Check out valuable links to resources available on the web regarding mortgage financing, automotive buying advice, automotive financing tips, and more.

Automotive news articles and information from Direct Auto Loan Center and the automotive finance industry.

• Know Your Credit - Learn about good credit and how it can help you in your next auto loan.

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• Bad economy sinking luxury-car values - People nearing the end of their luxury-car lease may be in for an unpleasant surprise, says Bankrate car columnist Terry Jackson.
• Laws prohibit abusive collector tactics - An abusive collector may be running afoul of state and federal law, says Bankrate car columnist Terry Jackson.
• No three-day return policy on new lease - The moment you drive a lease car off the lot, it's yours, says Bankrate car columnist Terry Jackson
• Lender offers bizarre advice to couple - A couple unhappy with a loan will have to deal with the finance company, says Bankrate car columnist Terry Jackson.
• Interest Rate Roundup - Here's a look at the state of interest rates on five common consumer banking products and the latest rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts.

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• Want Great Auto Loan Rates? Check Your Credit (Richfield Reaper) - (ARA) -. With auto manufacturers reporting slow sales and gasoline at record highs, anyone in the market for a new car can find some great deals. But before you hit the dealership, you should do a little homework to make sure you can get the best rate on an auto loan.
• Turned Down for an Auto Loan? There are Options (Carteret County News-Times) - (ARA) - In the current climate of declining property values, higher interest rates, and changes in available mortgage products, more and more homeowners are becoming delinquent or going into foreclosure.
• Bad Credit? You Can Still Get an Auto Loan (Carteret County News-Times) - (ARA) - Getting tired of sinking money into that old jalopy in the driveway? If your car is on its last legs, it's time to start shopping around for a replacement vehicle, and now is a great time to look! There are some great deals out there on both new and late model used vehicles.
• Bad Credit? Get Car Loan Approval (The Bradford Era) - (ARA) - Don't let a bad credit history hold you back from getting a car loan. There are bad credit car loans to rescue people with a less than perfect credit record. The key lies in locating a suitable lender who can explore all viable financing options.
• Paying Less: Zero-percent financing for auto loans reduces the total amount to be paid (Winston-Salem Journal) - Auto manufacturers and franchise car dealerships have been offering zero-percent financing for years, but now a local credit union has its own program.
• Emirates NBD Gears Up to Launch Home Loan Financing in Abu Dhabi (Zawya) - United Arab Emirates, Dubai- 13 May 2008: Emirates NBD, holding company of Emirates Bank and National Bank of Dubai, announced it is gearing up to launch its home loan financing scheme in Abu Dhabi.
• Take the Headache Out of Buying a New Car (Carteret County News-Times) - (ARA) - The end of the year is the perfect time to buy a new car. Dealers are eager to clear out old inventory so they can make room for the 2008 models, and there are deals to be had. But before setting foot on the lot, it's a good idea to know where your financing is going to come from.
• Buyers should shop around (The Post and Courier) - CHICAGO — Consumers in the market for a new car this year might be able to drive some hard bargains with auto dealers. With car sales expected to be down, many dealerships will be desperate for any sale they can get, said Danny Chan, chief executive of AutoBrag.com, a car-shopping comparison Web site that compiles price data from no-haggle dealerships.
• LendingTree file specifies post-spinoff plans (The Charlotte Observer) - As it prepares to become an independent company once again, Charlotte-based LendingTree is branching out. Known for its online marketplace for home loans, the unit of IAC/InteractiveCorp. said it plans in June to launch TuitionTree, which will help students and parents pay for college. It's also beefing up its real estate services, revamping its namesake Web site and adding more auto loan and ...
• Sub-prime car loans sinking consumers, boosting bailiffs (Regina Leader-Post) - Robert Bouclin knew his friend was in trouble when he saw her riffling through the Yellow Pages, looking for financial advisers specializing in clients in a credit crisis.

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• Banks Face Tougher Access to Capital - Capital-raising efforts are far from over, and the market for funds is tightening.
• Banking News Roundup - May 16, 2008 - Banking News In Focus - Libor Discussions Continue; Banks Urged to Raise New Capital; Fannie Says No to Higher Down Payments; and more
• A Vicious Cycle - Is Fannie Mae's new down payment policy just perpetuating the mortgage problem?
• Motorcycle Sales Sputter - Fewer people are strapping on their motorcycle helmets, as sales of the two-wheelers travel downhill with the rest of the economy.
• Financiers Predict Grim Year Ahead - Auto financiers have shifted their 12-month outlooks into reverse, as they predict lower loan and lease origination volume, deteriorating performance, and declining net interest margins.
• In Wake of Declines, Portfolio Performance Poised for Recovery - Soft used-car prices and a sputtering economy contributed to weakened credit performance among auto financiers last quarter. But efforts to curtail origination and mitigate risk may position lenders for a rebound by midyear.
• Real Rides, Virtual Worlds - As virtual worlds gain popularity, auto financiers are looking for ways to tap real-world customers through them.
• Collateral Damage - Extended loan terms have been soaring since 2002, particularly among nonprime auto-loan borrowers.
• New Tech Tool Beefs Up Thin Files - With so many banks tightening up lending standards, it seems unnecessary for a company to find ways to bring more people into the credit market — especially those with limited credit histories. But Payment Reporting Builds Credit is trying to do just that
• Europe Report - A continental update from Motor Finance magazine.
• CARLAW and Order - Though compliance books written by lawyers seldom top The New York Times’s list of best sellers, Thomas B. Hudson’s latest effort rewards readers with an enjoyable collection of informative anecdotes.
• The End of Payday Lending As We Know It - The Ohio Senate passed a bill yesterday that places tight restrictions on payday lenders, perhaps forcing the industry to shut down altogether.
• The Newest ID-Theft Threat - Identity theft is creeping into voice-over-internet telephony systems, a scenario that requires creditors and collection agencies to beef up encryption techniques.
• Banking News Roundup - May 15, 2008 - Banking News In Focus - Freddie Mac Losses Result of Accounting Techniques; Merrill Tries New Stock Rating System; UBS Could Be Asked for Names; and more
• Mortgage Fraud Jumped 31% in 2007 - On the heels of a soaring increase last year, mortgage scams are expected to climb even higher in 2008, according to a newly released FBI report.
• A Matter of Perspective - The worst of the credit squeeze may be over, according to some recent reports. But is it?
• Stiff Card Fees - Higher fees have some gas stations halting acceptance of credit cards at the pump altogether.
• News Roundup - May 14, 2008 - Banking News In Focus - Freddie Mac Reports Losses; MBIA, Ambac's AAA Rating Threatened; Greenspan Predicts Housing Prices to Bottom Next Year; and more
• Carded: Plastic Woes Look to Be Severe in '08 - All the attention on the mortgage space has masked what's going on in credit cards. It's not good.
• Banking News Roundup - May 13, 2008 - Banking News In Focus - Libor Set for Shake Up; AIG in Crisis; JP Morgan CEO Says Recession Just Began; and much more.
• Government Behind Times Again, This Time on Contactless Payments - The FTC is prepping for a Town Hall meeting to explore contactless payment systems and their implications for consumer protection.
• Report: Investing 2.0, Not Ready for Prime-Time - A report released today says that while social investing networks are growing, they probably won't play a vital role for financial institutions for some time.
• ANB Failure Hints to More on the Way - The Arkansas bank is the third to fail in 2008. Only three banks failed in all of 2007.
• Pumping Up Rebates - With gas prices spiking nationwide, lenders are capitalizing on incentives to minimize the pinch.
• Banking News Roundup - May 12, 2008 - Banking News In Focus - MBIA's First Quarter Loss; AIG's Leasing Unit May Split; Universal, GE Money and American Express Make a Deal; and much more.
• Key, Navy Federal Team in ATM Deal - In these tough times for financial services firms, pair-ups like this Key-Navy Federal deal will become increasingly creative — despite historical bank-credit union rivalries.
• Soros Opines on Credit Default Swaps and the Need for More Regulations - The legendary investor tells TheStreet.com that the Fed acted appropriately in the Bear Stearns situation, but that hedge funds need more regulation.
• Facebook Loan Ads Break the Rules - Charity group Credit Action claims that many loan ads on Facebook break the rules by not listing APR.
• Citi's $500 Billion Sell-Off - Citigroup plans to sell $500 billion worth of non-core assets as part of CEO Vikram Pandit's plan to make the largest U.S. bank more cost-efficient.
• Banking News Roundup - May 9, 2008 - Banking News In Focus - HSBC Loses Account Holders' Information; GMAC Considers Selling ResCap Assets; SEC Increases Street's Disclosures; and much more.
• Housing Bill Passed Yesterday Includes Several Substantive Reg Changes - HR 3221 contains several important changes to the nation's housing code. Some highlights.
• Pricing Formula - The market for stolen financial information has been getting tougher as data becomes more readily available
• A Cure for Branch Banking - Why have the lessons of Commerce Bank largely fallen by the wayside?
• Keeping Up With the (Risky) Times - In a speech at a security traders conference yesterday, SEC Chairman Christopher Cox outlined his strategy for improving supervision of Wall Street’s largest investment banks.
• Prosper to the People! - Prosper.com launched a new advertising blitz yesterday with TV and radio ads.
• Consumer Credit Surged in March - The pace of consumers borrowing in March more than doubled the rate from February, climbing faster than it had since November.
• Banking News Roundup - May 8, 2008 - Banking News In Focus - HSBC Losses Account Holders' Information; GMAC Considers Selling ResCap Assets; SEC Increases Street's Disclosures; and much more.
• The New Mortgage Paradigm - As the market — and technology — continue to evolve, the lending dynamic will grow ever more complicated.
• Fed Eyes Bank Interest to Stem Credit Crunch - The Federal Reserve is seeking to pull ahead legislation that would allow it to pay banks interest for the capital they set aside for reserves, a move meant to stabilize the economy and stem the credit crisis.
• A Push for One Communication Standard - Several financial standards bodies are coming together to make ISO 20022 a communication standard for all financial institutions.
• Banking News Roundup - May 7, 2008 - Banking News In Focus - Citi Creates Investment Unit; UBS Employee Detained; Regulatory Boost for Fannie Mae; and much more.
• Wachovia: Positioning for a Sale? - Wachovia Corp.'s latest hits may force the bank into position for a sale.
• The Single Best Lending Market Ever - Why now is a great time to be a lender.
• A Handshake Should Still Mean Something - Bank of America should not lower its asking price for Countrywide Financial, even if the mortgage market continues to deteriorate.
• Cross-Border Shopping Threatens Canadian Auto Sales - Though vehicle sales in Canada climbed double-digits in January and February, they are poised to level off for the remainder of the year, dragged down by a weakened dollar and faltering consumer confidence.
• Credit Crisis Has Bankers Overhauling Operations - With the stiff headwind of the credit crisis slowing auto lenders at banks, nothing in automotive financing is sacred anymore — even credit scoring.
• Tata Faces Lending, Competitive Hurdles, Analyst Warns - Even if Tata Motors scores a lending partner to provide financing for newly acquired Jaguar and Land Rover, the road to success will be bumpy, at best, predicts David Healy, automotive analyst at Burnham Securities Inc.
• Online Banking Tools Tout Enhanced Security, Mobile Features - A roundup of some of the latest banking innovations showcased at the American Bankers Association’s technology conference in April
• AmeriCredit-Kia Lease Deal Escapes Volume Cutbacks - Despite a move to slash volume 40% this year, AmeriCredit Corp. will leave untouched its third-party lease-origination alliance with Kia Motors America Inc.
• As CitiFinancial Auto Hits the Brakes, Dealers Drive On - Add CitiFinancial Auto to the list of auto lenders trimming originations, tightening credit standards, and reevaluating dealer relationships.
• GUEST COLUMN: Putting the Boot on Parking Tickets - Large lessors find themselves responsible for significant sums of money each year as a result of parking violations committed by their lessees.
• Triad: A New (Old) Mortgage Insurer - Beleaguered mortgage insurer Triad Guaranty may have a new lease on life, if it can ink a deal in the works with an investor group led by Lightyear Capital.
• SUV Deluge - Car sales are outpacing light-truck sales these days, but here's what that continued dynamic will mean for financiers.
• Land of the Rising Opportunity - After a long bout of xenophobia, the Japanese market is opening its doors wider to foreign investors. A new report will show you if making the move is right for you.
• What Citi Could Do Next: A Rebuttal - Dealbook yesterday presented four ways Citigroup might emerge from its funk. I have a slightly different idea.
• New Technology Brings Remote-Deposit Closer - Remote-deposit services are picking up steam among consumers, especially as they struggle to minimize driving with prices at the pump so high.
• The Taste of Mint: a Podcast with the Founder of the Online Personal Finance Site - This look at Mint.com sheds light on the internet personal finance space.
• A Look at Online Invoicing with Freshbooks - What's new with SaaS and online invoicing.
• Silver State Bancorp to Pursue "Strategic Alternatives" - Housing-related lending in Arizona and Nevada forces the bank's hand.
• WaMu’s Layoff Playbook - Here’s an interesting play-by-play of the events that unfolded prior to WaMu’s April 7 announcement that it would fire thousands of employees and exit certain mortgage lending markets.
• Heavy-Duty Losses - As small commercial trucking businesses scrape by with thinning profits, literally one bump in the road can cause owners to lose it all. Now, heavy-duty financiers have to find ways to bear through this cycle.
• Further Rate Cuts Won't Spur Higher Margins, Lenders Say - No matter if the Federal Reserve lowers rates 25 or 50 basis points when it meets at month’s end, auto financiers’ net interest margins will remain stagnant, according to an Auto Finance News survey of industry executives.
• HSBC Auto: Maneuvering for Greater Marketshare - Overshadowed by mortgage losses at its parent company, HSBC Auto Finance is quietly making changes meant to position it for growth when the dust settles from the credit crisis.
• Operational Threats Fuel Enterprise-Wide Changes - Auto financiers have been largely shielded from operational risk threats, but increased frequency of industry-wide data breaches, swings in the economic environment, and expanding corporate infrastructures are keeping them on guard.
• First Manhattan VP Alverson to Co-Chair Auto Finance Risk Summit - The Auto Finance Risk Summit, the industry’s only risk-management event, will offer strategies for financiers to strengthen their liquidity and volume positions amid the current credit crunch.
• Preview of Bernanke's Testimony Before Congress Today - The Fed chairman is expected to get grilled over the takeover of Bear Stearns by JPMorgan Chase, as well as other matters related to the credit crisis.
• Investment Strategist at Credit Suisse Asset Management on the Credit Crisis - Phillip Vorndran sees signs of a returning an appetite for risk.
• CREDIT CRISIS: Investor Jim Rodgers Blasts Bernanke - The investors says the Fed chairman is acting irresponsibly.
• CREDIT CRISIS: Bernanke and Geithner Talk About the Fed's Actions Today - A short audio of the Fed chairman and president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on their actions this morning.
• CREDIT CRISIS: FT's Capital Markets Editor on the View From Europe - Gillian Tett explains why faith in the global financial markets has been shredded.
• Using Rubber Bands to Explain the Subprime Crisis - A Stanford contest yields an unlikely detailing of the subprime mortgage debacle.
• Wells's Kovacevich Discusses the Bank's Situation and Strategy - The CEO talks banking with Bloomberg TV.
• Dinallo Explains Plans for Bond Insurers - New York Insurance superintendent Eric Dinallo discusses on CNBC his plans to rescure the struggling bond insurer industry and the split of FGIC.
• Wall Streeters Offer Cures to Credit Woes - Changes to monetary policy and efforts to keep people in their homes are the first steps to fixing the credit crisis. But more drastic measures are required to cure the industry’s ills.
• When Ben Bernanke Speaks, Everyone Listens - A link to live video coverage of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, and SEC Chairman Christopher Cox testifying before the Senate Banking Committee.
• Buffett Explains His Offer to the Bond Insurers - The legendary investor is proposing to reinsure a vast pool of assets.
• Here Comes [More] Trouble - Financial firms have been pummeled with $100 billion in losses so far, and there is more to come, says Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain in this CNBC.com video clip.
• A Look Ahead: What the Fed's Action Means - In this CNBC video, a trio of experts provide analysis of today's Fed action, with expectations for its ramifications until next week's scheduled FOMC meeting.
• Fed Rate Cut in Perspective - Today's Fed rate cut, put in perspective, courtesy of Reuters.
• Fed's Rate Cut Viewed as Lifeline - The Federal Rate cut is being seen by many as an international lifeline, intended to help international markets regain confidence and stabalize.