Many people that are attempting to manage their financial future effectively will eventually turn to a loan to obtain additional money for their financial needs. A loan can be used for many different things, such as purchasing expensive items, making costly additions or repairs to the home, or buying personal vehicles to transport the person or their family. There are two main types of loans that may be available for the person to choose from; secured loans and unsecured loans.
Secured Loans
A secured loan is a loan that is secured by items of value that can be seized by the lender in the event of a default on the loan. Also called collateral, the items that are used to secure the loan are often examined by the lender before they approve the loan to make sure that the value of the item is as much as the borrower is claiming it to be. It is believed that holding the ability to seize these assets will reduce the chance of the person defaulting on the loan and if the person does default on the loan, the lender has a chance to reduce their losses by selling the assets used as collateral for the loan.
Secured loans are generally made to people that have a blemished credit history or a lower credit score than the lender is comfortable with. These loans have higher interest rates associated with the loan and the amount of money that is loaned under a secured loan is often less than what could be obtained with an unsecured loans. The lender would rather have the loan repaid under the terms of the agreement, but being able to seize the collateral that has been attached to the loan will mean that the losses suffered by the lender under a default will not be as great.
Unsecured Loans
Unsecured loans are typically viewed as the most desirable type of loan available to people today. These loans are typically made to people that have an excellent credit history, a very good credit rating, and have a high enough salary to easily repay the loan without creating a financial hardship. No collateral is required for an unsecured loan because the person has demonstrated that they will be able to repay the loan and the interest with no problems. For people that have a good history with the lender that they are using to obtain their loan, obtaining an unsecured loan can be accomplished in a short period of time.
The type of loan that is offered to the person will depend on many different factors. The lender will look at the credit history of the person to determine whether the person has ever had a problem with paying their obligations on time as well as the value of the items put up as collateral for a secured loan. If the lender determines that the person may be a credit risk, the person will be offered a secured loan but if the lender determines that the risk of default is minimal, then the person will be offered an agreement for an unsecured loan.