Mountain View Utah Real Estate

Some Way to Improve Your Credit Score

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 15:07:00 +0000

By: Online Credit

In your life there will be many things that are influenced by your credit score. Banks decide to lend you money or not depending on your credit score. If you have a bad credit rating this can affect your everyday life. But there is however ways that you can improve your credit score.

The very first thing that needs to be done is to find what your credit score is. You do this by requesting a copy of your credit report from a well known company such as Trans Union Credit, or Equifax.

Many people now a day take their credit score for granted. Millions of people in the United States so your credit report can easily be incorrect. To stop this from happening to you be sure to request to have a copy of your report every year. If you find that there is something that is not accurate with your credit report be sure to let the credit bureau know about it and make sure that it is corrected. If you file for bankruptcy this makes your credit score unsightly so be sure to avoid this from happening to you, talk to a financial advisor or an expert in the field first.

If you happen to have a dormant bank account this will affect your credit score. This is so even if you do not owe any money to these accounts, your credit score will be affected greatly. Credit scores are figured out by the amount of debt that is owed and the amount that is available to you. To make you credit score better be sure to pay your bill as soon as they are due. If you pay for the items that are needed most, and overlook anything you would love to have, soon you will make your credit score better.

Author Resource:-> Read more about your Credit Rating, your Credit Score On http://credit-deal.com./ For all your credit needs. IBERIANBANK credit cards - car loan

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Ten Steps to Credit Repair Success

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:02:00 +0000

By: Jim Kemish

You Can Do It!

Credit repair works. Great credit can be yours, along with the wonderful benefits it offers. It just takes a little planning. Take the first step today and experience the joy that comes from regaining control over your financial life. Here are our favorite ten steps to credit repair success!

1. Proofread Your Credit Reports

Credit repair is necessary for millions of Americans. The credit reporting system involves the credit bureaus, creditors, collectors, court houses, and all the software that ties the system together. Errors happen. Credit repair is the cure. You cannot assume that mistakes will correct themselves. Proofread your reports and identify every questionable entry.

2. Dispute, Dispute, Dispute

The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires the credit bureaus to process consumer disputes about credit report accuracy. Put your legal rights to work and dispute every questionable item you find. If you encounter resistance, if the credit bureaus do not respond favorably to your credit repair effort, do not give up. Write back and demand that they have the creditor research the issue properly. Patience pays.

3. Challenge Collectors

If you receive a collection letter, open it right away. You will be shocked to hear that half of all of active collections are for accounts that were previously paid, belong to another person, or are, for some other reason, not valid. Under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act you have the right to validate a debt within 30 days of getting a collection letter. This is a powerful credit repair tool. Ask for proof they own the debt and documentation of the balance claimed.

4. Learn About Statutes of Limitation

Collectors have a limited time in which they can enforce collection through the court system. When this time limit, known as the statute of limitation (SOL), expires, they can try to collect, but they no longer have leverage. The SOL is almost always far less than the reporting period limit. Knowledge of the SOL is critical to your credit repair effort. Research the SOL for every debt. If the SOL has expired the debt should be very negotiable.

5. Manage Your Revolving Accounts

Your credit card balances can ruin your credit scores, even if you make all of your payments on time. Proper management of your revolving accounts is important to your credit repair success, and can swing your credit scores by over 100 points. For the best results make sure that your credit card balances are as low as possible. The FICO scoring model will give you the biggest score boost if you use less than 20 percent of the available limit. Do not neglect this essential tip.

6. Avoid Consumer Debt

While your credit card balances can make or break your credit repair effort, the type of debt you utilize is equally important. Do not count on store cards or consumer debt, like furniture store credit lines, to contribute to your good credit. In fact, the FICO scoring model has a built in partiality against consumer debt. If you want to build your credit, stick with mainstream cards like MasterCard and Visa.

7. Monitor Your Credit

An online credit monitoring service can be a valuable credit repair tool. If you join a service like the TrueCredit 3 Bureau Credit Monitoring Service you will be notified of all material changes that occur on your credit reports instantly via email, including inquiries, new accounts, and the appearance of derogatory information. Once you are alerted to the appearance of something you disagree with you can react in a timely manner.

8. Refinance Costly Loans

Once your credit repair program is underway, your credit report is tidy, and your scores are climbing, it is time to cash in on your newly improved credit. Examine all of your debt from your credit cards to your mortgage. All high rate loans are candidates for refinancing. You can start by contacting your current lenders to see if they can offer you more favorable terms. If not, you can shop for the best rates elsewhere.

9. Save Your Money

Your newly improved credit, and the lower payments that lenders have offered you, should allow you to start a savings plan. A savings plan is the perfect complement to your credit repair program. Money in the bank provides a cushion when unexpected expenses arise. You have put effort into restoring your credit; do not let an unexpected expense cause you to fall behind on your bills. Savings is smart.

10. Learn to Invest

Make financial stability and personal wealth the capstone of your credit repair effort. Personal wealth will insulate you against events that once would have caused stress and damage to your credit record. Put the past behind you and realize your true potential. As your saving account grows, explore your investment options. Read and study. Learn everything you can about investment and personal financial management. Your time has come!

Author Resource:-> Jim Kemish is the president and founder of Sky Blue Credit Repair, a leading credit repair service. Sky Blue Credit has been dedicated to providing intelligent customized credit solutions since 1989. Visit http://www.skybluecredit.com/

Article From ActiveAuthors.com

What Makes Up My Credit Score?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:52:00 +0000

by Brandon Cornett

What types of information make up my credit score, and how will it affect me when I try to buy a home?

This is a frequently asked question among people buying a home (especially first-time buyers), so it’s worth a thorough examination in this article. In fact, the first half of this question pertains to consumers in general, because everyone can benefit from knowing the “ingredients” that make up a credit score.

Let’s begin by discussing why credit is important for home buyers in the first place. When you apply for a mortgage loan in order to pay for a home, your mortgage lender will examine your financial history from several angles.

For one thing, the lender will review your debt-to-income ratio, which is a comparison between the amount of money you make each month and the amount you owe each month (car payment, credit card bills, other loans, etc.).

And, of course, the lender will also examine your credit scores. Note that I mentioned “scores” in the plural sense. Though most people don’t realize it, you actually have three credit scores, one for each of the credit-reporting companies (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax).

How Your Score is Created

Your credit score is derived from your credit reports, using a special scoring model developed by the Fair Isaac Corporation. You’ve probably heard the acronym “FICO” before? Well that’s what it stands for … Fair Isaac Corporation.

Your history of payments on things like credit cards and car loans is a major part of your credit score. In fact, past payment history is said to account for about 35% of your overall score. If you have a history of paying bills on time, this will help your score. On the other hand, if you miss payments on a regular basis the opposite will be true.

It only makes sense why this history would be important to mortgage lenders, but it shows how you’ve performed over the years in terms of paying back loans. This is extremely relevant to somebody who is considering loaning you money!

The total amount of debt you have is another big component of your credit score. For example, if you have a lot of debt (perhaps more than you can afford to pay off), then your score will reflect this. And it probably won’t help your cause when applying for a mortgage loan.

So with this in mind, two of the best things you can do to improve your score (if it needs improving) are paying all bills on time and minimizing your debt.

© 2009, Cornett Communications.

About the Author: Brandon Cornett is the publisher of the Austin Mortgage Center, a resource for home buyers in Austin, Texas. You may visit the author's website at www.austinprobe.com to learn more about this topic.

Ten Rules for Handling Collection Agencies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:04:00 +0000

1. Realize that Credit collection agents are usually working on commissions. This is a JOB to them and the more they get you to pay, the larger their paycheck. They will be persistent, so be prepared.

2. Don't argue with the agent, because you will lose. This is what they do all day, every day and they have heard every excuse in the book. They are prepared with an answer to everything. State your case but don't argue.

3. It usually doesn't help to ask to speak to someone's boss. In this case, talking to the supervisor normally won't help (in fact it could be worse). Remember, he ended up with his job because he was good at what he did and was able to squeeze every dime out of past consumers who had disputes.

4. Never give information out over the telephone to a collection agency. This includes your driver's license number, social security number, debit card numbers, check numbers, credit card numbers, or bank account numbers. They should already have this information.

5. Use a money order or certified funds to make all payments. Make a copy of it and staple it to the bill.

6. Keep records of everything (including dates of phone calls and what was said), and make sure that anything sent through the mail has a return receipt.
7. Make sure you get written confirmation of any deals or negotiated payoffs. Make sure you have something that says the collection has been satisfied.
8. Never take their first offer when negotiating a lower payment as they will always call back with a better offer.

9. Use powerful sentences like, "This is all I can afford to pay," rather than "this is all I am going to pay." This is a much better negotiation tactic when you are trying to lower the payoff with the collection agent.

10. When repairing your credit, it is a good rule to keep copies of all your credit reports. That way you can track the process of what has been repaired and make sure that what you negotiated is coming to pass.

While it would be impossible to include everything there is to know about dealing with collection agents, these 10 tips will almost always result in more money in your pocket and less in their.

10 Steps to Sell Your Home Faster In A Slow Market

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 May 2010 19:03:00 +0000

You probably already know that real estate across most of the country is not appreciating as fast as it was at one time. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless of course you purchased last year and are now selling. People who have owned a property for a few years are generally well ahead in the game. We can't predict what 2009 will bring, but so far, most markets have at least slowed, if not declined. For the majority of established home owners in the prevailing market, prior property appreciation will ensure at least some degree of profit, though today's sales might not be as prosperous as they would have been in 2006. But all homeowners want to get the highest possible profits. How do you go about this? There are 10 negotiating steps that a seller can follow to assure that a person's home gets the best price and is sold quickly.

Step 1: Use a broker from the local area. When the market is down, so is the number of buyers. That means that you need to expose your property to as many potential buyers as possible. Who do prospective buyers get in touch with when they are house hunting? Real estate brokers. National Association of Realtors statistics show that 85% of purchasers count on real estate brokers for their home selections, while the Internet accounts for 80%. Who creates all of those online real estate postings? Real estate brokers from the local area.

Step 2: Familiarize yourself with the entire sale agreement. Nearly all jurisdictions have standardized real estate contract that has become lengthy and complex over many years. If you use one of those, read it carefully and be aware that you are agreeing to every unmodified term and condition. Make sure there is nothing in the agreement that needs to be taken out, rewritten or added. The brokers should offer a copy of the sale agreement that they might use at listing presentations and the sale deed should be read to avoid misunderstandings. As these are agreements on forms, whatever is not stated as a requirement by the law can be changed by a cross-out or addenda. Consult your attorney or broker for further detailed information.

Step 3: Be completely familiar with the current real estate market. For the sake of negotiations, knowing what the recorded sale prices were isn't sufficient because often they don't give the complete picture. As an example, two houses might have both sold for $300,000. A person might have sold for $350,000 while the other for $300,000 but the owner gave the buyer a 6 percent seller credit for a new roof and appliances, which is $18,000. Local brokers who are familiar with the details of recent sales are able to provide the best negotiation advice.

Step 4: Understand all of the terms you are willing to offer. You are confident that your home is going to sell at some satisfactory price, but instead of starting out with an inflexible amount, consider the property sale as a combination of price and terms. For example, it might make more sense in a slow market to help reduce the buyer's closing costs by offering a "seller contribution "instead of lowering the price of the property. Often the seller contribution could be significantly less than a reduction in price, and buyers who require cash to close the sale could find it more attractive as well.

Step 5: Request a smaller deposit. In order to bind a legal contract, the buyer needs to make a deposit. In an ideal marketplace, a seller will receive a large deposit, but in a down or "off" market, a much smaller deposit may have to be accepted. The buyers prefer to make the lowest possible deposit because a huge deposit indicates a big financial and psychological commitment. You can ask for a lower deposit if the buyer has mortgage pre-approval or if the buyer shows a strong interest in the property and you have no other offers.

Step 6: Sweeten the pot. Are you really planning to take large items like a swing set or washing machine? In certain cases it may be better to leave such items if a buyer makes an offer.

Step 7: MLS photos have to be updated. If your MLS photo shows snow around your home in the middle of the summer, potential buyers will know your house has been on the market a while. They may interpret this as meaning that you might be desperate to sell and will expect to lower your initial offer. Make sure your broker posts recent photographs.

Step 8: Fully understand the marketing plan. The broker's marketing plan should be reviewed quite often to see that it is being followed and is changed whenever it is needed.

Step 9: Check out open houses. Going to open houses, also known as your competition is a great idea. It isn't always easy to be objective. However, do other owners have selling ideas that might work in regards to your home? Is there something you can use to bargain with? You could consider offering to do some painting or other cosmetic repairs.

Step 10: Keep everything in context. Don't worry about nickels and dimes when your main goal is to get the house sold.

As an example, just before closing the deal, we had a buyer request an extra $600 to resolve last minute concerns. That gesture seemed like nothing more than a case of buyer's remorse, so we agreed to it, received an otherwise ideal price, and closed the sale. It wasn't long before the prices softened in the local market. It was better to lose $600 than to find another buyer later when the market was harsher and the final sale price might have been less by several thousands of dollars. Would we have preferred to save that $600? Certainly. However, six hundred dollars was a small price to pay considering that the delays could have meant a big reduction in price.

How Smart a Home Buyer Are you?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:50:00 +0000

Homes Sales Are Up For Over 25% in March

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 14:03:00 +0000

The headline news today is a good sign in the economy--home sales are up over 25% in March 2010! It is a relief to finally get some good news about our economy--a very positive forward motion of our housing market.

Today is the day to own your own home. You should consider getting away from the television set and look at your income and expenses to see if you should consider purchasing your own home. Also, remember that home prices are so much lower than they were a couple of years ago coupled by very low interest rates!

Let me help you find your home, get in touch with an excellent lender to get you pre-qualified for a loan, and then make that big and important purchase of your life--YOUR OWN HOME.

Call me today at (801) 420-5689 or visit my website at www.mountainviewutahrealestate.com

Beautiful Homes in Saratoga Springs, Utah

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:46:00 +0000

As posted on Saratoga Springs' website, "the City of Saratoga Springs is an exciting new pro-development community located on the northwest shores of Utah Lake in the center of Utah’s Wasatch Front Metropolitan Area. The City, incorporated in December of 1997. From its very beginning, the City experienced rapid growth and today there is more development interest in the City than at any other time in its short history." The listings below will show you some of the beautiful homes that are up for sale in Saratoga Springs.