10 Tips for Real Estate Auctions

shutterstock_92578045

This article originally appeared on HSH.com.   The traditional idea that real estate auctions are only for bargain-basement foreclosures or million-dollar mansions has changed in recent years. These days, all types of homes are sold at auctions.   No matter what type of property you buy at an auction, you need to be aware that you're purchasing "as-is, where-is," without the option of asking the seller to make repairs or wait while you sell your current home, says Fontana Fitzwilson, executive vice president of Williams, Williams and McKissick in Tulsa, Okla.   "Buyers may not always get a bargain at an auction, but auction sellers are often willing to sell at or below market price in exchange for a non-negotiable, non-contingent contract from a highly … [Read more...]

Common Myths About Marriage & Credit

heart

We’ve all heard the adage that “opposites attract” and most of us know some couples who fit this description.   The good news: there are many happy and functional couples who fall into this category, but it can take extra effort to maintain a successful relationship when there are serious differences in attitudes and behaviors between two people.  This is especially true when it comes to managing finances and credit, and doubly so when you enter the legally binding contract of marriage   In fact, financial incompatibility is frequently identified as a top reason for divorce by relationship experts.   Valentine’s Day is traditionally a time for celebrating love and romance through gifts of flowers or chocolate.  While the offer to obtain and discuss each … [Read more...]

Unscheduled Home Repairs: Are You Financially Prepared?

plumber-fixing1-300x200_full

By Michele Lerner   No matter how well you maintain your home, it's inevitable that eventually either age or a manmade or natural disaster will damage some part of your property. Whether you need to pay for something as simple as replacing your water heater or as a monumental as installing an entirely new roof, your wallet will be impacted. Developing a plan to be prepared for these financial disasters can minimize the damage.   Financial experts recommend that homeowners set aside from one to three percent of their home value every year to pay for routine maintenance and as a reserve fund for an emergency repair. For a $300,000 home, that means you should have savings of $3,000 to $9,000 that you can access for home projects. You can estimate how much you may need … [Read more...]

A Diet for Your Debt

9989403_BG1

Are you still feeling the impact of the holidays? That extra helping of turkey or that second or third cookie might have inspired you to make a resolution about losing weight.   But that's not the only place where we could use a little trimming. Our credit might also feel bloated and overweight after a Christmas season of extra spending. And when we get that credit card statement in the mail, it feels the same as adjusting your belt buckle – not good! So if you've been making a weight-related New Year's resolution, perhaps it's time to put your credit on a much-needed diet as well.   If your credit card statements are bulging, one of the first things you should do is make a plan to pay them off as quickly as possible. After all, failing to pay off your Christmas … [Read more...]

Dark Clouds Looming Over Student Loan Industry

Graduation-cap-made-of-money-300

My earlier blog post quantified some of the trends we have been seeing in the US student loan industry, namely the precipitous increase in student loan debt.   Our ongoing analysis has found another disturbing trend: recent vintages of student loans have noticeably lower FICO® Scores than earlier vintages.   This chart illustrates the score distribution trend for consumers who have recently opened a new student loan.     Here we see a clear shift toward lower scores. In fact, the median score has dropped 17 points from 659 to 641.     These findings indicate that in recent years, student loan lenders have made student loans available to more consumers with lower credit quality. Since private student loan lenders were … [Read more...]

The Super Bowl of Credit Scores

iStock_000006939527XSmall

  Super Bowl XLVII is almost here! As the much anticipated Harbaugh-bowl approaches, there’s non-stop talk and big  predictions about who will win and the final score.   Will it be the Baltimore Ravens or the San Francisco 49ers?   We all have to wait for the game itself to know for sure, but experts have used lots of statistical models to predict who will win and even to forecast the spread of the final score.  Some approaches are unorthodox to say the least; a camel named Princess in a New Jersey zoo reportedly has an uncanny ability to predict the winning team correctly, using graham crackers as her medium.   Other approaches are more traditional and data driven, an approach we appreciate at FICO. Most use mathematics to evaluate hundreds of … [Read more...]

Homebuyer 2.0: New market, new rules

iStock_familly and houseSmall

By Michele Lerner   In the ever changing world of real estate, many housing markets have subtly shifted from a buyer's market to a seller's market. Homebuyers who once had the upper hand are now competing for properties in many markets.   Increased competition means homebuyers need to be more prepared than ever. Today's homebuyers also need to know exactly what they want and need in a home before they start looking. Experts say this is a return to the traditional way of judging a home's value.   According to the National Association of Realtors, national housing inventory declined again in November to 2.03 million existing homes for sale, which represents a 4.8 month supply of homes at the current sales pace. This is the lowest housing supply since … [Read more...]

Cures for a Holiday Credit Hangover

2aa7bfe9427a34d20ebc87dab99ede17

The shopping, eating, parties and gift-giving of the holiday season are now behind us as we get back to a more normal routine. That also means we can expect credit card bills in the coming weeks that will reflect the realities of our holiday celebrations.   According to the American Research Group, shoppers indicated they planned to spend an average of $845 for gifts this past holiday season and a large percent of that was likely charged on retail and bank credit cards.   In a perfect world, we’d pay the balances in full and start 2013 with zero credit card debt – reducing the amount of interest paid to the lenders and helping to increase or maintain your FICO Score.  The reality is that many of us simply don’t have the cash on hand to do just … [Read more...]

10 Steps to Achieve Your FICO Score Resolutions

set and reach goal concept

Many of us are preparing to make New Year resolutions – such as eating healthier, exercising more, being more productive and improving financial health. All of these are lofty goals, but in terms of enhancing your wallet, there are a few simple things you can do in regards to your FICO Score that can reap long-term financial benefits.   So after you pack up the holiday decorations, finish that last piece of fruit cake and send off 2012 with a bang, follow these 10 steps to help increase your financial fitness – in 2013 and beyond.   1. Get your credit report. Your credit report is a snapshot of how lenders see you. There are three national credit reporting agencies in the U.S. (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) and you should get a copy of your report from … [Read more...]

Financial New Year’s Resolutions

Are financial goals part of your New Year's Resolutions? Take our survey! … [Read more...]