Tag Archives: cards

10 tips to securing a home loan

April 12, 2018   Auto Loans

We’ve only got about one page to list these 10 tips for securing a home loan, so let’s jump right into it!

1) Get your credit score up

This is the key rule. Do not even think about getting a home loan until you’ve paid off your debts and worked your credit score up.

2) Get your credit score up

Seriously! What you should do is settle all your old debts, and then cut up all of your credit cards, but one or two. Use those for simple things like buying gas or grocery shopping and then pay them off on time.

3) Live within your means

Credit cards gave birth to a generation of people buying more than they could afford, with many of them winding up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt as a result. Your spending money should be cash only.

4) Make sure the time is right

Sadly, we’re not all ready to own a home. If you don’t have savings and a reliable career, if you’re already in debt, you’ll want to improve your financial standing before going after home ownership.

5) Do your research

Basically, get online and do a lot of reading up on the ins and outs of home loans and the real estate market. If you develop a strong knowledge of the market, you’re more likely to get what you’re after.

6) Know what entices potential lenders

It’s more than just having a nice job and a good credit score. Remember, they do background checks. If you’ve never held a job for more than a year, that’s a turn off for lenders. Other things can help, too. If you have multiple sources of income, let the lender know about them.

7) Never borrow more than you think you can pay off

This is how American homebuyers got into so much trouble last year. They were knowingly borrowing more money than they could repay in the hope that home and land prices would forever appreciate.

8) Be willing to shop around

Don’t grab the first loan anyone will give you. In getting a low interest rate on a loan or mortgage, you’ll want to look around and see who can offer you the best deal. You may get lucky, but don’t count on the first bank you walk into to give you the best overall deal.

9) Don’t buy a pricier house than you need

This is more a tip for actually buying a house than it is for getting a loan, but it can help on that front, too. If you’re a bachelor, what on earth are you going to do with a two story, two and a half bathroom house? Don’t go overboard in selecting your home and the lender probably won’t feel that you’re asking for too much.

10) Don’t be afraid to ask for help

If you need a real estate agent or some expert advice on securing a home loan, then go for it. A qualified home loan professional might save you a vast sum of money.

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College Student Credit Cards: Friend or Foe?

April 10, 2018   Home Mortgage

There is much debate surrounding college student credit cards. Some swear up and down that they’re a disaster waiting to happen while others vehemently object and insist they are a must-have financial tool for college students. Which side is right?

When deciding whether college student credit cards are good or bad, you need to weigh the facts. These three truths will help you come to your own conclusion.

1. Aggressive Marketing

College student credit cards have gotten a bad rap when it comes to their marketing tactics — and some would say that it’s for good reason. You can’t hit a single college campus without coming across at least one application for college student credit cards.

That being said, while the applications are definitely readily available (to put it lightly), no one is forcing college students to sign the application. It’s the responsibility of a parent to instruct their children on wise financial decisions.

The credit card companies are marketing their product — that’s what they do. Parents need to do their part and make sure that they instruct their children in the ways of the credit world.

2. They’ve Got to Grow Up Sometime

Everyone has to grow up sooner or later and college student credit cards can provide some priceless lessons in the world of adult finance. For the first time, college students can be responsible for their own spending and their own monthly bills.

Yes, college student credit cards can provide the potential for disaster (but so can a number of situations that students encounter in college). Just because student credit cards have the potential to be misused, it doesn’t mean that they will be. Have some faith in today’s college students!

3. Paving the Way

Once a college student graduates, they’re going to need some things (a place to live and a car to name a few) and they’re going to need credit to get the things they need. If they don’t start building their credit history in college, when are they supposed to do it?

If a college student wants to be completely prepared when they graduate, they’re going to need to work on building a solid credit history while they’re in school. College student credit cards can be the means to that end.

If you know a college student (or are a college student) who has been debating about whether college student credit cards are good or bad, consider the above three facts and remember, it’s not college student credit cards themselves that are good are bad — it is who is using them and how they are being used that make the difference.

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