Friday, April 27, 2007

Mortgage Refinancing - The Facts

Mortgage refinancing is when a homeowner gets a new home loan to pay off their existing one. The benefits of doing this are that they may be able to save money by getting lower interest rates or special deals. Refinancing is not the best option for everyone, though. For a person who is facing financial problems refinancing could spell trouble.

It is common for a person to want to save money on their home loan. A home is most likely the biggest purchase a person will ever make, but that does not mean they have to stick with one lender and pay the same high interest rates forever. Home owners have the option of refinancing to cut their home buying costs. Refinancing involves shopping around for a better deal then the one they currently have.

When shopping around it is advisable to approach a few good mortgage brokers that work with a large panel of lenders, not just one or two. This way they can search the market place to find the right deal for you. This is even more advisable if you have a bad credit history.

A good broker will have access to a number of specialist adverse or sub prime lenders who will be able to offer you competitive rates. The same is true if you are self employed and have trouble proving your income.

Many times when a person is facing financial problems they see using their home as a way to clear their debts. While that is an option, refinancing to get out of financial problems is not a good idea. One reason is that should the person be unable to make the new loan payment, then their house is now in jeopardy.

Unless a person is truly sure that refinancing their home to get money to pay off debts is something they can afford and will truly solve their problems, then it is not a wise decision.

Some people refinance to change from a variable interest rate to a fixed interest rate. This can be very beneficial. Fixed rates mean that the mortgage payment never changes and is the same form month to month.

With a variable rate the amount of the mortgage can change drastically form month to month as the interest rates fluctuate. However, with a fixed rate a person has to be careful not to lock in on too high of a rate. They would then lose out when interest rates go down, unless they go through mortgage refinance again.

There are also many lenders out there who are not what they say to be. Mortgage refinance scams are common and can really be damaging. To avoid scams a person should always deal with a trusted lender and read every piece of paperwork completely. If a deal does not seem right then it is best to back out before ever signing anything.

Mortgage refinance can be a very good thing if done carefully. There are also many ways in which it can go wrong. Homeowners need to be aware of everything involved in mortgage refinance so they can get the best possible deal that will save them the most money.

They should also always be aware that they are risking their home should they not carrying through with their mortgage obligations. It is important to make sure everything is in place and understood before ever signing the papers.

About the Author: James Copper has been in the financial services industry for many years. He is currently a Cheap Remortgage Expert for Remortgage-Here, who specialise finding in the Best Remortgage deals available.

http://www.articlesmaker.com/finance/mortgage-refinance/mortgage-refinancing-the-facts.html

Celebrity Tattoos

Famous Faces Line Up to be Inked!
Being a celebrity with tattoos almost goes hand in hand in mainstream pop culture these days. Pop musicians such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and R'n'B artists such as 50 Cent and Eminem have all gone under the needle - some more than others. Check out below some of the biggest names in music and Hollywood bare some flesh and show off their tattoos.

*Images contained on this page are from various media sources and agencies.
This surge in popularity of celebrity tattoos began in the 1960s. Lyle Tuttle the forefather of American tattooing tattooed Janis Joplin. Time was when tattoos were the preserve of those on the fringes of society but now it is not uncommon to see celebrity tattoos. Even super models such as Kate Moss and Sarah O'Hare strut around flashing their body art on the cover of glossy magazines or on the cat walk.

Actor Johnny Depp ranks as heavily tattooed for his caliber of talent and breadth of acting work. His tattooed arms are as often painted to be blank flesh as left with their own tattoos showing and incorporated into the character.

Historically musicians were renowned for getting tattoos. Good Charlotte and Green Day are an example where the band members have a well-developed collection of tattoos. Eminem also continues to add to his tattoo collection but some critics have claimed that it will inhibit him if he wants to play a bigger acting role. Eminem's tattoos are a combination of a style that is typical of Hip Hop and R&B artists such as 50 Cent and Nelly.

http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/celebrity-tattoos.html

Biker Tattoos

From Harley Davidson to Hell Angels Tattoos
Bikers...are they menacing thugs covered in bad biker tattoos or are they really rebels in search of a cause? Whatever the case The Nomads, Gypsy Jokers and others do represent the 'outlaw' side of biker gangs. Here you will find out more about why people join biker gangs and their style of tattoos.

If there's one gang that makes some people a bit jumpy who ride about on huge Harley Davidsons looking pretty menacing with their sleeveless denims, shaggy beards and biker tattoos with names like the Outlaws.

Picture of bikers tattoos. Skull tattoos are popular tattoos amongst bikers.
Few sounds are as awe-inspiring or terrifying as the pulsating roar of a hundred Harley Davidsons. We see their world as one of turf wars, conflict with police and criminal activity. But who are they? Why do they move in packs? And should you feel intimidated?

People join bikers gangs such as the outlaw motorcycle club for many different reasons. One of the main things was the brotherhood or comradeship. It's similar to the army or anything like that, with discipline and codes of honour.

While people join outlaw biker clubs for a number of different reasons, the one thing they all seem to talk about is freedom - the freedom of the biker lifestyle, and most of all, the freedom of the open road. All bikers crave the same thing - the pure adrenaline rush of two wheels at high speed.

The image is of freedom but the reality is of harsh discipline from the club to enforce its rules. Arthur Veno has spent 20 years studying and associating with the clubs. According to his research, new recruits are from lower-working-class or underclass backgrounds, looking for stability.

Picture of Harley Davidson tattoos. Harley Davidson are common tattoos amongst biker enthusiasts.

Biker Rules and Codes of Honour
Those rules are things like you're not to touch another member's wife or partner, no backing out on fights, if you see one person fighting, it's got to be everybody in. No use of heroin in particular seems to be the rule. No missing 'church', which is their equivalent of their meeting, which occurs every week.

Club rules vary, but most have been adapted from those of the Hell's Angels in the US. The clubs themselves are generally not involved with criminal activities per se. There is, however, no doubt that individual members within the clubs are involved in criminal activities.

Everyone has their own perception or biker gangs whether or not that it is the right perception. A lot of people have the wrong perceptions of bikers because of the generally scary imagery of biker tattoos. Generally if you get to bikers you will find that perception is usually wrong in most cases.

Biker tattoos usually depict the biker gang the biker belongs to. Harley Davidson tattoos seem to be the most popular. Skull and dice tattoos are also a popular tattoo amongst bikers along with fantasy style and Norse tattoos depicting mythical creatures.

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http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/biker-tattoos.html

Becoming a Tattoo Artist

Short Guide to Tattoo Apprenticeships

Becoming a tattoo artist is more than simply ordering a tattoo kit through a tattoo magazine and experimenting on your friends! Tattooing is an art form with rules that have to be respected.

Failure to adhere to those rules can result in much more than a dodgy piece of art work but can result in the transmission of potentially fatal diseases and lawsuits running into millions of dollars not to mention earning the reputation as a 'scratcher'!

It takes a lot of time and money to become a tattoo artist so it helps if you have some formal training in art to give you an understanding of form and color technology. But it is an art that can be learned without formal training and contrary to popular belief there are still a few tattoo artists out there who are willing to take on apprentices to teach an eager student how to become a tattoo artist.

If you have decided to go the route of apprenticeship the best course of action is to visit as many tattoo studios as you can and strike up a relationship with the tattoo artists. Most tattoo artists are open and don't mind being asked questions or allowing you to watch while they work - within reason!

Watch how they operate. If you have a portfolio of artwork show it to them. Bounce ideas around and suggest that you would like an opportunity to even help them around the studio in return for a chance to learn more about the craft of tattooing.

Here is a short instructional video on how to tattoo...
If your artwork is any good you may be surprised that a lot of tattooists will be keen to share their techniques with you and maybe even employ you full time in their studio. A good junior tattoo artist can work wonders for their business and raise their own profile as well as your so really show them your worth. Really let the tattoo artist know how passionate you are about tattooing and how keen you are to learn.

When it comes to becoming a tattoo artist Albert Einstein's theory that "imagination is more important than knowledge" holds true. Be creative and don't be afraid to share your ideas with other tattoo artists.

Eventually someone will recognize that you are serious and will allow you the opportunity to work under their tutelage. Eventually as you gain confidence and more experience you will find that you will be able to tattoo someone professionally. At that stage you will then become an employee to some tattoo artist with their own studio or even break out on your own to become a well known tattoo artist in your own right.

Remember there is much to learn before becoming a tattoo artist but it is a journey worthwhile taking if you feel that it is your calling. Nothing beats the feeling of creating a work of art that is going to stay with someone for the rest of their lives.

Bottom line...follow your passion!

http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/becoming-a-tattoo-artist.html