June 2007
Monthly Archive
30 Jun 2007 04:45 am
Credit scoring no-nos
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Payment history is an important factor both in terms of your credit score and as a deciding factor for lenders and others who check your credit. Lenders may be less likely to lend to you or may charge you a higher rate based on your payment history and in most states, auto insurance rates are determined largely by your credit score. Poor payment history can also affect your ability to get a job because employers usually look at your credit report, rather than your credit score. When they look at consumer reports (background checks) to build a picture of you, credit history has proven to be a good predictor of job success. |
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search for : credit score
29 Jun 2007 06:58 am
Subprime mortgage makers under review.
| Subprime lenders have yet to learn from their mistakes. According to a consumer advocate group, abuses persist industry wide, despite the recent subprime mortgage meltdown. At a Senate subcommittee hearing on ending mortgage abuse this week, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) presented its findings on subprime loans included in 10 recent packages of mortgage backed securities. More than three quarters of the subprime loans CRL looked at turned out to be adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). 90 percent of those were hybrid ARMs - otherwise known as “exploding” ARMs. |
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search for : Subprime lenders, subprime loan, hybrid ARM
28 Jun 2007 06:32 am
The Growing Trend Towards Factory-built homes
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More and more dream homes have gone inside — at least for all or part of the construction phase — as curious consumers research and locate the new creative designs, energy-efficient features, often lower costs and environmentally controlled production of prefabricated residences. And, the finished product absolutely demolishes the preconceived notion of a “kit.” Modular, manufactured, structural insulated panels and other types of “prefab” housing are reaching a growing segment of new-home buyers yet they are very different in the way they are built. The built-to-be-towed house — in a custom, preassembled package or enclosed finished unit — has changed dramatically, and so have its occupants. For example, modular home builders have begun to target last-time home buyers: customers who know what they want and are willing to pay outside the “affordable” range. |
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search for : Modular, structural insulated panels
27 Jun 2007 07:47 am
Do It Yourself Home Improvements Without Injury
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Do-it-yourself home improver injuries have jumped in recent years. Injuries result from consumer repair work when homeowners fail to understand the proper use of common tools. Ladders in particular need to be anchored securely and replaced when they appear damaged. There were 198,000 ladder injuries that resulted in emergency-room visits last year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Old-fashioned wooden ladders eventually weather and may need to be replaced with a newer-generation aluminum or fiberglass one. |
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search for : Do-it-yourself home improver
26 Jun 2007 07:07 am
The Secret To Using Professional Questioning Techniques When Buying or Selling A Home
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Buying, selling or leasing real estate, for personal or business use, requires knowledge and skills that usually fall outside mainstream education and the average work experience. Sharpen your communication skills and you’ll be less vulnerable to salesmanship and to those who do not have your best interests at heart. If you want to investigate your real estate choices and unearth potential pitfalls before you sign on the dotted, how well have you equipped yourself to gather relevant and essential information? Improving your communication powers may be easier than you think. The main goal is to move from unconscious to conscious or strategic communication where results matter every time. |
search for : communication skill
25 Jun 2007 07:39 am
A quick list of your 12 free credit strategies
| The United States Congress has guaranteed a free once-a-year glimpse into your credit files. But, how do you keep an eye both on your credit and on costs? Here are a few suggestions.
1. Catch mistakes before they make it to your report. Double-check your credit card and other lending statements to make sure you were credited for last month’s payment and that all charges are yours.
2. Stagger your free reports for year-round monitoring. The only place to get your federally guaranteed free credit report is through the annual credit request service.
For the complete list, chick here. |
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24 Jun 2007 06:33 am
The Secret of Successful Home Improvements That Won’t Break the Bank
| Touch-up exteriors. Repainting the trim and front door of your house can significantly boost its curb appeal, Devers said. This kind of retouching work is easy on the budget and can be done in just a couple of hours. Replace your floors. The widespread availability of affordable “floating floors” (flooring options that can be installed on top of existing boards or linoleum) makes updating the floors in your rec room or pantry a cinch. “You’ll probably save a minimum $500 to $600 dollars by doing it yourself,” Devers said.
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search for : floating floors
23 Jun 2007 07:05 am
Real Estate Transfer Tax Not Deductible
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When real estate changes hands, a special tax comes into play. Some people call it the real estate conveyance tax. Others call it the real estate transfer tax. if you itemize deductions on your tax return (instead of claiming a lump sum standard deduction amount), you can’t deduct the real estate transfer tax, as you would for state income taxes and Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) taxes. So if you’ve been involved in the sale of real estate this year and wind up paying the real estate transfer tax as a result (the seller usually pays the tax), you can’t deduct it when you do your federal income-tax returns early next year. |
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search for : real estate conveyance tax, real estate transfer tax, Temporary Disability Insurance
22 Jun 2007 06:19 am
Now You Can Use The Equity In Your Home
| A home is yours forever. As long as you can afford the mortgage and taxes, you don’t ever have to move. There’s no landlord to terminate your lease, raise your rent or deny you permission to make changes to the property. Homeownership also forces you to save. If you have a traditional 30-year or 15-year mortgage, a small portion of each monthly payment reduces your indebtedness. And the amount that goes toward amortizing the loan increases over time. |
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search for : Homeownership
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