mortgages: Saving A Nickel May Have Cost You A Dime
- 06/12/07 12:31 PM
This cartoon by Wiley applies to mortgages in 2007 like it did to stock trading in 1999. The least expensive mortgage options aren't always the least costly. A quick look at the Sunday paper's Foreclosure Notice section can verify that. The right loan at a fair price saves far money money than the wrong loan at any price. Have a great night everyone! … (4 comments)
mortgages: Wealthy Americans Are 25% More Likely To Hold Mortgage Debt
- 06/04/07 02:57 PM
Interesting fact of the day: 55.5% of "wealthy" Americans have mortgages on their primary homes vs. 44.6% of the overall population. This doesn't mean that the wealthy are more indebted than the rest of us; it means that the wealthy are maximizing the tax deductions that the IRS makes available to every homeowner in the country. It's also possible that wealthy Americans may be more likely to work with financial planners and CPAs to devise short- and long-term financial plans that take advantage of mortgage interest. See, unlike every other type of consumer debt, interest paid on most home loans are tax-deductible and … (5 comments)
mortgages: Type A vs Type B: Buyers versus Browsers
- 05/21/07 01:00 AM
Type A: A tendency towards tenseness, impatience, and aggressiveness. Type B: A tendency towards a relaxed manner, patience, and friendliness. Both of these personality types have their merits, and both tendencies exist in all of us to some degree. But when it comes to homebuyers, Type As are the ones you want to be working with. Kathi McLean, a real estate superstar who, with her husband, averages more than $40 million per year in volume, says their turning point was when they decided to seek one type of customer over another. "We had spent an inordinate amount of time on people who drained a … (2 comments)
mortgages: Tap Into Google Local: Your Personal Chamber Of Commerce
- 04/30/07 11:02 PM
The Internet has revolutionized the way we live in countless ways. We are able to access news as it's happening, email friends and relatives all over the world, and purchase anything from cars to vacation packages with a few clicks of the mouse. What's ironic is that we frequently neglect to use this amazing resource when it comes to finding things in our local area. That's where GoogleTM, the world's leading search engine, comes in. Google has produced a search tool, called Google Local, which you can use to locate anything from an Italian restaurant or golf course to a dentist or … (0 comments)
mortgages: Learn from Your Success: Focus On Strengths Rather Than Weaknesses
- 04/30/07 10:55 PM
Our culture teaches us to focus on our weaknesses and then improve upon them. While practice is critical to improvement in some areas, author Benson Smith of the Gallup Organization believes it is more important to focus on your strengths. By turning your strengths into super-strengths, your valuable time can be spent in areas where you feel more comfortable. Over the course of 40 years, the Gallup Organization studied 250,000 sales representatives and 25,000 managers. The results were published in the best-selling book, Discover Your Sales Strengths: How the World's Greatest Sales People Develop Winning Careers.* According to Smith, "You do learn from … (8 comments)
mortgages: Increasing Your Hourly Rate of Pay
- 04/30/07 12:52 AM
Each and every one of us works on an hourly rate of pay. What we get paid by the hour has a direct correlation with what we choose to do with our time, and how we make use of the employees and systems we surround ourselves with in our daily work activities. Here is a great exercise that will put into perspective how you use and manage your time, and henceforth drive your hourly rate of pay. Take out a yellow legal pad and place it on your desk. Every day for the next 3 days, in 15 minute increments, write down … (1 comments)
mortgages: How Purchase Loans Are Made: A Step−By−Step Walkthrough
- 04/29/07 10:50 AM
1. Pre-qualification - Lenders are encouraging buyers to get pre-qualified for a mortgage so they'll know in advance how much house they can afford. 2. Loan Search - Although buyers often use a lender recommended by their Real Estate agent, some prefer to do their own comparisons. 3. The Hunt - The buyer begins shopping for a house. When the right one is found, the terms of the sale are negotiated, including the sale price and often the type and conditions of the loan being sought. 4. Loan Application - It's crucial to supply the lender with as much information as possible, as accurately … (0 comments)
mortgages: ON−Time: Take Time Out for Planning
- 04/29/07 01:20 AM
Have you ever had days, weeks, or even months go by when you were frustrated in your work activities because you failed to implement the things that you know you need to do in order to be more successful? Perhaps you've taken pages and pages of great notes at seminars on the subject of how to improve your business, only to return to the office the next day and implement none of it. The reason this happens to people is because they lack a plan. More importantly, it happens because they are not practicing ON-Time. ON-Time is a time you set aside … (1 comments)
mortgages: An Inverted Yield Curve: What It Means to Mortgage Rates & Programs
- 04/28/07 12:34 AM
The U.S. economy, interest rates, and the housing market are frequent topics on the nightly news. Viewers are told about leading economic indicators, how the stock market has performed, and whether the Federal Reserve is planning on changing interest rates. What isn't explained is how these items are interrelated and how they may impact which home loan is best for you. The Federal Reserve attempts to keep the U.S. economy healthy through its use of monetary policy. As fears of inflation increase, the Fed will raise certain short-term interest rates such as the federal funds rate, which is the interest rate banks … (0 comments)
mortgages: Marketing to the Better Half- Don't Leave Spouses Out of the Equation
- 04/28/07 12:27 AM
Marketing guru Faith Popcorn, who is considered a trend expert, posed this insightful question to an audience in San Francisco back in 1999: "Since men and women are obviously different, why do we continue to market to them in the same way?" Let's take Faith's concept a step further: When meeting with a couple, why do we typically engage one partner in the relationship in conversation, when we know the deal is an important financial transaction involving both partners? Aren't we opening ourselves up to problems by not marketing to each one? How many times have you built a rapport with one person, … (0 comments)
mortgages: Strategic Financing: The Solution to Today's Changing Market
- 04/27/07 12:35 AM
Interpreting one of the main challenges of today's mortgage market isn't as difficult as it might seem. With interest rates on the rise, a lot of consumers are extremely troubled by the negative effects of increasing interest rates on their Adjustable Rate Mortgages. Each month, they are forced to watch hopelessly as their monthly payments increase and interest rates climb closer and closer to the lifetime caps of their loans. For these homeowners who are struggling, refinancing into a 30-year fixed rate mortgage may not help them right now. In fact, doing so could increase their monthly payment and further strain … (0 comments)
mortgages: Trapped in Telephone Purgatory? Use These Short Cuts & Break Free
- 04/25/07 11:43 PM
Does this scenario sound familiar? Your latest credit card statement comes in the mail, and there's an error. You know that it needs to be dealt with, but for some reason you keep putting it off. Then it hits you. The reason for your procrastination is that you just cannot bear the thought of calling "customer service". Just the idea of facing a telephone maze of pressing buttons and repeating personal information over and over again to a computer is so daunting, so loathsome, you actually consider just paying the charge. The good news is your days of wallowing through the Dante's … (0 comments)
mortgages: Victorville Facts and Information
- 04/25/07 01:33 PM
Here is a link that will help you discover Victorville and some of the history behind it!! Victorville, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hope you find this site informative. Please don't hesitate to give me a call if you need any more information.
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mortgages: Gasoline $ense
- 04/24/07 11:37 PM
In terms of the economy and its effect on our daily lives, there is no hotter topic than the outrageous prices we are seeing at the pumps. The maddening part is as consumers, we have zero control over these inflated costs. To make matters worse, there's always that person who says something like, "You know, Europeans pay a lot more for gas than we do." That's true, but it doesn't make it any easier when we're reaching for our credit cards at the pump. The absolute worst part about high gas prices, however, is the notion of having no alternatives. Even … (6 comments)
mortgages: Disaster Preparedness- Simple Steps Everyone Can Take
- 04/23/07 11:48 PM
Natural disasters are a fact of life. Each area of the country has its own challenges, from hurricanes on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts to tornados in the Plains and earthquakes in California. Regardless of where you live, it's important to have plans in place to ensure that you and your family are prepared should an emergency arise. Begin by researching which types of events could occur in your community: •Contact local authorities to learn how community alerts are issued and the evacuation routes you will need to follow. •Inquire about emergency plans at work, school, and any other locations that … (0 comments)
mortgages: The Art of Happiness- Making Each Day Your Best
- 04/23/07 11:15 PM
In The Art of Happiness*, the Dalai Lama shares this powerful insight into life: "I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. [Regardless of religion], we are all seeking something better in life. So I think the very motion of our life is toward happiness." But how do we achieve this happiness which everyone craves? What commonality can we draw upon, regardless of health, wealth, appearance, etc.? The Dalai Lama goes on to explain how the mind can be trained for happiness, despite a lack of material wealth and success. It's that whole … (3 comments)
mortgages: One-of-a-Kind Gifts
- 04/23/07 12:45 AM
Purchasing a gift can be a stressful experience. Whether you're buying for a close friend or a mere acquaintance, the same questions arise. Will they like it? If the answer is yes, then it could be that they already own it! If you choose to go the safe route and buy a candle, a dessert item, or a gift certificate, then the gift may appear less personal than you intended. Thanks to a couple of great websites, the perfect gift, regardless of who you're buying for, may only be a click away. www.findgift.com This is an excellent website for buying one-of-a-kind gifts. For … (1 comments)
mortgages: College Savings Plans
- 04/23/07 12:21 AM
Saving for your child's education just became a bit more complex as a result of the new tax bill passed last May. The Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) is a popular program which allows minors to own stock in their name and, if they fall between the ages of 14-17, to pay taxes on the proceeds exceeding $1700 at their own lower tax rate. Under the new legislation, however, these proceeds will be taxed at the parents' higher rate, challenging the growth potential of this investment plan. Other popular college savings plans include the 529 State College Savings Plan, the Prepaid 529, … (0 comments)
mortgages: Where Your Tax Dollars Go
- 04/22/07 01:27 AM
The US government expects to collect some $2.6 trillion in tax revenue this year! That's a 6% increase over last year, and a 13% jump since 2005. With the tax season behind us, did you ever wonder how your tax contributions are spent? Well, according to the government's 2008 budget, nearly 71% of this money is already slated for mandatory programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and interest toward the national debt. The military receives about 17% of the total budget, with another 1.3% funding homeland security. The remaining discretionary revenue not only funds highways, railroads, airports, etc., it also pays … (2 comments)
mortgages: The Pitfalls of Plastic
- 04/22/07 01:19 AM
Credit cards are a great tool when it comes to building up a good credit history. However, according to a recent report, credit card debt in America reached nearly $800 billion in 2005. How can you obtain the benefits while avoiding the pitfalls? Here are some dos and don'ts: Monitor your balances: Credit card usage and management makes up 30% of your credit score. Keep each account balance below 50% of the available credit limit at all times to maintain your score, and below 30% to improve your score. Read everything: Credit card companies can change the terms of your account at … (0 comments)
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