Credit Card Company Tricks
Dont let them fool you. All those solicitations you receive in the mail for credit card applications are meant to reel you in and hook you. Big time. In addition, new bankruptcy laws in the US and higher monthly minimum payment requirements are in place to help stem defaults on loans and to force ... more...

Is a Risky Mortgage Right for You?
The use of nontraditional mortgages, such as interest-only and payment-option, has risen along with home prices and the real estate market. Should you take the risk?The Federal Reserve and other government regulators are concerned that these nontraditional loans may be a little too risky for the ... more...

Interest Only Loans
These days, as people scramble for new and more creative ways to finance buying a home, the interest only mortgage is becoming more common and well known. An interest only mortgage is one in which you have the option of paying only the interest (or just the interest and a portion of the principal) ... more...

The 21st Century Way To Build Equity
Here to stay and firmly established in the U.S. mortgage market, biweekly mortgage payments are gaining momentum. First introduced into the U.S. in the early 1980's by several small Northeastern Banks, the idea of biweekly mortgages has its origins in Canada.This concept soon became the popular ... more...

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
If your down payment on a home is less than 20 percent of the appraised value or sale price, you must obtain private mortgage insurance, known as PMI, with your lender. This will enable you to obtain a mortgage with a lower down payment because your lender is now protected against any default on ... more...

The U.S. Postal Service Delivers Frustration
There it was - an envelope from my insurance company. It seemed like I had just paid my semi-annual automobile insurance bill last month. I opened it up only to find a letter demanding immediate payment of my insurance bill that was due at the end of last month or my insurance would be cancelled! ... more...

Mortgage-Refinance Treachery: Avoid Mortgage Bankers and Brokers Biggest Trick -- The Sales Pitch
What the average homeowner or home buyer fails to realize is that bankers, loan officers, mortgage brokers, or whatever your lenders call themselves, are salesmen. Certainly, if you purchased your home from a realtor and used her lender, you most likely got a feeling of trust in that person, ... more...

Fixed Rate Mortgage or ARM? Which is Better?
The fixed rate mortgage offers the certainty of a constant monthly payment, but an adjustable may seduce you with its lower payment. Security or affordability? Which do you choose? Just what is a home buyer to do?Which loan you eventually choose may depend more upon your personality than a careful ... more...

How to Understand Credit Report
Now that you have obtained your credit report, the first thing you need to do is read through it and understand what it all means. Don't feel bad if you don't understand what the credit report is saying to you. Most credit reports are coded because it allows shorter time for the computer to ... more...