Posts from April 2016
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28
What Actions Impact My Credit Score?
Credit scores factor into the majority of lending decisions, including those for mortgage and rental applications. In most of these scenarios, lenders determine an applicant's eligibility by weighing his or her FICO® Score.
FICO recently rolled out an enhanced version of their Score Simulator that helps prospective homebuyers and renters understand the impact their actions have on their credit scores. The tool simulates actual FICO Scores, allowing users to enter multi-action simulations and providing side-by-side comparisons with data from the three major credit bureaus.
The what-if simulations include over 20 distinct actions, such as:
• Forgetting to Pay a Bill
• Increasing a Credit Account Limit
• Maxing Out a Credit Card
• Paying Down a Credit Card Balance
• Refinancing a Mortgage
• Taking Out a Car...
28
Remodeling? High-Ranking Kitchen Brands to Consider
Quality materials matter in any remodel—and when renovating the kitchen, no material matters more than the cabinets.
"One of the most critical times in a remodel or new construction is when customers order their kitchen cabinets," says Greg Truex, senior director of the at-home practice at J.D. Power.
J.D. Power recently released their annual report of the kitchen cabinetmakers ranked highest in customer satisfaction, rated by factors including design, operational performance and price. The top five are:
1. Thomasville
2. SEKTION (IKEA)
3. American Woodmark
4. KraftMaid
5. Hampton Bay
Also included in the report are the purchasing behaviors of kitchen remodelers. Notably, 66 percent are first-time kitchen cabinet buyers, and 34 percent have not purchased a kitchen cabinet in nine years—possibly signaling a correlation between the rankings and the preferences of new...
21
Moving? Here's Your Checklist!
Whether you're moving across town or across the country, getting ready takes lots of pre-planning. From Real Simple magazine, a moving checklist:
Two Months Before
• Sort and Purge – Go through every room in your home and decide what you will take and what you will get rid of. Plan a garage sale and/or gather up your charitable donations now.
• Get Estimates – Get a few onsite moving estimates—not over the phone—in writing. Keep all estimates, receipts and notes in a binder.
• Transfer School Records – Arrange for all school records to be transferred to the new school district.
Six Weeks Before
• Gather Supplies – Start stockpiling moving boxes, tape and markers.
• Pare Down – Begin...
17
Sellers: Remember These Tips for a Safe Showing
Selling your home can be exciting, but unfortunately, it can also heighten the risk of crime when showing the home.
A recent blog from realtor.com® outlined the following points to remember—all of which will be practiced by your real estate agent.
- Schedule an appointment for showings.
- Keep records of every guest's identity.
- Watch for unexpected guests.
- Do not show your house without your real estate agent, or if you are otherwise alone.
- He or she spends too much time in one room, checking windows, doors or even security devices;
- A couple separates during the showing (Professional burglars usually have one person talking to the...
15
Buyer Cheat Sheet for a Seller's Market
In a seller's market, home buyers need to be willing and able to act fast to snag the home they want. This spring, areas across the country are facing a limited number of homes for sale. Realtor.com® offers up a cheat sheet for surviving a seller's market.
- Be on call. "If you're only looking now and then when it's convenient, you're probably wasting your time," says James Malmberg, a real estate professional in Sherman Oaks, Calif. He suggests treating house hunting like job hunting. If someone calls with a lead, follow up promptly to gauge whether it could be a good fit and don't linger.
- Bring the paperwork. To be taken seriously, buyers would be wise to get a mortgage pre-approval letter as well as a "proof of f...