Julian Parks

Mortgage loan types

There are many types of mortgages used worldwide, but several factors broadly define the characteristics of the mortgage. All of these may be subject to local regulation and legal requirements.

• Interest: interest may be fixed for the life of the loan or variable, and change at certain pre-defined periods; the interest rate can also, of course, be higher or lower.
• Term: mortgage loans generally have a maximum term, that is, the number of years after which an amortizing loan will be repaid. Some mortgage loans may have no amortization, or require full repayment of any remaining balance at a certain date, or even negative amortization.
• Payment amount and frequency: the amount paid per period and the frequency of payments; in some cases, the amount paid per period may change or the borrower may have the option to increase or decrease the amount paid.
• Prepayment: some types of mortgages may limit or restrict prepayment of all or a portion of the loan, or require payment of a penalty to the lender for prepayment.

The two basic types of amortized loans are the fixed rate mortgage (FRM) and adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) (also known as a floating rate or variable rate mortgage). In many countries (such as the United States), floating rate mortgages are the norm and will simply be referred to as mortgages. Combinations of fixed and floating rate are also common, whereby a mortgage loan will have a fixed rate for some period, and vary after the end of that period.

• In a fixed rate mortgage, the interest rate, and hence periodic payment, remains fixed for the life (or term) of the loan. Therefore the payment is fixed, although ancillary costs (such as property taxes and insurance) can and do change. For a fixed rate mortgage, payments for principal and interest should not change over the life of the loan,
• In an adjustable rate mortgage, the interest rate is generally fixed for a period of time, after which it will periodically (for example, annually or monthly) adjust up or down to some market index. Adjustable rates transfer part of the interest rate risk from the lender to the borrower, and thus are widely used where fixed rate funding is difficult to obtain or prohibitively expensive. Since the risk is transferred to the borrower, the initial interest rate may be from 0.5% to 2% lower than the average 30-year fixed rate; the size of the price differential will be related to debt market conditions, including the yield curve.

The charge to the borrower depends upon the credit risk in addition to the interest rate risk. The mortgage origination and underwriting process involves checking credit scores, debt-to-income, downpayments, and assets. Jumbo mortgages and subprime lending are not supported by government guarantees and face higher interest rates. Other innovations described below can affect the rates as well.

Safe security is Sydney’s leading security guards company. No job is too big or small for safe security which specializes in retail/building security and event security.

Last week I order a split canvas print from www.chenoacanvas.com.au and it arrived today and it looks awesome!

I found an image of the Andromeda Galaxy taken by NASA by an infared camera which I loved. The image was perfect for a split canvas as it was a high res image and was a panaroma image. Here is low res image of the original – pic below

Now here is a picture of how it looks split into 3 canvas prints – pic below

Turned out great, I was worried about the quality of the canvas prints because of the very high detail in the image but i am very happy with the detail and contrast in the canvas prints. I will definetly be ordering more from Chenoa Canvas, once a find another pic which looks good and has a high resoultion in panorama.

Here are some other sites i recommend when ordering Canvas Prints Online -

www.canvasprinters.com.au – For Australia

www.canvasprinters.co – For all international orders

www.canvasprinters.co.nz – for New Zealand

A lot of big names are coming to Pitt Street Mall

Here are some of the brands opening up in the mall -

GAP

Industrie Clothing

DKNY JEANS

The are many shops opening later in October around Pitt Street Mall

Today with the help of my wife Michelle I launched my new directory The Sydney CBD! With the success of my 1st directory Pitt Street Mall which is now 2 months old and last month generated 6500 unique hits, I thought its time to take on a new and much larger project. My goal is to have a quality index of all retail shops, shopping centres, bars/clubs, hotels, supermarkets, restaurants and much more of  the Sydney CBD.

This will be largest web project that I have taken on to date and will be an ongoing project as the Sydney Central Building District is forever evolving and growing.

The Sydney central business district (CBD and also referred to as the City) is the main commercial centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It extends southwards for about 3 kilometres from Sydney Cove, the point of first European settlement. Its north-south axis runs from Circular Quay in the north to Central railway station in the south. Its east-west axis runs from a chain of parkland that includes Hyde Park, The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens and Farm Cove on Sydney Harbour in the east; to Darling Harbour and the Western Distributor in the west. It is the largest and busiest central business district in Australia.

Wish me luck in my “attempt” to make a quality index of my city Sydney’s CBD, I know their is a long road ahead of me on this project.

Studio Italia Suits

You put more emphasis than ever on your
lifestyle habits, budget, and personal
image, and as such your suit needs to fit so
much more than just your body. Studio
Italia suits answer this dilemma, giving rise
to confidence for men of all ages, shapes
and sizes.
Designing such multi-generational fitting
suits is an art form few brands can stake a
claim to. It is an art form of pattern design,
tailoring and an inherent sensitivity to
modern style that comes only from decades
of experience.
Feeling good comes from looking good and
the fit of your suit plays a crucial role in this.
Blending traditional tailoring methods with
21st century technological processes Studio
Italia is a brand known for its superb fit.
Research conducted by Australian Wool
Innovation found that fit is seen by
consumers as the most important aspect
when buying clothes, closely followed by
price. As a brand renowned for combining
fantastic fit with a great price, it’s a
no-brainer to see why Studio Italia continues
to be so successful.
Studio Italia fits your budget like never
before, because they are a result of the
New Luxury phenomenon. They offer quality
fabric and tailoring usually reserved for
exclusive, luxury designer brands, at half
the cost. Such accessibility in tumultuous
times is a smart fit for anyone’s budget.
Unlike when Studio Italia was launched,
many more high-end international designer
brands are available throughout Australasia.
Consumers are now able to compare
garments in person, and in many cases see
the quality of Studio Italia suits is just as
good as those luxury designer brands. The
difference is in the “quality/fit/price”
formula, a formula Studio Italia continues to
use with success.
A September 2008 survey by DNR – the
well-respected American men’s clothing
industry magazine – found when buying a
suit, fit was far more important to consumers
than style. Ultimately, style comes out of
fantastic fit and this is why it is so important.
In this era of globalisation, Australasian men
need to stand out on an international playing
field. Life is hectic and we need a suit that
moves with us, offering the versatility,
comfort, and design to fit our lifestyles.
Studio Italia’s fit is constantly evolving,
designed to fit the wants and needs of men
throughout Australasia and New Zealand,
with the style and quality of Italy’s best
tailors in mind.
Berkeley Apparel’s Marketing Director,
Robert Morris said, “The Studio Italia brand
has grown considerably from its humble
beginnings. It is no longer only considered a
strond national brand; it is now an
exceptional New Luxury brand with an
international feel and flavour.”
The genesis of New Luxury is combining
technical, functional, and emotional elements
within the brand. The fit and feel of the suit
leads to an emotional advantage. That is,
looking and feeling great in Studio Italia.
Morris went on to say, “Excellent garment
fit resides in the heart of Studio Italia. We
don’t make compromises or take any
technical short cuts when it comes to the
fabric, tailoring and interlining because all of
these elements influence the fit.”
“Men of all ages feel great in our suits
because they are inherently comfortable,
and comfort is determined by the fit.”
He concluded, “One hundred years of
tailoring experience has shown us time after
time, when it fits right it feels right.”
Fit is more than just the shape of a garment.
It’s about quality, style, confidence and
versatility; all this at a price that fits your
budget.
What’s not to love?

Val Parks Wedding Suits

Suit Selection / Mens Suits Selection – The do’s and the do not’s of Suit shopping is hard enough for males around the world without the hassles of all the other wedding arrangements that you are going to have to over come, It doesn’t have to be that way! There are a few simple rules that you can follow that can make your life much easier.

Rule 1 – Ask for help By far the most important rule that one can offer! Regardless of weather you think a store will be able to help you with your request you should always ask. Most suits will fit differently regardless of the size. “There have been many times where I have not been able to help a customer with a pink suit with purple pin stripes, but I have been able to offer the customer an alternative suit” says Val. Don’t think that you can find what you are looking for by yourself, ask!

Rule 2 – Be obliging – When approached by a sales person, be obliging. Sales persons are employed to make your life easier. “The more information that you can give us, (the colours that you like, the colours that you want to match, the size of the wedding group) the more we are able to help! I often know what a customer is looking for before they tell me, from meters away. I know I have them and I know where they are. If you give me an opportunity I will show you, look by yourself and the chances are you won’t find them.”Don’t abruptly enter the store avoiding all contact, thumb through the vast range of suits, about face and walk out with nothing more than a puzzled look in the direction of the sales person. Allow a sales person to make contact, engage in conversation. Allow them to ask questions and give them all the information that you have.

Rule 3 – Shop Alone Don’t misunderstand this rule, shop alone does not mean all by yourself, shop alone means shop with only the people that are necessary. Groomsmen, bridesmaids, parents and parents in law do not fit under this category. The only time that the rest on the family will be required is when you are taking measurements. You can guarantee for every person that comes along, an opinion will be given. It’s your big day! The most successful wedding groups are the couples that are able to make their own choices about what everyone else would be wearing” Don’t rent a minibus and bring everyone you know along to buy your suits! Make the choice alone or with your partner. Do some ground work on what is available, how many suits you are looking for, what people’s sizes are like and take this information with you.

Rule 4 –Go Somewhere Reputable Ask around for some decent suit stores in your area. Always start local, small businesses will be able to offer you the fantastic one on one service that you require. As a rule of thumb, I advise people to stay away from shopping centres. The service is much bellow par and I have had to fix some horrible size and length errors. With a small business it is our reputation that is on the line, we will be there to answer any questions that you have and make sure everything is perfect for the big day. Don’t think that if you pay $1000 for the wedding suits that you will get added value for your money. (good customer service is worth much more than this and will cost you much less)  Head down to one of our Val Parks’ store today or check out our website http://www.valparks.com.au http://www.valparks.co.nz/