Credit Report ? How to Improve Your Credit Score
May 31, 2007
One of the great mysteries of life is how the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union) score credit. They all have secret statistical formulas for determining your credit score, but they are unwilling to divulge exactly what, exactly, constitutes your score. This can make it difficult for people with problem credit to try to improve their score in hopes of obtaining a home or car loan later.
While the exact formula is a secret, there are a few things you can do that will undoubtedly improve your score:
Pay off a home equity line of credit. These loans, which allow you to borrow more than once against your home’s equity, are considered revolving credit, much like a credit card. Pay it down or pay it off; either should help your score.
Check your credit report regularly; you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report once a year. By looking over your credit report, you can make sure that debts you have paid on time are shown on the report, such as student loans, or auto loans that have been paid in full. You can also make sure that your credit limits on your credit cards are reported correctly. Lenders look at the ratio of debt to available credit, and if your reported credit limit is low, it could make it appear as though you are nearly at your credit limit.
Interest-only Mortgages Have Their Pitfalls
May 31, 2007
Rising home prices, particularly on the East and West coasts have put the costs of home ownership seemingly beyond the reach of many. And yet, home ownership is up nationwide, and the percentage of Americans who own their homes is the highest it has ever been. How is this possible?
There are more different types of mortgages available to home buyers than ever before, and one that is growing in popularity is the interest-only mortgage. With an interest-only mortgage, the buyer pays no principal for the first few years of payments. The period of time varies, and is typically anywhere from one to five years. At that time, the principal is added to the mortgage payments and the amount of the payment increases. By keeping the payments lower for the first few years of the mortgage, the interest-only mortgage allows buyers to obtain a more expensive home than they otherwise might. The buyer’s income will probably increase over time, making it possible to afford the higher payments that will come when the principal is finally added to the payments.
Benefits of a Home Owner Loan
May 31, 2007
There are many benefits for choosing a Home Owner Loan, some of which are listed below:
If you are a homeowner, you have a better chance of borrowing a homeowner loan and securing the amount against your home .A secured loan is so called because you put up your home as collateral or security for the lender. Since this is a form of security for the lender, you as the borrower benefit too by having lower interest rates to deal with.
A home owner loan can be a good alternative for people not wishing to sell their home to get money from it. You can borrow money relating to the equity you have in your home.
A Home Owner Loan can unlock your capital to use today.
The loan can be used for any purpose, and is available to anyone who owns their home.
Home loans can be used for any purpose such as:
Home improvements
New car
Luxury holiday
Pay of store card
Pay off credit card debt
Debt consolidation
Another good reason for a taking a home owner loan would be if you had a poor credit history.
Investing As A Sport?
May 30, 2007
I said last week that money doesn’t generally buy happiness, but the lack of it can buy absolute misery. This, by the way, is not just my personal observation. It is the conclusion of some of the most respected happiness researchers (Yes, there is such a thing — read my book.)
The trouble is that we have to pay attention to money more when we lack it than when we have it. This doesn’t seem fair, but the Lord works in mysterious ways. Most people are invested in the stock market, either directly or through mutual funds, pension plans or some other vehicle. So it is hard not to be part of the Panic Crowd. But I ,in all my financial wisdom, have two golden rules to offer. These may not make you rich, but they will keep you happy.
Number One: Place your investments in the safest vehicles possible (Do as I say, not as I do!) and forget about them. When the next recession ends, take inventory and see that you still have investments. Most of us don’t get a rush out of watching our investments plunge or yo-yo up and down. Most people are happier when they forget they even have investments.
Learning the Disturbing Facts about Credit Card Debt
May 30, 2007
When I received my first credit card in the mail at age 18 I was ecstatic, I said to myself, wow now I’m getting somewhere in life. This credit card company thinks I’m worthy of 500 dollars in credit. So I made my monthly payments like a good consumer and watched my credit limit grow. I thought boy this company must think alot of me to take such a risk. I however had no idea how the money came into existence. All I cared about was that as long as when I slapped the plastic down I was approved. Like most young people I had no idea what an interest rate even was much less how it effected my monthly payments. I was like a lot of kids in America today, my parents were not a big part of my early adult life and so I really didn’t have much guidance when it came to making financial decisions. The lessons I learned were hard and I continue to learn as each day passes.
Change in Texas Law May Make Reverse Mortgages More Popular
May 30, 2007
Texas was one of the last states to allow homeowners to take out home equity loans. Laws going back to the nineteenth century strictly prohibited home equity lending, as legislators feared that unscrupulous lenders would take advantage of homeowners for the purpose of seizing their homes through foreclosure. This made it impossible for citizens of the Lone Star State to use their equity for home improvements, debt consolidation or paying medical bills, as homeowners in other states may do.
In 1997, the Texas constitution was amended to allow homeowners to borrow against their home equity. The amendment allowed for traditional term loans, lines of credit, and reverse mortgages, but did not allow a line of credit on a reverse mortgage.
Debt Validation: Do you have to pay ?
May 29, 2007
It happens all the time. Debt collectors try to collect on debts that consumers have no knowledge of or never owed in the first place. So, what do you do when a bill collector demands payment in full on a debt that you never knew existed? You need to request a validation of debt.
A validation of debt is a request for proof that the collection agency that is contacting you owns the debt/or has been assigned the right to collect the debt on behalf of an original creditor. A validation of debt also includes a complete payment history, starting with the original creditor, and a copy of the original signed loan agreement or credit card application. This may be a debt you really owe or possibly a debt that was sent to collections by mistake. Either way, debt collectors can be very unapproachable. It is important to remember that you also have rights. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Paragraph 809, - Validation of Debts:
“(a) Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing:
Benefits of a Bridging Loan
May 29, 2007
A bridging loan has many benefits, some of which are listed below.
A bridging loan can be used to cover the financial gap when buying one property before the existing one is sold. They are looked on as short term lending to cover a specific short term need.
A bridging loan as the name implies is a loan used to "bridge" the financial gap between monies required for your new property completion prior to your existing property having been sold.
Bridging loans are short term loans arranged when you need to purchase a house but are unable to arrange the mortgage for some reason, such as there is a delay in selling your existing property.
A bridging loan can also be used to raise capital pending the sale of a property.
Bridging loans can be arranged for any sum between £25000 to a few million pounds and can be borrowed for periods from a week to up to six months
Because of the nature of bridging loans they can usually be arranged at short notice and within a few days.
How to Use a Home Equity Line of Credit Calculator
May 29, 2007
Most home owners know that the lower the interest rate, the lower the monthly payments. But then the process may get a bit fuzzy. While your monthly payments may be the same every month, you are not applying the same amount to the principal of the loan. Your amortization will vary month to month. So, you will have to use a little math to determine how much equity you are actually gaining. Are you confused yet? If you are, don’t worry. There is luckily a very helpful tool that will take the guess work out of home equity loans. Before you commit to anything, you should play around with a home equity loan calculator to determine how much you can borrow. There are many sites available online that give you free access to a wealth of tools and calculators.
What is a home equity loan calculator? Basically, it is a mathematical program that will ask for a few key pieces of information. It will then calculate how much you can borrow, and show you an example of what your amortization schedule would look like. Your lender may use a similar program to determine the amount that you can borrow against your home.
Creativity in Trading
May 28, 2007
"Is it important to be creative in your trading?"
I’m not sure I can describe it in terms of importance. The creative process is somewhat of a mystery, even to scientists who study it. There are a few common characteristics that all creative persons possess (such as an openness to a variety of internal and external experiences and a driving need to express one’s sense of individualism), but for the most part, exactly how the creative mind makes earthshaking discoveries is unknown. A few prerequisites are necessary, though. The mind must be focused, for example. New ideas must flow through the mind freely, and there must be a wide range of ideas, so that they can be combined and re-combined in new ways. New and creative trading ideas are necessary to stay ahead of the crowd, so doing whatever you can to prepare your mind to brainstorm new ideas will help you develop creative trading strategies that are the foundation of profitable trading.
