7 Easy Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

Need to boost your credit score?

Here are 7 easy steps to take when it comes to improving your score. 

Watch those credit card balances

One of the major factors in your credit score: how much revolving credit you have versus how much you’re actually using. The smaller that percentage is, the better it is for your credit rating.

One of the best ways of boosting that score is to pay down your balances.

“Having the ability to use a lot of credit is good, but you have to have low balances,” she says.

What you might not know: Even if you pay balances in full every month, you could still have a higher utilization ratio than you’d expect. That’s because some issuers use the balance on your statement as the one reported to the bureau. Even if you’re paying balances in full every month, your credit score could still reflect your monthly charges.

One strategy: See if the credit card issuer will accept multiple payments throughout the month.

Eliminate “annoying” balances

“Annoying balances” are the small balances you have on a number of credit cards.

The reason this strategy can help your score: One of the items your score considers is just how many of your cards have balances.

So charging $50 on one card and $30 on another, instead of using the same card can hurt your score.

The solution to improve your credit score is to gather up all those credit cards on which you have small balances and pay them off. Then select one or two go-to cards that you can use for everything. That way, you’re not adding a lot of balances on your credit report.

Leave (good) old debt on your report

Some people mistakenly believe that old debt on their credit report is bad. The minute they get their home or car paid off, they’re on the phone trying to get it removed from their credit report.

Negative items are bad for your score, and most of them will disappear from your report after seven years.

Good debt — debt that you’ve handled well and paid off in a good time– is good for your credit. The longer your history of good debt is, the better it is for your score.

One of the ways to improve your credit score: Leave old debt and good accounts on as long as possible. This is also a good reason not to close old accounts where you’ve had a solid repayment record.

Use your calendar

If you’re shopping for a home, car, or any loans, it pays to do your rate shopping within a short time span.

Every time you apply for credit, it can cause a small dip in your score that lasts a year. This is because if someone is applying for multiply applications for any credit, that means they want to use more of it.

However, with mortgage, auto and more recently, student loans — scoring formulas allow for the fact that you’ll make multiple applications but only take out one loan.

The FICO score ignores any such inquiries made in the 30 days prior to scoring. If it finds some that are older than 30 days, it will count those made within a typical shopping period as just one inquiry. The length of that shopping period depends on the credit score used.

If lenders are using the newest forms of scoring software, then you have 45 days. With older forms, you need to keep it to 14 days.

Don’t put away bills in favor of a down payment

If you’re planning a big purchase, like a home or a car, you might be scrambling to assemble one big chunk of cash.

While you’re juggling bills, you don’t want to start sending bills late. Even if you’re sitting on a pile of savings, a drop in your score could ruin it for you. One of the biggest factors in a good credit score is simply month after month of good on-time payments.

Saving money for a big purchase is very smart, just don’t forget about regular bills or pay them on time.

Don’t hint at risk

Sometimes one of the best ways to improve your credit score is to not do something that could sink it.

Two of the biggest mistakes are missing payments, paying less or charging more than you normally do.

Other changes that could scare your card issuer, but not necessarily dent your credit score is, taking out cash advances or even using your cards at businesses that could indicate current or future money stress.

Don’t obsess

The only time you really have to think about your score is when you know you’ll soon need credit. Otherwise, just take care of your bills responsibly and don’t worry about it.

If you are getting ready to make a big purchase, such as a home or a car, at least spring for a copy of your credit scores a few months in advance.

While the score you can buy may not be the exact same one your lender uses, it will grade you on many of the same criteria and give you a good indication of how well you’re managing your credit.

Another smart move is to regularly keep up with your credit report. You’re entitled to one of each of your three credit bureau reports (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), for free every 12 months.

9 Ways Your Property Becomes “Unmortgageable”

According to HUD, the Federal Housing Administration insures 4.8 million single-family mortgages as well as mortgages for 13,000 multifamily buildings. These account for 16% of mortgages written this year and 20% of those for new homes. For first-time buyers, FHA standards are especially important.

But the government is stringent about which loans it will approve or insure. The FHA and HUD give property appraisers a clear list of home problems that are not acceptable, including health, safety and structural hazards.

According to HUD and an array of real-estate experts and brokers, these 10 problems may make home-loan qualification difficult — or downright impossible — for buyers, no matter what credit score they may have.

1. Leaning walls, crumbling foundations  

Before the FHA will sign off on a mortgage, it requires the repair of any structural defect that, without fixing, would leave a house unmarketable.

If the subject property is in such poor condition that it may be impractical to bring it up to FHA’s minimum property requirements, the appraiser should recommend rejecting the property.

Sinking, disintegrating and otherwise failing foundations can lead to a mortgage rejection under FHA rules.

Non functioning drains or any drainage issues can also hurt you. In addition, soil issues indicated by peripheral walls leaning or collapsing can also rise as a serious problem if your house is on the side of a steep hill or valley.

2. Living near an airport runway

The loud noises of jet engines rattling a home, is not necessarily the main reason for this potential mortgage killer.

The FHA has one key condition when it comes to living near any airports or runways: There must be “evidence of acceptance (of the noise) in the market and (that) use of the dwellings is expected to continue.” In other words, the mortgage likely is acceptable if the airport isn’t planning on expanding.

Buyers must also receive a notification whether the house is a “runway zone”. When the loan-application process begins, the would-be buyer must be informed of all implications that come with living near a runway. The buyer then must sign a document acknowledging the receipt of that information. Without these in place, lenders may hesitate on making a deal.

3. A leaky roof

Whether you’re talking about its walls, floors, windows or doors, homes must be waterproof. That, of course, all begins with the roof.

The FHA, in particular, doesn’t want a roof to just block moisture, it has to last.

4. Avalanche or mudslide threat

Government lending standards frown upon homes that face a threat of any mud or landslide.

Federal housing regulations require that residential properties be free from foreseeable hazards … which may affect the health and safety of the occupants or the structural soundness of the property.

The FHA identifies rock slide areas as red or blue zones. Homes located within either color on federal housing maps are ineligible for FHA insurance and should be rejected.

5. Missing appliances

In an era thick with foreclosures, real-estate professionals may be used to going through  distressed properties and seeing that stoves, dishwashers, bathtubs and mounted appliances and fixtures are missing.

In some real-estate-owned properties — homes possessed by a bank, a government agency or a government-loan insurer, typically after an unsuccessful foreclosure auction. For instance, all or some of the appliances may be missing, and there may be damage to the floor, wall or ceiling finish as a result of the removal which will back loans on these properties, if certain hurdles are cleared. Depending on the damage, the FHA advises appraisers to note those holes, cracks and gouges as “deferred maintenance” and make sure the house is devalued appropriately.

6. Unheated rooms

All rooms must have a heat source or receiving at least some source of heat source, according to FHA rules.

There are, however, a handful of geographic exceptions: homes in Hawaii and the Florida counties of Lee, Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Palm Beach, Collier, Broward, Monroe and Miami-Dade don’t require heat if the lack of a furnace is normal for the local housing market and doesn’t hurt the property’s marketability.

7. Lava flows

Given that thousands of American homes are in the Hawaiian islands, FHA mortgage rules include the threat of hot lava in those areas.

Federal housing policies on volcanic hazards were established in 1971 and include boundaries for two specific areas on Hawaii’s big island that may be in lava’s path. The FHA will not back loans in these zones.

Zone No. 1 includes the summit areas and active parts of the rift zones of Kilauea, a volcano on the southeastern side of the island, and Mauna Loa, a volcano on the southern end of the island. Zone No. 2 includes several areas adjacent to and down-slope from the active rift zones of those two volcanoes.

8. Underground oil tanks and wells

Whether they are still operating or abandoned, fuel tanks and wells buried below a residential property could derail a mortgage loan if they are detected or noted in property records.

Tanks and wells point out that they pose potential hazards via fire, explosion and ground pollution. Therefore, no dwelling may occur closer than 300 feet from an active drilling site or 75 feet from an operating well.

9. Termites

Wood-chomping bugs can eat through walls, ceilings and can have a major impact on a home’s chances of qualifying for a mortgage, real-estate experts say.

Termites can cause serious problems in the wood structural components of a house and may go undetected for a long period of time. However, the agency requires inspection only if there is evidence of “active infestation.”

FHA designated two termite infestation probability zones.

The first — a “very heavy” termite infestation — includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Puerto Rico. The second, classified as having “moderate to heavy” termite activity, includes Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee.

What is a Jumbo Loan?

When you start to explore your mortgage options, you may hear the term “jumbo loan.”

If you are looking at properties that are more expensive for the area, then this is the loan for you. For instance, if you are considering homes requiring a mortgage that exceeds 417,000, it’s a good idea to find out more about jumbo loans and discuss them with your lender.

What makes a loan jumbo?

A loan is considered a jumbo if it exceeds what is known as the conforming loan limit. The current conforming loan limit for a single-family home is $417,000 for all states except for Hawaii and Alaska, where it is $625,500.

However, if you live in a high-priced market, there are conforming high balance limits available for certain loan programs. These loans have higher interest rates and stricter underwriting requirements than standard conforming loans, but are generally priced lower than jumbo loans. Additionally, limits may be different for multi-unit properties.

How are jumbo loans different?

Qualifying for a jumbo loan usually requires lower debt-to-income ratios, higher credit scores, larger down payments, and higher reserves than conforming loans. Jumbo loans can also have higher interest rates compared to a conforming loan. Differences vary by lender.

What are your options?

A jumbo loan is one potential way to buy a high-priced home, but other options include:

• Increasing your down payment. This is the simplest option. If you can put more cash toward the down payment, you will borrow less. This could be especially helpful to you if the mortgage you are considering is only slightly above the conforming loan limit.
• Obtaining two mortgages. This is also called a combination loan. This option is more complex. It entails taking out a second, smaller mortgage at the same time as the first. By doing this, your first, larger mortgage would conform to the loan limit, and you may avoid some of the increased requirements and higher rates of a jumbo. However, the interest rate on a second mortgage is typically higher than on a first mortgage, so you’ll want to calculate the costs and potential savings carefully. In addition, if you took out two mortgages, you would be responsible for paying both of them each month. So you would need to be sure that you could manage the combined payment. Not everyone will be eligible or qualify for this loan option.

If you are considering a jumbo loan, discuss your options with your lender. Whatever you choose, you should be confident that you will be comfortable with affording the loans you obtain. 

The Worst Kind of Debt to Have is..

What is the worst kind of debt to have?

Is it student loan debt, credit cards, a mortgage — or something else? Not even experts can agree which debts are “good debt” or “bad debt.”

Student Loan Debt

Why it’s bad: The loans are often given to young people with no credit experience and need financial assistance while attending school.

Balances are often high, and the jobs borrowers counted on to make payments may be non-existent. Unfortunately, some borrowers don’t end up graduating or delayed, while still being in debt.

Finally, unlike every other type of consumer debt, it is very difficult to discharge balances in bankruptcy.

And why it’s not the worst: College graduates, on average, still earn significantly more over their lifetimes than those without a college degree. So in a sense, student loan debts can be considered an investment that pays off in future earning power.

In addition, students may be able to defer payments on their student loans during times of economic hardship, which makes them more flexible than other types of loans. Also, borrowers may be eligible for reduced payments and loan forgiveness under the Income-Based Repayment Program or other loan forgiveness programs.

How does student debt affect credit scores? Even large balances typically don’t hurt credit scores as long as the payments are made on time.

Credit Card Debt

Why credit card debt is the worst: With interest rates hovering around 15% on average — and more than 20% for some borrowers — credit card debt is often the most expensive kind of debt consumers carry.

And with the low minimum monthly payments that issuers offer, cardholders can find themselves in debt for decades if they aren’t careful with it.

And why it may not be: While making minimum payments on credit cards is not a great idea over the long run, having that option is very handy especially if you are very tight financially.

It can give cardholders time to get back on their feet without ruining their credit.

And when consumers can’t pay back credit cards, they don’t have that much to lose — at least when compared to falling behind on a home or auto loan.

A credit card companies are able to sue a cardholder for collection, but that usually happens only after months or years of not paying, and after there’s an opportunity to work out some kind of settlement on the debt.

As long as cardholders keep balances low (usually below 10 to 30% of their available credit), and make minimum payments on time, credit card debt should not hurt credit scores.

Mortgage Debt

Why mortgage debt is the worst: If you wonder how bad mortgage debt can be, just ask the owners of some 8.8 million homes that CoreLogic said had negative or near-negative equity as of the second quarter of 2013.

That means those owners owe more than the property’s worh

That also means they can’t sell those houses without without shelling out money to pay off their mortgage or doing a short sale that damages their credit scores.

Even for those who aren’t underwater, rising taxes and/or insurance premiums, the cost of maintenance, and loans that typically take 30 years to pay off can make one’s home feel like a financial prison at times.

And why it may not be: Over time, home ownership remains one of the key ways average Americans build wealth.

If you are able to keep up with your home loan payments, eventually the home will be paid off and provide inexpensive housing or rental income.

Equity that has built up can be accessed through a reverse mortgage or by selling the house, or it can be passed along to heirs — sometimes tax-free.

When it comes to credit scores, this type of loan will generally help, as long as payments are made on time.

Even large mortgages shouldn’t depress credit scores, unless there are multiple mortgages with balances.

That’s usually a problem that affects real estate investors, though; not homeowners with one or two homes.

Tax Debt

Why tax debt is the worst: If you owe the IRS or your state taxing authority for taxes you can’t pay, you can suffer a variety of painful consequences.

If a tax lien is filed, your credit scores will likely plummet.

In addition, these government agencies usually have strong collection powers, including the ability to seize money in bank accounts or other property, or to intercept future tax refunds.

And why it may not be: The IRS offers repayment options that may allow a tax debt to be paid off over time at a fairly low interest rate. (Similar programs are available for state tax debt in many states.)

And unlike applying for a loan, you don’t have to have good credit to get approved for an installment agreement.

The good news when it comes to credit scores is that tax debt itself isn’t reported to credit reporting agencies; a tax lien is the only way that it may show up.

By entering into an installment agreement, you may be able to get a tax lien removed from your credit reports, even before you’ve paid off what you owe.

Auto Loan Debt

Why auto debt is the worst: The average auto loan now lasts five and a half years.

That means payments will last long after that new car smell has worn off, and well into the years when maintenance and repair costs start adding up.

Even more troubling, these borrowers may be stuck if they need to sell their vehicles since they may be “upside down,” owing more than what they can sell their car for.

And why it may not be: Many consumers budget for a car payment, and as long as they aren’t hit with unexpected expenses, they are able to make this payment a priority.

Borrowers may be able to refinance their auto loans and lower their monthly payments. Plus cars often get people to work, where they can earn the money they need to pay off debt.

Vehicle loans that are paid on time can help credit scores, and are rarely a problem unless someone has several car loans outstanding at once, or misses a payment.

The Worst Kind of Debt

When it comes down to it, the worst type of debt is …  the one you can’t pay back on time.

If that happens, your credit scores will suffer, your balances may grow larger due to fees and interest, and you may find yourself borrowing even more as you try to keep up with your payments.

Remember to keep making payments on time and to be smart with your finances.

Understanding Mortgage Credit Scores

Your credit report is separate from your credit score, even though your score is based on your report. In addition to viewing credit reports from the three major reporting bureaus, you also should obtain your FICO score.

Credit Checklist

• Payment history — Do you pay your bills on time?
• Amounts owed — What is your overall debt?
• Length of credit history — How long have you been borrowing money? Lenders like it if you have a long credit history
• New credit — Have you applied for any new credit?
• Types of credit used —  Bank cards, car loans, student loans, etc.

What’s a Good Score?

The FICO scores range from 350 to 850; an 850 is the best and 723 is the average score in America.  You can expect good mortgage interest rates at the 720 to 760 level and up.

If you notice you are receiving a lot of zero percent credit card or lines of credit offers, your credit is probably in a good shape.

Homebuyers who pursue an FHA loan, one of the most common loan types for first-time purchasers, can usually secure a loan if their credit is 620 or over.

Free Reports

Your credit report is easy to get. Consumers can access one free credit report per year from each of the three reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The online report is generated after you answer a series of security questions and only takes about 10 minutes to complete.

Each FICO score costs approximately $15, but, this may save you thousands over the life of your mortgage if you end up with a lower interest rate.

Insurance

How do you know what a good score is and what a bad score is?

It’s a little bit tricky since different scores are calculated in different ways. Scores may range from around 300 to 900 with the average credit score in America being at about 740. Here is an approximate range of how credit scores are judged:
Excellent credit = 720 and above

Good credit = 660 to 719

Fair credit = 620 to 659

Poor/bad credit = 619 and below

How Credit Reports Affect Your Mortgage

Before you start house hunting and getting pre-approved for a home loan, check your credit report and get your FICO scores. Why? Your credit rating may be the single most important piece of financial information you have to obtain a mortgage at the best interest rate.

Checking your credit rating before you purchase will give you time to correct any errors and to clean up your ratings.

What’s in a Credit Report?

Credit reports are a history of your track record of borrowing and repaying banks, credit card companies, and any other lenders. When you apply to borrow money, the lender uses the credit report to decide if you are a safe bet, or a risk. They also base whatever interest rate they offer on that report and your score.

A credit report includes:

• Credit history. This includes account information detail, such as your payment history, and specifically information about accounts that may have been sent to debt collection agencies. It also includes the number of accounts you have and the type of each, and if you are in good standing with each.
• Who is examining your credit. Any inquiries by lenders or others about your credit is recorded as well.
• Any judgments against you, such as bankruptcy.
• Personal information about you, such as your addresses. Social Security number and your previous employers.

How to Request a Report

There are three major credit-reporting agencies: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. You can receive a free copy of your credit report once a year from AnnualCreditReport.com, which gets the reports from each of the three companies.

Which Mortgage is Right for You?

The mortgage world can be very confusing. Every mortgage has variables that determine how much a borrower ends up paying.

Before you begin your purchase, take a look at the different types of loans available today and which one are you most likely to benefit from.

30-year Fixed-Rate Mortgage

This mortgage combines a stable, fixed interest rate with a long loan term that helps create manageable payments for millions of people. During the years leading up to the current mortgage crisis, many homebuyers strayed from this in search of loans with lower interest costs. Today, many borrowers are returning to the 30-year fixed-rate way.

This is best for borrowers who plan to remain in their homes for a long time and/or who want the security of knowing their monthly payment will never change.

30-year Jumbo Mortgage

Jumbo mortgage loans are 30-year fixed-rate loans too big to be bought and repackaged by mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae for resale to investors. Banks that issue jumbo mortgages have to hold onto the debt themselves.

As a result, jumbo borrowers can expect not only a higher interest rate on their loan, but also have more difficulty finding a lender.

Jumbo loans are best for buyers who want large, expensive or midrange homes in areas of where housing is more expensive.

One-year ARM

ARM stands for adjustable-rate mortgage. Unlike fixed-rate mortgages, these loans don’t have a rate guaranteed to remain stable for the duration of the loan. The introductory rates on these loans, which last only for the first year, often are significantly lower than rates on fixed-rate loans. The term for these types of loans are usually 30 years.

After one year, the interest rate and the monthly payment, adjusts periodically based on a mortgage index such as the Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate) or COFI (11th District Cost of Funds Index). In a falling-rate environment, that’s a good thing, as it results in lower payments. However, if rates increase, you’ll have higher payments.

ARM’s are good for buyers who don’t plan to stay in their homes very long and who are looking for lower borrowing costs.

5/1 ARM

The 5/1 ARM is an adjustable-rate mortgage that has a fixed rate for five years. After that, the rate adjusts periodically. Buyers benefit from lower borrowing costs when interest rates fall, but get stuck with higher payments when interests rise.

5/1 ARM are for buyers who intend to sell within five years and are looking to cut down on their mortgage costs.

10 Tips Every Homebuyer Needs to Know Before Buying

Buying a home can be confusing, especially for first-time homebuyers.

While it will never be a quick and easy process, there are answers to several questions that if understood up-front, it can relieve some stress.

These ten tips are designed to ease the process and help you understand what you can expect from contract to closing.

1. Determine Your Needs

The process of purchasing a home can be especially daunting if you don’t take the time to determine what you really need. A real estate professional will be able to best assist you. But first, ask yourself these questions:

• What is your current lifestyle and how will that play into the neighborhood or community you choose?
• Size of home including bedrooms, bathrooms, and specialty rooms such as media, pool, office rooms
• Style of home: Ranch vs. Two-Story and Mansion vs. Cabin

2. Cost of Homeownership

The most important thing to consider is how buying a new home will fit into your budget, on top of all of your other financial commitments.

You need to ensure that you can afford the monthly mortgage payment, as well as any other expenses including utilities and/or possible homeowner’s association fees.

3. Interview a Real Estate Professional

The interview process is one of the important first steps in buying a home. An experienced sales associate will be eager to share their expertise and skills so you can make an educated decision.

Ask for references and listen to what other people have to say about their experiences with a particular agent. Ultimately, you want to find someone that knows your area, has a good grasp on current market conditions and that you feel comfortable with.

4. Decide if You Will Build or Buy Resale

Are you going to buy an existing home or build something new? You need to understand the pros and cons to both and taking your lifestyle and needs into consideration before making a decision.

5. Location

Location is one of the key factors to consider in any home purchase. Make sure that you buy a home in areas where the value of property is set to increase as opposed to those with low prices and high chances of stagnation, along with other factors such as (good neighborhood, safety, etc).

6. Understand Your Mortgage Options

Speak with a mortgage professional about your options and make sure to share details about your current financial situation, including your monthly budget for a new home. They will be able to offer guidance on which loan program will work best for you.

 7. Home Inspection

A home inspector will inspect the home prior to purchase to examine for structural and safety issues. An inspection is not required, but it will determine if the home is structurally sound and wiring and pluming are up to code, so it’s a wise choice to do so.

They will also check for safety hazards, including loose railings, rotted or damaged porch or entryway steps and broken windows.

8. Get Everything in Writing

The best way to protect yourself is to ensure that every part of your transaction is captured in writing. An example would be repairs that the seller agrees to make prior to closing.

Your real estate professional is there to make certain those repairs are added to an addendum which becomes a part of the purchase agreement. You do not want to have a casual conversation with the seller that could be left to interpretation when it comes to the largest purchase you will probably ever make.

 9. Finalize the Purchase

To avoid problems at the closing table, make sure you have a clear understanding of what to expect. Go through your loan details thoroughly so there are no surprises when it comes to interest rate, loan amount or mortgage term.

There will be a substantial amount of paperwork to sign so give yourself plenty of time to adequately review the details and take in all the information.

10. Home Improvements

Your home is a valuable asset. Once you close, don’t forget to keep putting money aside on a monthly basis for any necessary repairs or maintenance that might surface.

It’s also important to note that certain upgrades may contribute to lower insurance premiums. It’s important that you keep in touch with your real estate agent so they can provide you guidance in all your questions and concerns.

5 Habits That Can Ruin Your Credit

Habits are those activities we do unconsciously because we’ve done them so many times before. We’re not even fully aware when we’re doing them, and then the results tend to pile up unseen.

Of course, credit is one of those things that can suffer from bad habits. So let’s take a look at five bad habits that can ruin your credit:

1. Charging Everything to Your Credit Card

It’s easy to break out the card and charge everything. After all, why would you drive all the way to an ATM Machine or a bank, when you can just simply take out your card. But paying for everything with your credit card is a way to run up the charges without realizing it, and your monthly statement bill will be a shock. If you want to take advantage of credit card rewards by charging everything, make sure you check your accounts frequently so your statement doesn’t catch you off-guard.

2. Buying Discounted Items You Don’t Need

We’re hardwired to love a deal and we sometimes buy discounted items because we might need them in the future. But just because something is “on sale” doesn’t mean you should buy it. The important thing to remember is “Can you pay it off on time?” If you don’t, any credit card interest you owe on the outstanding amount will invariably erase any discount you had.

3. Dealing With Bills Later

When you get a bill in the mail, deal with it right away. Once you receive it, pay it immediately. But this only works if you’ve set a budget and know when your bills come in. Often what happens is, bills flow in, they get stuffed into one huge pile, and then you have to sort through your bills to figure out what happened that month and how you’re going to pay them all. And if you’re not careful, you might end up dealing with those bills after their due date, which has one of the biggest negative impacts on your credit.

4. Applying for Credit Whenever you Get a Chance

Whenever you apply for any credit card offer, your score is affected with a hard inquiry. Too many inquiries can drive your credit score down. Instead, you should only apply when you need to or if you are trying to build up your credit.

5. Complacency

This is the worst habit of them all because not only is it hard to spot, but if you keep ignoring the risks and responsibilities you have, it will inevitably lead to a lower credit score. 

One of the best things you can do is start to identify some of your bad habits that are impacting your credit and start fixing them. For instance, keeping tabs on your credit is an important part of that process. You can check your credit score using a free tool like Credit.com’s Credit Report Card, which gives you your score plus a breakdown of the major components of your credit score (payment history, credit usage, length of credit history, mix of credit and new credit) to see what areas you need to work on. And it’s equally important to check your credit reports, which you can get for free every year.

Remember: Good credit habits lead to good credit history which leads to a positive impact on your credit score.

U.S. Homes Sell Faster Than Buyers Can make Offers

U.S. home sales remain brisk, and strong, according to the National Association of REALTORS® and its August Existing Home Sales report, 5.48 million homes were sold on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis last month– the highest tally in more than 6 years.

Half of homes sold last month were sold in fewer than 43 days. Buyers are bidding up home prices as U.S. housing continues to support the broader U.S. economy.

Existing Home Sales Have Hit a 6-Year High

Each month, the National Association of REALTORS® publishes its Existing Home Sales report, a sales tally of previously-occupied U.S. homes.

In June, 5.48 million homes were sold on a seasonally-adjusted annualized basis, a two percent increase from the month prior and a 13% increase as compared to one year ago.

It’s the highest reading since February 2007, a month predating last decade’s housing market downturn and its $8,000 federal home buyer tax credit stimulus. Furthermore, home sales are coming at a time of scarce home inventory.

NAR reports just 2.25 million homes for sale nationwide at the end of August, a 6% decrease from one year ago and nearly one-third fewer than during 2010.

At the current rate of sales, the entire stock of U.S. homes for sale would be “sold out” in 4.9 months. This is a big deal because analysts believe that a 6.0-month supply of homes represents a market in balance between buyers and sellers. When supply dips below six months, sellers gain leverage over buyers which can lead home prices higher.

Home supply has been below 6.0 months since August 2012. The average home sale price has climbed 11% during that time.

Median “Days On The Market” Now 43 Days

The August Existing Home Sales report showed more than just “strong home sales”. It also showed that homes are selling much more quickly as compared to recent years.

The August report showed the median Days on Market for homes sold in August at 43 days for all sold homes. More than 4 in 10 homes sold in less than one month.

To put this into perspective, compare the last three years:

• August 2010 : Median 92 Days on Market
• August 2011 : Median 70 Days on Market
• August2012 : Median 43 Days on Market

If we remove foreclosure and short sales from the home sale data, Median Days on Market drops to 41 days.

Homes are selling quickly today. Multiple-offer situations are common and sellers have negotiation leverage over buyers in many U.S. markets. For today’s buyers to have the best chance of getting a “great deal”, a willingness to act quickly is important.

A mortgage pre-approval letter can help, too.

Get Your Mortgage Pre-Approval Letter Today

Give yourself a better chance of winning that home in negotiation. Get a mortgage pre-approval letter which shows how much home you can afford. You should also consider all of your mortgage options.

Low-down payment mortgages via the FHA and VA; the Conventional 95% program from Fannie Mae plus other programs available. Just go to www.0pointloan.com and apply.

30-Year Mortgage Rate Drops to 4.5%

The average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages declined this week amid signs the economic recovery is slowing.

The average rate on the 30-year loan fell to 4.50 percent from 4.57 percent last week. The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage came down to 3.54 percent from 3.59 percent last week.

The retreat in the average rate of a 30-year mortgage comes just a couple of weeks after the rate reached a two-year high of 4.58 percent on Aug. 22. The average rate on a 15-year mortgage also hit a two-year high — 3.60 percent — that day. But overall, mortgage rates remain low by historical standards. 
The Long-term mortgage rates have risen more than a full percentage point since May, when Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke first signaled that the central bank could begin reducing its monthly $85 billion in bond purchases this year if the economy looked strong enough.

Many economists had expected the Fed would to decide at its policy meeting last week to scale back the bond purchases. But on Wednesday, the central bank voted to continue the bond-buying program at the current levels.

They also cut the economic growth forecasts for this year and 2014, warning that the upcoming debt ceiling and budget battles between the White House and Congress could pose risks to financial markets and the economy.

Growth and hiring remain modest by the standards of a robust economic recovery. Employers have added an average of 180,000 jobs a month this year, about the same as last year and in 2011. From April through June, the economy grew at a 2.5 percent annual rate, little changed from its 2.8 percent rate in the quarter when the Fed began its bond buying.

Concerns over the possibility that interest rates will continue to rise have spurred some homeowners to close deals quickly. And U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose 1.7 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.48 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s the highest level since February 2007.

So now that investors fell secure that the Feds are going to keep buying the 85 Billion in bonds each month we are seeing the 10 year Bond pricing stabilize and come down,  which in turn has helped lower Mortgage Rates. No one has a Crystal Ball into the future but for now it seems we are headed lower at least for the time being.