How do you select the members of your team who are going to help you make your dream of owning a home a reality? What should you be looking for? How do you know if you’ve found the right agent or lender? The most important characteristic that you should be looking for in your agent […]
Be Careful Not to Get Caught in The Rental Trap
October 10, 2017 by ·
There are many benefits to homeownership. One of the top benefits is being able to protect yourself from rising rents by locking in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage. Don’t Become Trapped A recent article by ConsumerAffairs addressed the continuous rise in rents, stating: “The cost of putting a roof over your head continues to go […]
The 5 Greatest Benefits of Homeownership
October 5, 2017 by ·
Recently, Freddie Mac reported on the benefits of homeownership. According to their report, here are the five benefits that “should be at the top of everyone’s list.” Homeownership can help you build equity over time. Your monthly payments will remain stable. You may have some tax benefits. You can take pride in ownership. Homeownership improves your community. Let’s expand […]
The Importance of Home Equity in Retirement Planning
September 30, 2017 by ·
We often discuss the difference in family wealth between homeowner households and renter households. Much of that difference is the result of the equity buildup that homeowners experience over the time that they own their home. In a report recently released by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), they reveal how valuable equity […]
What is not in a Credit Score
September 25, 2017 by ·
Ever wonder what information is not allowed to be used in calculating your credit score? Federal laws including the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Consumer Credit Protection Act prohibit certain things from being factored into credit scores. Such things include: Race, color, religion, national origin, sex and marital status. United States law prohibits credit scoring […]
Is Now a Good Time to Rent?
September 20, 2017 by ·
People often ask if now is a good time to buy a home, but nobody ever asks when a good time to rent is. Regardless, we want to make certain that everyone understands that today is NOT a good time to rent. The Census Bureau recently released their 2017 first quarter median rent numbers. Here is a graph […]
Collections: How to validate that it’s yours
September 17, 2017 by ·
You get a copy of your credit report and you find a collection, however you do not know anything about it…..what do you do? Ask for a Validation Notice. A debt collector must send you a validation notice within five days that explains how much you owe and to whom you owe the debt. When […]
How are credit scores created?
September 10, 2017 by ·
Credit scores are based on a consumer’s credit record maintained by the credit reporting agencies. Computers are used to analyze a person’s credit report data in order to generate a statistical number, referred to as a credit score. This number is used as an indicator to the likelihood a person will pay the loan back. When […]
Homeownership Is a Good Financial Investment
September 5, 2017 by ·
According to a recent report by Trulia, “buying is cheaper than renting in 100 of the largest metro areas by an average of 33.1%.” The report may have some people thinking about buying a home instead of signing another lease extension, but does that make sense from a financial perspective? Ralph McLaughlin, Trulia’s Chief Economist explains: “Owning a home is one […]
3 Things to Understand When Using Hashtags
August 29, 2017 by ·
Rules for hashtags You may not have any idea why anyone would need a hashtag. Why? A hashtag is a way to gain visibility on platforms like Twitter and Instagram. When a person types in the keyword of your hashtag or conversation, the topic is easier to find. A hashtag can be used for […]
