If there is one thing that a big city needs, it is big companies to match that size. Corporations help a city strive. When you purchase something from a company based in your city or state, more money stays in the city and state. The money that stays domestically is about 43 percent, while purchasing something from out of the city or state only keeps about 13 percent in the domestically. It is obvious why you would want to know what companies are in you city. One of the fastest growing cities in the country, Phoenix is no exception. There are many different corporations and law firms in the state that are in the Fortune 500 or the NLJ 250.

A big category in companies is the Fortune 500. But, if you go a little bit further, there is also the Fortune 1000. The Fortune 1000 is the top 1000 companies according to revenue and profit in the world. Phoenix has eleven companies that are in the Fortune 1000, with five being in the Fortune 500. This means that the headquarters for these companies are in Phoenix. Two of these companies actually got their start in Phoenix and continued to grow across the country. These two are Petsmart and US Airways Group. The other companies in the Fortune 500 are Avnet, Freeport-McMoRan, and Insight Enterprises. These five companies really helped the city get to where it is today, and they will continue to help it as the years go by. This leaves the other six in the Fortune 1000. These are Amkor Technologies, Apollo Group, ON Semiconductor, Pinnacle West Capitol Corporation, Republic Services, and RSC Holdings. With companies like this, it is easy to see why Phoenix continues to strive. All of these companies give back to the community, and when people buy their products, more money stays in Phoenix.

The NJL 250 is the top 250 law firms in the country. Of course, just like the Fortune 500, it is according to revenue and profit. Phoenix has three law firms in the NJL 250, and just like the Fortune 500, they help Phoenix grow as well. These three are Snell and Wilmer, Lewis and Roca, and Fennemore Craig. People trust these law firms and it shows because they are in the NJL 250.

Even though the next companies may not be in the Fortune 500 or the Fortune 1000, they still significantly help Phoenix. These companies include Hypercom, Microchip Technologies, and Discount Tire Company. If you, or other, bigger companies buy from these, the money tends to stay in Phoenix or Arizona and it really helps everyone.

As you can see, there is no shortage of major corporations or law firms in Phoenix. You may not realize what you are living by, but Phoenix is a huge city with great major corporation scattered around. See the other companies that got started here, and help Phoenix grow even more.

These days there are a lot of mortgage loan options that don’t require such an extensive down payment. Many government sponsored loans, such as FHA or VA loans, require a down payment of 5%. There are some additional mortgage programs that allow buyers to put down even less than 5%, some programs even allow a “no down payment” option.

If it’s possible to get into a loan without putting any money down, why would you want to? Well, there are several reasons you should consider a down payment:

It gives you a start to build equity in the loan. Hopefully you won’t have any unforeseen circumstances, but if you had to sell your home suddenly, you’ll pay about 10% of the selling price in fees. If you don’t have a down payment, selling the home means you could potentially lose money. A down payment provides a little cushion of security against emergency situations.

It gives you greater mortgage options. When you have a down payment you have more mortgage programs to choose from. You can find a more competitive interest rate when you have some money to put down on the house.

It gives you better bargaining power for the purchase of the home. When it comes to extend an offer for a home, your down payment affects your offer. The buyer may see how much you plan to put down and use the information to help them choose an offer.

It can be a significant factor in qualifying for a loan. Many mortgage programs look carefully at your debt ratio, along with your savings and down payment. Having a down payment can make the mortgage qualification process easier.

Saving for your down payment can be challenging, and it’s simply not possible to always have a down payment. Even when you can’t save for a down payment, there are other sources you can use – for instance, some 401k programs allow you to borrow money for a down payment, or you can receive a gift of a down payment from a relative.

If it is at all possible for you to put money down on your new home, even if it’s just a small percentage, you’ll find that you have more options and more doors open to you.