Since the “Mortgage Meltdown” in late 2007, the rules around shopping for a new mortgage loan have changed significantly. Understanding the reasoning behind these changes and asking your loan officer essential questions can save you hours of time and disappointment when looking for your next home loan. To set the scene, we must first look […]
Getting Good Advice in a Short Sale: Know the Players
July 7, 2011 by 2 Comments
How do you get good advice when considering a short sale? First, make sure your trusted advisor has extensive experience in the short sale world. Research the process and the advisor, ask tons of questions, and be wary of anyone who thinks they know it all. Each bank has several short sale programs each with […]
Kitchen is Heart
July 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Benjamin Franklin said, “A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.” In his time, fire was the only cooking option and heated debates were conducted in the heart of the home. Kitchens have evolved from the days of wood burning stoves, but there’s […]
Credit Disputes Gone Bad
June 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment
For years, you could dispute anything on your credit report that you believed to be inaccurate and the act of doing so would not be counted against you. While you still can dispute anything on your credit report according to the Federal Credit Reporting Act, you might want to think twice before doing so. Both […]
Paper or Plastic
June 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment
At the grocery store when the bagger asks “paper or plastic” what is your response? In the past, mine has always been plastic, it saves trees. Right? Wrong! Recently, I learned that plastic bags are polluting our environment and contributing to our dependence on foreign oil. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 12 million barrels […]