this failure. They can plan their income and expenses in such a manner so that they pay back the loan smoothly because of the short duration of repayment in the case of an unsecured loan.

Starting a business or business expansion may also be a reason for a person to borrow. But borrowers should keep in mind that raising a loan should only be for a temporary period. They should not become habitual borrowers because it become a vicious circle if they get entangled in borrowing.

Usually lenders are very strict and they will be obstinate in insisting on timely repayments. Hence, one should think of loans only as the last alternative. If such a situation arises, there should be concrete plans for repaying the loan on time.

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