When you’re writing out the holiday shopping list, maybe it’s time to put you on it and a home as the gift. If you’ve been considering buying a home, here are a few reasons why shopping for one during the holiday season can benefit you. Yes, it may involve you really prioritizing your time; the holiday season is a busy time. But if you can make time to house-hunt and you have already been pre-approved so you know how much home...

by Judy Jones Your credit report overshadows every part of your life. Whether it’s a bank, insurance company or mortgage lender, your credit score is how they figure out whether you’re likely to miss payments or default on a loan. Now, it’s not uncommon for landlords and employers to check your credit before approving an application. No one is exempt from the impact of their credit score. There are five factors that determine a borrower’s...

by Judy Jones All lenders are requiring any disputed account on a borrower’s credit report to be resolved or the dispute removed before the loan can be approved. The reason for this is that unscrupulous “credit repair” or “credit fixer” companies have told consumers how to use (abuse) the Fair Credit Reporting Act to falsely inflate the consumer’s credit scores. The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows for any consumer to dispute any credit account...

by Dana Eskridge Not long ago, I was at a backyard barbeque, sipping my drink and idly listening to the various conversations surrounding me. Along with the typical discussions surrounding the NFL, college football and baseball, I overheard an overwrought voice above the fray stating, “We offered full price! And, we didn’t get the house!” Obviously, my interest was piqued! I stood up on my toes to find who owned that voice. I made my way...

by Glen Curry In a recent report from InsuranceQuotes.com, Georgia homeowners only pay an average of 6 percent more for their homeowner’s insurance after making one claim. That puts Georgia among 18 states that are below the national average of 9 percent. While on the surface this seems like a big relief, tread lightly down the path of filing claims. First of all, I recommend carrying higher deductibles on your policy to discourage turning in...