Read More “5 Tips for Buying a Home with Bad Credit” →

A credit score is an unavoidable part of financial life. This three-digit number derived from information on your credit report directly impacts your ability to borrow money or access credit. It is one of the indicators used by lenders to assess how likely you are to repay debts in a timely manner. This score also affects how much you’ll pay to borrow money. The more you know about your credit score and what affects it, the easier it will be for you to protect your credit from negative impacts. Read More “What You Need to Know About Credit Inquiries and Your Credit Score” →

These days you can do just about anything from a mobile device. The convenience is amazing but living so much of our lives online presents some challenges. With data being stored and shared in cyberspace, there is also a heightened awareness of the need to protect sensitive information. As a Chief Information Security Officer, I am hyper-focused on this issue. A few weeks ago we shared some insight about protecting your credit from identity theft. The tips in this article prompted some additional questions that I’ve addressed below:
Read More “Going Beyond the Basics to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft” →

If you are concerned about protecting your financial information from identity theft and data breaches, it’s important to know your options. While credit monitoring and fraud alerts indicate suspicious activity and provide added security, they may not offer enough protection. Placing a freeze on your credit (also known as a security freeze) can add an extra layer of protection against criminal activity. Here’s what you need to know:

Read More “How to Protect Your Credit From Identity Theft” →

Lenders rely on credit reports as part of the process to qualify you for a loan. Negative information on a credit report or a low credit score could suggest that you are less likely to pay back debt as agreed. The tips below will help you “clean up” your credit so that you can put your best foot forward when applying for a loan.
Read More “Tips for Doing Your Own Credit Repair” →

As a first step in preparing for a home purchase, it’s important to determine if you are actually ready to become a homeowner. Are you able to stay put for a while? Is your income fairly stable? If you answered yes to both questions, the next step is to carefully consider your finances. Resolve to do the following in the New Year and you could be ready to purchase a home sooner than you think – maybe even ahead of any anticipated rate increases.

Read More “Setting Goals to Achieve Homeownership” →

Read More “Making Sense Of Your Credit Report” →

One of the first steps to true independence is developing a strong sense of financial responsibility. The moment you start earning any money at all is the ideal moment to learn about money management, budgeting, and the importance of good credit. Whether you are exploring financial independence for the first time, or looking to re-build after a few credit mistakes, here are some options for getting on a path to a solid credit history.

Read More “How To Build Good Credit As A Young Person” →

In the mortgage industry, we routinely encounter instances in our day-to-day interactions with clients that make us realize what is obvious to us may not be so obvious to those we serve. As loan advisors, a question we are frequently asked by those shopping for a home and going through the mortgage pre-approval process is, “How long is my pre-approval good for?”

Read More “How Long Is A Pre-Approval Good For?” →

Why do you receive so many unsolicited offers after you apply for something like a credit card, or a loan? The answer may surprise you, but the solutions are fairly simple!

Read More “What You Need to Know About Junk Mail and Protecting Your Information” →