LendingTree.com Adds Eleven New Loan Calculators to Its Smart Borrower Center

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- LendingTree.com today introduced eleven new-and-improved home loan calculators to its Smart Borrower Center at http://www.lendingtree.com/smartborrower/calculators.aspx. The calculators, which were custom developed by LendingTree loan and technology experts, cover all areas of home lending from loan product comparisons to ARM payments, and loan consolidation to refinancing.

"Loan calculators have grown in popularity over the past several years, but a lot of what's out there is hard to understand and even harder to use," said Bridget Smith, the LendingTree Smart Borrower Center editor-in-chief. "We set out to develop a line of top-notch loan calculators that would make it easier, faster and more intuitive for borrowers to get the financial information they need."

The LendingTree Smart Borrower Center calculators outperform other offerings in terms of ease of use, transparency of assumptions, and flexibility to customize.

  -- Usability: Each calculator interface is clear and easy to understand,
     and eliminates baffling industry jargon that leaves many borrowers
     confused.

  -- Clarity: Each calculator field has a specific tip associated with it
     that explains the information that's required.  Users simply hover
     their mice over the tip for deeper guidance.

  -- Transparency: Assumptions for each calculator are provided at the
     bottom of each calculator page, providing transparency into how the
     calculation was made.  For example, the Home Affordability Calculator
     uses an assumption of a 36% debt-to-income ratio.

  -- Flexibility: Each calculator is designed to offer users a unique view
     of their personal financial situation.  Although base assumptions can
     not be adjusted, each calculator provides a user the flexibility to
     customize the personal data they enter. This allows a user to test
     drive various scenarios.

  -- Speed: Each calculator loads and calculates quickly.

The new calculators help answer typical questions that borrowers ask when they're considering a loan, such as "How much home can I afford?", "What type of mortgage makes sense for my circumstances?", or "Should I refinance my ARM?" just to name a few.

  -- Loan Comparison Calculator - Lets you compare different types of
     mortgages and determine which loan is right for you.

  -- Home Affordability Calculator - Helps determine what price home you can
     afford.

  -- Rent or buy? - Evaluates whether it makes sense to rent or buy a home.

  -- Discount Points Calculator - Helps determine whether it makes sense to
     pay points upfront when taking out a mortgage.

  -- ARM Payment Calculator - Helps determine the amount of your adjustable
     rate mortgage (ARM) payments.

  -- Loan Payment Calculator - Gives visibility into the amount of your
     monthly payment for a loan or line of credit.  Use this calculator for
     any type of loan, including a mortgage, car loan, home equity loan, or
     home equity line of credit (HELOC).

  -- Loan Consolidation Calculator - Helps you understand whether you can
     lower your monthly payments by consolidating your loans.

  -- Home Equity Calculator -Determines if/how much equity you have in your
     home to borrow against.

  -- Line of Credit Calculator - Helps you understand what your minimum
     monthly payments would be for a HELOC.

  -- Refinance Calculator - Helps you determine whether or not you will save
     money by refinancing your mortgage.

  -- Cash-out Refinance vs. Home Equity Calculator - If you need to access
     cash from your home's equity, this calculator compares the benefits of
     cash-out refinancing vs. home equity loans.

  About LendingTree, LLC

LendingTree, LLC is the nation's number one online lending exchange, providing a marketplace that connects consumers with multiple lenders that compete for their business. Since inception, LendingTree has facilitated more than 20 million loan requests and $152 billion in closed loan transactions. LendingTree provides access to mortgages and refinance loans, home equity loans/lines of credit, auto loans, personal loans, credit cards and high-yield savings accounts via http://www.lendingtree.com/ and 800-555-TREE.

Launched in 1998 with headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, LendingTree, LLC also owns and operates LendingTree Loans(SM), LendingTree Settlement Services, LLC, GetSmart(R), and HomeLoanCenter.com. LendingTree, LLC is an operating company of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI) .

  Media Contact:
  Rebecca Anderson
  (704) 943-8019
  rebecca.anderson@lendingtree.com