Credit Repair Agency Scams Increase
Credit repair scams abound in economic times like these: A shaky economy, record levels of foreclosures, a rising number of bankruptcies, credit card delinquencies, and late mortgage payments. Repairing bad credit takes more than paying a $1,000 fee. Beware of those promising to repair your credit…
ThinkGlink Radio Show for Nov 23, 2007
Ilyce Glink filled in for Clark on this Friday after Thanksgiving, with her annual Black Friday "Deals of the Day" show. Tune in to hear all of the great deals Ilyce found as well as her advice for finding other great deals throughout the holiday season. She also took calls about quit claim deeds…
Real Estate Fraud Can Result In Credit Report Problems
Real estate fraud often results in problems with credit reports - even if the person was a victim of fraud. In some cases, the home owner benefits from the mortgage lender's attempt at real estate fraud, so the fraud may ruin her credit and credit report. Ilyce describes the problems real estate…
If you're worried about identity theft, there are ways you can protect yourself. And if you know the signs, you can stop identity theft sooner. One of the best ways to protect your identity is to order your credit report annually from annualcreditreport.com.
Credit Freeze Can Protect You From Identity Theft
It's become a little bit easier for you to protect yourself from identity theft. As of Nov. 1, 2007, all three credit bureaus, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian, now allow people in all 50 states to freeze their credit, according to Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports.
Why freeze your…
Racking Up Debt Before Closing
Credit card debt can hurt your chances of closing on a home even if you have already been approved for a mortgage. What many borrowers don't realize is that the lender may take another financial snapshot of their lives just before the closing. The second pull of your credit history and credit score…
ThinkGlink Radio Show for Oct 7, 2007
It's the season of reunions. On the Ilyce Glink show today, Ilyce talked about her 25th reunion, which she went to last night, and then took calls from listeners who went to their 30th, 48th, and 50th reunions as well. We also took calls from Craig, who is trying to pay down debt and is wondering…
ThinkGlink Radio Show for Sep 30, 2007
It's the season of reunions. On the Ilyce Glink show today, Ilyce talked about her 25th reunion, which she went to last night, and then took calls from listeners who went to their 30th, 48th, and 50th reunions as well. We also took calls from Craig, who is trying to pay down debt and is wondering…
Low Credit Score Means Higher Interest Rate
A low credit score will lead to challenges when trying to get a home loan. The interest rate will depend on what kind of credit you're looking for. It's also possibly that you won't qualify for a loan with a credit score of 500.
We're recapping some of the important business/financial news of the week, including Countrywide's stunning announcement that it's going to cut as many as 12,000 jobs, about 20 percent of its workforce.
We're also taking your calls. We've already spoken to Matt, a 23-year old who recently moved to…
Indymac Bank announced this afternoon that it is returning to the jumbo loan market. In other words, if you're in the market for a mortgage in excess of $417,000, they're interested. Oh, and you've got to have fairly strong credit.
"Given our strong financial position, we are fully committed to the…
Paying Mortgage During Separation
Even if you are separated or divorced from your spouse, if both of you are on the mortgage, you are both responsible for paying the mortgage. You must make the payments on time, or both credit histories will suffer. You should consider selling the house, or refinance and work out a way to pay the…
Creditors May Set Up Payment Plans
A woman diagnosed with breast cancel neglects to pay some of her bills. Even during illness or hardship, yo uare responsible for paying your bills on time. Think about setting up automatic payments to make sure they're on time. If your late bills have already been reported, work with the creditors…
Identity Been Stolen? Here's What To Do.
I've published this information before, but it's worth a refresher:
ID Theft -- What to do if you're a victim
Contact Experian, Equifax and Trans-Union to place a fraud alert on your account. Initial alert lasts 90 days. If you have been the victim of a fraud, 2-years. Military personnel can get a…
I was hosting my WSB radio talk show this morning (tune into www.thinkglink.com/radiio to listen or go to iTunes to download it next week) and was taking calls from first-time buyers who wanted to know what kind of financing to get.
This isn't unusual. During the course of a 2 or 3-hour radio show, I…
Deed In Lieu Of Foreclosure Will Hurt Credit Rating
What are your options when you can no longer afford your mortgage and you haven't been able to sell your home? You may think you're facing foreclosure and a deed in lieu of foreclosure may be an option. Either a foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure will hurt your credit rating or credit score…
Credit Card Balance Hurts Mortgage Applicants
Should you pay off credit card bills before applying for a mortgage? Lenders are used to seeing credit card balances, and they can adjust for them. What happens is that the lender adds up how much you can afford to spend each month on your mortgage, interest and taxes. Having a zero balance on…
What can you do when the introductory rate on your adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is expiring? You need to understand what index your ARM mortgage is tied to and how the rate will change after the introductory period. You can then decide whether to refinance your ARM mortgage with a different…
Flipping Real Estate In Down Market
What should you do when you were into flipping real estate and it's no longer profitable? Flipping real estate is less profitable when home market values go down. When the real estate market declines you should do your best to continue making mortgage payments so your credit doesn't get damaged.
Credit Report Hurt By Inaccurate Charge-Off
Inaccurate reporting of information on your credit report can seriously damage your credit score. However, sometimes the circumstances are reported wrong on your credit report. If a dispute goes on for a year or more, and the leasing company sells your debt to a collections agency and charges off…
Mortgage Interest Rates Reflect Loan Risk
Studies have shown that consumers pay too much for their mortgages. Learn how mortgages are priced and why some borrowers get mortgage loans with higher interest rates than others. Mortgage loan interest rates take the riskiness of the loan into account.
Credit Scores Matter More And More
Like it of no, your credit score matters. A few bad financial mistakes made in your early 20s can haunt you for the next decade or more. Credit score has become the key driver in the financial world. Creditors will decide whether to grant you credit and how much you'll be charged based on your…
ThinkGlink Radio Show for Sep 10, 2006
Ever wonder why, directly after you've applied for a loan, lenders start calling your house offering you competing loans? On this show today, Ilyce talked about how credit reporting bureaus tag your information when a lender pulls your credit history and then resell it to competitors. There is a way…
ThinkGlink Radio Show for Aug 13, 2006
In a special version of the Ilyce Glink Show, Ilyce talks with David Rubinger, vice president of communications for Equifax, about the latest trends in credit histories and credit scoring. Then, she and syndicated home improvement writer Al Heavens discuss things you can do to your house to make it…
Dangers Of Co-Signing A Mortgage
When you co-sign a mortgage or "lend" a signature to a family member or friend, you are really saying that you will be responsible for the entire mortgage, should your friend or family member default on the mortgage. Many people don't understand the true implications of "lending" a signature -- and…
