Small businesses are integral to the nation’s economy. Many shops, restaurants, gyms, and retail stores temporarily halted operations when the pandemic hit. A few companies had no choice but to lay off the majority of their staff and even shut down completely. The past months may not have been the easiest for them, but a few managed to stay afloat. These businesses focused on staying efficient and on adequate financial management. They innovated their traditional strategies to adapt and address…

Home buyers often start with a quick search for real estate in their desired location, and once a home piques their interest, they move into looking for mortgage loans. Navigating the mortgage options available to you should start before viewing your dream house. A pre-approval allows you to provide minimal information to learn how much money you can spend on a home. If you’re placing a bid on a home, sellers will value a pre-approval for direct mortgage loans because…

If you’re a homeowner with a mortgaged house, odds are you’ve availed a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) at some point in your mortgage’s life. Maybe, you have used it to pay for your child’s university education. Or perhaps, you got one to make your dream trip come true. Most HELOCs offer a draw period where you need to pay for interests alone—and that’s easy. The financial jolt for most borrowers happens when it’s time to pay for the…

Buying a home with no down payment: Too good to be true? If you’ve ever looked into buying a home, it’s possible that one of the things preventing you from making the leap is the down payment. Which means you might be wondering: Is there a way to get a zero-down mortgage? The short answer is, “Maybe.” The longer answer is, “It’s complicated.” And the longest answer is, “It might be possible, but it’s likely not your best choice.” If…

Consider a Home Equity Loan for Remodeling Maybe WFH (work from home) has you noticing how much your house needs updated. Or maybe home remodeling has been on your to-do list for some time. No matter what the reason, before you take on a new project, you might be looking for a few home remodeling tips. And home remodeling financing. Greater Alliance has you covered. We offer tips to get started. And then consider our new home equity loan that…

Unfortunately, student loan scams are out there. They target people who are already struggling financially and make their situations much more difficult. If you are looking for student loan protection in Bergen and Passaic County, we can help you. One of the best ways to protect yourself from student loan scams is to stay informed. If you already know what suspicious activities to watch out for, then you will be able to avoid anything that sets off a red flag…

Helping you understand how mortgage refinancing works While there are a number of reasons you might be looking into mortgage refinancing, from lowering your payment to using equity to make repairs to your home, you likely have questions about whether it’s right for you and how the process can affect you financially. Knowing whether you should move forward with refinancing depends on many factors, including: Your current interest rate Whether you plan on moving in the next year or two…

Have you ever wished you had your auto loan at a more economical interest rate and paid much smaller monthly payments? You are not alone. With the pandemic taking a toll at our financial situations and with the rising costs of cars (38% to 70% in the past ten years), lower to middle-class families also hoped for more favorable car loan payment terms. Luckily, getting lower interests and monthly payments is not impossible. Thanks to the benefits of auto loan…

Tips for buying and financing RVs and boats Going out for a recreational weekend in a boat or road tripping in an RV is one of the most enjoyable ways to spend time—it’s the perfect balance of connecting with others and with nature. In fact, more than 11% of U.S. households owns an RV and there were around 12 million boats registered and documented last year. If you’d like to join in the fun by purchasing a boat or RV,…

Find out if a debt consolidation loan is right for you Debt. Sometimes it’s used to get what we want—a new car, a house. And sometimes it’s used to pay for what we have to—medical bills, home or auto repairs. No matter how it’s used, debt has become part of the fabric of our financial lives. Today, the average American owes about $29,800 in personal debt, not including a home mortgage. And outstanding credit card debt has climbed almost 20%…